Sacramento County
Biographies
GEORGE C. SELLON
Rare indeed is it to find two generations
of native Californians actively identified with business affairs and
contributing useful service to the world of progress. Such is the record of the
Sellon family, three successive generations of whom
have contributed to the development of the state since the discovery of gold
and one (representing the third generation) now holds a prominent position
among the men of affairs in Sacramento. This influential citizen was born in
the city of San Francisco February 9, 1881, received a grammar school education
in Sacramento and attended the Chicago high school, from which he was graduated
in 1900. His father, L. J. Sellon, was born in
Marysville, Cal., in September of 1850, and is a son of Judge Sellon, a Forty-niner and a pioneer of honored memory. Upon
starting out to make his own way in the world, L. J. Sellon
became a railway mail clerk and later rose to the superintendency
of the mail route between Sacramento and Ogden, Utah, meanwhile making his home
in the former city. During 1891 he resigned from the road in order to
enter the employ of the Postal Telegraph Company at Sacramento, where he acted
as operator. The company in 1894 transferred him to Chicago as chief of the
night wire. Notwithstanding his life of strenuous exertion and constant labor,
he is still active, forceful and successful, and has not been obliged to
relinquish the responsibilities so capably discharged for many years.
It was the privilege of George C. Sellon to enjoy excellent educational advantages and at the
same time to observe carefully the architecture popular in the three cities
familiar to his youth. From boyhood he displayed an interest in the building
business and thoughtfully studied all designs novel in style as well as
substantial in effect. As he observed and noted these with care he began to
draw designs of his own and after he entered an architect's office in Chicago
he gave his attention wholly to developing his natural tastes for such work.
From 1904 to 1906 he engaged in business for himself in Chicago and his
experience in that city has proved of the greatest service to his subsequent
efforts.
A brief period of work at San Francisco
was followed by the return of Mr. Sellon to
Sacramento in May of 1907, at which time he accepted an appointment as state
architect from Governor Gillett. During the three years of his service in the
employ of the commonwealth he designed many important structures, including the
State Normal at San Jose, the State Hospital at Agnew, the
state penitentiary at San Quentin, the California building at the Alaska-Yukon
exposition and the Administration building at the Sonoma State Home. Since his
retirement from the state employ he has engaged in business for himself and has
designed many buildings of note, among them being the Sacramento hotel, the
American cash store, the Sacramento News Publishing building, the Hagelstein building, the structures to be seen on the state
fair grounds and the Inverness building. To one so deeply interested in his
chosen calling politics makes little appeal, and we find that Mr. Sellon refuses to take any part in public affairs aside
from voting the Republican ticket. Elective offices do not fascinate him and
the career of a statesman possesses for him no charm, although later years,
with their professional successes and business prosperity, may lead him into
avenues of public service for which he now has no desire. The Sutter club and
blue lodge, as well as the Scottish Rite Masons number him among their members,
and professionally he is a member of the San Francisco Chapter, American
Institute of Architects. While living in Chicago he formed the acquaintance of
Miss Margaret Hughes and they were united in marriage June 29, 1904, afterward
residing in that city until their removal to the west. They are the parents of
a son and daughter, Walter C. and Virginia.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 828-829. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.