Among
the successful business men of Sacramento, the career of none exceeds in
genuine human interest that of Frederick William Kiesel, president of the
California National Bank and officially identified with other important business
interests in Central California. The dominant phase of his record has been hard
work from boyhood to the present time, and this has been the keynote of his
success. He was born in Corinne, Box Elder county, Utah, February 11, 1874, a
son of Frederick John and Julia (Schansenbach) Kiesel. His father was engaged
in the freighting business at Corinne, which was located on the railroad and
was a center from which supplies were hauled to the mines and ranches of Idaho,
Wyoming, and Montana.
Frederick
W. Kiesel received his early education in the public schools of his home
community, and then went to work for his father. He drove a freight team,
loaded with powder, groceries and equipment, long distances to various points
in that frontier country, where good roads were unknown. Later he relinquished
that line of work to complete his education and pursued an academic course at
Greylock Institute of South Williamstown, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard
University in 1892 and 1893, but decided he would rather get to work than spend
more time in study. Going to Omaha,
Nebraska, he traveled for a year for an Omaha grocery house, covering the
entire northwest, and then resigned and came to Sacramento.
Here
he gave tangible evidence of the stuff of which he was made, for instead of
seeking an easy berth in some office, he looked about for something really
worth while. He saw an opportunity to buy grapes and make wine, and having
formed the acquaintance of W. E. Gerber, at that time cashier of the California
State Bank, he was able to persuade Mr. Gerber to loan him the money with which
to make a start in the business. Mr. Kiesel rented an old winery at
Twenty-first and R streets, Sacramento, which, having been unused for some
time, was in bad condition. Mr. Kiesel personally started to clean it up and in
the course of time, after hours and days of the hardest and dirtiest sort of
labor, he put the place in shape for operations. After his wine was ready in
the fall, Mr. Kiesel acted as salesman and made the rounds of his customers,
most of whom were grocers. In the meantime he had become connected with the old
California State Bank, now the California National Bank, and when not acting as
salesman in his own business, he filed letters and worked on the books of the institution.
For several years he carried on these dual operations, working before and after
banking hours at the winery. He was
rigidly economical, even cooking his own meals and washing his own clothes
during the first years here. After running the winery successfully for several
years, he sold it and since that time has devoted practically all of his
attention to the California National Bank. He has filled almost every position
therein, starting at the bottom, became an assistant cashier in 1899 and two years
later, in 1901, was promoted to cashier. He proved an able and judicious bank
official, so that it was but natural that, in 1924, he should be elected to the
presidency of the institution with which he had been identified for so many
years. Mr. Kiesel is also president of the California Trust & Savings Bank
and is a director of the California State Life Insurance Company, the
California Development Association, the Natomas Company of California, the
American Packing & Provision Company of Ogden, Utah, and the Pacific Coast
Canners, Inc., of Oakland, California.
On December 18, 1901, Mr. Kiesel was united in marriage to Miss Jane Birdsall, of Sacramento, and they are the parents of four children: Corinne, Phyllis Jane, Robert Allen and Ogden. Mr. Kiesel has membership in the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Sutter Club, as well as in various civic organizations, and is one of Sacramento’s most progressive and substantial citizens. His chief hobby, aside from his banking business, is his large ranch in the Natomas district which adjoins the Sacramento river north of the city, consisting of several hundred acres, and one of the show places of the valley. For some years Mr. Kiesel had one of the finest herds of Holstein cattle in California, some of his best stock being imported, and many of his bulls brought fancy prices. He conducted a large dairy for a number of years and at one time also dealt extensively in Doric Jersey hogs, which he fed and sold on foot. In later years he has utilized his ranch largely for the raising of alfalfa, which he has always grown to some extent. The property came into his possession prior to the building of the large dyke along the river which now prevents overflow during periods of high water. The dyke, which is about eighteen feet in height, has a sand core to prevent the burrowing of rodents and the consequent destruction of the dyke during the rainy season. On the top is a cement road known as the Garden River highway, which is the direct route to Marysville. Mr. Kiesel’s ranch is thus in proximity to an improved highway and is situated only about ten miles from the city of Sacramento. The many roses and other flowers on the property make it a veritable fairyland.
Transcribed
by Marla
Fitzsimmons.
Source: History of the
Sacramento Valley California Vol. III J. W. WOOLDRIDGE 1931. Page 240-242.
© 2004 Marla
Fitzsimmons.