Merced-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Dismukes, Sansom B. 1863 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 6, 2006, 10:58 pm

Author: John Outcalt (1925)

SANSOM B. DISMUKES

   One of the most prominent and substantial citizens of Los Banos, who is
actively interested in the welfare of his adopted community and willingly gives
of his time and means to advance every worthy project brought before its people,
is Sansom B. Dismukes, dealer in furniture and carpets and insurance agent. A
native of Georgia, he was born at Weston, Webster County, in February, 1862, and
educated in the schools of his district, where he grew to young manhood. Ten
years prior to his coming to California he made his home in Athens, Ga., and
came to San Jose, Cal., in May, 1896, remaining there until 1902. That fall he
returned to Georgia on account of the death of his father, but came back to
California in December, and in March, 1903, located in Los Banos, then a growing
town, and entered upon the career of furniture dealer and insurance agent,
representing the Home Insurance Company since March, 1903, and also handling
insurance in other solid companies. Since he has written insurance for the Home
Company, there have been but very few losses that company has had to pay,
because of the extreme care Mr. Dismukes takes in examining the risks before
writing the policies.

   Since locating in Los Banos Mr. Dismukes has entered into the spirit of the
growing West and served as city treasurer when the town was first incorporated.
He was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of trustees twice and was then
elected to the position; and so favorably have his efforts impressed the
citizens that they have reelected him to the position three different times.
During his terms in office nearly all of the important movements have been
pushed through to completion, the new sewer system installed, the streets paved,
and the water system purchased from the Miller & Lux interests, greatly extended
and improved. When the sewer bond issue of $30,000 was passed, his name was
written 4800 times on the bonds.

   Mr. Dismukes was married in Athens, Ga., in 1894, to Miss Susie Mae Patman.
There was one daughter born to them, now Mrs. Agnes Ethleen Sneed, of Stockton,
Cal. Mr. Dismukes is a prominent Odd Fellow, holding membership in Mountain Brow
Lodge No. 82, I. O. O. F., in Los Banos, and is also a member of Newman
Encampment, Modesto Canton, and Los Olivas Rebekah Lodge No. 214, of Los Banos.
He was the prime mover in organizing the I. O. O. F. Hall Association, and was
selected for its first president in 1917. He was the moving spirit in raising
the money to build the first unit of their fine hall in 1917, erected on lots
purchased by the Odd Fellows some years previously; and in 1921 he negotiated
the loan from the Bank of Italy to erect the second unit of their building and
make a home for the postoffice, which occupies the building under a ten-year
lease. When the office was moved from the shack it had been occupying for about
two years to the new location that year, he mailed the first letter posted in
the new office in December. The financial arrangements of the Odd Fellows
building have been such that the debt is being fast reduced and there will be a
surplus on hand to meet necessary repairs and purchase equipment for the lodge
when the debt shall have been lifted. Mr. Dismukes has served as clerk of the
Los Banos High School board for nine years. He is treasurer of the board of
stewards of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, served as superintendent of
the Sunday school for fifteen years, and assisted in financing the erection of
the new church edifice in Los Banos. In fact, his standing as a responsible
business man has had much to do with his selection by his fellow citizens to
assist in almost every movement for bettering conditions in general; and his
friends are legion.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925


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