Biographies
GEORGE A PHINNEY
Both as one of the oldest and as one of
the most prosperous organizations of its kind in Northern California the firm
of A. A. Van Voorhies & Co., holds an established
position among the foremost business concerns of Sacramento. The records show
that the business was established as early as 1859 under the title of R. Stone
& Co., and continued to enjoy a steady growth from decade to decade. The
demands of the business were of such magnitude that in 1891 letters of incorporation
were secured and since then the present firm has engaged in business as a
corporation, the president being George A. Phinney,
who first became identified with the establishment November 11, 1886, and since
then has become familiar with every phase of the work. A business of large
volume has been built up and in the firm's specialties of horse collars,
harness and saddles they are considered to have no superiors in the west, where
they are manufacturers and wholesalers.
The present place of residence of Mr. Phinney is far removed from the bleak regions familliar to his early years, for he is a native of Maine,
born in Franklin County, December 7, 1855, and his childhood memories cluster
around the pine woods and rock-bound shores of that locality. The years of
youth were uneventfully passed in country schools and in the home of his
parents, Jonas and Mary A. (Crafts) Phinney. When he
had completed his studies of the district schools he left for Massachusetts and
secured employment in a whip factory at Westfield. Two years later, with the
savings of this period of work, he was able to enter Eastman's Business College
at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he finished the commercial course. Going next to
New York City in 1874 he secured a position as bookkeeper with a firm dealing
in grain and there he remained until July of 1876, when he returned to
Massachusetts. Associating himself with a wholesale firm in Westfield he became
a traveling salesman and in that capacity visited the principal points of
commercial importance throughout the whole country. For a time his territory
embraced all of the region west of the Missouri River.
Upon discontinuing his connection as
traveling salesman in 1882 Mr. Phinney aided in
organizing the Standard Whip Company, a firm that still exists, although he
sold his stock in the concern many years ago. August 31, 1885, he was united in
marriage with Miss Kate Louise Van Voorhies, daughter
of A. A. and Hattie Van Voorhies. Thus other
interests came into his life besides those of New England and he was therefore
induced to come to California in 1886, since which time he has made Sacramento
his home and has devoted his time in the upbuilding
of the wholesale manufacturing plant of A. A. Van Voorhies
& Co., his eldest son. A. Van Voorhies Phinney, now vice-president of the company, is a young man
of exceptional ability and is a graduate of the University of California with
the class of 1908. Mrs. Kate Louise Phinney died when her youngest son, George A., was only
four months old, and he was only spared to the age of seven years. The only
daughter of the union is Clare, now Mrs. C. B. MeKee,
of Sacramento. The second marriage of Mr. Phinney was
solemnized November 30, 1894, and united him with Miss Jessie L. Dayton,
daughter of Jerry and Mary Dayton. The three children of the second marriage
are Jerry Dayton, Ruth Rosalie and Jessie Lee.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 1035-1036.
Historic Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.