Butte
County
Biographies
GEORGE B. MORSE
Since
1923 George P. Morse has served as postmaster of Chico, exerting his best
efforts in this connection, and throughout Butte County he is known as a man of
marked public spirit and unblemished reputation. He was born near Royal Oak, in Oakland
County, Michigan, October 31, 1870, and is a son of George P. and Josephine
(Lewis) Morse. In pioneer times the father
settled in Michigan and cleared a portion of the home place in Oakland County. There he remained until 1893, doing various
kinds of work in order to provide a living for his family, and then journeyed
westward to Kansas. Later he made his
way to California, taking up his abode in Chico, and until his demise in 1903
lived at 217 Flume Street, where his son George now resides. The mother long survived him, passing away at
the family home in 1923. They were the
parents of four children: Nellie, who is
the wife of Harry D. White, of Santa Rosa, California; Edward L. and Ermina E.,
twins, the former a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, and the latter now Mrs.
E. S. Shaler, of Topeka, Kansas; and George P.
The
last named acquired his early instruction in the public school of the Sunflower
State and after the removal of the family to California he enrolled as a
student in the State Normal School at Chico, and was graduated as a member of
the class of 1896. Here he began his
career as a teacher and was selected for the position of vice principal of the
Chico School, which he filled satisfactorily for five years. He then resigned to become under-sheriff at a
higher salary, serving with James M. Chubbuck, Sheriff of Butte County, from
1903 until 1908 and with W. R. Riddle from 1915 until 1918. Afterward he was identified with financial
affairs as assistant cashier of the Butte County Savings Bank and thus
continued until November 23, 1923, when he was appointed postmaster. His work during the seven years of his
incumbency in the office has been marked by thoroughness, system and efficiency
and has elicited strong commendation. Fraternally
Mr. Morse is a Mason, identified with Chico Lodge, No. 111, F. & . M., and with the Commandery, in which he has taken
the Knight Templar degree, and has been a Shriner for twenty-five years. In outdoor sports he finds his recreation and
particularly enjoys a game of baseball.
He has given generously of his time, energy and means to many community
projects of worth and has purchased a set of the forthcoming History of the
Sacramento Valley for the Chico Library, as he felt that they needed all of
their funds for other books for the use of their patrons. Mr. Morse is always loyal to Chico and Butte
County and his genial disposition and unselfish, kindly nature have won for him
the esteem of a host of friends.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J. W. Major,
History of Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2 Pages
277-278. Pioneer Historical Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte
County Biographies