CHARLES L. CRUMRINE. — A native son who has made an enviable record as the manager of the La Habra Citrus Association, one who is very progressive and believes in adopting the latest methods that make for business advancement, is Charles L. Crumrine. He was born in Ventura County, May 30, 1881, a son of Harrison and Mary (Trotter) Crumrine, natives of Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively.
Harrison Crumrine is a pioneer of Ventura County, having located there in 1869. Charles was educated in the grammar and high schools of Ventura, and since entering the business world has followed the citrus packing industry very closely and by centralizing his efforts along a single line he has achieved marked success as a manager. For six years he was manager of the Santa Paula Citrus Association and in 1911 became manager of the Leffingwell Packing House, on the Leffingwell ranch near La Habra. It was in 1915 that Mr. Crumrine accepted the position of manager of the La Habra Citrus Association. This plant is now the largest in Orange County, and its phenomenal growth in business, since Mr. Crumrine took charge, emphasizes his fitness for such an important post. The excellent business judgment and fidelity to details he has exhibited and his wise, tactful and courteous treatment of the employes is conclusive proof that the directors of the association made no mistake when they chose Mr. Crumrine as their manager. There was but one section to the plant when he took charge; now there are four. One hundred forty cars each of lemons and oranges was the maximum shipment in a season, but through his efficient management there were packed during 1919, 425 cars of lemons and 375 cars of oranges. He predicts that the next three years will see 800 cars of lemons and 600 of oranges packed and shipped each year by this association. The management contemplates the building of a new orange house in 1921, to care for its anticipated increase in business.
The La Habra Citrus Association is composed of 170 growers, who represent 2,000 acres of land devoted to citrus culture, and it maintains a fumigating and picking department. A Mexican colony has been established by the association for the comfort and benefit of its pickers; a settlement worker is located in the colony, who looks after the morale of its members and the general welfare of the colony. The citrus district of La Habra is one of the most productive in the county, its soil being especially adapted to the growing of a fine quality of fruit, which commands the highest price in the Eastern market. The officers and directors of the association are: A. M. Otis, president; W. L. York, vice-president; C. L. Crumrine, secretary and manager; and the following brands are packed La Habra, Shepherd, Reliable Sunkist brands, and Rex and Bengal, choice brands.
On June 30, 1903, at Santa Paula, Mr. Crumrine was united in marriage with Miss May Brookhouser, and this union has been blessed with a daughter, Pauline May. Fraternally Mr. Crumrine is a Mason, a member of Whittier Lodge No. 323, F. & A. M., at Whittier, Cal. In addition to the responsibilities of his position, Mr. Crumrine is the owner of a citrus orchard in the La Habra Heights Addition, which he has himself developed.
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