Arrants, John G. S.

John G. S. Arrants, born in Sullivan County, Tennessee, on September 9, 1838, was a prominent pioneer businessman who left a lasting impact on Selma, California. Coming from a notable Scotch family, he grew up in eastern Tennessee and later served as a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In 1870, he moved to Missouri to engage in mercantile pursuits for ten years before closing his interests and relocating to California. Upon settling in the small village of Selma, he established the first exclusive grocery store in the area under the firm name of Arrants and Longacre. His early entrepreneurial efforts laid the foundation for substantial business growth that closely aligned with the expanding population of the San Joaquin Valley.

Beyond his mercantile success, Arrants was a vital force in the physical and financial development of the city. He laid out the Arrants Subdivision, which became a main residential section, and promoted the Selma Gas Works while also serving as president of the First National Bank of Selma. Recognizing the power of cooperation, he helped establish the first Cooperative Fruit Packing House at Selma to support local peach and raisin growers. His personal life included a first marriage to Mary Alice Gray, with whom he had three children named Lulu, Annie, and Elizabeth, and a later marriage to Mrs. Mary A. Freeland, who survived him after his passing on October 23, 1914.