Biography of James Carroll Owen of Suisun

Title Page vol 1 The New California

James Carroll Owen arrived in California in 1849 as a pioneer, overcoming significant hardships typical of early settlers. Born in Illinois in 1831, he and his family settled in Suisun Valley, where they engaged in mining and established the first grocery store. Owen ventured into various businesses, including butchering and real estate, and played a crucial role in the community’s development, such as piping water to Suisun in 1858. He served as Napa’s city marshal and was married to Phoebe Ellen Rush, with whom he had four children.

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