Meet Bob Osgood and His Two Associates

Jim Forgie and John Osgood

I3ob Osgood's entrr into the lumber business in Los Angeles was on July 1, 1922, the same date The California Lumber Merchant started publication. So both have the same birthday. And Bob says he has been a "cover to cover" reader of the N erchant since the first issue.

Bob is a thir<l-generation lur.nberman. He rvas raised irr the Northn'est, and his father, George Osgood, l'as president of the \\rheeler Osgood Co., a partner in the Henry McClearv Timber Co. and Chehalis Door Co, and n'as active in the lttrnber business t'ith the Simpson Logging Co. in Seattle ur-rtil his retirement a year ago' His grandfather rvas also a lumberman, and \\ras one of thc founders of the \\'heeler Osgood Co.

Bob came to Los Angeles in 1922 and managed the Wheeler Osgood Co. of California for nearil' ten years' From 1931 until the er-rd of 1932 he t'as sales manager for the \\rashington Veneer Co. of OlvmPia, \\rash. He thcn becanre sales manager for Cadlvallacler-Gibson Co., n'ho 1r,as an important factor in tire Philippine mahoganv industr1' and large shippers of Philippinc mahogarrl' harclu'oocls to the United States. He resigned his positicin rvith Cadwallader-Gibson to becon.re IJ. S. manager f or Freider Brothers of Manila.

In t942, Bob started in the lumber business for himself as a rvholesaler and importer, operating under his orvn name, Robert S. Osgood. He handles domestic hardrvoods and soft'ivoods ancl foreign hardrvoods.

Bob has been active in Hoo-Hoo {or many years and is a past president of the I-os Angeles l{oo-Hoo Club. He is a top golfer, alwa.vs participates in lumbermen's golf tournaments, and is a popular member of the Terrible T'n'enty. He makes his home in Pasadena.

Jim Forgie was born in Los Angeles and graduated fron.r tl.C.L.A. in 1939. He grerv up in a lumber environment as his father, Bob Forgie, norv rvith Stockton Lumber Cotnpany, Stockton, Calif., is a pioneer California lumberman. \\rl-ren Jim got through college, he decided to go in the lumber business and lvent to u'ork for the Patten-Blinn I-urnbet Co. at their Wilmington yard.

Jinr rvas 4f vears in the Air Force during \\'orlcl \\rar II, spencling practicallv ail the time in the Pacific theater. He lcft the Service u'itl.r a rank of I-ieut. Colonel. On January 1, 19.+6 he became associatecl lvith Bob Osgood.

In 1917, Jim married Suzanne Shafer, rl'hose father. -\rt Shafer, r'as a former star third baseman l'ith thc Neu' York Giants. They have tl.o chilclren and make their home in Los Angeles. A popular member of the l-os Angeles HooHoo Club, he is norv serving as a member of the Golf Committee. Needless to say, he plays a good game of gol{.

The thircl mcmber of the trio shorvn above is John Osgood, Bob's son. 1949 \vas a big year in J.ohn's career. he graduated from U.C.L.A., got marrierl, and joined his father in the lnmber business. He is a fourth-generation lumberman.

John n as born in Los Angeles. lIe rvas in the Army (Infantry) for 3l years during \Vorld \lrar II and sat' active duty in the Iluropean theater. He also spent another )'ear on special service rvith the French army in Austria.

He got his lumber experience cluring stlmmer vacations 'r,vhile going to college. He n'orked one summer in a I-os Angeles furniture factory, another u'as spent at the BylesJamison Lumber Co. in the High Sierra, and he also put in :r summer at the Hoosier Veneer Co. at Indianapolis, fnd.

John married Mary Anne Daugherty, whose father, Carl