Tulare County Biographies

CHARLES R. REY, D. V. M.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
        Dr. Charles R. Rey, the well known veterinary surgeon of Tulare, 
California, was born on St. Valentine's day, February 14, 1878, in that part of 
Tulare county now forming Kings county. His parents, Samuel and Louise (Sobrist) 
Rey, were both natives of Switzerland. The father was a barber by trade and 
while working at that occupation in the state of Missouri he had the honor of 
shaving Abraham Lincoln. In the early '60s they started across the plains by way 
of the Oregon Trail, having some trouble with the Indians enroute. Pausing in 
Idaho, Mr. Rey became a prospector, locating the famous Poor Man's Mine and the 
Hays-Rey Mine.         From Idaho they went on west to Seattle, then a small 
place, and Mr. Rey opened the first barber shop in the village. In 1876 they 
came to Tulare (now Kings) county and bought a ranch of one hundred sixty acres, 
near Lambeth Grove. The succeeding five years were years of drought and the 
crops failed. Giving up farming, Mr. Rey located in Traver, where he opened the 
first barber shop in 1884. There he continued until 1891 and also conducted a 
shop in Visalia for a time. He then returned to his ranch and financed the 
Settlers Irrigation Company by a loan of two thousand dollars. The main 
irrigation ditch ran near his land, and with the advantage it afforded, his 
farming operations proved to be more successful than at first. Samuel Rey was a 
member of the Hanford Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and later became 
a charter member of the Traver Lodge. His death occurred in 1907. His widow and 
five of their children are still living.
        Charles R. Rey was born on the ranch near Lambeth Grove. He attended the 
Willow Grove school and remained on the home ranch until he was twenty-three 
years of age. In 1901 he went to San Francisco, where he was employed for some 
time in the Risdon Iron Works. He next worked at the carpenter's trade and still 
later was a longshoreman on the San Francisco water front. All this time his 
ambition was to become a veterinary surgeon. To this end he saved his earnings 
and in 1910 entered the San Francisco Veterinary College as a student. He 
applied himself diligently to his studies and graduated in 1913, with a high 
standing.
After receiving his degree Dr. Rey practiced for a little while in Walnut Creek, 
but left that place for Redding, Shasta county. In 1915 he drove from Redding to 
Tulare with a horse and buggy, being about two weeks on the trip. Liking the 
appearance of Tulare, he decided to locate there and in the ten years he has 
been a resident of the city he has built up a successful practice. He has also 
been financially successful.
        Dr. Rey was married to Miss Amy Sweeny, a native of Tennessee. Dr. Rey 
is a prominent figure in the fraternal circles of Tulare. While in San Francisco 
he joined Excelsior Lodge No. 310, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, where he 
passed through the chairs and is a past grand. He is now a member of Tulare City 
Lodge, No. 306. He is a junior past worthy president of Tulare Aerie, No. 1484, 
Fraternal Order of Eagles; Tulare Lodge No. 1494, Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks ; and Kaweah Tribe No. 151, Improved Order of Red Men.
 
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. 246