San Joaquin County Biographies
Ref: Page 1192
Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 1/23/2010
L.F. GRIMSLEY
An enterprising representative of an early pioneer family is L.F. Grimsley, whose activities for the progress and prosperity of his native city and county are well known. He was born on a ranch twelve miles east of Stockton, Cal., on October 3, 1877, a son of Louis E. and Minnie (Klinger) Grimsley. His father is a native of Illinois who migrated to California in an early day and located in Stockton and engaged in farming pursuits; later he entered the employ of the Holt Manufacturing Company, where he has been for many years, and at the present time is foreman of the plumbing department. His maternal grandfather, George Klinger, a native of Germany, was also a California pioneer who located in Sacramento in 1852; he was a saddle and harness maker by trade; when he later located in Stockton he was associated with ex-sheriff Tom Cunningham in a harness shop. Later he bought a ranch east of Stockton and followed farming and it was on this ranch that the mother of our subject was born. Both parents are living and reside in Stockton.
L.F. Grimsley received his education in the Linden district school; later he was employed by the Holt Manufacturing Company in the sales and shipping department and was in their employ for seventeen years, thirteen years of which he traveled as a salesman. In 1913 he became the agent for the C.L. Best Traction Company's tractor and at the present time is distributor for eight counties in California. The C.L. Best Traction Company was established in San Leandro thirty years ago; they first manufactured a steam tractor and about ten years ago started the manufacture of the popular C.L. Best gas tractor. The California Packing corporation are using the Best tractor in the developing of a 3800 acre apricot and peach orchard in Merced County, the largest of its kind in the world; Libby, McNeil & Libby also use them on their large ranch in San Joaquin County; the East Side Investment Co. have four of these tractors on their 20,000 acre ranch in Merced County; the California Delta Farms Company of Stockton also use one, and the Merced Irrigation District are using three sixty horsepower tractors on their irrigation project and about five hundred C.L. Best track-layer tractors are at present in use in subject's territory.
Mr. Grimsley has always taken an active part in civic affairs. During the World War he was active in all Liberty Loan drives; at the present time he is a director in the Chamber of Commerce and has been a member of that body for many years. He is a member of the Stockton Parlor, N.S.G.W.; the Elks and the Yosemite Club. Mr. Grimsley has been very successful in his business ventures, and makes friends wherever he goes and is always ready to give of his time and energy to any good cause, and Stockton is proud to count him among her citizens.
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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