February 21, 1973 (12 pages)

6 The Nevada County Nugget . Prominent people a M.J. Brock . ——_. I TMA GEORGE BROTHERS The well-known firm of George Brothers, proprietors of the Foundry, Machine & Supply Works of Grass Valley, was established twenty years ago, with a small amount of capital; today the business is the most important of its kind in this section of the State. Three brothers constitute the firm of George Brothers. Their father, John George was a native of St. Just, Cornwall, England, and was a machinist as well as a blacksmith by trade. In the seventies he went to Greytown, Nicaragua, Central America, where he .was master mechanic for the Hollenbeck Steamship Company. In 1879 he came to Grass Valley and worked as machinist for the Nevada County narrow gauge railroad and also operated a blacksmith shop in Grass Valley. His father, also named John George, had come to California in the early fifties via Cape -Horn to San Francisco and engaged in mining; he passed away at Forest Hill, Sierra County. John George, Jr., married Miss Elfreda Levers, also born in Cornwall, and they were the parents of five children: Francis L., Ernest, John Henry, Alfred Charles and Rita, (wife of Lt. Verne Snell, of the U.S. Army). John George, after resigning his position with the narrow gauge, made a trip to Ecuador, S.A., for a large mining company of New York, who chartered the sailing vessel, Nora Harkins, to take machinery along. The vessel was becalmed for weeks and it took three months to make the trip. Mr. George, as master mechanic, erected and installed the machinery in their mine, which occupied him for about one year. He then returned to Grass Valley arid later opened a Carriage and blacksmith shop on Main Street, Grass Valley. He continued the business until George Brothers took the location over and he retired. He served as chief of the Grass Valley fire department, His demise occurred in 1913; his widow is still living, aged Seventy-two years. Francis L., the eldest son and senior member, business manager and founder of George Brothers, was born in Grass Valley, December 9, 1879. After finishing at the public sehool he learned the blacksmith trade under his father, working with him until twenty-one years of age, when he entered the old Allen Foundry and Machine Shop in Nevada City. There he learned the machinist trade, remaining with that firm for three years. There he learned the machinist trade, remaining with that firm for three years. He also worked at his trade in various mines in the motherlode district. When twenty-five years of age, in February, 1904, he started the Foundry Machine and Supply Works, taking two of his: brothers, Ernest and John Henry, into partnership. It was discouraging at first, for competition was keen and work scarce at the time, but they persevered and by insisting on giving the best of Service to their patrons, as no work. was allowed to be turned out that was not perfect and Satisfactory, success soon crowned their efforts. A modern foundry and machine shop was built, and in connection, a wholesale and retail store was opened and conducted along modern business lines. They also built a garage. The firm employs fifteen men in the various departments. They manufacture heavy mining machinery and do automobile repairing in all its phases, as well as deal in automobiles and automobile accessories, this business extending all over Superior California and even to San Publishe WILLIAM JEF This California pioneer wa parents crossed the plains to ( route and landing in Grass Vall family located on a ranch of 12 ranch the father farmed for the Woods was born near Caledonia, County, in the Iron Mountains o William D. and Margaret Elizat Missouri and Virginia respective pioneer couple: Matilda B. an deceased; George N. and Ha William J., of this review; an deceased. The mother was sixty and the father lived to the ripe olc William J. Woods attended p also attended the Bell Hill Schoo! in the district At the age of eight self, at first working at odd jobs followed teaming, and afterward: mining. He located and owned th Grass Valley, which he later cons Central Mining Company, operat new company changed the na Mining Company. On September 20, 1882, at Nev to Miss Cora E. Levee, a nati daughter of Jeremiah and Emil natives of the same State. Jere about 1859 and engaged in mining. was joined by his family, and the Hill district, where the father homesteaded a piece of governm orchard. The Levee family consi: the wife of our subject; George H. J., residing at Towle,, Cal.; Jeren lives on the old home place; Hatt who resides in Oakland, Cal. The seventy-three, and the mother wa died. After their Marriage, Mr. an on the old Woods home place, \ teaming in connection with his ran born to Mr. and Mrs. Woods. Margi William D. lives at home. Clar: married Miss Mabel Coulter; George, Thelda, and Virginia Sacramento. Hattie is now Mrs. children: Marion, Doris, and Arth Harris, and they have three child Loren, twins. John C. married Mis: Lawrence. The others are Henry J. Woods is a thember of the Nevada Nevada County Pioneer Society. It i . of those who came to California i

6 The Nevada County Nugget . Prominent people a M.J. Brock . ——_. I TMA GEORGE BROTHERS The well-known firm of George Brothers, proprietors of the Foundry, Machine & Supply Works of Grass Valley, was established twenty years ago, with a small amount of capital; today the business is the most important of its kind in this section of the State. Three brothers constitute the firm of George Brothers. Their father, John George was a native of St. Just, Cornwall, England, and was a machinist as well as a blacksmith by trade. In the seventies he went to Greytown, Nicaragua, Central America, where he .was master mechanic for the Hollenbeck Steamship Company. In 1879 he came to Grass Valley and worked as machinist for the Nevada County narrow gauge railroad and also operated a blacksmith shop in Grass Valley. His father, also named John George, had come to California in the early fifties via Cape -Horn to San Francisco and engaged in mining; he passed away at Forest Hill, Sierra County. John George, Jr., married Miss Elfreda Levers, also born in Cornwall, and they were the parents of five children: Francis L., Ernest, John Henry, Alfred Charles and Rita, (wife of Lt. Verne Snell, of the U.S. Army). John George, after resigning his position with the narrow gauge, made a trip to Ecuador, S.A., for a large mining company of New York, who chartered the sailing vessel, Nora Harkins, to take machinery along. The vessel was becalmed for weeks and it took three months to make the trip. Mr. George, as master mechanic, erected and installed the machinery in their mine, which occupied him for about one year. He then returned to Grass Valley arid later opened a Carriage and blacksmith shop on Main Street, Grass Valley. He continued the business until George Brothers took the location over and he retired. He served as chief of the Grass Valley fire department, His demise occurred in 1913; his widow is still living, aged Seventy-two years. Francis L., the eldest son and senior member, business manager and founder of George Brothers, was born in Grass Valley, December 9, 1879. After finishing at the public sehool he learned the blacksmith trade under his father, working with him until twenty-one years of age, when he entered the old Allen Foundry and Machine Shop in Nevada City. There he learned the machinist trade, remaining with that firm for three years. There he learned the machinist trade, remaining with that firm for three years. He also worked at his trade in various mines in the motherlode district. When twenty-five years of age, in February, 1904, he started the Foundry Machine and Supply Works, taking two of his: brothers, Ernest and John Henry, into partnership. It was discouraging at first, for competition was keen and work scarce at the time, but they persevered and by insisting on giving the best of Service to their patrons, as no work. was allowed to be turned out that was not perfect and Satisfactory, success soon crowned their efforts. A modern foundry and machine shop was built, and in connection, a wholesale and retail store was opened and conducted along modern business lines. They also built a garage. The firm employs fifteen men in the various departments. They manufacture heavy mining machinery and do automobile repairing in all its phases, as well as deal in automobiles and automobile accessories,

this business extending all over Superior California and even to San Publishe WILLIAM JEF This California pioneer wa parents crossed the plains to ( route and landing in Grass Vall family located on a ranch of 12 ranch the father farmed for the Woods was born near Caledonia, County, in the Iron Mountains o William D. and Margaret Elizat Missouri and Virginia respective pioneer couple: Matilda B. an deceased; George N. and Ha William J., of this review; an deceased. The mother was sixty and the father lived to the ripe olc William J. Woods attended p also attended the Bell Hill Schoo! in the district At the age of eight self, at first working at odd jobs followed teaming, and afterward: mining. He located and owned th Grass Valley, which he later cons Central Mining Company, operat new company changed the na Mining Company. On September 20, 1882, at Nev to Miss Cora E. Levee, a nati daughter of Jeremiah and Emil natives of the same State. Jere about 1859 and engaged in mining. was joined by his family, and the Hill district, where the father homesteaded a piece of governm orchard. The Levee family consi: the wife of our subject; George H. J., residing at Towle,, Cal.; Jeren lives on the old home place; Hatt who resides in Oakland, Cal. The seventy-three, and the mother wa died. After their Marriage, Mr. an on the old Woods home place, \ teaming in connection with his ran born to Mr. and Mrs. Woods. Margi William D. lives at home. Clar: married Miss Mabel Coulter; George, Thelda, and Virginia Sacramento. Hattie is now Mrs. children: Marion, Doris, and Arth Harris, and they have three child Loren, twins. John C. married Mis: Lawrence. The others are Henry J. Woods is a thember of the Nevada Nevada County Pioneer Society. It i . of those who came to California i