Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Nitchy, Frederick A. April 1865 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com June 26, 2010, 5:59 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 416 - 417 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company FREDERICK A. NITCHY, who for over thirty years has been the manager at Portland for Crane Company, has been with this great concern almost continuously for four decades and is regarded as one of its most valuable employes, his long retention in his present responsible position attesting to his loyal and efficient service. Crane Company, the head office of which is in Chicago, Illinois, was established July 4, 1855, by two brothers, C. R. and R. T. Crane. The business has steadily grown through the years and the company now maintains branch offices in the larger cities all over the world. The Portland office was opened March 10, 1893, and at first occupied a storeroom, twenty-five by one hundred feet in size, at 20 North Front street. Later it moved to 14-16 North Front street, where it had three stories and basement, of one hundred feet frontage. The business continued to grow and its next move was to a five-story building, one hundred by one hundred feet in size, at Second and Ash streets, where it remained until 1909, when it moved into its own building, which it still occupies. The lot is one hundred by two hundred feet, on which stands the main building, one hundred by one hundred feet, six stories and full basement, in addition to which it has a one-story building, one hundred by one hundred feet, with basement. The territory supplied from the Portland branch covers all of Oregon and southwestern Washington and territory south of the Snake river in Washington, and as far east as Boise, Idaho. Twenty traveling salesmen cover this territory, while in the office and warehouse there are one hundred and ten employes. Its payroll now amounts to a quarter of a million dollars annually. The company sells to retailers and each branch of its business is a separate jobbing department. Crane Company manufactures over thirty thousand items, which represent only a third of the articles handled by it. It is the largest concern in its line in the world and has always commanded the fullest measure of public confidence because of its sound and honorable business methods. Frederick A. Nitchy was horn in Missouri, in April, 1865, a son of F. A. and Augusta Nitchy, both of whom are deceased. He received a good public school training, graduating from high school, after which he took a course in a business college. He learned the trade of a machinist, which line of work he followed for six years, and in 1888 he began his connection with Crane Company, with which he has remained to the present time with the exception of one interval of three years. His first work was handling a truck, from which humble position he was advanced through various positions until, in 1893, he was made a department manager at the Portland branch. He served in that capacity until 1897, when he was made manager, which position he still holds. He has shown high executive ability and takes a justifiable pride in the splendid record which has been made by the Portland branch under his supervision. Mr. Nitchy was united in marriage to Miss Beatrice Snyder, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, and they have two children; Lois Ann, and Fred, Jr., who is a student in Leland Stanford University. Mr. Nitchy is a member of Hawthorne Lodge, No. 111, A. F. & A. M.; Portland Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.; the Arlington Club, the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club, the Multnomah Golf Club, the Waverly Country Club and the Portland Chamber of Commerce. He gives his political support to the republican party and in every respect has proven an excellent citizen, well worthy of the respect and esteem in which he is held throughout the community. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/nitchy1151gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb