Tulare County Biographies

JOHN A. MacRAE

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
        Standing in the community in the dual capacity of merchant and newspaper 
man, John A. MacRae exerts a large and potent influence on the life and 
activities of the cities of Cutler and Orosi, Tulare. county. Mr. MacRae is a 
native of Chippewa county, Wisconsin, and is the son of Hugh and Anna (Campbell) 
MacRae. These parents were. of Canada and the father for many years followed the 
vocation, of lumberman.
        After attending the public schools, John A. MacRae obtained, employment 
as a clerk in stores, which he continued for some time, but eventually became a 
printer's devil. Until the year 1918 he was employed in Stores in Rochester, 
Minnesota, and various towns in northern Idaho. In December, 1918, he came to 
Tulare county and became manager of Neeley's dry goods store in Dinuba. In 1920 
he came to Cutler and bought out Rasmussen & Sons' general merchandise store, 
which he conducted as such until 1924, when he made a complete transformation of 
the business and changed it into a self-serve grocery store. In this latter 
enterprise he has met with success far beyond his anticipations and has 
abundantly demonstrated the practicability of such an institution.
        In addition to his mercantile interests, in 1925 Mr. MacRae became 
manager and editor of the Orosi-Cutler Courier. This is a well edited and 
attractive newspaper, gives all the news while it is news and is not only a good 
news purveyor and a fine advertising medium, but it also is a potent factor in 
the support of every enterprise tending to better the welfare of the communities 
it represents.
        Mr. MacRae was married to Miss Laura Ulrich, a native of Wisconsin, and 
they have a daughter : Katherine Gladys, who is a graduate of the University of 
Idaho, a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma and of the Eastern Star, and is now 
private secretary to Fred B. Fox of Fresno. Mrs. MacRae also belongs to the 
Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. MacRae belongs to the Masonic fraternity, in 
which he has taken all the degrees of the York Rite, having served as secretary 
of the chapter of Royal Arch Masons and as recorder of the commandery of Knights 
Templar ; he is also a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and belongs to the Order of 
the Eastern Star and the Sciots, being chairman of Cutler-Orosi district in the 
latter order.
 
Source:  History of Tulare County and Kings County, California � Kathleen 
Edwards Small & J. Larry Smith, Vol. II, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1926., p. 309