George, S.

S. George, born near Harpoot, Turkey, in 1864, learned the tailor’s trade from his father before migrating to America in 1886 to find freedom and rescue his relatives from Turkish rule. After working in Philadelphia for two years, he moved to Fresno in 1888, where he co-founded George Bros. Clothiers and Merchant Tailors and successfully financed the immigration of his entire family. He sold his interest in the apparel business around 1906 to pivot fully into the regional agricultural boom, eventually acquiring four thriving raisin ranches spanning over 146 total acres near Fresno.

Residing in a Fresno bungalow he built around 1900, George became a highly respected and progressive figure within his local community. His first marriage to Aznive Paul blessed him with six children prior to her death in 1910, and he later wed Christina Manoogian, with whom he had one additional child. A staunch Republican and an enthusiastic supporter of his adopted nation, he manages his vast agricultural operations with the assistance of his eldest son, Henry.