Gatchell, Lewis G.

Lewis G. Gatchell, born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1887, migrated to California in 1908 after completing his education at the Millersville State Normal School. Upon arriving in Coalinga, he quickly secured employment with the Coalinga Ice Company, a local business founded by George Aydelott. Through his dedication and recognized worth, Gatchell advanced to assistant manager and was ultimately placed in full charge of the plant in 1910.

Beyond his industrial career, Gatchell is an avid outdoorsman who actively manages a cattle ranching operation on 1,440 acres of land south of Henrietta. His career was briefly interrupted in August 1918 when he enlisted in the United States Army, serving until his post-armistice discharge and subsequent return to the company in early 1919. Socially prominent as a member of the Hanford Elks, he shares his life with his wife, Lena Story, whom he married in 1915.