Orange County
Biographies
CHARLES FLETCHER GRIM
The late Charles
Fletcher Grim, financier, capitalist and philanthropist, resided within the
borders of Orange County for a period covering forty-six years and was
widely known as a pioneer lumberman of Anaheim,
where he engaged successfully in business as president of Ganahl-Grim Lumber
Company. He was born in Morrow, Ohio, March 10, 1858,
and was one of a family of eight children.
His father was Frederick Grim, a native of Germany,
and his mother the former Miss Mary Elizabeth Fletcher of Ohio.
Charles F. Grim
was a young man of twenty-nine years when in June 1887, he came to Orange
County, California, locating in Santa Ana, where he was employed by the
Griffith Lumber Company for a period of thirteen years. In 1901 he moved to Anaheim and here became manager for the
Griffith Lumber Company. It was in 1904
that he established the C. Ganahl Lumber Company of Anaheim, which concern is now known as the
Ganahl-Grim Lumber Company and of which he was president at the time of his
death. He became widely recognized as a
man of splendid executive ability, sound judgment and keen sagacity in business
affairs and his efforts constituted an important factor in the successful
management and control of various important enterprises. He aided in the organization of the Anaheim
Sanitarium and occupied the presidency of the institution for ten years,
retiring in 1932. For a period of
fourteen years, from 1915 to 1929, he was president of the Savings, Loan &
Building Association of Anaheim. He was
also a member of the advisory board of the Anaheim branch of the Bank of America.
On the 25th of
December, 1889, Mr. Grim was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Crowley, a
successful school teacher of Santa Ana,
where she taught for six years. They
became the parents of two daughters, namely: Mary, who is Mrs. Oscar W. Heying
and resides at 514 North
Clementine Street in Anaheim;
and Ruth, who is Mrs. Richard Minor, of San
Mateo, California.
Mr. Grim was a
valued member of the Anaheim Rotary Club and also belonged to the Newman Club
of Los Angeles. He was an active
communicant of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim, was a member of the Holy Name
Society and about 1908 organized the Anaheim Council of the Knights of
Columbus, of which he became the first grand knight. Fraternally he was also affiliated with the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
A short time prior to his death he wrote an interesting book of one
hundred and eighty pages concerning his travels abroad in 1925. It was through his influence that black
acacia trees were set out in the streets of Anaheim.
He had attained the age of seventy-five years when he passed away on the
12th of July, 1933, at his home at 502
East Center Street in Anaheim.
All who knew him mourned his loss, and many expressions of heartfelt
sympathy were tendered the bereaved widow and the daughters, who will cherish
the memory of a loving and devoted husband and father. Mr. Grim is also survived by six
grandchildren: Jean, Barbara, John and Agnes Heying; and Mary and William
Minor.
Transcribed
by Bill Simpkins.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 87-88, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Bill Simpkins.
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