Tehama County CA Archives Biographies.....Vestal, George Wems 1846 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 5, 2007, 12:04 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) GEORGE WEMS VESTAL is a prominent business man of Red Bluff. He came from the State of Missouri across the plains to this city in 1857; has been educated and reared in the town and has grown up with it. His ancestors settled in this country long before the Revolution. His father, Alexander Vestal, was a native of Kentucky and his grandparents were North Carolinians. For a number of years Alexander Vestal was engaged in the pottery business in Missouri and also in California. He married Miss Samiri Bright, a native of Kentucky, by whom he had eight children. Both he and his wife are still living in Red Bluff. The subject of this sketch was born in Lawrence County, Missouri, September 22, 1846. His youth was spent working on the farm and attending school. When he reached his majority he engaged as a clerk in the store of J. E. Church. He was subsequently made Deputy Sheriff under O. R. Johnson and afterward under John S. Hale, serving six years in that capacity. In the meantime he started a livery business, conducted it three years and then sold out to engage in the stock business, buying, selling and raising cattle. September 15, 1878, he opened his meat markets, the Washington Market and the City Market, one on Main and the other on Walnut street, which he has since conducted with marked success. In 1888 his party nominated him for Sheriff of the county, and he was elected by 186 majority. This office he is filling with credit to himself and entire satisfaction to his constituents, and he has received the nomination for a second term. During his service as Sheriff a horse thief was out on bail of $2,000. He tried to make his escape, but Mr. Vestal followed him to near the line of the British possessions, captured him and brought him back, and he is now serving his term in San Quentin. In 1862 Mr. Vestal built a nice home in Red Bluff. He also owns 5,000 acres of land, which he has fenced and which he expects soon to stock. May 16, 1872, Mr. Vestal married Miss Clara Gist, a native of Amador County, California. She is a daughter of William Gist, one of the builders of the Oregon & California Railroad. He came to this State from Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Vestal have two sons and a daughter: Elmer, Ethel and Rolla, all at home with their parents in the city in which they were born. Mrs. Vestal is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Vestal is a Master Mason and Knight Templar. He is vice-president of the Tehama County Agricultural Society, and is much interested in the growth and prosperity of Red Bluff and Tehama County. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/vestal1196nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb