Trout, William Arthur

William Arthur Trout was born in The Dalles, Oregon, on April 8, 1885, to E. W. Trout and Laura Gordon. Raised on an Oregon farm, he moved with his family to Salinas, California, in 1897 before moving to San Francisco in 1902 to learn sheet-metal work. In 1908, he relocated to Oilfields in Fresno County, where he became foreman of the tank department for California Oilfields, Ltd., a position he retained after the company was taken over by the Shell Company.

In Oilfields, William expanded his department to manage all sheet-metal work, plumbing, and three distilled water plants for the Shell Company. While in San Francisco, he married Ann Irwin, a native of Waco, Texas, who was raised in Coalinga, and together they had one daughter named Doris. He served five years as trustee and clerk of the Oil King school district, held leadership roles in the Oilfields Club, and was an active member of the Coalinga Chamber of Commerce and the Red Men fraternal lodge.