Sacramento County
Biographies
SIDNEY S. ALBRIGHT
An important business has been developed
within the past few years through the energetic and intelligent efforts of Mr.
Albright, who although a resident of Sacramento since the summer of 1903 did not embark in business for
himself until six years later. The business which he selected was the one
with which he was the most familiar and in which he had received skilled
instruction during a sojourn in various large eastern cities, viz: the painting of carriages and automobiles.
Adopting a conservative policy he started in business in small quarters on
Twenty-fourth street, engaging in carriage, wagon, and automobile building and
repairing, as well as trimming and painting, but the trade grew with unexpected
rapidity and to provide accommodations for the vehicles in his charge he was
forced to double his ground space and also to utilize two floors instead of
one. With the enlarged space he is now able to store all cars and
carriages given to him for painting, and he thus has the facilities desired for
prompt and satisfactory work in the line of his specialty.
Prior to his removal to the west Mr.
Albright had lived for some years at South Bend, Ind., but he is a native of Crawford county,
Ohio, and was born near Bucyrus. His father, who still
resides in Ohio, was in former years a man of considerable prominence and
as early as 1876 he built flour mills at Berwick, Seneca county, and Holgate, Henry county, which he
operated under his personal supervision for a long period of successful
business effort. The family is an honored old family of the east and
traces its history back to the colonial period. Several generations were
identified with the material upbuilding of Pennsylvania. In a small village of that state, Jacob Albright, a
great-uncle of Sidney S., established a congregation and erected an edifice
known for years as the Albright Church. The building still stands and is now used by the
Evangelical denomination in its religious services.
At the age of sixteen years Sidney S.
Albright began to learn the trade of a carriage-painter. From that time
to the present he has allowed no outside matters to turn his attention from his
chosen occupation. It was always his ambition to learn the trade under
the most competent workmen and he therefore considered himself fortunate in
serving an apprenticeship in shops famed for the quality of there work.
At different times he was employed at his trade in Dayton, Ohio, and Jackson, Mich., as well as New York City, where he had advantages of an exceptional nature along
the line of the trade. For six years he was engaged as foreman of the
Studebaker paint shop in South
Bend, Ind., and from there he removed to California, where for six years he was employed as foreman of the
painting department of the carriage shop owned by A. Meister & Sons,
finally resigning the position in order that he might begin in business for
himself.
While living at South Bend, Ind., Mr. Albright there married Miss Verna Rench
in November of 1898, Mrs. Albright being the daughter of a man prominent in
public affairs and widely known in Michigan. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Albright consists of two
children, Howard S. and Jewell Verne, ten and six years of age
respectively. The family attend the services of
the Christian Science Church in Sacramento, in which Mr. Albright is a member of the board of
directors. Long a thoughtful student of religion, he has found in this
church the doctrines that accord with his personal views and he gives to its upbuilding the most devoted effort and most generous
assistance. At no time has he been active in politics
nor a seeker after official honors, but he keeps well informed regarding
national problems and gives the Republican party the influence of his ballot in
all general and local elections.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 690-692. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.