Imperial-San Diego County CA Archives Biographies.....Shank, George J. 1877 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 17, 2006, 3:10 am Author: F. C. Farr (editor, 1918) GEORGE J. SHANK.—The progressive citizen of today is the most influential factor in the development of the county in the future. The foregoing might be termed philosophy, and perhaps it is, but when applied locally it takes on all the attributes which are characteristic of George J. Shank, the subject of this review. George J. is the owner of 358 acres of valuable land in Water Company No. 5, near Brawley. He came to Imperial County April 4, 1904, and was born at Salina County, Kansas, July 30, 1877, the son of Bernard H. and Katherine (Wicland) Shank. The family has been in this country about fifty years. Mr. Shank received his early education in his native state, leaving the public institutions of learning at the age of 23, when he attended Normal school. However, during his earlier years, George J. always looked out for himself as a ranch hand, and with the knowledge gained in his home state, he was doubly assured of success when he came to the Imperial Valley, where he worked as a laborer upon his arrival and for a year thereafter. The rapid development of the country impressed Mr. Shank greatly at the time, and, showing keen business foresight, he bought 200 acres of land from his brother, which prior to his purchase, had been filed up while it was rough desert country. At present Mr. Shank has brought his holding to a high state of development, and it can be truthfully said that he has one of the most valuable holdings in Imperial County, lie has placed out 2000 trees, has built a wire fence entirely around his ranch, and in addition has erected a commodious and modern dwelling thereon. It was in October, 1917, that Mr. Shank bought his additional 160 acres, making in all 358 acres. This had already been improved. George J. for a time followed the advanced theory in hog raising, but for the last three years has been raising grain on a large, remunerative scale. He is a stockholder in the Imperial Valley Bank at Brawley, and also a stockholder of the Orleans Mining and Milling Company of Nevada. He is president of the Gold Basin Mining Company of California. Politically Mr. Shank always votes for the man most deserving on the ballot. He was married near Silsbee, California, December 25, 1906, to Miss Cora Pyle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Pyle. The father of Mrs. Shank died in 1905 and is buried in the Imperial cemetery. His wife resides at El Centro. Mr. and Mrs. Shank have two children: Clifford, born on the home place, and Clayton, born at San Diego. It is also interesting to note that at the time Mr. Shank arrived in the Valley he had but one object in view, and that was to obtain work at the place where he had been told while at Los Angeles two ranch hands were needed. He and his brother, Theodore B., secured the positions then open to them, and in this way fortune smiled a beaming ray which culminated, as the reader can readily perceive, in the unqualified success of all of Mr. Shank's undertakings. Additional Comments: From: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/bios/shank768nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb