San Mateo County
Biographies
GEORGE
W. LOVIE
The life of George W. Lovie
illustrates in a marked degree that high type of American character that our
country has developed in her growth, advancement and prosperity. He was born in
Manmee City, Ohio, March 4, 1848, and with his heroic
mother came to California in 1850 to join his father, who had crossed the
plains in 1849. His boyhood days were spent in the mining districts of Placer,
El Dorado and Nevada counties, where the self-reliance and hopefulness so
characteristic of the time was strongly engrafted in his disposition.
In 1868 he married an accomplished
woman, Maria F., daughter of Mr. O. S. Holbrook, a prominent mining man of
Nevada county, and the union has proved an
exceptionally happy one. His parents died soon after his marriage, and he at
once assumed the responsibility of educating and supporting his brother and
sisters (five in number), devotedly and faithfully. He removed to San Francisco
and engaged in the draying business, but not taking kindly to city life, he
became in 1871 a resident of San Mateo county and
engaged in farming. His ability as an enterprising citizen was at once
recognized, and he soon became prominent in county affairs. In 1884 he was
elected Tax Collector of the county, and moved to Redwood City, the county
seat. Having served with great success in that office, he was elected in 1886
County Assessor, and enjoys the distinction of having received the largest
majority ever given any candidate for public favor in that county. He is the
present incumbent, and is discharging the duties of that office with signal
ability.
If the subject of this sketch excels
as a public officer, he is eminent in his private capacity in what is known as
a “Society man.” He is Chief Engineer of the Redwood City Fire Department, P.
G. of Ocean View Lodge, No. 143, I. O. O. F., P. C. P. Hope Encampment, No. 60,
F. S. Rebekah Degree Lodge, No. 48, and Grand
Sentinel of the Grand Encampment, I. O. O. F.; Chairman of the Committee on
Credentials, Grand Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and
Chairman of Committee on Laws and Usages in the Great Council of Improved Order
of Red Men. He has served on several important committees in the Ancient Order
United Workmen, and during the past year he was the Noble Grand Arch of the
United Ancient Order of Druids, visiting every Grove of that Order in the State
and organizing two new Groves. At the close of his term, in recognition of his
valuable services in behalf of the Order, he was presented by the Grand Grove
with a handsome gold watch.
Mr. Lovie
is now in the prime of life, and is a man of pleasant address, the keystone of
his character is strict integrity, personal honesty and geniality. He is a
representative specimen of that class to whom the people must look forward to
give credit and tone to American politics. He is not an orator, but a man of
much magnetic influence, and is well calculated to be a leader.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Illustrated Fraternal Directory Including
Educational Institutions on the Pacific Coast, Page 263, Publ. Bancroft
Co., San Francisco. Cal. 1889.
© 2012 Cecelia M. Setty.