GEORGE MOFFATT came to California in the year 1861, as a young man and
his ability and well directed activities eventually gained to him precedence as
of one of the leading merchants and an influential citizen of San Francisco, in
which city he continued his residence until his death in about 1893.
Mr. MOFFATT was born in Ireland, in the year 1834, and
was a scion of one of the old and sterling families of the Emerald Isle.
In his native land he acquired his early education, and he was a young man when
he set forth to seek his fortune in the United States. He had little of
financial resources but was possessed of boundless energy and ambition,
integrity of purpose and a determination to make for himself, a place of
independence in the land of his adoption. Upon coming to California, in
1861, he became identified with mercantile enterprise in San Francisco and was
eventually one of the founders of the great department store of O'CONNOR &
MOFFATT, which was one of the largest and best equipped mercantile emporiums in
the city for a long period of years and which controlled a large and
representative business. Mr. MOFFATT exemplified his splendid ability and
powers not only in the development and up building of this important business
enterprise but also in his loyalty and liberality as a citizen, he having always
been ready to lend his aid and influence in the advancing of those measures
that make for the general good of the community. He was a democrat in political
allegiance and his religious faith was that of the Episcopal Church.
While he was still a young man, Mr. MOFFATT here
wedded Mrs. L. W. LYONS, a daughter of Abram IRVINE, who established his
residence in California in the 1860's and who here passed the remainder of his
life, as did also his wife. Mr. and Mrs. MOFFATT became the parents of
five children, of whom four are living at the time of this compilation, in the
winter of 1923-24. George H., in the real estate and construction
business, is a resident of San Francisco; Lillian W. is the wife of Fred W.
HUNT of San Francisco, Mr. HUNT being a son of Judge HUNT, a representative
lawyer and jurist of San Francisco; Walter L. maintains residence in Brentwood,
Contra Costa County, and May M. is the wife of Louis STELLER, of this city. The
widow of the honored subject of this memoir maintains her home at 1766 Pine
Street.
Source: "The San
Francisco Bay Region" Vol. 3 page 168-169 by Bailey Millard. Published by
The American Historical Society, Inc. 1924.
© 2004 Deana Schultz