An orange grower who, despite the difficult problems of a science still in the making, has "made good" here, thereby contributing somewhat to the development of Pomona and the increase of its wealth, is William R. Coon, who was born at Troy, N.Y., on July 3, 1883. His father was one of the founders of the Cluett-Coon Company (now Cluett-Peabody Company), the famous collar makers, and he enjoyed the best of educational advantages. He attended Yale College and graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School, in 1904. Then, for two years, he was engaged in the wall-paper business at New York City.
Coming to California and Pomona in 1907, he decided to master orange growing; and, with his customary methods of thoroughness, he set about to begin at the lowest round of the ladder, or at least to start out with the simplest operations and facts. For a year he worked as a common laborer on an orange ranch, and then he bought a grove of thirteen acres on Mountain Avenue in the Kingsley Tract. This grove had been badly run down; but he so improved it that later he sold off three acres, and now he has ten acres left. For a number of years he did his own work in developing the property, thereby more surely mastering the game and at the same time becoming more and more robust with the outdoor experience; but now his operations are more extensive, requiring help. He also owns a grove of six acres on Fifth Street, Ontario, and this he also improved. He recently bought three acres within the city limits of Pomona, on which he plans to build a fine home.
With R.B. Denny of Claremont as a partner, Mr. Coon owns two more groves, which are being improved. A few years ago he started a mail-order business, selling oranges direct to the consumer, all over the country, and he advertised in the Country Gentleman that he would ship three dozen oranges, neatly packed, for $1, express prepaid. He received orders from nearly every state in the Union, and even from Honolulu, and worked up such a large business that it proved a good advertisement for California, and especially for Pomona Valley. He also packed and shipped small boxes of oranges of the tangerine variety under the "Coon Brand." With twelve in a box, the sales ran from 7,000 to 10,000, and this lively business has been maintained. He has also made a specialty of buying direct from the grower and shipping oranges east. He was a director of the Claremont Citrus Association and also a director of the Packard Water Company.
On October 2, 1909, and at Claremont, Cal., Mr. Coon was married to Miss Jeannette Durbin, a native of San Diego County, and at one time a student at Pomona College. Three children have blessed the union—Dorothy F., Margaret E. and William R., Jr. The family attend the First Presbyterian Church of Pomona.
History of Pomona Valley, California, with Biographical Sketches
of The Leading Men and Women of the Valley Who Have Been
Identified With Its Growth and Development from the Early Days
to the Present
Published in Los Angeles, Cal., by the Historic Record Company
1920
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 10/07/08, Pages 521-522
Los Angeles County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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