Tulare County Biographies

AUGUSTUS E. NOBLE

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
        Among the old California "forty-niners" was a young man named Noble, who 
came by sea around Cape Horn. Liking the country and deciding to become a 
permanent citizen, he returned to the east, married the young woman of his 
choice and brought his bride to California. That couple became the grandparents 
of Augustus E. Noble, whose name appears at the head of this sketch. George A. 
Noble, a son of this worthy pioneer, married Miss Emma M. Otto, whose people 
came originally from Germany. Her father was associated with Claus Spreckels in 
the manufacture of sugar. He built the first beet sugar factory in the city of 
Santa Cruz and afterward erected several sugar mills in the Hawaiian islands. 
Soon after his marriage George A. Noble settled in Fresno county, and it was 
while living there that his son, Augustus E., was born on January 18, 1883. A 
few years later the family removed to what is known as the Elbow district of 
Tulare county, where Mr. Noble purchased a tract of land and engaged in farming.
        Augustus E. Noble was educated in the public schools of Fresno and 
Tulare counties and by a correspondence course. While he was acquiring his 
education his father gradually gave up farming for contracting and building. In 
this business his sons joined him, under the firm name of G. A. Noble & Sons, 
with Visalia as headquarters. Among the buildings erected by this firm are the 
Episcopal and Presbyterian churches of Visalia. After a time the father gave up 
his portion of the business and returned to agricultural pursuits, but the sons 
continued as general contractors. In recent years they have changed the 
character of their work to some extent by devoting more time and attention to 
cement work, the construction of bridges, sidewalks, etc., though they have 
erected many residences and public buildings, including the recent large 
addition to the Visalia high school. In 1924 they constructed the large concrete 
bridge at Parks bar over the Yuba river, considered to be one of the finest 
bridges on the Pacific coast. The skill of the Nobles in construction work and 
their well established integrity in carrying out their contracts place them near 
the head of the list of contractors in southern California.
        Mr. Noble is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the 
society known as Native Sons of the Golden West. In the latter organization he 
has served as president of the local chapter and has several times represented 
the chapter in state conventions. While he takes an interest in all matters 
affecting the public welfare, he is especially concerned in the conservation of 
the natural resources of the state and in the preservation of fish and game. 
Being fond of hunting and fishing himself, he deplores the attitude of some 
so-called sportsmen who kill game simply for the sake of the slaughter and by 
unsportsmanlike methods destroy the fish in the streams.
        Before her marriage Mrs. Noble was Miss Maude Williams. She was born in 
Colorado, came to California as a child, and was there reared and educated. Mr. 
and Mrs. Noble have one daughter, Nena Ruth.
 
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. 462