|
Mr. Oliver W. Lehmer was the first general manager for the Yosemite
Valley Railroad Company. He went to work for the YVRR in 1906 as
superintendent. Prior to joining the YVRR he was the agent for the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway at Stockton, California, before
that he served the A.T. &. S.F. in a multitude of positions.
As superintendent he was charged with overseeing the construction contractor, getting the railroad stocked with equipment and the early operation of railroad during construction and after is completion in the spring of 1907. After the railroad was operational for a few years his title was changed to general manager. He was quit an entrepreneur in Merced and Mariposa counties. He was one of the early figures in the Yosemite Terminal Company, the company that built and operated the Del Portal Hotel at El Portal. Also, he was involved Farmers and Merchants Bank in Merced where he rose to be the president. Mr. Lehmer served as chairman of the Merced Chamber of Commerce for several years. The YVRR had a tragic wreck above Bagby in 1914. Two were killed and several injured and the California State Railroad Commission discovered that the wreck was caused by rotted cross ties. Unfortunately another wreck occurred in 1920 two miles east of Bagby, fortunately no passengers were injured. The engine men were wounded, but they recovered totally. Again it was found rotten cross ties to be the cause. It is assumed that as General Manager of the railroad the ultimate blame for these two wrecks fell upon Mr. Lehmer.
|
The end result, it is believed, he
was he was asked in a nice way by the board of directors to find
another position - away from the day to day management of the YVRR.
He resigned in December of 1920
and Mr. William L. White was appointed to be the general manager of
the road. However, the board of directors elected Mr. Lehmer to
a seat on the board as a director.
Mr. Lehmer and his family moved to Alhambra, in Southern California, to pursue a Mortgage and Loan business. Shortly after Mr. White took the reins of the railroad, it was necessary for Mr. Lehmer to return to Merced to oversee the operation of the railroad because Mr. White was ill. Upon Mr. White's recovery Mr. Lehmer returned to Southern California. Mr. Lehmer remained on the YVRR's board of directors through 1923. After that he was not affiliated with the railroad. The YVRR, in 1926, renamed the North Fork station to Lehmer in his honor. He died March 3, 1933 in Alhambra, California.
According to a great niece, Dawn Golden, Mr. Lehmer was something of a family rebel. His family was strict Church of the Brethren types with several preachers in the family including perhaps his father and at least one brother. He was the only one who struck out into the world. His family was in Alhambra section of Los Angeles County.
|
| Note: I assumed the board of directors asked Mr. Lehmer to "quit" because of a remark made to me by Mr. William G. White, the son of Mr. W. L. White. CJG. | |
|
| |
| Photograph: courtesy of Dana Collins. Great Grand Daughter of George G. Lehmer a brother of O. W. Lehmer. | Photograph: Clipping from Merced Newspaper Advertisement for the Farmers and Merchants Bank that Mister Lehmer was president. |
|
| Courtesy of Grey Roberts Issued by Farmers & Merchants Bank in 1914, signed by President O. W. Lehmer |
|