Placer
County
Biographies
ALBERT
JAMES GLADDING
It
is interesting to chronicle the career of the successful businessman, and
especially the career of one who, starting out as a youth, worked his way
upward and by his perseverance and well-directed energy accomplished his
ambitions and became one of the principals in building up a large plant
employing hundreds of men, a plant that in turn was the means of building up
his town. Such a man is Albert James
Gladding, vice-president and manager of Gladding, McBean & Company,
manufacturers at Lincoln. A native of
the great Prairie State, he was born at Chicago, Illinois, September 8, 1858, a
son of the late Charles Gladding, the founder of Gladding, McBean & Co.,
who is represented on another page of this history.
Albert
J. Gladding is the only one living of the four children born to his
parents. His childhood was spent in
Chicago and in Riverside; and he received a good education in the excellent
schools of those cities. He remembers
well the stirring times of the Civil War, when his father was at the front, and
also the sad bereavement of his mother.
Then, later, he was awed by the great Chicago fire in 1871, though at
that time the family was making their home at Riverside.
His
school days being over Mr. Gladding came to Lincoln, Placer County, with his
father in June, 1875; and took an active part in starting the nucleus of the
present business, in which he has become such a dominant factor. Thus he took up pottery manufacturing from
the bottom, working in the different departments and learning the manufacture
of architectural terra cotta, tile, brick, and pipes, in all of its details,
gradually assuming the management of the plant and thus relieving his father,
who retired and spent considerable time in travel.
The
growth of the plant of Gladding, McBean & Co., whose products are now
shipped to every portion of the civilized world, has been remarkable. Charles Gladding, the founder, was president
of the company until the time of his death, when Peter McG.
McBean became president and A. J. Gladding, first vice-president. This position Mr. Gladding has filled ever
since, having the general management of the entire plant. Thus he has seen it grow from a very small
and insignificant beginning until it is one of the largest and most successful
manufacturing establishments in the west.
A concise account of the founding and growth of this extensive concern,
and of its present status and operations, was furnished by Mr. Gladding for the
historical section of this volume, and will be found in Chapter X, History of
Placer County, in the description of Lincoln.
A
big fire in July, 1917, wiped out the greater portion of the plant; but the
firm rebuilt immediately, erecting fire-proof structures built of concrete and
clay building blocks of their own manufacture; even the stairs throughout the
building are of concrete.
The
company owns an area of 400 acres, all within a mile of the plant, which is
located on a portion of the tract. On
this tract there are two separate clay pits, worked down to the water-level,
and said by government geologists to be the most wonderful clay deposits and
finest-looking clay pits they had ever seen in the United States. The manufactured product is shipped all over
the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and into different portions of the
world, including Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, and New
Zealand. It is but fair to state that
when the Public Library and the city Auditorium were built in Lincoln, this
company gave the clay products building material for their construction; and
they also gave a great portion of the same kind of material for the
construction of the New Union High School.
A
little more than a year ago Mr. Gladding and his associates purchased the Tropico Potteries, Inc., at Glendale, Calif., which they
are now conducting, Mr. Gladding serving as vice-president of the company.
Interested
in agriculture, Mr. Gladding owns a ranch of 1,400 acres, the old E. J. Sparks
ranch on Coon Creek, which is devoted to raising grain, stock, and fruit. He has also been a builder-up of the city of
Lincoln in more ways than one, being one of the organizers of the Bank of
Lincoln, of which he is now the president.
He is a member of the California Farm Bureau, the Elevator Corp., and
the Farm Bureau Exchange.
The
marriage of Mr. Gladding occurred on the old Chandler Ranch near Nicolaus, on
June 13, 1883, when he was united with Miss Carrie Augusta Chandler, a native
daughter, born on the Chandler place.
Her father was the late ex-State Senator Augustus Lemuel Chandler, a
Vermonter who became a California pioneer of 1852, and who is represented on
another page in this history. Mr. and
Mrs. Gladding have ten children. Mrs.
Lois Gladding Williams was graduated at the Girls’ Academy on California
Street, San Francisco; and she now makes her home in Berkeley. Charles, a graduate of Placer Union High
School, is superintendent of Gladding, McBean & Co. at Lincoln. Augustus Lemuel graduated at Rutgers College
where he majored in ceramics. He is in
the offices of Gladding, McBean & Co. in San Francisco. Anita Lucile is a graduate of Mills College
and the San Francisco Art School, and makes her home in that city. Grace Chandler is a graduate of the College
of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, and also of the San Jose State Normal
School. She is now the wife of Frank
Dickey, and they make their home in Taft.
Albert Chandler was educated at Oakland Polytechnic School and Davis
Agricultural College, and is serving as assistant superintendent of Gladding,
McBean & Co. at Lincoln. He served
in the U. S. N. R. F., in the Officers’ Training Camp, Mare Island, during the
World War. Doris Bloomfield and Dorothy
Noyes are twins, and both are attending the University of California; while
Helen Adeline attends Stanford University, and Caroline Jane attends Miss
Head’s school in Berkeley. The children
had completed high school studies before entering upon the higher courses.
It
was largely through the efforts of Mr. Gladding that the city of Lincoln was
incorporated. He was elected a member of
the first board of trustees and served more than twenty years, being chairman
of the board for several terms. With the
late John Hoening he aided in preparing the first
city ordinances, and he has taken a most active part in the needed
improvements, such as the water system, sewers, and electric lights, the water
system being installed while he was mayor.
He was a leader in organizing the Lincoln Union High School, and served
as a trustee; and it was during this time that the new high school was built.
Prominent
fraternally, Mr. Gladding was made a Mason in Gold Hill Lodge No. 32, F. &
A. M., at Lincoln, in which he is a past master. He is a member of Delta Chapter No. 27, R. A.
M., and Gateway Council No. 13, R. & S. M., both of Auburn; and Marysville
Commandery No. 7, K. T.; and is a life member of Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M.
S., in San Francisco. When Friendship Chapter
No. 67, O. E. S., was organized at Lincoln, Albert J. Gladding and Miss Carrie
A. Chandler became charter members; and at that time the acquaintance was
formed which began the romance of their life and resulted in their
marriage. Mr. Gladding is a past patron
of the chapter, while Mrs. Gladding is a past matron. All of their sons are Masons, and the
daughters are members of the Eastern Star.
Mrs. Gladding is a member and past president of the Woman’s Club at Lincoln. Being interested in the cause of education,
she has served efficiently as a member and clerk of the board of trustees of
the Lincoln grammar schools. For many
years also, she has been active in the great Frances Willard movement for
temperance, serving as president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union for
Placer County. Mrs. Gladding holds
membership in the Congregational Church and contributes generously to its
benevolences; and her efforts have wielded a wide influence for good, and for a
higher moral standard. A firm believer
in protection, Mr. Gladding is a stalwart and influential Republican. He is very active in civic affairs, and is a
member of the various chambers of commerce in the county, and in San Francisco,
as well. During the World War Mr. and
Mrs. Gladding were active in aiding the Liberty Loan and other allied war
drives to a successful issue, and in forwarding the work of the American Red
Cross.
Deeply
interested in the growth and welfare of his adopted county and city, for which
he has always been very zealous, Mr. Gladding aids in his liberal and progressive
way the various movements that have for their aim the development and
upbuilding of the community, and the enhancing of the happiness and comfort of
the people.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“History of Placer & Nevada Counties, California”,
by W. B. Lardner & M. J. Brock. Pages 449-452.
Historic Record Co., Los Angeles 1924.
© 2013
V. Gerald Iaquinta.