Sacramento County
Biographies
MRS. MARY McFARLAND ORR
MRS. MARY McFARLAND ORR--One of the large landowners of the Galt district, Mrs. Mary McFarland Orr has demonstrated unusual business ability in the management of the large estate which she inherited, comprising 1,600 acres two miles west of Galt. A native of Canada, she was born near Guelph, Ontario, the daughter of Duncan and Janet (Taylor) McFarland, both natives of Perthshire, Scotland. The father came to Canada when he was only ten years old and passed away in Ontario, having become a substantial farmer there. They were the parents of twelve children: Janet, Anna, and John are deceased; George; Duncan, deceased; Margaret; Jane, deceased; Susan; Isabelle, deceased; Mary, Mrs. Orr; Elizabeth; and Robert.
In 1884 Mrs. Orr came to Galt, Cal., and made her home with the family of her uncle, John McFarland, who gave the town of Galt its name, from his old home town, Galt, Ontario. On April 29, 1885, she was united in marriage with George Orr, who was born near Galt, Ontario, the son of Robert and Margaret Orr, both of Scotch descent, being one of a family of nine children: Mary; John; Janet; Robert; George; Andrew; William; Lida; the sixth child passed away in infancy. George Orr came to California in 1883 and first settled in Santa Clara, but soon afterwards came to Galt. Here he was in the employ of John McFarland, and after he was married he bought 700 acres of the McFarland ranch, which consisted of 1,600 acres, and now Mrs. Orr is the owner of the entire place, sixteen acres being devoted to vineyard, and the balance to grain and pasture. Mrs. Orr also conducts a large dairy, having a herd of about seventy-five cows. The house now occupied by Mrs. Orr was built by John McFarland in 1879-1880 and is one of the old, substantial California houses, well constructed in every way.
Mr. Orr passed away in 1919, leaving his widow and five children to mourn his loss: Anna, Mrs. Cota of Galt, has three children - Varien, Mary and Myrna May; Gladys, Mrs. C.G. Woods, who lives on the home ranch, has two children - George and Winifred; Eda is Mrs. Carter of Galt; Evelyn and Beatrice are at home. Mr. Orr was for years a trustee of the Galt school district and was past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Orr is a member of the Rebekahs of Galt, her uncle, John McFarland, having been prominent in the Odd Fellows.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County, California
With Biographical Sketches, Page 681. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.