Sacramento County
Biographies
ROBERT FORSYTHE GUNN
ROBERT FORSYTHE GUNN.—A native of the
great prairie state who has made an enviably excellent record since coming to
California and casting his lines in the pleasant waters of Sacramento
County, is Robert Forsythe Gunn,
the wide-awake proprietor of the Gunn Sheet Metal Works at 1315
Twenty-ninth Street, in the capital city. He
was born at Onaga, Ill.,
on December 15, 1864, the son of J. C. And Emma (Matthews) Gunn, who migrated
to Tennessee, and there lived and
died. His father was a nurseryman and florist, and a clever inventor; and
he designed one of the first evaporated-fruit dryers, and also one of the first
taxicab indicators. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gunn deserved well of their day and
generation, and they enjoyed their share of good-will from everybody.
Robert
F. Gunn went to school in Tennessee,
and what he did not learn there, he tried to obtain from the larger school of
practical experience. When old enough to do so, he was apprenticed to the
metal-working trade, in Knoxville, Tenn.,
and in time he worked as foreman for a large manufacturing company. Then
he was foreman for the Mountain City Stove Manufacturing Company, of Chattanooga,
so that by the time he was ready to make his way westward, he could boast of a
valuable knowledge not vouchsafed to every man. Reaching Los
Angeles, he had charge of a shop at Long Beach,
and then he went to Denver; and in 1906, he came to San
Francisco as foreman for the Globe Sheet Metal
Works. In 1908, he removed to Sacramento
and engaged with the Latourrette-Fical Company, and
after four years of successful and pleasant experience there, in 1912 he
established himself in business. He is now located in his new modern shop,
with far better quarters than ever before for the handling of his steadily
expanding trade. He employs eight men, and they have helped win the honors
in such work as that for the Grand Royal Ice Cream Company, the Consumers Ice
Company, the ventilating systems for T & D Theater, as well as for the
numerous hotel and kitchen installations. He belongs to the Builders’
Exchange, and is rated as one of the substantial supporters when it comes to
"boosting Sacramento." His
home address is 817 Thirtieth Street.
In
1885 Mr. Gunn was married the first time, to Miss Julia McCullar,
by whom he had the following children: Robert F., Jr., was in the aviation
corps of the World War; Hobson, another son, went overseas and saw service in France;
Essie has become Mrs. P. E. Rice; Eleanor is the
fourth; and the youngest is Mrs. Silva. Mr. Gunn was married the second
time in 1916, to Miss Addie L. Utter, a native
daughter of California. Mr.
Gunn is a Mason of the third degree; and he also belongs to the Sciots. He is fond of hunting and fishing.
Transcribed 5-26-07
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 842. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Marilyn R. Pankey.