Sacramento County
Biographies
GEORGE W.
MORSE
GEORGE W. MORSE, a farmer of San Joaquin Township, was born August 10, 1838. His parents, Lyman and Harriet Morse, were natives of Vermont, and emigrated from New York State to Rock County, Wisconsin, in pioneer times, and remained there until the father’s death, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a farmer by occupation, but was running a hotel at the time of his death, having leased his land. In his family were two sons and one daughter: Harriet, deceased; George W., and Lucien H. Harriet married Alonzo Bowman, and has since died. George W., is said to be the first white child born in that county. He was reared on a farm, and after the death of his father he went, at the age of eleven years, to live with Jerome Vaughn, and remained with him until he was of legal age for the transaction of business for himself. April 10, 1860, he came across the plains and mountains to California with horse teams, and arrived in Sacramento September 1. The journey was a very pleasant one, the principal accident being a loss of five horses in a stampede. In the train were twenty wagons and about forty men, besides the women and children. On arrival here Mr. Morse at once began freighting from Sacramento to the mines, and followed that business ten years. The last trip was made from Elko to the White Pine country, where were mines. In 1870 he came down and settled in San Joaquin Township, this county, on which there was not a stroke of improvement. Now his place of 800 acres is one of the best in the county. He purchased the land in 1862, about nine years prior to his location upon it. It is about six miles from Elk Grove, eighteen from Sacramento, and three and a half from the upper Stockton road. Mr. Morse was married in September, 1870, to Miss Emma Russell, a native of Arkansas. Her people came to this State in 1860, locating in Sacramento. Mr. and Mrs. Morse have two sons and two daughters: Egbert, born in April, 1877; Mand, June 14, 1879; Archie, August 26, 1881; and Eva, July 12, 1885.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of
Sacramento County, California. Page 614. Lewis
Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.