Town: Oakland

Biography of Thomas Blackstone Rector of Atwater

1925 History of Merced County - title page

A successful rancher and business man of Merced County is Thomas Blackstone 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. 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 … Read more

Biography of Joseph Spencer Sparks of Merced County

1925 History of Merced County - title page

One of the early settlers who became a successful stock-raiser on the West Side in Merced County was Joseph S. Sparks. He was born in Kentucky, May 12, 1830, a son of Madison Sparks, a Virginian, who had married Winnie Thomas, who bore eight children, Joseph S. Sparks being the third in order of birth. He was able to get a fair education in the local schools and remained in his native county until he was of age. He had heard of the discovery of gold in California and it so fired his enthusiasm that he decided he would cast … Read more