Los Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE
LEONARD FLEITZ
FLEITZ, GEORGE LEONARD, Lumber and Grain, Detroit, Mich., and Los Angeles, California, was born in the former city October 10, 1874, the son of John P. Fleitz and Elizabeth (Mark) Fleitz. He married Miss Lola Hartnett at St. Louis, Mo., July 19, 1908. Mr. Fleitz is descended from an ancient European family whose members for many generations have been prominent in military, medical and judicial circles. In 1815, when the great Napoleon was engaged in his historic attempt to conquer all Europe, a granduncle of Mr. Fleitz, with five sons, fought in the Imperial Army. At the Battle of Waterloo, Major Fleitz fought with such gallantry that he was awarded the Diamond Cross for courage. Other members of the family were prominent in other spheres and Mr. Fleitz, on his various visits to Europe, often goes to the scenes of the successes made by his distinguished ancestors hundreds of years ago.
Mr. Fleitz’s maternal grandfather, John Mark, and his father, John P. Fleitz, were among the prominent lumber and grain operators of Detroit. They were both pioneers in that section of the country and engaged in the lumber industry as far back as fifty years ago. During the intervening period their interests have expanded largely and form one of the important industries of Michigan, although the founders of the business have long since passed away.
Mr. Fleitz spent his boyhood days in the great timber regions of Michigan and there grew up with the lumber industry. His earliest recollections are of the vast forests of that portion of the country, now practically destroyed, but which were then among the finest in the North. He received his preliminary education in the public schools of Detroit and later entered Detroit College (now Detroit University), where he remained until the time of his father’s death.
Upon leaving his studies, Mr. Fleitz entered actively into the management of his father’s business and has been so engaged ever since, having attained a position among the leading lumber and grain operators of Michigan.
One of the principal interests of Mr. Fleitz is the United States Frumentum Company, of Detroit, a well known cereal manufacturing concern, which is the outgrowth of his father’s early grain business. He has served as Vice President and Manager of the company since 1896 and in that time has built it up to a place among the large manufacturing enterprises of the country, this being largely due to the thorough knowledge of the grain and cereal business possessed by Mr. Fleitz.
Another enterprise which commands a part of Mr. Fleitz’s time is the Marsh Tire Company of Detroit, of which he is Treasurer, but his chief interests are his lumber holdings, a large portion of which are in the Pacific Coast States—Oregon, Washington and California. It is a historical fact that Michigan, for many years, was one of the greatest lumber producing States of the country, but with the cutting of the timber the industry gradually began to decline, and Mr. Fleitz, as a man of keen foresight, gradually acquired large timber holdings in the West. In many instances he purchased entire forests. He controls several large tracts in Oregon and Washington, being actively engaged in lumbering operations in both States, and also has a valuable Sequoia tract in Tulare County, California. On this latter property is located the celebrated Fleitz Forest, which is noted for its gigantic Redwood trees.
Mr. Fleitz maintains his headquarters in Detroit and spends the greater part of each year there, but he also visits his Western properties on frequent occasions and as the directing force of a widespread enterprise has under his command an army of men. His father having been a practical man, the son was trained in the business from childhood and served his apprenticeship the same as other men. He underwent all the hardships attendant upon life in the lumber camps and by the time he was called upon to assume the responsibility of handling his father’s business, had passed through the various stages of the work and was an expert lumberman.
Owing to the fact that his interests are scattered so broadly over the United States, Mr. Fleitz has never taken an active part in politics, but he advocates a business-like government.
Mr. Fleitz finds a great deal of recreation in motoring and has traveled all over Europe and the United States. He is a member of the Grosse Point Country Club, and Detroit Boat Club and the Detroit Automobile Club.
Transcribed 7-4-10
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 479, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta.
1913.
© 2010 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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