Tulare County Biographies

FRANK E. FITZSIMONS

Transcribed by: Craig A Hahn

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

     The son of George and Agnes (Ward) Fitzsimons, Frank E. Fitzsimons was born 
March 30, 1886 in Thomas county, Kans., where he lived until he was eight years 
old. His parents built the first sod house and the first frame house in that 
part of the country. When they located there they were eighteen miles from the 
nearest neighbor, twenty-six miles from the nearest considerable settlement and 
fifty miles from Winslow, which was their market place, and they were often 
menaced but never really injured by Indians. In 1894 they sought a more 
congenial clime in California; and after living a year at San Jose they came on 
to Visalia and for three years the elder Fitzsimons was foreman of the Geo. A. 
Fleming Fruit Company�s ranch. In 1897 they settled near Orosi, where Mr. 
Fitzsimons has been successful with fruit. Following are the names of the 
children of George and Agnes (Ward) Fitzsimons: Frank E., Orrin, Ray, Walter, 
Lulu and Vera. Lulu married F. A. Listman and lives near Orosi. Orrin married 
May Vance. 
 
     Frank E. Fitzsimons was educated in the common school and at Occidental 
College, Los Angeles, 1906-07. He married Edna Furtney and has a son named 
Richard, who is attending high school. They formerly lived near Orosi and had 
thirty acres in peaches, which he sold for $400 an acre. The remainder of his 
ranch brought a satisfactory price. He had owned the place three years and had 
improved it in many ways. He next bought one hundred and forty acres, eighty of 
which he has sold. He now lives in Orosi. The balance of his ranch he is going 
to set to Thompson and Malaga grapes and figs. He is a close student of 
everything that pertains to his business and is advancing along scientific 
lines, and his methods are certain to bring him even greater success than that 
which he has already attained. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzsimons are Republicans and 
members of the Methodist church. He affiliates socially with the Woodmen of the 
World and is public-spiritedly devoted to the community�s highest and best 
interests. 
 
SOURCE:  History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical 
Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913  Pp 436