J. L. Bray and Son | Teen Ink

J. L. Bray and Son

March 15, 2017
By BrayNathaniel02 BRONZE, MODESTO, California
BrayNathaniel02 BRONZE, MODESTO, California
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

My favorite experience with the general contractor J. L. and Son happened last year when I got the chance to help build portable fences for job sites. I worked for thirty hours over a four-day span. We built 150 fence panels. To build these, we had to cut the aluminum pipes into the correct lengths, weld them together into 10 by 14 foot frames, and then stretch the fencing over the frames, and connect it all together. The fences ended up looking and being high quality. My dad uses these fences at schools and other government buildings to separate school children from the work site.


Good afternoon. My name is Nathaniel and today I will be talking about my family business, J. L. and Son. In my speech, I will first be talking about the history, then I will discuss the current jobs J. L. and Son are working on, and lastly, I will talk about J. L.’s different employees and their specialties.


J. L. and Son has an interesting history. In 1948, my great-grandpa, James Lynn founded the company. Before he became a general contractor, James had worked many years as a journeyman carpenter. A journeyman carpenter is someone who has completed their 7-step apprenticeship. James Lynn built J. L. off an idea he had. He wanted his customers to have on-time performance as well as a reliable contact for the entire construction process.


In the 1970’s, my grandpa, Jackson Eugene, joined the company and helped his father keep the company going. The company was incorporated in 1973. James Lynn retired in 1974, leaving the company in Jackson’s hands. My father, James William, is the current owner of J. L. and Son, where they do many different jobs.


J. L. and Son is a general construction company, meaning they do everything from pouring concrete to building high-tech facilities. One time I remember quite well was when J. L. was building a part of Modesto City Schools Nutrition Services Center located down Carpenter Road. When they needed to install the air conditioning units on the roof, they used a helicopter. My dad brought the whole family out to watch them install it. It was an awesome experience. They also pour concrete for building foundations. I sometimes help to pour and smooth the concrete at some of the job sites.


J. L. and Son employs many different people with many different talents. There are some who specialize in concrete, and others who specialize in constructing buildings. J. L. and Son also partners with other companies to complete projects well and on time.


In conclusion, J. L. and Son is a company that has a solid history dating back to the mid 1900’s. They build many different types of building that all have something unique about them. The portable fences that I helped to build are still being used today and are standing tall amidst the workers of J. L. and Son.



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