Griffin and Skelley

Summary

Business	Dried Fruit Packer and Canner
Active	1881-1916
Brands	Hawthorn (canned apricots), Griffin (raisins)
Aliases	Griffin and Seegar (1881-1895), Griffin-Skelley

Griffin and Skelley was a dried fruit packer and canner, founded in 1881 and merged into Del Monte during its formation in 1916. Griffin and Skelley started packing oranges in Riverside, California, pioneered the dried fruit industry, and eventually moved into canning. Founders were Willard M. Griffin and a Mr. Seegar; E.R. Skelley joined the firm in 1894 managing the Riverside packing house, and became a partner in 1895 when Skelley retired and the Riverside plant closed.

Griffin and Skelley can label

Griffin and Skelley moved into canning some time before 1903. A 1902 California state list of canneries shows Griffin and Skelley having a cannery in Fresno in 1902; by 1903, there's mention of another cannery in Emeryville.

Griffin and Skelley moved into San Jose some time before 1903 according to the June 25, 1903 San Jose Evening News: "Another packing house in the neighbrhood of the narrow gauge depot will be improved. Griffin and Skelley are building another story on their plant."

After the 1906 earthquake, Griffin and Skelley relocated the main offices temporarily from San Francisco to the Emeryville cannery.

William Griffin died in 1913 and was replaced by his sons, Charles W. Sr. Griffin and Andrew G. Griffin. When Griffin and Skelley was merged into the new Del Monte company, both became directors.

Locations

Location	Years	Address	Details
Emeryville	1903, 1906		Article about new cannery in unknown source, 1903. Headquarters relocated to cannery after 1906 earthquake. Location "across the SP tracks from the racetrack."
Fresno	1900	???	(In San Francisco Call 1900 "list of delivery spots":http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1900-07-29/ed-1/seq-25.pdf for California Cured Fruit Association). Also cannery according to August 1, 1905 Pacific Rural Press.
Morgan Hill	1906		???
Riverside	1884-1895		Orange packing house. Managed by E.R. Skelley 1884-1895.
San Francisc	1906	132 Market Street	From April 29, 1906 San Francisco Call.	San Francisco	1908	16 California Street
San Jose	1900, 1904, 1906, 1907	Cahill St. at San Fernando St.	(Pacific Wine had a site on the east side of Cahill in 1891). Manager was F. Fleming according to 1906 list of automobile owners.
San Jose	1915	76 Bush Street	At corner of West San Fernando. (became Del Monte ) Dried fruit grading and packing.
Visalia	1900	???	(In San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for California Cured Fruit Association)