YUBA COUNTY Biographies
GEORGE W. MATTHEWS
Coming to Marysville with his parents when a boy of twelve, George W. Matthews has experienced many of the phases of pioneer life and has watched with deep interest the development and upbuilding of this section of the State. For a number of years he followed the printers’ trade, but is now employed as an engineer by the Marysville Water Company. He was born in Carysville, Champaign County, Ohio, on May 28, 1853, a son of James H. and Sarah Jane (Laughlin) Matthews, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The father was a veteran of the Mexican War. In 1865 they started for California, coming by the Nicaragua route to San Francisco, and came up the river to Marysville, arriving here on December 20 of that year.
George W. Matthews, the elder of his parents’ two children, came to California when twelve years of age. He completed his education in the public schools of Marysville, and afterward learned the printers’ trade. He was first with the Marysville Appeal, at that time owned by Messrs. Lockwood and Dawson, working under Shannon and Johnson, State printers. After abandoning the trade, he turned his attention to engineering and for a time operated electric pumps. He has worked for various firms as well as for the city, and since December 11, 1919, has been engineer for the Marysville Water Company, and is now night engineer. He is efficient and reliable in the discharge of his duties, and is regarded as one of the most trustworthy employees of the company.
Mr. Matthews is a communicant of the Catholic Church. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus, and to Marysville Lodge No. 783, B.P.O.E. Idleness and indolence are foreign to his nature; and although seventy years of age, he is still engaged in useful and important work. He has many friends in Marysville, where he has long resided, and his reminiscences of the early days are most interesting. He remembers the time when the site of the city was covered with a slough, and recalls the days of the stage-coach and pack-train. During the flood of January 19, 1879, the streets were submerged in four feet of water, and people were obliged to go about in boats. There was an abundance of wild game in those days; and although deprived of the comforts and conveniences of an older civilization, the settlers found pioneer life pleasurable withal, and bore their lot without complaint, having an unalterable faith in the future. Mr. Matthews has lived to see that faith justified, and rejoices in what has been accomplished as the work of development and improvement has been carried on.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1261-1262
EUGENE M. BOYD
An experienced realty man, who has done much to enliven, and at the same time to stabilize the realty market in Northern California, promoting sales and increasing values, but always standing for that kind of a square deal that makes of the purchaser a good friend and the best of advertisers, is Eugene M. Boyd, of the well-known firm operating the Lytle-Boyd Land Co. at Marysville. A native son, he was born at Yuba City, on July 26, 1877, the son of Nathan E. and Laura (Wilcoxon) Boyd. The former was born in Russell County, Va., in 1849, and lived in the comfortable Old Dominion until he came to California in 1869. He first settled at Yuba City and for a year engaged in the grocery business; and then he moved to North Butte, Sutter County, where he engaged in farming. He then ran a livery stable in Yuba City, and then went to Napa, where he became chief of police. He married Miss Laura Wilcoxon of Yuba City, the accomplished daughter of one of the best known pioneer families, and both Mr. and Mrs. Boyd enjoyed an exceptional measure of esteem and good-will. The mother died in Yuba City in July, 1881, while the father is still living.
Eugene went to grammar schools at Marysville and Yuba City, and then pursued the excellent courses of the Napa High School; and after that he was first assistant at the Marysville Cannery; and then he became the cashier for Messrs. Weilander & Hexter, the well-known dry goods and gents’ furnishing firm of Marysville, and remained with that house for a year and a half. He next worked for Messrs. Rosenberg Bros., and was in charge of the receiving room of their cannery for a year; and following that, he entered the Farmers’ Cooperative Union, now the First National Bank of Yuba City, at the early age of only twenty-one years, and was made assistant cashier, continuing for a period of twenty-one and one-half years; and he resigned only to become a member of this firm, in partnership with Mrs. Clara P. Lytle, who is highly esteemed here for her progressive and successful realty operations beginning with the year 1911. They have put in the Lytle-Boyd Tract Addition to Yuba City, and they have sold the Cooper Tract; and they also do a large insurance business. Mr. Boyd belongs to the Rotary Club; and in politics he holds himself independent of party ties, and so is able to work more influentially for the best interests of the community.
Mrs. Boyd was Miss Martha Sullivan, a favorite native daughter of Marysville; and they have had two children, Eugene M., Jr. and John Nathan. Mr. Boyd belongs to Marysville Lodge No. 783, B.P.O.Elks, the Foresters and the Woodmen, and also the Native Sons of the Golden West.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1262-1263
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