Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

"A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891), page 323.

Messrs. Lee & Rice [Editor inserted: Fred E. Lee & J. Clarence Rice]

Messrs. Lee & Rice. - As one approaches the town of Santa Paula in any direction he will see a star on the stones and boulders, and when he arrives in the city he will find several stars in front of a neat and tasteful clothing store. This is the Star Clothing House of Santa Paula, the firm being Lee & Rice.

F. E. Lee, of this firm, was born in Detroit, Michigan, March 23, 1859. He is the son of John L. Lee, who was born in England and came to the United States in 1850. Mr. Lee was educated in the city of Lansing, taking a thorough course in a commercial college. He commenced business as a pressman, in the State printing office at Lansing, and was engaged in press work there for five years. Then for a time he was in a store with his brother, in Lincoln, Nebraska, after which he spent five years in Chicago, on press work. From there he came to Los Angeles, California, and held the position of foreman in the press-room of the Times office, five years, until he came to Santa Paula. Mr. Lee is married to Miss Balcom, one of the fairest young ladies of Santa Paula, daughter of W. E. Balcom, a wealthy and influential citizen of Santa Paula.

J. C. Rice, who is manager of the store with Mr. Lee, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1854, and completed his education at the Michigan State Normal School, at Ypsilanti. He has had experience in the clothing business with the best wholesale houses in the East, and in Los Angeles, both as a salesman and traveling man. He has thus gained a knowledge of the cost of goods which is of much value to him in their present business. Mr. Rice was married, September 22, 1889, to Miss Fanny M. Baker, daughter of C. N. Baker, a prominent resident of Santa Paula and a member of the Board of County Supervisors.

These gentlemen are both talented business men. They established their business in Santa Paula September 22, 1889. They purchased the building in which their store is located, in the business center of the town, have a fine stock of goods, and quite an extensive trade. Both Mr. Lee and Mr. Rice are Republicans and both are worthy members of the K. of P.
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Ventura County Republican Project: History and Rootsweb Genealogy posted by Jon Miller and Tony Larson.