Tulare County Biographies

FRANCIS K. RITCHIE

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

 
        Francis K. Ritchie, manager of the plant of the Sunflower Packing 
Company of Porterville and one of the most energetic, enthusiastic and 
enterprising young fruit men in this section of California, has been a resident 
of this state since 1912 and here literally "grew up" to the fruit business, 
obtaining a first hand knowledge of orchard development and of the fruit-packing 
industry in Orange county, and since he engaged in practical operations along 
these lines in Porterville he has become recognized as one of the leaders in 
that line hereabout. He was born in the village of Beaver Crossing, Seward 
county, in southeastern Nebraska, November 11, 1894, and is a son of J. H. and 
Myrtle M. (King) Ritchie, who in 1912 came to California and established their 
home at Anaheim, in Orange county, where they are now living, J. H. Ritchie 
being a well known orchardist and packing-house manager there.
        By a comparison of above dates it will be observed that Francis K. 
Ritchie was but eighteen years of age when he came to California with his 
parents in 1912. He at once became enthusiastically interested in orange culture 
and in association with his father's enterprises soon became thoroughly familiar 
with the details not only of growing but of packing and marketing, a business to 
which he readily adapted himself and willingly adopted as a vocation. Along this 
line he became acquainted with conditions in Tulare county, and particularly in 
the Porterville district, and in 1922 located in Porterville as the manager of 
the plant and affairs of the Sunflower Packing Company. He has since been thus 
engaged, a practical, experienced and successful young fruit man who is devoting 
the best of his energies to the development of this great industry in this 
section.
        On December 27, 1915, in Anaheim, Mr. Ritchie was united in marriage to 
Miss Lila R. Abbott, who was born in Minnesota, daughter of J. L. Abbott, but 
who was reared in California. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have a pleasant home in 
Porterville. They are republicans and take a proper interest in general 
community affairs. Mr. Ritchie is the president (1925) of the popular and 
locally influential Lions Club, is a Royal Arch Mason and is also a member f the 
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.
 
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. 340