Merced County
Biographies
WILLIAM MUMBY
In improving the opportunities that have come his way, Mr. Mumby, the proprietor of the principal hardware store in Dos Palos, has evinced both discretion and sound business judgment and has won an enviable place among the upbuilders of his locality. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, April 14, 1874, a son of William and Sarah Mumby, who came to Ontario, Canada, in the fall of 1874, when their son, William, was only six months old. After nine years in Canada they came to Saline County, Nebr., in 1883, where they engaged in farming. In February, 1895, they came to Dos Palos and farmed again. They both died in 1906.
The son, William, was educated in Nebraska and growing up on a farm, he drove teams for his father when he was only ten years old. From 1895 to 1906 he carried on a dairy farm in Merced County; after that he was construction foreman for Miller & Lux, and steam engineer, a trade he had learned in Nebraska. In 1911 he started in the hardware business in Dos Palos on his own account, and six months later lost his business by fire. Then he reopened a store and as the business has expanded he has moved from one location to another, each time to larger quarters, and is now quartered in the Odd Fellows building. In 1924 he erected a warehouse 50x90 feet. In 1923 he erected a fire-proof building, 45x180 feet, occupied by the Ford agency.
Mr. Mumby had five sons by his first wife, Susan Archer, whom he married in 1898, and who died in November, 1906; they are: William E., in Long Beach; Granville A., who married Eva Ellingson; Isaac Desmond, in Long Beach; Delmar and Maurice Odell, at home. The maiden name of his second wife was Mamie Gies, and she is a native of California; they were married in June, 1920, and there is one daughter by that union, Luella Frances. Mr. Mumby is a member of the Dos Palos Sanitary Board, and $30,000 bonds have been voted and sold to install a sewer system for Dos Palos. He is a member of Santa Rita Lodge No. 124, I. O. O. F., of Dos Palos, Rebekah Lodge No. 333 ; Dos Palos Tent No. 31, K. O. T. M.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 441-442
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
THOMAS BLACKSTONE RECTOR
A successful rancher and business man of Merced County is Thomas B. Rector, a native son of the State, born in Merced County near Hopeton, on February 10, 1863, the second son and child of Elbridge Gerry and Amanda (McFarlane) Rector, pioneers of California, the former now deceased but the latter is a resident of Berkeley and at the age of ninety-four is in possession of all her faculties and enjoys life to its full. A full detailed mention is made of the family on another page of this history.
After finishing his school work, Thomas B. Rector was employed on his father's ranch until he accepted a position as clerk at Snelling with Simon-Jacobs Company, where he remained for five years. He next was interested in extensive grain-farming on the bottom lands during 1887-1888, meeting with fair results. He then entered the employ of John Ruddle and moved to the Rotterdam Colony and ranched there in 1892. At Hornitos, Mariposa County, he was next engaged as a rancher, then moved back to Merced County and bought forty acres of land at Atwater, which he fully improved. He now owns ten acres near Atwater, two and one-half acres lying in the town limits. He has since made this section his home and is now living retired from farming activities.
The marriage of Thomas B. Rector united him with Miss Mary Ellen Little, born at Hopeton, a daughter of the late William Little, a pioneer in California of 1852, when he had crossed the plains. He followed stock-raising and ranching all his life. Mr. and Mrs. Rector have had five children, viz.: William Gerry, of Oakland, is married to Miss Genevieve Hart and they have one daughter, Marian; Archibald Thomas, of Atwater; Mary Lee, a graduate of the University of California, Class of 1924, married Paul Thornton and now lives in Petaluma ; Stanley and an infant are both deceased. Mr. Rector is a Democrat and he has served as a trustee of the Snelling district. The family are members of the Methodist Church.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 442-445
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM G. COLLIER
ANN ELIZA COLLIER
Remembered as an early pioneer of California, a man of erudition and scholarly attainments, and a citizen whose efforts were always given towards the advancement of public interests, William G. Collier is named among the representative men of the State as the "Father of Irrigation" and as a leader in the early days of the settling of Merced County. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Shelby County on July 17, 1827, a son of Michael and Amelia (Wilcox) Collier. The latter was a grandniece of Daniel Boone, and on her father's side was descended from a long line of Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Divinity. Michael Collier, a Mason of high degree, was a prosperous merchant, following the mercantile business for some years, or until his death early in life. After he died his widow removed to Missouri with her family and settled in Boone County.
William G. Collier passed his boyhood and early manhood in Missouri, and finished his education, with a three-years course in the University of Missouri at Columbia. He left the university before his graduation, to take charge of his brother's lumber business, this brother having gone to California as a gold-seeker; and soon after, he bought out his brother and conducted the business for himself until he, too, decided he would come to California, which he did in 1853, selling out his varied interests and embarking in a train that crossed the plains with oxen and the oldtime prairie schooners. Mr. Collier experienced the usual experiences of the pioneer in the long journey of six months crossing desert, plain and mountains; and upon his safe arrival in the Golden State he went to Tuolumne County and there engaged in the lumber business, also taking a very active part in the upbuilding of the county, where he served as a member of the board of supervisors for a time.
The year 1859 marks his advent into Merced County. Here he settled on the Merced River about five miles from its mouth and engaged in stockraising; and when the grain era began, he was among the first to engage in that industry. He kept adding to his landholdings until he came to own some 3000 acres, which he superintended.
Besides ranching, Mr. Collier did a great deal of surveying for Miller & Lux, as well as for others who needed his services. He was very far-sighted and could see the benefit to be obtained by the ranchers if they could get water on their lands; and to William G. Collier, more than to any other man of his time, is due the credit for the irrigation of the lands in Merced County. He promoted the first irrigation enterprise of any size in the entire State, that of the Robla Canal Company, which was incorporated on March 30, 1870, and was financed and managed practically by himself, in company with W. P. Sproul and S. Baltzley, with its principal place of business at the Collier Ranch. Of this company Mr. Collier was the president. Its organization was the result of years of planning and in putting it into practical operation he introduced a measure that was to figure largely in the agricultural development of the Valley. He was also associated with The Farmers' Canal Company, which later became the Crocker Huffman Land & Water Company, and was thus the forerunner of the great Merced Irrigation District.
Mr. Collier served as county surveyor of Merced County several terms, and in many ways did his full part to place on a safe and sound foundation the future welfare of Merced County.
Mr. Collier was united in marriage on July 29, 1851, in Chariton County, Mo., with Miss Ann Eliza Jackson, daughter of George Jackson, who served as a judge in his county and was a political leader there. George Jackson was a brother of Governor Jackson of Missouri, and was also related to Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. Of this fortunate union were born the following children: Amelia Collier Stone; Harriet Collier Whitworth; Laura Collier Munson; Elizabeth Lee Collier Olds; Frances Collier Hartman; George Jackson Collier, deceased; William Lee Collier, who married Bessie Elizabeth Guier; Mary Collier; Carolina Calhoun Collier, deceased; Virginia Washington Collier; Sara Boone Collier; and Lillian Collier.
Mr. Collier was much interested in politics, and was a stanch Democrat. He was baptized a Catholic, but was reared by Baptist parents; he had no active church affiliations. He died October 9, 1883 ; and in his passing, Merced County and the State of California lost a most loyal citizen. Mr. Collier was a great reader, an exceptionally well-informed man. He was a thinker, a scholar. In early manhood he had taught school for a short time, until he entered larger spheres of activity. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him, or had business or social relations with him; and no one was ever turned away whom he thought in any way deserving of his assistance. An unselfish man, his first thoughts were for his family and friends, and his name will ever be held in memory by posterity.
History of Merced County, California – Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 445-446
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler