San Mateo County CA Archives Biographies.....Wooley, William 1867 - 
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Author: S. J. Clarke (1928)

WILLIAM WOOLLEY

   William Woolley, who owns a well appointed paint and oil store in Burlingame,
was regarded as one of the leading decorative painters in the county, and as
such enjoyed a wide reputation. Since coming to this locality he has done a vast
amount of work in his line, including the decorating of most of the more
pretentious structures and residences, his work stamping him as a man of
exceptional ability in his special field of effort.

   Mr. Woolley was born in Yorkshire, England, on the 18th of February, 1867,
and inherited from his forebears a natural talent for the work to which he has
devoted the greater part of his life, his father and brother being well known
painters in England. He secured his education in the public schools and then
learned the painting and decorating business, which he followed until the
opening of the Boer war in South Africa, when he enlisted and served until the
close of the conflict, being in the St. Johns ambulance corps for two years. In
1906 Mr. Woolley came to California, locating in Burlingame, which at that time
was just beginning to grow. He believed that there was a splendid future for
this section of the county, and his faith has been abundantly vindicated in the
subsequent developments here. On his arrival he engaged in the painting and
decorating business on his own account and from that time to the present has
been regarded as the leader in his line in this section of the state. He
decorated both interior and exterior of the San Mateo high school building, the
Masonic temples in San Mateo and Burlingame, the first store building on
Burlingame avenue, and also on Lorton avenue, many of the finest homes in San
Mateo Park and in other choice residence districts of this locality, as well as
most of the business houses in San Mateo. For many years he was engaged steadily
in that line of work, but during the past five years has largely retired from
the contracting field and is now devoting his attention solely to the conduct of
his store, in which he carries a large and complete line of paints, oils and
decorative supplies, being accorded a large patronage. His ability as a
decorator has received wide recognition and for the past seven years he has
served as secretary of the Master Painters and Decorators Association of
California. He is vice president of the Master Painters and Decorators
Association of the Pacific Coast and is the California member of the executive
board of the International Master Painters Association of the United States. His
work has received strong praise from those competent to judge and the splendid
examples of his art in this section of the country stand in indisputable
evidence of his capability.

   Mr. Woolley was united in marriage to Miss Mary Davison, who also is a native
of England. He is a member of Burlingame Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and has received
the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He belongs also to the Modern
Woodmen of America, of which he is a past worthy consul, the Sons of St. George,
of which he is a past president; and the Order of the Eastern Star, of which he
is a past worthy patron, and was one of the first members of the Chamber of
Commerce. He has borne a part in the splendid growth of this locality, of which
he is a pioneer, and he heard the first sermon preached in the first Methodist
church in this city. A loyal and patriotic citizen of his adopted country, he
has consistently supported every measure proposed for the betterment or
advancement of his locality and is regarded as one of Burlingame's most valuable
citizens. Cordial and friendly in manner, he has a host of warm friends and
commands the respect of all who know him.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY
OF
SAN MATEO
COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO, ILL. 
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1928


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