Butte County
Biographies
GEORGE P. MORSE
GEORGE P. MORSE.--A well-known public official, helping to maintain law and order in Butte County, who is also a trustee of the Chico State Normal, his alma mater, to which he devotes much of his time and best efforts, while successfully following horticulture, is George P. Morse, a native of Royal Oak, Mich. His grandfather came to Oakland County, in that state, where he literally hewed out a farm from the beech and maple forest, this grandfather Morse having been born in Massachusetts, of English descent, and a second cousin to Samuel F. B. Morse. The father, George P. Morse, was also born in Michigan, where he followed farming until he removed to Louisville, Kans., the scene of his greater success as an agriculturist. In the spring of 1893 he came to California, and having settled in Butte County, he died in Chico, 1903. The mother, popularly known in maidenhood as Miss Josephine Lewis, a native of Cattaraugus County, N. Y., was educated in the Empire State and came to Michigan as a school teacher. There she met and married Mr. Morse, and today she resides in Chico, the mother of four children: Mrs. Harry White, who lives near Redding; Edward L., and Ermina E., both of whom are in Kansas; and George P.
The youngest of these children, George P., lived as a lad on the farm in Kaw Valley, Kans., where he went to the public schools, and first came to California and Butte County in 1889, being variously employed until he decided to enter to Chico State Normal School in 1893. There he prosecuted his studies with vigor, and in January, 1896, graduated with honors. For a year he taught at Magalia, and then for a year was a member of the teaching corps of the public schools at Oroville. The following three years were devoted to teaching in Chico, during which time he was vice-principal of the Oakdale School.
In 1903, Mr. Morse was appointed under-sheriff of Butte County, receiving his commission from Sheriff J. M. Chubbuck, and he removed to Oroville. At the end of three years, however, he resigned and accepted the post of bookkeeper in the Butte County National Bank at Chico. Having made good there during the first year, he resigned and returned to Oroville as cashier for the Oroville Orange and Olive Groves, and in their service he remained for eight years, with an insurance office side line. Leaving this field, Mr. Morse again accepted appointment as under-sheriff, this time joining the staff of the present sheriff, W. R. Riddle; and never has Butte County been more fortunate in a fearless and conscientious officer. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Chico State Normal, to which he was appointed by Governor Johnson about six years ago, and in the development and growth of this representative institution he takes the deepest interest.
Mr. Morse is associated with the Hon. A. E. Boynton, in horticultural enterprises, and is one of the owners of sixty acres of flourishing orange and olive trees, two-thirds of the acreage being given to the oranges. He is a director in the Los Verjels Land and Water Company at Bangor.
He was made a Mason in Chico Lodge, No. 111, F. & A. M.; is a member of Chico Chapter, No. 42, R. A. M.; he belongs to the Chico Commandery, No. 12, K. T., and also the Josephine Chapter, O. E. S.; the Islam Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at San Francisco, and to Chico Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. Elks.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1078-1079, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Joyce Rugeroni.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County
Biographies