Ventura
County
Biographies
JAMES J. KROUSER
A successful newspaperman, James J.
Krouser exerts a potent force for progress in his part of Ventura County as
head of the firm of J. J. Krouser & Sons, owners and publishers of the
Oxnard Daily Courier, “established with the city in 1898.” Mr. Krouser was born April 4, 1876, and has
lived in the United States since he was nine years of age. At Stambaugh,
Michigan, he acquired a high school education, which was supplemented by a
course of study in the State University at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated
with the class of 1904.
When a youth of fifteen, Mr. Krouser
began his newspaper career as a printer’s devil and at the age of twenty-one he
was publisher of the Iron River Reporter, and enjoyed the distinction of being
the youngest publisher in Michigan to fill a post of that nature. After four years’ attendance at the State
University in Ann Arbor he went to Big Rapids, Michigan, and for eight years
was manager of the Pioneer. Yielding to
the lure of the west, he came to California and in 1913 allied his interests
with those of Oxnard. He purchased the
Courier from Frederick O’Brien, the famous author, and in 1917 also acquired
the News. Mr. Krouser combined the two
journals, which he has since published under the name of the Oxnard Daily
Courier, issued every afternoon except Sunday.
Experienced and capable, he has made this one of the leading dailies of
Ventura County—a newspaper devoted to the best interests of the community and
surrounding district. At one time he was
the owner of a paper at Ojai, California, and has written many articles which
have been a direct stimulus to progress in his district. He is also a prosperous agriculturist, owning
six ranches in the county and growing sugar beets, lima beans and alfalfa.
In 1902 Mr. Krouser was married to
Miss Lola M. Barrows, a native of Michigan, and two children were born to them,
Wenley B. and J. Caryl, who
are associated with their father in the publishing business as members of the
firm of J. J. Krouser & Sons. In
1927-28 Mr. Krouser and his family made a trip around the world.
Mr. Krouser’s
fraternal affiliations are with the Masons and the Elks. In matters of citizenship his loyalty and
public spirit are expressed through his identification with the Oxnard Chamber
of Commerce and the Oxnard Community Service.
He is also a member of the Oxnard Credit Bureau, Ventura County
Publishers Association, California Newspaper Publishers Association, California
Press Association, United Press Association, National Press Association,
International News Service and National Editorial Association.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 61-62, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S VENTURA
BIOGRAPIES