Los Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE PERRY GRIFFITH
GRIFFITH, GEORGE PERRY,
Contractor, Los Angeles, California, was born in the historic town of Erie,
Pennsylvania, May 8, 1868. He is the son of
George P. Griffith and Ella (Richards) Griffith. He married Mary
Matthews in 1893 at Scranton, Pennsylvania. There are two sons, Richard
Matthews and George Perry Griffith.
He derived his education in the common schools of Erie,
Pennsylvania, where he spent the early part of his life.
Mr. Griffith began his career as clerk in the Marine
National Bank of Erie, Pennsylvania, at the age of 15 years, and for two years
following he continued his work in the financial house.
In 1886 Mr. Griffith gave up his position in the bank to
embark in another line of endeavor. At that time asphalt was just coming into
general recognition as a superior paving material, and the business offered to
the young men of that day as much promise of fortune as do some of the new
things of today. The Barber Asphalt Company being the pioneer and largest
asphalt concern in the United States, Mr. Griffith obtained employment
with them in New York.
That was the beginning of his career as an asphalt man,
and for fifteen years he remained with the original company. He started in a
minor position, but by the time he left the company he was nationally rated as
an expert on asphalt matters and was New York manager for the Barber corporation. The period during which Mr. Griffith was
connected with the company was one in which asphalt made its greatest progress
as an industrial element. He severed his connection with the Barber Company in
1901.
At that time Mr. Griffith looked to the broad Western
country for a new field. He left New York and settled in San Francisco, where
he became associated with the Alcatraz Company, a concern of which he was made
president and general manager. While in charge of the affairs of this concern
he handled numerous large contracts, but at the end of two years he yielded to
inducements offered him by the General Asphalt Company of Philadelphia, and he
went there to become one of the directing heads of it.
This was the year 1903, and he spent the next twelve
months in active operation of the company’s business. His work in Philadelphia
added considerably to Mr. Griffith’s business reputation, and when at the end
of a year he resigned to accept another position his services were sought by
various large asphalt concerns of the country.
His two years in San Francisco, however, had put the love
of the West in his blood, and when he received an offer from Seattle,
Washington, he again renounced the East and headed for
the big city of the North Pacific Coast. He bought an interest in the
Independent Asphalt Paving Company and was elected president of that corporation.
He also took the position of general manager of it.
An attractive offer from Los Angeles, California, caused
him to resign his Seattle office for the vice presidency of the Fairchild,
Gilmore, Wilton Company of Los Angeles, where he settled permanently at that
time.
Mr. Griffith is a man of good reputation in his line of
work, being recognized as an authority in every branch of asphalt work. At the
present time, in addition to his connection with the Fairchild, Gilmore, Wilton
Company, he is president of the Hercules Oil Refining Company, and is vice
president of the Reinforced Concrete Pipe Company, both of Los Angeles.
He is a member of several professional organizations of
the Pacific Coast, and has been for many years a member of the Engineers’ Club
of New York and of the Scranton Engineers’ Club of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
He is a member of the California Club of Los Angeles.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
03 August 2011.
Source: Press Reference
Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 740, International News Service,
New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Marie Hassard.
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