Sacramento County
Biographies
WILLIAM LAURANCE SWANNELL
WILLIAM LAURANCE SWANNELL.—In a
business where advancement depends entirely upon individual merit and ability,
William Laurance Swannell
has made rapid and continuous progress, being today one of the most successful reataurateurs (sic) in the city of Sacramento, and the
proprietor of Swannell’s Cafeteria, which enjoys a
large patronage. His birth occurred at Kankakee,
Ill., on May 9, 1891, a son of Arthur and Florence
(Meisner) Swannell. The father of our subject was, for many
years, engaged in the dry goods business, but is not living retired, and the
mother is also living.
William
Laurance Swannell obtained
his elementary education in the grammar school at Kankakee, then entered high
school and from there went to the University of Illinois, where he matriculated
in the engineering course. For two years
after his graduation he worked as a gas engineer, and in 1915 removed to Los
Angeles, Cal., but
remained only a short time; then he came to Sacramento
and in partnership with his father-in-law, F. A. Parker, formed the Quaker
Cafeteria, which was incorporated in October, 1915. Some time later, on February 16, 1916, the
company erected their own building and formed the present company with Mr. Swannell as president.
At the beginning of the World War, Mr. Swannell
enlisted in the radio service and was sent to Corvallis,
Ore., where he was one of the instructors
in the radio school; then he was sent to an officers’ training school, but unfortunately was discharged just three weeks prior to
receiving a commission. While in the
service the cafeteria was conducted by his partners, and upon his return to
civilian life he purchased Mr. Parker’s interest and the name of the company
was changed to the Swannell Cafeteria.
Mr.
Swannell’s marriage united him with Miss Grace
Parker, a daughter of F. A. Parker. Mrs.
Swannell was born in New York,
but most of her life has been spent in California. Her father passed away November 9, 1918. Three daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Swannell, Betty Jane, Edith Grace and Alice Mae. Mr. Swannell
supports the Republican party’s policies. Fraternally,
he is a thirty-second-degree Scottish Rite Mason, and also belongs to the B. P.
O. Elks of Sacramento. He is an active member of the Rotary Club,
the Chamber of Commerce and the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 906. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.