George Sumner Williams

 

Indicative of the superior advantages of Sonoma county for making a comfortable living as tillers of her soil, and at the same time enjoying congenial surroundings for rearing their families, is the fact that so many of her native-born sons and daughters make this their permanent home. Among this number may be mentioned George S. Williams, a well-known rancher in the vicinity of Forestville. Born in Santa Rosa May 18, 1865, he was one of a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, born to his parents James M. and Rachel A. (Crowfoot) Williams, natives of Michigan and New York respectively. The father had covered the distance between Michigan and California a number of times before he came here for the last time in 1852, in which year he took up mining. Later years found him engaged in pursuits in which there were more dependable returns, and at the time of the birth of his son George S. was living in Santa Rosa. With his brothers and sisters George S. Williams was educated in the schools of Santa Rosa, after which he began his self-support by working as a cash-boy in a dry-goods store of that place, and later as clerk. Subsequently he engaged in the candy business in the same city, but gave this up to engage in ranching, coming at that time to his present ranch in the vicinity of Forestville. Here he has a fine ranch of forty acres, located one mile from town. One-half of his acreage is in grapes, while twelve acres are in peaches and apples, besides which he has an annual yield of about twelve tons of berries.

 

Mr. Williams’ marriage occurred in 1890 and united him with Miss Jennie Winkler, a native of Green valley, and the daughter of one of the pioneer settlers of this part of Sonoma county. Seven children were born of this marriage, but the eldest, Rachel M., born in 1890, died at the age of two years and three months. Clayton Sumner was born in 1893 and is now attending college at Santa Rosa; Howard O., born in 1896, is at home with his parents, as are also the other children; Arthur L., born in 1898, Alice and Alta (twins) born in 1901, and Georgia, born in 1907. None of the grandparents of these children are living, Mr. and Mrs. Williams having passed away in 1903 and 18887 respectively, and Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Winkler in 1901 and 1905 respectively. The elder Mr. Williams are a well-known figure in Masonic circles in Sonoma county, being the oldest member of that body in the county, and his son is no less interested in fraternal matters, being a member of Forestville Lodge No. 310, I. O. O. F., and also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. While he is deeply interested in political affairs he is not a partisan, and always casts his vote for the man whose qualifications best fit him for the position in question.

 

History of Sonoma County, California
History by Tom Gregory : Historic Record Company, 1891
Los Angeles, Ca. 1911
Transcribed by Roberta Hester Leatherwood
May 6, 2012   Pages 515-517

 

 

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