Notes
Note N2465
Index
Occupation: Farmer
Notes
Note N2466
Index
Per her brother Jesse Philip Pearce's obit.
Notes
Note N2467
Index
According to a WWW page for "The ZEB Pearce Companies", Zebulon Pearce arrived in Arizona when he was three years old and grew up working the family's 160 acre farm. Unlike his father before him, Zeb opted for higher education and graduated from the Arizona State Normal School (now ASU) in 1899. He married Rachel Leebrick in 1903, and taught math in the local schools. In 1911, Zeb decided to go into the business world and purchased half interest in LB Johnson's produce business. Thus began the oldest business in Mesa, Arizona that still exists today.
The organization built warehouses, refrigeration facilities and a transportation network in the mostly undeveloped hot desert of Phoenix and Mesa. It was these updated facilities and the repeal of prohibition that led to the firms continued development. The Adolph Coors Brewing Company sought out an Arizona distributor. The Johnson Pearce Company had the needed ammonia cooled warehouses to store the then unpasteurized draught beer. Thus starting the fine relationship that exists today between the first class Adolph Coors Company and the Zeb Pearce Companies. For years later, Johnson sold his shares in the business to Zebulon and the Zeb Pearce Companies were formed.
Who is running things now? President is Arthur L. Pearce II, Secretary Treasurer is Norman D. Pearce, Vice President of Sales and Marketing is James Merideth and Controller is John Grootveld. So reports the WWW page.
Zebulon appears in the 1923 Phoenix City and Salt River Valley, AZ directory as president of the Johnson-Pearce produce company. C.M. Johnson was VP. Business was located at 153 West Main Street. In the same directory, we learn that Zebulon was treasurer of the Mesa Seed & Feed Company, located at 155 West Main Street.
From "History of Arizona: Family and Personal History". One of the early settlers in Mesa, where his parents arrived as pioneers in 1881, Zebulon Pearce has contributed much to the growth and development of the community. When Zebulon Pearce was about ten weeks old, the family set out for the West, going first to Salt Lake City. Shortly afterwards, they moved to St. George, Utah, and thence a short distance away to a cattle ranch, near Pipe Springs, Arizona. While the family was there Jesse Pearce took care of a small farm holding, while Mrs. Pearce cooked for the cowboys.
In the summer of 1880, they joined three other families headed for Arizona Territory. They ferried their wagons across the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry, and swam the horses across. They landed at Taylor, Arizona, and Jesse Pearce worked on the Santa Fe Railroad near Flagstaff until the late summer of 1881. Then, again in the company of several other families, they came across the Mogollon Mountains to Mesa.
Despite the frontier conditions prevailing during his early years, Zebulon Pearce managed to obtain a good education. In 1883 he started school in Mesa, and went to Alma School in 1885. In 1896 he enrolled at Arizona State Normal School at Tempe, where he completed his courses in June 1899. From the fall of that year until the following spring, he taught in Mammoth, and he also taught a year at Alma. After his teaching experience, he went down to Mexico and worked as a time-keeper in the mines. In the fall of 1902,he entered the University of Arizona at Tucson with the intention of taking courses in mining engineering. He left, however, in 1903, and went to Cananea, Sonora, Mexico, where he worked in the assay office. In September of that year he returned home an found his father ill, an illness from which he did not recover. He then considered it his duty to remain home and take care of the farm, and he also taught at the Mesa High School from September 1904 until October 1911.
At that time he entered the produce business in Mesa. In partnership with E. G. Attaway, he purchased the L. B. Johnson Produce Company there. Mr. Johnson had been dealing in local fruits, poultry and eggs, and would occasionally ship live or dressed quail. Mr. Attaway and Mr. Pearce continued this business for about two years. At the end of that time, as Mr. Attaway wished to enter the cotton ginning business, he resold his interest to Mr. Johnson. After another two years, the latter in turn sold his interest to his nephew. C. M. Johnson.
In the early 1920's, he and Mr. Pearce opened a produce business in Phoenix, on Jefferson Street, where they prospered. They purchased mixed cars of fresh fruit and vegetables, and shipped in straight cars, dealing in apples, oranges, potatoes and other produce. When the national Prohibition amendment was repealed in 1933, they tool the dealership for Coors Beer for the same region of Arizona in which they were selling produce. Within a short time they had become distributors for an entire line of wines and liquors. Meantime, under the conditions of cut-throat competition which often prevailed during the depressing, the produce business had dwindles. In 1937, Mr. Pearce purchased the interest of C. M. Johnson. The following year the liquor store was moved from the market to South Fourth Avenue, and Mr. Pearce's son, Arthur L. was placed in charge. In 1939, another move was made, to larger quarters on West Washington Street; and in 1945 they moved to Seventh Avenue and Buchanan. In 1952, he and his sons, as partners, built on property on South Fifth Street and Grant, and moved to that location.
In addition to the above enterprises, Mr. Pearce is a partner with his sons in Vita-Gro Feed Mills, Inc., at Mesa, which they founded in 1954.
While not counting himself a "staunch party man," Zebulon Pearce usually supported the Democratic party until 1948, when he changed his allegiance to the Republicans. He has an excellent record of public service himself, having been a member of the Mesa city council from 1934 to 1946, and mayor during his last term, 1944-1946. His foremost social connection throughout the years has been the Knights of Pythias. He joined this lodge in 1902, has gone through all the chairs, and was chancellor in 1912. He is also a member of the Arizona Club at Phoenix. He is a Methodist in his religious faith.
"Zebulon Pearce dies; former mayor of Mesa --MESA -- Zebulon Pearce, 92, a former Mesa mayor and councilman, who gave up teaching to go into the wholesale produce busines, died Monday in his home, 515 N. Grand.
Initially associated with the Johnson-Pearce Commercial Co., Mr. Pearce later founded the distributing firms of Pearce and Sons Distributors in Mesa, Zeb Pearce and Sons Wholesale Liquors in Phoenix, Pearce Distributing Co. in Glendale, Vita-Gro Feed Mills and Pearce Development Co. in Mesa.
He was a charter member of the Sun Angel Foundation and was given the Golden Alumni Award by the Arizona State University Alumni Association in 1957. His civic activities included serving on the Mesa school board, being a city councilman 12 years, mayor two years, and a past member of the Rotary Club. He was a life member of the Methodist Church.
Born in Baldwin, Miss., he was brought to northern Arizona in 1877 and to Mesa in a covered wagon with his parents in 1882. The family settled on 120 acres bordered by W. Main Street and N. Country Club and University drives. He was graduated from Tempe Normal, now ASU, and taught school, starting in Mammoth and then in Mesa from 1901-1911.
Survivors include four sons, Phillip of Coupeville, Wash., Norman of Mesa, Arthur of Scottsdale and Charles of Tempe; three daughters, Mrs. Rachel Love of Mesa, Mrs. Katherine Baxter of Phoenix and Mrs. Mildred Tooker of Northport, N.Y.; a brother, George of Glendale; a sister, Mrs. Frank Parker of Bishop, Calif.; 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Private services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Larry J. Melcher Mortuary, 43 S. Stapley. Friends may call there after noon and evening tomorrow. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery.
The family suggests contributions to the Zeb and Rachel L. Pearce Memorial at Mesa Lutheran Hospital."--12 Mar 1969, Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)