Sonoma County CA Archives Biographies.....Munday, B. B. 1813 - 1873
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Munday, B. B. The subject of this sketch was born in Madison county, in the
State of Kentucky, March 14, 1813. He moved from his boyhood's home to Jackson
county, Missouri, before he was of age, and here married Henrietta Phelps. By
this marriage he had two children who lived. In 1845 his wife died. Leaving his
children with some of their relatives, he left Missouri and engaged in the Santa
Fe trade, carrying goods by ox-train from Missouri to Santa Fe, and between
Santa Fe and Chihuahua, in Mexico. Many of his adventures whilst engaged in this
trade among the hostile Indians, would form interesting chapters. In 1850 he
came, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to California, but remained only a short
time. His journey back to Missouri was made from San Francisco to New York by
way of Panama and Aspinwall, thence to Buffalo. From Buffalo he took boat to
Chicago, and from there crossed to the Mississippi river. He then continued down
this to the Missouri river, and up it to Independence, Missouri—traversing, in
this roundabout journey, over seven thousand miles to reach a point now reached
in almost a direct line by travelling one thousand eight hundred miles. In 1852
he was married to Elizabeth Cornett, of Independence, Missouri, and immediately,
with his wife and two children of the first marriage, started across the plains
by ox-team for California. He arrived in September of the same year in this
county, and settled near the town of Sonoma. In 1856 he bought the ranch, now
owned by James Biggins, in the pass between Petaluma and Sonoma, and there
carried on the dairying business. In 1864, selling out to Mr. Biggins, he moved
to Petaluma valley and purchased a farm from Fred Alberding, in Vallejo
township. Mr. Munday was always more or less identified with the politics of the
county. As a politician, he was bold, fearless and honest, and none commanded to
a greater degree the confidence of the people of this county. He was a Democrat
of the old school. His first vote for President was cast for Andrew Jackson, and
he continued consistent in the faith until his death. Withal that he was a
strict partisan, he most cheerfully accorded to every one the right to think and
act for himself, without questioning his honesty or integrity. His mind was
broad and liberal. He went to school only eighteen months, but his education,
made up of a varied experience among men, extensive travel throughout the
country, continued and extensive reading, and a retentive and investigating
mind, was far beyond that of the ordinary. In figure, he was tall, straight as
an Indian, and commanding, weighing about one hundred and sixty-five pounds, and
a little over six feet in height. As a neighbor, he was kind and commanded the
esteem and friendship of every one who came in contact with him. His latch
string was always on the outside, and his entertaining company was a
gratification to his numerous acquaintances. In 1855 he was the candidate of the
Democratic party for member of the Assembly, but was defeated by the candidate
of the Know Nothing or American party. He served one term as Supervisor from the
Petaluma district. In 1869 he was elected to the Assembly with Barclay Henley
and T. W. Hudson, and in 1871 was re-elected, with E. C Hinshaw and William
Caldwell as colleagues. The most important question to the people of Sonoma
county that arose during the time he was in the Assembly, was the extension of
time to the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad for its completion to
Cloverdale and Bloomfield. This was in the session of '71 and '72. The people,
by a majority vote, had voted a subsidy of five thousand dollars per mile from
Donahue to Cloverdale, with a branch to Bloomfield, to a company composed of
McCauley, McCrellish & Co. This company, unable to complete the road, sold out
to the California Pacific Company, and they in turn to the present owners. These
changes caused of course much delay, and a very severe Winter coming on in 1871,
prevented the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad from going on with the
work to completion. They asked for thirty days extension on the Cloverdale end,
and sixty days for the Bloomfield branch. This request was accompanied with a
petition, signed by nearly two thousand voters, and opposed by a remonstrance
containing less than one hundred names. Though all the delegation from this
county were anti-subsidy men, the three Assemblymen considered that the request
was a proper one, and in view of the fact that it was accompanied by a petition
containing so many signers, they sustained a bill to grant such extension. This
was vetoed by Governor Haight, and though passed by the Assembly over the veto,
it failed in the Senate. In 1873, after a short illness, Mr. Munday died at his
residence in Vallejo township, mourned by all who knew him. He had few enemies,
and many warm and sincere friends. He left a wife and six children, two already
mentioned of the first marriage—Thomas P. Munday and Mrs. S. D. Towne —both
residents of Petaluma, and four of the second marriage. Of these four, one, M.
E. C. Munday, is Principal of the Petaluma Grammar School; one, C. F. Munday, is
a practicing attorney of Petaluma, and two daughters live with their mother,
near Petaluma.

Additional Comments:
Petaluma Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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