Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Balch, John Adrian August 6, 1876 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Orr orr@hawaii.com October 23, 2009, 8:12 pm

Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders. Published by the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Territory of Hawaii, 1925
Author: Edited by George F. Nellist

JOHN ADRIAN BALCH, Telephone Organizer. Since his arrival in Honolulu, March 
15, 1907, John A. Balch has been closely associated with the development in 
the Territory of the wireless telegraph and the telephone. In June, 1907, Mr. 
Balch, with C. J. Hutchins and others, purchased the Wireless Telegraph Co., 
operating between the islands, from F. J. Cross, its former owner, for 
$50,000. As vice-president and manager of the company, Mr. Balch rehabilitated 
the wireless system and erected the first Hawaiian ship-to-shore radio station 
at Kahuku Point, Oahu, 1907-1909.
  He assisted in the amalgamation of the Wireless Telegraph Co. and the Mutual 
Telephone Co. in 1909 and was elected vice-president of the latter concern on 
October 12 of that year, and was made treasurer and executive officer of the 
board of directors, May 18, 1911. Acting for the Mutual Telephone Co. he 
purchased controlling interest of the Hilo Telephone Co., Hamakua and South 
Kohala Telephone Co. and the Kona-Kau Telephone Co., which were amalgamated 
with the Hawaii Telephone Co., a subsidiary of the Honolulu organization, in 
1913. In 1918 he purchased control for the Mutual Telephone Co. of its other 
subsidiary, the Maui Telephone Co. Mr. Balch has devoted much of his time to 
the finances of the telephone company. In the past fifteen years the Mutual 
system on Oahu has increased from 1200 to 13,000 telephones, and the plant 
today, entirely automatic in operation, is recognized by engineers as one of 
the most modern in the world.
  Mr. Balch was born in San Francisco, Aug. 6, 1876, the son of Daniel Webster 
and Nellie Dingle (Holmes) Balch. He was educated in the public schools of San 
Francisco and began his career with the Texas Consolidated Mines, Shasta 
County, California, working under his father, a prominent mining engineer and 
California pioneer. Mr. Balch held positions as chemist, assistant 
superintendent and superintendent of smelting, Mountain Copper Co., at Keswick 
and Martinez, Calif. He also had varied experience in mining and in the 
discovery and location of calcium phosphate beds throughout the states of 
Arizona, Washington, Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming. He abandoned his mining 
career when he came to Hawaii on a visit and remained here.
  Mr. Balch married Helen Bae Skelly in San Francisco, May 11, 1909. They have 
three children, Margaret Adrienne, John Bernard and Richard Skelly Balch.
  During the World War Mr. Balch served as chairman of the District Draft 
Board for the Territory, from Oct. 16, 1917, to June 4, 1918, resigning to 
accept a commission as Lieutenant (j.g.) Radio, U.S. Naval Reserve. He served 
as District Radio Superintendent, 14th Naval District, Pearl Harbor, T. H., 
from July 5, 1918, to Feb. 28, 1919. Mr. Balch is a member of the Pacific 
Club, Institute of Radio Engineers and the Honolulu Chapter, American 
Association of Engineers.


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