1902 Sugar Factory
Beet Sugar Gazette, Oct. 1902, p.240
Additional Appointments for the Campaign of 1902-03
Los Alamitos Sugar Company, Los Alamitos, Cal.
H. C. Lawrence, Superintendent.
I. Evans Miller, Assistant Superintendent.
F. Logan Norton, Assistant Superintendent.
F. K. Edwards, Chief Engineer.
D. W. Goodwin, Night Engineer.
J. O. Reed. Sugar Boiler.
Sidney Smith. Sugar Boiler.
A. M. Masser, Chemist.
C. H. Walrath.
D. P. Stafford
R. R. Burringtpn.
GUSTAF LEANDER — An expert mechanic who has also made a success of all that he has undertaken in other fields, working intelligently and industriously, and modestly enjoying the well-earned fruits of his labors, is Gustaf Leander, who was born in Sweden on August 12, 1871, and was educated in that country so famous for its schools and completed a course at the Agricultural College at Gotland. He came to America in 1891, landing at New York City, and proceeded directly to Los Angeles, Cal., and learned the machinist trade in the Axelson Machine Shop and then was employed in other shops in Southern California and Arizona. After that, for four years, he worked in the sugar factory at Los Alamitos, where he was employed as the factory mechanic. Tiring of the work, or seeing perhaps a still greater opportunity in the confectionery business, Mr. Leander in 1905 came to Fullerton and bought out Steve W. McColloch; and having taken possession, he put a deal of hard work into the enterprise, with the natural result that business rapidly increased and brought a substantialincome from the investment. Before the days of the ice plant, he also distributed ice to the Fullerton community, purchasing the crystal blocks from the National Ice Company of Los Angeles and shipping it to Fullerton. He also distributed Los Angeles newspapers and periodicals in the Fullerton and oil well districts, and enlisted a wide patronage. After several years in the confectionery field, Mr. Leander sold out his business to F. E. Copp. . He then purchased fifteen and a half acres on Orangethorpe Avenue, buying the same from J. A. Clark, and devoted ten acres to Valencia oranges and five acres to walnuts; and he obtains water service for irrigation from the Anaheim Union Water Company. After trying his latest venture long enough to form a sensible and helpful opinion, he thinks there is nothing like ranching, and has decided to stick to his trim little farm.
On December 31, 1903, Mr. Leander was married at San Diego to Miss Meriam Pearson, a native of Sweden who came to Minnesota when she was eight years old. She was reared and educated near Duluth, and 1901 came west to California. Two children have blessed this fortunate union. Otto A. and Elna Leander, and they reflect all the good qualities of their worthy parents. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while Mrs. Leander is a member of the Christian Church in Fullerton.
Source: History of Orange County, Samuel Armour, 1920., p.1551-52