San Francisco County

Biographies

GEORGE WASHINGTON STIMPSON, V. S.

GEORGE WASHINGTON STIMPSON, V. S., Oakland, was born in St. Albans, Maine, August 15, 1859, a son of G. W. and Elvira A. (Pillsbury) Stimpson. His father, born in Newport, Maine, was a lumberman there in his younger days, and came by way of Cape Horn to California in 1849. He followed mining some time, accumulating a considerable sum, and returned to Maine, intending to sell his property there and come again to California, but was dissuaded. He resumed lumbering for a while, first in Maine and then in Michigan, becoming a pioneer in this industry in Mackinaw. He also engaged extensively in fishing, shipping largely to Chicago, and becoming one of the largest operators in this trade on the straits. He was Justice of the Peace in Mackinaw several years, until his death in 1866, at the age of sixty-three years. He left four sons and two daughters, one of whom, Forest J., was accidentally drowned in the straits of Machinaw in October, 1889. He had been marine reporter, telegraph operator and signal service reporter for some time, at the date of his death being a marine reporter for Chicago and Detroit papers; was also Postmaster and express agent. All the children were: Charles, a farmer in Michigan, near Mackinaw; Forest J., already mentioned; the third was the subject of this sketch; John B., now at his mother’s home in Mackinaw; Lydia, by marriage, Mrs. B. C. Milliken, of Cheboygan, Michigan; Ida E., also living with her mother.

Grandfather Stimpson, a farmer by occupation, lived to an advanced age—indeed, all of Mr. Stimpson’s grandparents lived to be quite old. Both families were of New England nativity for several generations, except his mother’s mother (or grandmother on mother’s side), who was of Scotch descent, her people having come from England. An aunt, Sarah E. (Pillsbury) Leavitt, is now living in Palmyra, Maine, aged about sixty-five years. An uncle, James Pillsbury, of Muskegon, Michigan, is about sixty-three, and is superintendent of the sawmill and lumber interests of his cousin, O. P. Pillsbury. His grandmother Pillsbury was a Miss Carter.

G. W. Stimpson, Sr., was all his life a great lover of horses, for pleasure as well as business.

Mr. Stimpson, our subject, moved to Mackinaw with his parents in 1867; attended graded school at Cheboygan three years from the age of fifteen, in the senior department. Finally he attended the Valparaiso (Indiana) Business College a year. He had a preference for his present profession from his youth up, but was discouraged from entering it by his parents, who thought that such a profession would necessarily cast him amongst a low class of people devoid of principles.

From the age of nineteen to twenty-one he remained at home in Mackinaw, being bookkeeper for his father, who was then, with other vocations, grading the Mackinaw terminus of the Michigan Central and the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroads. At the age of twenty-one he entered the Ontario Veterinary College in Toronto, the recognized leading college in this line on the continent, the staff being composed of eight professors of international reputation. Professor Andrew Smith, a graduate of the old Edinburgh College, was the principal. Mr. Stimpson remained to take a full course, and graduated with high honors, March 29, 1883.

Between sessions he engaged in actual practice with Professor Smith, taking every opportunity, short and long vacations.

On his way to California he was induced to fill an opening in Quincy, Illinois, and remained for five years, during three of which he was Assistant State Veterinary Surgeon. He came to California mainly for the health of his wife and child, arriving at San Francisco in February, 1888; and on account of the great improvement of his wife’s health, he continued to remain here, and during the next month moved over to Oakland. His resignation of his office in Illinois, was received with regret by the State Board of Live-stock Commissioners, who also gave him a letter of the very highest recommendation as to his ability as a surgeon and integrity as a man.

He has established a hospital here, of which his growing business has already required an enlargement in 1889. The building accommodates twenty-five head of horses. Dr. Stimpson’s practice is not merely local, but already extends by correspondence and visits over a large part of the State and coast, even into Oregon. He has also begun the rearing of blooded horses.

In regard to his success in practice here and the value of his opinions, he is quoted as authority here and in the surrounding country on matters pertaining to his profession, indeed, so much so, that it is ofttimes annoying, for in any important case in court he is almost invariably called to give expert testimony, even against some of his brother practitioners engaged by private individuals; and, although in practice eight year, and so called upon many times, his opinion has always won, without exception, even to reversing the judgments of the lower courts where he was not called, and when taken to the superior courts the judgments were reversed. Recently he was called upon to go to San Francisco and give expert testimony in an important case, where they had fourteen veterinaries already practicing. Besides, he received many cases of valuable stock from that city to treat.

Mr. Stimpson became a Freemason in Quincy, Illinois in 1886, and is now a Royal Arch Mason. Is also deputy High Chief of Oakland Court, I. O. F., and is a member of the A. O. U. W. himself and wife were charter members of the first lodge of the O. E. S. in Quincy.

He was married in Canton, Missouri, September 9, 1884, to Miss Emma Kibby, who was born in Palmyra, that State, of Kentucky parentage. Her father, Dr. Kibby, was a surgeon in the army, and her mother’s maiden name was Mary Oldham, daughter of Edward Oldham, whose father was born in England, and was brought to America with a brother William when boys, by their father who was a great-grandfather of Edward Oldham. Both are now deceased. The children of Dr. and Mrs. Stimpson are: George Earle, born May 3, 1885; and Ruby Estella, born May 31, 1886,—both in Quincy, Illinois.

Transcribed by Donna L. Becker

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 186-188, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.

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