Butte County
Biographies
MRS. MARY A. WARREN
MRS. MARY A. WARREN.—California owes
much of its progress and advancement, along social and economic lines, to the
women of the state who have taken a broad interest in affairs pertaining to the
welfare and uplift of the common weal, devoting a large part of their busy
lives to the welfare of those whose lot in life has been less fortunate than
their own. These loyal women do more
toward the general good than is generally known, and always in a quiet and
unassuming manner, pursuing the even tenor of their ways and undertaking each
task as a part and parcel of their daily lives.
Among such we name Mrs. Mary A. Warren, a resident of Butte
County for many years,
where both
she and her husband have taken a prominent part in public affairs. Mrs. Warren is a daughter of James A. and
Margaret (Sillers) Watson, the father being a native
of Ohio, and the mother of Scotland,
from which country she came to Wisconsin with her
parents, and in that state, in Iowa County,
her marriage occurred. James Watson
brought his wife and one son and one daughter, Mrs. Warren, across the plains
to California, in 1852. They came via Salt Lake City,
then by way of the Humboldt route and Sublet’s cutoff to California.
While en route, a thieving train came along and stole their food, leaving them
short of provender. Mr. Watson
endeavored to buy some from another train on the way but was refused. The family managed to get through to the next
station, and there put in a supply and finished their long journey, coming up
the Honey Lake Valley,
and arriving in Forbestown, Butte
County, in October, 1852, after a
six months trip. Here the father ran a hotel for a short time until he was
appointed agent for the Forbestown canal, or ditch,
and the family moved to Bangor. Mr.
Watson built a residence there and bought a small ranch, which he operated. He
was a college graduate, and during the Civil War was captain of the Bangor
Guards. He served several terms as supervisor of Butte
County, and was superintendent of
the canal until his death, in June, 1877. He was a Mason of long standing.
After his death, the mother moved to Chico,
in 1878, where she resided until her death, in 1902. This pioneer couple raised
a family of five children: Mary A., of this review; James H., who died in San
Francisco; Kate, Mrs. Kinsey, of San Francisco; Margaret, Mrs.
Edward Warren, of Chico; and
Nellie, Mrs. Schooler of San Francisco.
Mrs.
Mary A. Warren crossed the plains with her parents to Forbestown,
in 1852, then moved with them to Bangor,
in 1857, receiving her education in the public schools of these districts. She
was married in Bangor, in 1869, to
Cyrus Greenleaf Warren, who
was born in Buckfield, Maine, August
16, 1838, a descendant of Dr. Warren, the hero of Bunker Hill. Mr. Warren was a
graduate of Waterville College,
class of 1861, and that same year he crossed the plains to California,
arriving in August. He taught school at Washington, Yolo
County, for a time. During the big
flood the schoolhouse was flooded. He later went to Big Bend, logging and
rafting lumber down the Feather and Sacramento
Rivers. When near Oroville on the Feather
River he and nine others were in a boat
crossing the river in a flood, when
the boat was swamped, and all but four were drowned. He continued lumbering
until 1864, when he began teaching school in Butte
County. In 1867 he was elected
superintendent of schools of the county, and in 1868 he became
principal of the Chico
schools, and continued in that capacity for four years. At the end
of this period,
in 1872, he removed to Redwood City, where he was
principal of schools, and also superintendent of San
Mateo County for
four years.
Having studied law during his years
of teaching, Mr. Warren was admitted to the bar in 1876, and returned to Chico
and engaged in the practice of his profession. He served as assistant district
attorney, was city clerk, and city attorney, of Chico,
and also served as justice of the peace. A prominent and highly esteemed man,
he was well known throughout the county as a man of strict integrity and one to
be relied upon to do the right thing under all circumstances. With all his
public offices, he was a modest and unassuming man, and he had numerous
friends. He was made a Mason in Oroville, and later was a member of Chico
Lodge, No. 111, F. & A. M., of which he was Past Master. He was also a
member of Chico Chapter, No. 24, R. A. M.; of Chico Commandery
No.
12, and of the Eastern Star; and belonged to the A. O. U. W.
His death occurred on October 12, 1898, and his passing was mourned by the
community.
Since her husband's death, Mrs.
Warren has continued to reside at their home, corner of Hazel and First
Streets, Chico. She was a charter
member of Josephine Chapter, No. 104, O. E. S., is Past Matron of the Order,
and has served as its secretary since
1896, being reelected each year to that
office. She has been a member of the Episcopal Church since 1899, and
has given much of her time to the Ladies' Guild, of which society she has acted
as treasurer for many years. She is now a member of the Red Cross Chapter of
Chico and is prodigal of her help in all good works in the community. It is of
such citizens as Mr. and Mrs. Warren that Butte
County has every reason to be proud.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 469-471, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2007 Sande Beach.
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