San Joaquin County Biographies
Ref: Page 727
Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 9/26/2009
JAMES A. ALLEN
For the past thirteen years James A. Allen has been closely identified with the building interests of Stockton, and is one of the progressive and enterprising men of that city. He was born near Springfield, Mo., on July 13, 1882. His father was a building contractor and when James was fourteen years old he began to learn the carpenter trade with his father and followed his trade in the East until 1905 when he came to California. His first work was on the Spreckels Sugar Factory at Visalia; he next worked on a sawmill at Milwood Basin in the mountains of Fresno County. In 1906 he went to San Francisco shortly after the fire, where he worked for a contractor and later ran a shop where he made office fixtures and helped materially in rebuilding the stricken city. In 1909 he came to Stockton and first worked for Chappell, the contractor, on the interior finish of the Wonder Store, Denton's residence and the new concrete building at the State Farm; then he entered the employ of Chirhart & Nystad, building contractors, and with them worked on the new buildings for the Stockton high school. In 1912 he started in for himself as building contractor, making a specialty of fine homes in which line he has built up a fine reputation. He has erected residences for Frank Murray, Frank Warner, Arthur Salz; he has also done some fine work on interior finish and fronts of stores. He erected a $20,000 home for George Moore at Lodi, a $9,000 home on the Theissen ranch near Thornton and the Percy Hodgkin ranch home. He recently designed and completed the Gall block at the corner of Main and Aurora streets at a cost of $45,000, one of Stockton's new, modern structures. He has also constructed and sold eight houses.
Mrs. Allen's maiden name was Miss Mary Lipp, a native of Indiana, and she is the parent of a daughter, by her former marriage, Lena Belle. Mr. Allen is a member of the Stockton Builders' Exchange and fraternally is a Knight of Pythias of uniform rank, the Pythian Sisters and the Woodmen of the World. Mr. Allen has recently sold his beautiful home in Tuxedo Park, and is now planning a new residence.
History of
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
With A
Biographical Review
of
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present
HISTORY BY
George H. Tinkham
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1923
San Joaquin County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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