Amador
County
Biographies
GEORGE F. MACK
In the educational interests of
central California, George Franklin Mack, principal of the schools at Ione,
occupies a position of distinction.
Since 1850 he has been a resident of California; being brought to this
state when a child of four years. He was
born in St. Charles, Illinois, on the 15th of November, 1845, and is
of Scotch and Irish descent. His father,
Jonathan L. Mack, was born in New Hampshire, where the paternal grandfather of
our subject located in 1776, the year in which the
independence of the nation was declared.
The father married Miss Mary Randall, also a native of the old Granite
state, and in 1850 they crossed the plains to California, the father acting as
the commander of a company of men who protected the emigrant trains from the
Indians. Three months passed ere the
journey was completed. They had resided
in Illinois prior to their removal to California, and from that state made
their way to the Pacific slope, journeying directly westward to Hangtown, now Placerville, where the father engaged in the
operation of a sawmill and in mining.
There he remained for about twelve years and on the expiration of that
time he went to Yolo County, where he carried on agricultural pursuits; but his
land formed a part of a grant the title to which was defective, and he was
obliged to locate elsewhere. He then
crossed the mountains to Virginia City in search of a location, and his family
never heard from him afterward. His wife
died in Placerville in 1894, in the seventieth year. She had been a devoted member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church from her girlhood and was an exemplary Christian
woman. Her two daughters died in infancy
and Professor Mack is now the only survivor of the family.
He was educated in the public
schools of California, in Hesperian University and the academy at
Healdsburg. Since that time his
attention has been devoted to educational labors, in which profession he is
successful and enthusiastic. He has been
employed as a teacher in El Dorado, Nevada and Amador counties, and his labors
have been attended with excellent results, being very effective in promoting
the educational standard of the state.
In 1874 Professor Mack was united in
marriage to Miss Gilla A. Miller, a native of El
Dorado County and a daughter of David Miller, a respected pioneer of the
state. Their marriage has been blessed
with six daughters and four sons, namely:
William H., George F., Mary A., Gilla A.,
Agnes M., Robert L., Daniel M., Gertrude, Laura U. and Ethel Ione. The mother is a consistent member of the
Methodist Church and a most estimable lady.
Professor Mack cast his first
presidential vote for the renowned soldier, General Grant, and has since
continued in the ranks of the Republican Party.
In 1886 he was elected county superintendent of schools of Amador
County, and filled the position so satisfactorily that he was continued in the
office for three successive terms. He has since been the principal of the
schools of Ione, and under his management they have taken high rank, being a
credit alike to the city and to the superintendent. Professor Mack is a Knight Templar Mason,
having become a member of the order in El Dorado Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. M.,
in 1868; and he has served as its master.
He is also a valued member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
having passed all of the chairs in both branches of that fraternity. He likewise holds membership in the Foresters
and Chosen Friends, and is a member of St. Matthew’s Mission, an Episcopal
church of Ione. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mack
have a wide acquaintance in the county and enjoy the high regard of many
friends. Their own home is noted for its
generous hospitality and its social functions are pleasant events in Ione.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern California”,
Pages 533-534. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Amador County Biographies