GEORGE ALFRED POORE a ‘49er, and one of the reputable citizens and business men of Redding, is the proprietor of the job printing office of that city. John Poore, the patriarch of this now very numerous family, was born in 1615, in Wiltshire, England, and emigrated to America in 1635, settling at Newbury, Massachusetts, the first man of that name who settled in America. The house which he built has stood for 250 years, and eight generations of the family have been born in it; and it is still in their possession. He was a leading citizen of his time, holding numerous offices of honor and trust. He had seven children, and died November 21, 1684, perishing with hunger and cold while hunting in the woods near Andover. His son, John Poore, was born June 21, 1642, lived on the homestead of his father, was a collector of taxes, held other offices of trust, married, February 27, 1665, Mary Titcomb, had eight children, and died February 15, 1701. His son, Jonathan, was born February 25, 1678, lived on the old homestead, was a selectman of his town, held various other offices, was married August 18, 1703, to Rebecca Hale, a native of Newbury, had nine children, and died June 30, 1742. His son Daniel was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, March 13, 1716, settled on wild land given him by his father in Haverhill, Massachusetts, cleared it and built upon it; this property still remains in the family. He was a prominent land owner and a surveyor. He married, November 27, 1739, Anna Merrill, a native of Haverhill, and they had six children. In his will he bequeathed his estate to his son Jonathan, emancipated his negro girl named Phillis, and died July 9, 1792. His son John was born in Plaistow, New Hampshire, July 8, 1756, graduated at Howard College in 1775, became a school-teacher and was the first principal of the Young Ladies’ Academy, established in Philadelphia in 1787, which was the first institution of the sort in the country, and perhaps the first in the world. He taught vocal music, and while in Philadelphia taught one of the three Sunday-schools then in the city; it was on Cherry street. He was also ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was twice married, -- first November 2, 1777, to Sarah Folsome, by whom he had four children. She died August 3, 1784; and for his second wife he married Jane Neely, by whom he had six children; he died December 5, 1829. His son, Charles Merrill Poore, was born in Greenland, New Hampshire, July 14, 1782; was a dry-goods merchant, commencing business in 1805, at Fells Point, in the eastern part of Baltimore, Maryland; removed in 1812 to York Haven, Pennsylvania, where he lived until his death, from cholera, November 3, 1832, at Baltimore, where he had gone on business. He was Postmaster in York Haven, for over twenty years, a man of sterling integrity noted for his moral and religious principles, founded and conducted the first Sabbath-school and was ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church of York, Pennsylvania. He married July 4, 1809, Mrs. Elizabeth, widow of Francis C. Roberts, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Karg. She was born in Baltimore, Maryland, December 21, 1784, and died at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1858. Her parents were from Brunswick on the Rhine in Germany. They had ten children, of whom George Alfred Poore, the subject of this sketch, was the youngest.

He was born in West Hanover, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, December 14, 1825, and moved with his mother and sisters to Ohio, in 1839, and in 1840 began to learn the printing business, at which he worked until 1848. His residence then was Independence, Missouri, whence he went to Santa Fe, New Mexico; was there one year and left in May, 1849, for California, where he arrived in September. He kept a hotel and trading post in Green Valley, El Dorado County, from the winter of 1849 until the summer of 1851. He farmed and raised stock five miles south of Sacramento from the fall of 1851 to 1859, when he moved to Tehama County and continued farming, etc., until the fall of 1866, when he moved to Vallejo, Solano County, and started the pioneer newspaper of that place, the Vallejo Recorder, issuing the first number February 23, 1867. It was at first a weekly, then a semi-weekly and finally a daily. It was the leading Republican paper in the Third Congressional District.

Mr. Poore was married June 29, 1851, at White Oak Springs, El Dorado County, California, to Miss Margaret Melvina Patchet, the daughter of John and Esther (Passmore) Patchet, born near Springfield, Illinois, Jan. 19, 1836. Her death occurred at Red Bluff, this State, January 28, 1878. Her father was a native of England, and her mother a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Poore had nine children, four of whom are living, namely: Charles McFadden, Martha Ann, Margaret Isabella and Mary Jenison, all natives of California. Mr. Poore removed from Red Bluff to Redding with his family in 1887, and opened his job printing office, in which he is doing a successful business. He is a stanch Republican and a member of the I.O.O.F.

Source: Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler