FRANK J. NEWMAN

Sacramento County

Biographies

FRANK J. NEWMAN

FRANK J. NEWMAN--A wide-awake man quite representative of leaders in the development of the automobile industry in Sacramento County is Frank J. Newman, the proprietor of the Folsom Garage, on Sutter Street, Folsom City, the authorized Ford and Fordson headquarters in that locality. As the manager of one of the oldest garages owned by an individual in the county, he wields an enviable influence among motor men; and those who know him need not be told that his influence is always for progress and the public good.

He was born at Winnemucca, Nev., on February 1, 1883, and accompanied his parents, Julius and Pauline Newman, to Winters, Cal., in 1885, just when the Golden State was awakening to its great "boom." His father was an expert shoe-and harness-maker, and when he passed away, in 1908, at the early age of forty-nine, he left behind a record for usefulness and practical accomplishment which could not fail to increase the regret of those who knew him that he had not been permitted to live and work longer. Mrs. Newman, the center of a circle of devoted friends, is now a resident of Dixon, in Solano County. The worthy couple had four sons and two daughters, and among these it has been the privilege of Frank Newman to minister to the main support of his mother for years, giving her every care and attention. A brother, Charles F., a resident of Sacramento, is also an expert in automobile mechanics, and is in charge of the garage at the Globe Mills in the capital city.

Leaving home at the early age of sixteen, Frank Newman went to San Francisco, where he entered the employ of the machine shop at the Union Iron Works, spending four years in his apprenticeship; he commenced at four dollars per week, and gradually worked up. Afterwards he worked for a short time as a journeyman, and in 1906 came into the shop at Natoma for the Natomas Company of California, to do general machine and auto-repair work; and although the automobile was yet in its infancy, he awoke to the understanding that if he was to make good for somebody in this line, that somebody ought to be himself. Hence, he made a start, with a partner; and by working very hard they maintained an auto stage line from Folsom City to the capital, and in 1910 opened the present garage.

Mr. Newman has been identified in various interesting ways with the development of automobiling in northern California, owning one of the original four-cylinder Reo motor cars, which, after it had traveled some 365,000 miles of stage service in this county, was much commented upon in articles accompanied by the usual illustrations. Some of these well-written tributes appeared in the Scientific American in 1914, and the following year in the Popular Mechanics magazine. In 1916 Mr. Newman effected the dissolution of the partnership by buying out his colleague's interests; and as the garage business was becoming the more important factor, he gave up staging and devoted himself exclusively to the wants of the motorist. In that same year, 1916, he added the Ford to his agency list, and he has been very successful in the disposal of many of these popular vehicles, doing well also with the later product, the wonder-working Fordson.

Twice Mr. Newman was able to enlarge his garage, making over into a workshop what was formerly a hotel; and such has been his success in salesmanship that he holds the record for contracts effected at both the highest and lowest levels. On the morning of March 13, 1923, the garage was completely destroyed by fire. A new garage, with twice the former capacity, has been built, and will be occupied in June, 1923.

Socially, Mr. Newman is popular, being a familiar figure in Granite Lodge, No. 63, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican in matters of national political moment, and believes in wise legislation, designed to steady and foster industry and commerce. First, last and always, he is a good fellow, and one of the reasons for his ever-increasing patronage is this, that he looks upon every customer as another good fellow, and tries to hand him out a square deal.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 600-603. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.