A. MONTGOMERY

Alexander Montgomery is a native of County Down, Ireland, born March 2, 1825.  His father had been a wealthy farmer, but about the time of the birth of young Montgomery, he lost all his property, and at an early age Alexander was obliged to earn his own living.  He was apprenticed to a tailor for four years, at the end of which time he followed his trade in Ireland and England until September 21, 1846, when he set out to seek his fortune in the United States.  He was not in the Eastern States long before he decided to go to the gold fields of California; hence he took passage on a ship, via the Straits of Magellan for San Francisco, and on September 6, 1849, the vessel entered the Golden Gate, with a Masonic banner flying at the mast, which was designed and made by Mr. Montgomery.  This was the first banner of that order brought to San Francisco.

Upon his arrival, he at once set off for the mines at Bidwell’s Bar, and followed mining for a year and a half on Feather and American Rivers.  At the end of that time his capital amounted to $1,500, and, deciding to abandon the uncertain life of mining, he engaged in mercantile business, also running a tailor shop at Benicia and later at Shasta.  He loaned his earnings, taking real-estate security generally.  Owing to the ever-shifting conditions of those times, he was often obliged to take the security in satisfaction of the principal, and in that way became interested in lands in Colusa County in 1855.  In 1856-57 he made a visit to the scenes of his birth, in Ireland.  In 1861 he moved to this county, settling on Grand Island, where he farmed.  Later he lived in Colusa.  In 1866 he made a visit abroad, visiting all the capitals of Europe, excepting Portugal, the principal places of interest in Europe, Palestine and Egypt, and upon his return visited all the States of the Union, excepting Maine and Texas.  He has since visited the Yellowstone National Park and Alaska.

He has acquired great wealth by the increase in land values, and is classed as one of the millionaires of the Pacific Coast.  At the meeting of the Scotch-Irish Congress, May 29, 1890, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, he was elected Vice-President, and was later elected President of the State society of the same organization.  On July 7, 1890, he was honored with the presidency of the Society of Pioneers of 1849.  While Mr. Montgomery is a careful business man, he is generous to all objects which meet his approval, and has donated large sums of money to various worthy institutions.  He has an especially warm corner in his heart for the old pioneer, and is extremely sympathetic and generous to the Association of California Pioneers.  He is happy in his domestic life, living in his spacious and handsome residence in San Francisco.  He was married to Miss Lizzie A. Green, and is the father of two pretty daughters, Annie, aged nine, and Hazel, aged six years.

“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 411-412

WILLIAM C. MURDOCH

Among the many energetic, skilled business men of the county, few have more sensibly left the impress of their means and wise counsels thereon than the subject of this biography.  William C. Murdoch is a native of Tuscumbia, Alabama, having been born there in 1852.  He was educated at Poughkeepsie, New York, and came to California in 1874.  His first occupation in Colusa County was as book-keeper for J. S. Wall & Co., of Princeton.  In the summer of 1877 he removed to Willows and opened a banking and commission office there under the firm name of William C Murdoch & Co.  He continued in this till September, 1880, when his business was merged into that of the Bank of Willows.  In the new organization he was made cashier, serving in that capacity nearly nine years, when he resigned and disposed of his interest therein to the present stockholders.  Since then he has made his home in San Francisco, being chiefly engaged in the insurance business.  In connection with others he built the Sanhedrien Lumber Mill, located forty miles west of Willows in the Coast Range Mountains.  The paid-up capital of the Sanhedrien Mill and Lumber Company is $250,000.  This mill has a capacity for cutting fifty thousand feet of lumber per day.  The company will construct fourteen miles of flume, to the mouth of the Grindstone, thereby to connect with the West Side and Mendocino Railroad.  Of this company Mr. Murdoch is treasurer and principal stockholder.  In 1877, when matters looked decidedly “blue” for the aspiring but indomitable town of Willows, Mr. Murdoch purchased eight lots south of the bank in that town and erected two-story buildings thereon, thus aiding in giving the place a new impetus.  East Willows was laid out by Mr. Murdoch.  In 1884 he procured the incorporation of the warehouses at Willows into what is now the Willows Warehouse Association. 

The residence built by Mr. Murdoch at Willows is unsurpassed in the county for beauty of architectural design and tastefulness of finish.  It is now the property of S. C. Longmier.

Mr. Murdoch was married, January 2, 1881, to Miss Nannie Wilson, of Sutter County, a niece of the late Dr. Glenn.  One child is the fruit of their union.  He was a charter member of the first Masonic lodge instituted at Willows and one of the incorporators of the Willows Agricultural Association.  Ill health, the result of sedentary occupations, caused Mr. Murdoch to leave this scene of so much business, push and thrifty diligence, very much to the regret of the community.

“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 444-445

STEPHEN ADDINGTON

This gentleman, who was intimately associated with journalism in its early days in the county, was born at Orange, New Jersey, November 23, 1828.  He spent his boyhood in Fishkill, New York, where he learned the trade of printer in the office of his father, who for half a century had been one of the leading publishers of that State.  Stephen Addington worked here till 1855, when he started for California via the Nicaragua route.  He almost at once took his place in journalism, buying out the “California Express,” published at Marysville, which he conducted for fourteen years.  In 1870 he went to Colusa and became associated with W. S. Green and his brother, John C. Addington, in the publication of the Colusa “Sun.”  He always took an active part in politics, was a firm Democrat and served on the Democratic Central Committee of the county.  He continued in his newspaper work at Colusa till the summer of 1886, going to San Francisco, where he now resides.  Mr. Addington was married, November 24, 1872, to Miss Lizzie Hart, of Colusa.

“Colusa County” – by Justus H. Rogers – Orland, CA – 1891 – pp 450-451