Colusa County
Biographies
HON. WILLIAM A. VANN
HON. WILLIAM A. VANN. As the present representative of the second
district of Colusa county on the board of county supervisors and as the former
representative of the twelfth district of California in the state legislature,
Mr. Vann has been intimately associated with the public life of his
locality, while as the owner and operator of a large ranch he has an intimate
association with the agricultural interests of the county. Since September of 1890 he has made his home
on a part of the Jemino rancho, which comprises six
hundred acres lying on the Sacramento river, six miles
southeast of Colusa and three miles northeast of Sycamore. Grain and stock are his specialties and his
cattle, hogs and horses represent the best grades of their kind. Besides the home ranch he has charge of other
tracts in the vicinity, the care of which, added to his duties as a citizen and
office-holder, leaves him little leisure for other
affairs.
The son of a California pioneer of 1850
and the grandson of a pioneer of 1855, William A. Vann was born near
Potter Valley, Mendocino county, this state, March 25, 1864, and was
fourth among ten children, all but one of whom survive. His parents, Rev. W. H. and
Angeline (Cato) Vann, were natives respectively of Tennessee and Missouri, and
died at Santa Ana, Cal., the former in 1876, at fifty-two years, and the latter
in 1878. The paternal grandfather, Jacob
Vann, was born in North Carolina, but early in life became a resident of
Tennessee and still later identified himself with the pioneer farmers of Polk county, Mo., whence he crossed the plains in 1855 and took
up farming and stock-raising in Mendocino county. After a busy and honorable life he passed
from earth aged eighty-six years.
When four years of age
Rev. W. H. Vann was taken to Missouri and amid frontier scenes
he passed the years of youth, remaining on a farm until the outbreak of the
Mexican war, when he enlisted in a regiment from his home state. An interest in the unsettled regions of our
country was aroused by travel at the time of the war and later, when gold was
discovered in the west, he determined to seek a home across the mountains. In no respect was his journey different from
those made by other emigrants with oxen and wagons. After a short experience in the mines he and
two brothers settled near St. Helena, Napa county. In order to bring his family to the new home
in 1854 he returned via Panama to Missouri, whence in 1855 he returned across
the plains, accompanied by his father and his young wife, and as captain of a
train of one hundred and twenty persons.
After a few years in Napa county in 1859 he
removed to Mendocino county and took up farming and stock-raising. From there in 1874 he removed to Santa Ana
and embarked in the sheep business.
Fraternally he was associated with the Masons. When a young man he was ordained as a
minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and afterward continued to preach
until his voice failed, but never asked for remuneration for this work, it
being simply a work of love on his part.
When William A. Vann was a boy of ten
years he accompanied his parents from Mendocino county to Santa Ana and from
there came to Colusa county in 1882. After his arrival here he secured employment
on a farm at Grand Island and during the three years of his work for others he
saved his earnings until he had sufficient to justify the purchase of an
outfit. Thereupon he rented land on Dry
slough, where he remained about five years.
From that place he came to his present property in September, 1890, and
has since engaged in raising grain and stock.
His wife, who was Miss May Gould, is a native of Grand Island and a
daughter of Asa Gould, the latter a California pioneer of 1849. When Mr. Gould made the long trip across
the plains he left his wife with friends, and in 1854 she joined him in the
west, coming via Panama. They were early
settlers and honored citizens of Grand Island.
Mrs. Gould was a granddaughter of General Seymour, a prominent officer
in the war of 1812. Born of the marriage
of Mr. and Mrs. Vann are five children, Asa, Max, Hubert, Gould and
Willie May, the latter born May 1, 1905.
As a Democrat Mr. Vann has long been
prominent in Colusa county politics, and in 1892 was elected on the party
ticket to represent Colusa, Glenn and Lake counties in
the state legislature, where he served in the session of 1893 and gave his
support to measures for the benefit of his constituents. In 1896, he was a candidate for congress from
the third congressional district, but was defeated for the nomination by
W. B. English and the latter in turn was defeated at the
election. At the election of 1904 he was
elected supervisor by a majority of seventeen votes over A. A. Thayer
and entered upon official duties in January, 1905, for a term of four
years. Since being on the board he has
been an ardent worker toward maintaining good roads and has endeavored to establish
a fund for special road building purposes to be used by a two-thirds vote of
the entire board in whatever district the improvement is to be made. Though not identified with any denomination
he is in sympathy with religious movements and contributes toward the
maintenance of the Christian Church, with which his wife is connected. His membership in the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows began in Grand Island Lodge No. 266 at Grimes, of which he is
past noble grand and has been its representative to the Grand Lodge. Both himself and
wife are associated with the Rebekahs, and he is
further identified with the Native Sons of the Golden West, his membership
being in the Colusa Parlor.
[Inserted by D.
Toole.]
Hon. William A.
Vann
FamilySearch
Name: William A. Vann
Event
Type: Marriage
Event
Date: 12 Nov 1889
Event
Place: Colusa, California,
United States
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Birth
Year (Estimated): 1864
Father's
Name:
Mother's
Name:
Spouse's
Name: May Gould
Spouse's
Age: 25
Spouse's
Gender: Female
Spouse's
Birth Year (Estimated): 1864
Spouse's
Father's Name:
Spouse's
Mother's Name:
Page:
GS
Film number: 1293947
Digital
Folder Number: 004666511
Image
Number: 00051
Citing this
Record: "California, County
Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch
(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3V-TGK : 5 August 2017), William A.
Vann and May Gould, 12 Nov 1889; citing Colusa, California, United States,
county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,293,947.
Findagrave Memorial: (Son, William Asa Vann)
William
Asa Vann
Birth:
Nov. 11, 1890
Death:
Sep. 9, 1954
Family
links:
Parents:
William A. Vann (1864 - 1941)
May Gould Vann (1864 - 1936)
Siblings:
William Asa Vann (1890 - 1954)
Max Seymour Vann (1892 - 1964)*
Willie May Vann Allen (1905 - 1953)*
*Calculated
relationship
Inscription:
California PVT Quartermaster Corps World War I
Note:
additional family information from McComberdescendant
(#47274010)
Burial:
Grand Island Cemetery, Grimes, Colusa County, California, USA
Created
by: Larry K
Record
added: Oct 12, 2008
Find
A Grave Memorial# 30518818
Findagrave Memorial: (Daughter, Willie May Vann)
Willie
May Vann Allen
Birth:
May 1, 1905
Death:
Mar. 24, 1953
Family
links:
Parents:
William A. Vann (1864 - 1941)
May Gould Vann (1864 - 1936)
Siblings:
William Asa Vann (1890 - 1954)*
Max Seymour Vann (1892 - 1964)*
Willie May Vann Allen (1905 - 1953)
*Calculated
relationship
Note:
additional family information from McComberdescendant
(#47274010)
Burial:
Grand Island Cemetery, Grimes, Colusa County, California, USA
Created
by: Larry K
Record
added: Oct 12, 2008
Find
A Grave Memorial# 30518819
1917
Jun 28, San Francisco Chronicle, P4, San Francisco, California
Californians
on Draft Exemption Boards Named
Official
Notifications From President Wilson Received by the
Governor
<snipped>
Sacramento,
June 27 – Official notification from President Wilson of exemption boards
appointed for California under the selective draft law was received today by
Governor William D. Stephens. The figures
indicate the number of boards in each county and city. In San Joaquin, Santa Clara and San
Bernardino counties the boards are not yet complete, but in order that boards
already named may be organized at once, it was decided to announce the
incomplete list, which follows:
<snipped>
Colusa, 1 – William A. Vann, Williams; George N.
Farnsworth, Grimes; John L. Jackson, Colusa.
<snipped>
1925
Jan 31, Woodland Daily Democrat, P1, Woodland, California
Funeral
services will be held Monday morning at 10 o’clock for Mrs. Rosetta Wight, who
died yesterday afternoon at Napa. The
decedent was the mother of Mrs. Earl F. Wight of Woodland. Rev. C. C. Black will officiate at the
burial. Services will be at the Krellenberg chapel and the interment in the Woodland cemetery. Mrs. Wight was a native of California, 51
years of age. The greater portion of her
life was spent in the vicinity of Colusa and Arbuckle. She is survived by her husband, Frank M.
Wight, who is expected to arrive from Eureka this afternoon, and one son, Earl
F. Wight, of this city, formerly connected with the Yolo Water and Power
Company. One sister, Mrs. May Vann,
lives at Arbuckle.
1928
Aug 23, Oakland Tribune, P44, Oakland, California [photo included]
Late;
Teachers Blame Hawaii
Oh,
Skinnay! Miss
Marjorie Cain and Miss Willie May Vann were three whole days late to school –
and they’re school teachers, too! They
told the principal they just couldn’t bear to tear themselves away from
Honolulu in time for the opening of school.
The girls are considered two of the prettiest schoolmarms in the
Sacramento valley. They teach at
Arbuckle.
Teachers
Report Late to School; Hawaii Is Blamed
It’s
quite all right to be late to school, even when you’re a school teacher, when
you’ve been vacationing in the Hawaiian Island.
With this excuse firmly in mind, Miss Marjorie Cain and Miss Willie May
Vann, attractive schoolmarms of Arbuckle, are homeward bound on a fast stage
today, three days late for the opening of school. Their tardiness arose from a decision made in
Honolulu when they booked passage home.
They had the choice of taking a steamer that would get them home three
days ahead of school opening, or of boarding the Matsonia
and arriving here three days late for classes.
“Honolulu was so wonderful,” the two teachers said in unions. “We took the Matsonia.” The girls attended courses at the University
of Hawaii summer session.
1929
Jul 26, Woodland Daily Democrat, P2, Woodland, California
Mr.
and Mrs. Hubert Vann of College City visited in Dunnigan
Thursday. They have just returned from a
vacation trip near Eureka at Richardson’s Grove.
1929
Oct 11, Woodland Daily Democrat, P3, Woodland, California
Mrs.
Hubert Vann of College City is visiting her sister, Mrs. Lowell Edson.
1930
Feb 10, Woodland Daily Democrat, P2, Woodland, California
Car
Slips Off Bridge, No Injuries
(By
Valley News Alliance)
Williams
– While crossing the bridge over Salt Creek, west of Williams, recently, the large
car driven by Max Vann selected that spot as the easiest place to do a
side-slip and slowly crashed into the bridge.
The machine received a spring frame.
Vann was unhrt.
1931
Mar 26, Woodland Daily Democrat, P5, Woodland, California
Legion,
Women’s Club Opens New Clubhouse With Community
Program
The
dedication of the new Arbuckle Women’s clubhouse, the major event of the club
year, took place Wednesday evening with more than 200 guests in
attendance. John H. O’Donnell of
Woodland gave the dedicatory address.
The clubhouse was erected by the Arbuckle Women’s club, which will use
it jointly with the American Legion post.
It is of old English architecture, containing a large assembly room and
kitchen. The club has 60 members with
Mrs. H. H. Powis as president. Mrs. Hubert Vann was chairman of the building
committee. The building is located north
of Arbuckle on two lots donated by Charles Meyers of Oakland. <snipped>
1931
Nov 14, Woodland Daily Democrat, P1, Woodland, California
Huge
Killer Eagle Trapped
Colusa,
Nov. 14 – A killing eagle measuring six feet from tip to tip and standing two
and a half feet high, was trapped by Max Vann on a ranch. He killed the eagle with a pitchfork.
1933
Apr 3, Woodland Daily Democrat, P1, Woodland, California
Last
Civil War Veteran Dies
(By
Valley News Alliance)
Colusa
– Charles Henry Fitzgerald, Colusa county’s oldest man and last Civil War
veteran, died early yesterday at the Max Vann home in Williams. Had he lived six months longer, he would have
obtained his ambition – to live to be 100 years old. He was born October 15, 1833 in Bangor,
Maine. His unexpected death cancelled
plans made by veterans’ organizations for a countywide celebration when he
observed his hundredth birthday. Funeral
services will be held Wednesday morning in Maxwell Catholic church with
military rites to follow in Maxwell cemetery.
1934
Apr 16, Woodland Daily Democrat, P2, Woodland, California
Mrs.
George Megonigal and Mrs. Hubert Vann of Arbuckle
were among the throng at the horse show Saturday.
1932
May 18, Woodland Daily Democrat, P4, Woodland, California
Arbuckle
Teacher Reveals Wedding
When
Principal L. G. Johnson of the Arbuckle grammar school conferred with teachers
Tuesday regarding plans for next year, he was surprised to learn that Miss
Willie May Vann, member of the faculty for five years, had given her
resignation to become a housewife. But
the biggest surprise came when Miss Vann revealed that since January 16 – four
months ago – she had been the wife of Gerald Allen, Marysville teacher. The couple had kept the secret of their
marriage at Reno.
1932
May 19, Oakland Tribune, P14, Oakland, California
Teacher
Reveals Secret Marriage
Arbuckle,
May 18 – When Principal L. G. Johnson of the Arbuckle grammar school conferred
with teachers yesterday regarding plans for next year, he was surprised to
learn that Miss Willie May Vann, 27, was tendering her resignation to become a
housewife. But the biggest surprise came
when she told him she had not been Miss Willie May Vann since January 16,
1932. For the last four months she has
been Mrs. Gerald Allen, wife of a Marysville high school instructor. Slipping away to Reno, Nev., the couple were married on January 16, and have succeeded in
keeping their marriage a secret since that time. Mrs. Allen is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.
A. Vann of the College City section, one of Colusa county’s pioneer families.
1935
Jun 21, Ukiah Dispatch Democrat, P2, Ukiah, California
The
tenth annual pioneer picnic was held last Saturday, June 15, in the McGee
grove. Many new tables were set up and
all were full. Hale McCowen,
sr., presided and the following speakers made talks: Mrs. Olive Busch and J. E. Pemberton of
Ukiah, Will Vann of Arbuckle and former senator R. R. Ingels
of Potter Valley. Every
one seemed to enjoy the day. The
following pioneers came to Potter to attend:
Mrs. Rebecca Yarbrough [note, sister of William A. Vann], Fallon, Nevada;
Frank Howe, Upper Lake John Carner, Upper Lake; Earl
Smith, Upper Lake, <snipped>
1935
Aug 26, Woodland Daily Democrat, P1, Woodland, California
G.
G. Vann has made all arrangements for immediate construction of a new home
which will be on the Joe Hornel tract just south of
the Peart home in West Arbuckle.
1936
Dec 28, Woodland Daily Democrat, P1, Woodland, California
Mother
of Arbuckle Postmaster Succumbs
Colusa,
Dec. 28 (VNA) – Mrs. May Gould Vann, 73, wife of William A. Vann, of College
City, former state assemblyman and Colusa county supervisor, died today. She leaves five children, including
Postmaster Gould Vann of Arbuckle and Mrs. Jerald Allen of Live Oak.
1939
Apr 19, The Los Angeles Times, P5, Los Angeles,
California
Club
Woman Dies
Colusa,
April 18 (AP) – Mrs. Edith Wallace Vann, 44, president of the Northern
District, Federation of
Women’s Cubs, died suddenly after an operation yesterday.
1941
Jan 18, Sacramento Bee, P19, Sacramento, California
Services
Are Held for Retired Maxwell Butcher
Maxwell
(Colusa Co.), Jan. 18. Funeral services
were held this afternoon in the Methodist Church in Maxwell for Robert
Yarbrough, 83, retired Maxwell butcher and farmer, who died Thursday night in
Colusa Memorial Hospital. He had lived
in Colusa County since 1882. Yarbrough
is survived by his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Vann Yarbrough, and five sons, W. R. B.
C. and H. G. Yarbrough, all of Maxwell; V. O. Yarbrough of Delevan, and J. C.
Yarbrough of Kansas City. The body is in
the J. D. McNary & Son Funeral Home. Interment is to be made in the Maxwell
Cemetery.
FamilySearch:
Name: William A Vann
Event
Type: Death
Event
Date: 22 Nov 1941
Event
Place: Colusa, California, United
States
Birth
Date: 25 Mar 1864
Birthplace: California
Gender: Male
Father's
Name: Vann
Mother's
Name: Cates
Citing this Record:
"California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch
(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG56-RYF : 26
November 2014), William A Vann, 22 Nov 1941; Department of Public Health
Services, Sacramento.
1941
Nov 24, Sacramento Bee, P8, Sacramento, California
William
A. Vann, Colusa Leader, Dies in Hospital
Deceased
Had Served as State Assemblyman, Held Other Posts
Colusa
(Colusa Co.), Nov. 24 – Funeral services were held this afternoon in McNary’s Memorial Chapel here for William A. Vann, 77, of
College City, state assemblyman from this district in 1892, a former Colusa
County supervisor and for many years a Democratic leader in Superior
California. He died at 4:15 P.M. Saturday
in the Colusa Memorial Hospital, where he had been a patient for two
years. Vann, born March 25, 1864, in
Potter Valley, Mendocino County, came to Arbuckle, Colusa County, in 1882. He farmed on Grand Island, near Sycamore,
later near Williams and finally settled in the Johns district near College
City.
Double
Wedding Was Held
In
a double wedding ceremony November 12, 1889, at the Gould ranch on Grand
Island, Vann married May Gould, and his sister, Miss Rebecca Vann, married
Robert Yarbrought[sic] of Maxwell.
Mrs. Vann died in 1936. Vann,
noted as an orator, entered politics in 1892, when he was elected assemblyman,
representing Colusa, Yolo, Glenn and Tehama Counties. He served in the state legislature four
years, but declined to run again in 1896.
He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for congress.
Held
Public Office
Vann
was a free silver delegate to the Democratic National Convention in St. Louis,
Mo., in 1896; served as Colusa County supervisor from 1904 to 1908; served as
chairman of the Colusa County Democratic Central Committee in 1908; was
chairman of the Colusa County Draft Board in 1917-1918, and was a lifelong
leader in Grange and farm bureau activities in Superior California. He leaves four sons, Asa and Max S. Vann of Williams,
Hubert H. and Postmaster Gilbert G. Vann of Arbuckle, and a daughter, Mrs.
Willie May Allen of Live Oak. Four
sisters also survive. They are: Mrs. Robert Yarbrough and Mrs. Bessie
Christopher of Maxwell, Mrs. Ida Young of Sierra Madre, Calif., and Mrs. Sadie
Pratt of Yountville. Interment was in
the family plot in the Grand Island Cemetery.
Findagrave Memorial:
William
A. Vann
Birth:
1864
Death:
1941
Family
links:
Spouse:
May Gould Vann (1864 - 1936)*
Children:
William Asa Vann (1890 - 1954)*
Max Seymour Vann (1892 - 1964)*
Willie May Vann Allen (1905 - 1953)*
*Calculated
relationship
Inscription: Father
Note:
additional family information from McComberdescendant
(#47274010)
Burial:
Grand Island Cemetery, Grimes, Colusa County, California, USA
Created
by: Larry K
Record
added: Oct 12, 2008
Find
A Grave Memorial# 30518821
1942
Nov 11, Sacramento Bee, P9, Sacramento, California
Yarbrough
– In Napa, Napa County, November 6, 1942, Mrs. Rebecca V. Yarbrough, mother of
Burr Yarbrough of Napa, W. H. Yarbrough, Vann O. Yarbrough and H. G. Yarbrough
of Maxwell and J. C. Yarbrough of Kansas City and sister of Mrs. Susan Pratt of
Yountville, Mrs. Ida Hopper of Sierra Madre and Mrs. Bessie Christopher of
Williams; a native of California aged 77 years.
Funeral services were held November 9, 1942 in Maxwell.
1943
Jan 18, Sacramento Bee, P7, Sacramento, California
Hubert
H. Vann of Arbuckle Dies
Arbuckle
(Colusa Co.), Jan. 18. Funeral services
will be held at 2 P.M. tomorrow in the Masonic Hall here for Hubert H. Vann,
47, Johns district farmer and Arbuckle Grange and
insurance dealer, who died Saturday in the Veterans Hospital at Fort Miley, San Francisco.
Vann, born near Sycamore, Colusa County, was the son of the late William
A. Vann, former assemblyman from this district, and the late May Gould
Vann. His wife, Mrs. Edith Wallace Vann,
Superior California clubwoman, died in April, 1939. Vann was a member of the Estes-Traynhan Post of the American Legion in Arbuckle. He is survived by three brothers, Max and Asa
Vann of Williams and G. G. Vann, Arbuckle postmaster, and a sister, the former
Willie May Vann of Luba City[sic]. Interment will be in the Arbuckle Cemetery by
the J. D. McNary and Son Funeral Home of Colusa.
FamilySearch:
Name: Gilbert Gould Vann
Event
Type: Death
Event
Date: 16 Jul 1952
Event
Place: San Francisco, California,
United States
Birth
Date: 02 Mar 1897
Birthplace: California
Gender: Male
Father's
Name: Vann
Mother's
Name: Gould
Citing this
Record: "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG51-BXL : 26 November 2014), Gilbert Gould Vann, 16 Jul 1952;
Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
1952
Jun 5, San Mateo Times, P11, San Mateo, California [Son of Gilbert G. Vann]
Arbuckle
Flier Killed
Kinston,
N.C., June 5 – (UP) – Air force cadet William Vann, 22, of Arbuckle, Calif.,
was killed yesterday in the collision of two AT-6 training planes near the
civilian-operated Kinston air base. Also
killed in the crash were cadet Richard A. Schroeder,
23, of Minneapolis, and John Hearne, a civilian flying instructor.
1954
Sep 11, Sacramento Bee, P16, Sacramento, California
William
A. Vann, 63, Colusa Farmer, Dies
Colusa,
Colusa Co. – Final rites for William Asa Vann, 63, brother of Max Vann of
Williams, president of the Sacramento Valley Irrigation Committee, will be
conducted at 10 AM Monday in the Williams Methodist Church. Vann died Thursday in Colusa Memorial
Hospital. He was born in Colusa County,
a son of the late W. A. and May Gould Vann, early settlers in the Williams
area. His father had been a state
assemblyman. He was a farmer in the
Williams area and was a veteran of World War I.
FamilySearch:
Age: 72
Given
Name: Max
Middle
Name:
Surname: Vann
Name
Suffix:
Birth
Date: 02 Aug 1892
State: California
Last
Place of Residence:
Previous
Residence Postal Code:
Event
Date: Nov 1964
Citing this
Record: "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JG43-DNR : 20 May 2014), Max
Vann, Nov 1964; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master
File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service,
ongoing).
Findagrave Memorial:
Max
Seymour Vann
Birth:
Aug. 2, 1892
Death:
Nov. 28, 1964
Family
links:
Parents:
William A. Vann (1864 - 1941)
May Gould Vann (1864 - 1936)
Spouse:
Mary Gobel Vann (1895 - 1971)*
Children:
Seymour G. Vann (1917 - 1966)*
Garnett William Vann (1919 - 1987)*
Siblings:
William Asa Vann (1890 - 1954)*
Max Seymour Vann (1892 - 1964)
Willie May Vann Allen (1905 - 1953)*
*Calculated
relationship
Note:
additional family information from McComberdescendant
(#47274010)
Burial:
Grand Island Cemetery, Grimes, Colusa County, California, USA
Record
added: Oct 12, 2008
Find
A Grave Memorial# 30518822
1965
Mar 25, Eureka Humboldt Standard, P3, Eureka, California
Reclamation
Job for Colusa Man
Sacramento
(UPI) – H. Terrill Sartain, Colusa County rancher and
president of Reclamation District 1004, was named to the California Reclamation
Board today by Gov. Edmund G. Brown. He
succeeded the late Max S. Vann, Jr.[sic], Williams, Sartain, a Democrat, is a director of the Farmers Rice Cooperative.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 593-594. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Donna Toole.
Golden Nugget
Library's Colusa County Biographies