Plumas
County
Biographies
JOHN A. SCHILL
John A. Schill, one of the four
partners in the Portola Mercantile Company, is widely known as a man of energy,
ability and integrity, who has risen steadily through the force of his own work
and worth. The establishment in which he
is interested is the largest general store in this section of California,
carrying a complete line of dry goods, groceries, clothing, beds and bedding,
leather goods, stoves, rugs, linoleum, smoked meats, cement and other building
material, windows and doors, flour and feed, buying flour, potatoes, bacon and
plasterboard in car-load lots. The
Portola Mercantile Company is a partnership, composed of four prominent citizens
of this place; John A. Schill, Felix Reynolds, Joseph C. Janes and John
Reynolds. They have two delivery trucks
and employ from six to eight men.
John A. Schill was born at
Hollister, San Benito County, California, August 31, 1887, a son of Anton and
Josephine (Walkenheim) Schill. The father was born in Germany and died when
his son was but four years old. The
mother was born in Buffalo, New York, and came to San Benito County as a young
girl, her marriage occurring there. She
is now Mrs. Riihle, of Hollister, this state, and is
seventy-three years of age. John A.
Schill has two sisters living, Mrs. John Liskey, of
Merrill, Oregon, and Mrs. Willard Best, of Hollister, California. Two sisters and a half-sister died during the
influenza epidemic of 1918 and a brother Oliver R.,
was drowned March 29, 1928, while fishing below Carmel-by-the-Sea. He left one child, Jean. John A. Schill was reared and educated at
Hollister and when seventeen years old began to learn the butchering trade. When eighteen years old he went to San Jose,
where he followed his trade for two and a half years, after which he was at
Gilroy for one year. In 1910 he located
in Beckwith, where he worked for the McKissick Land
and Stock Company, of which J. L. Humphrey was the head. After serving there one year the company sent
him to Portola. While in that employ he
froze the fingers on his right hand, which incapacitated him for the meat
market business. In 1917 he paid one
hundred and twenty dollars for a half interest in a pool hall at Portola, known
as the “Belle Isle,” his partner being B. Yandall, a railroad conductor. The business grew and prospered. Mr. Yandall sold his interest to Felix
Reynolds, who for several years was connected with pool and billiard parlors in
Portola and Susanville. Mr. Schill sold
his interest to Mr. Reynolds, and also sold his Susanville business, “The Stag
Smoker,” in April, 1921. He then opened
the pool and billiard hall in Portola which is now known as “Jack’s Place,” and
in February, 1922, he took in J. C. Janes for an equal partner. In the meantime Felix Reynolds had taken in
his brother, John Reynolds, as a partner in the “Belle Isle,” and in the
following fall arrangements were made to consolidate the two places, running
both during the summers and closing the “Belle Isle” during the winter months. In November, 1923, the company took over a
stock of clothing in Portola, and to this was soon added
groceries. As this business grew
other lines were added, until today theirs is the largest general merchandise
establishment in northeastern California.
The pool and billiard business was sold to Harry Jones and his present
partners came into the mercantile business March 1, 1930. They are all giving their personal attention
to the business, which is enjoying a substantial and healthy growth.
On August 26, 1916, at Portola, Mr.
Schill was united in marriage to Mrs. Howard Colter,
nee Fay Halsey, who was born at Coffeyville, Kansas. To them was born a son, Jack Halsey, who died
at the age of five years and ten months.
Mr. Schill owns a comfortable and attractive home, which he built in
Portola. He and his partners are large
property holders in this place, the four owning some thirty-five houses. Mr. Schill is a Republican in his political
views. He is essentially a self-made man
and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. Genial and companionable, he has a wide
acquaintance and is held in high regard by all who know him.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3 Pages 398-399. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.