YUBA COUNTY Biographies
J. EUGENE MORRISON
Among the successful horticulturists of Sutter County whose industry and business judgment enable them to surround themselves with the comforts of country life, is J. Eugene Morrison, living on his twenty-acre ranch, adjacent to Bogue Station, where he has recently finished a fine country home at a cost of $20,000. In 1922, Mr. Morrison purchased fifty-five acres, but in the early part of 1923 sold off two tracts of fifteen and twenty acres each, retaining the sightly corner where he has erected his beautiful dwelling. He was born at Ostrom Station, on April 20, 1896, a son of John H. and Henrietta (Scott) Morrison, Yuba County pioneers, both now deceased, whose sketch will be found in this history.
J. Eugene Morrison, the youngest of the children of his parents’ family, received his early education in the Yuba County district schools and in 1914 was graduated from the Marysville High School. Mr. Morrison, in partnership with his three brothers, under the name of the Morrison Brothers, began the development of the Bogue ranch of 175 acres, which they bought from Mrs. Bogue. For four years this ranch had been cultivated by Japanese, and when the Morrison Brothers took hold of it in 1911 it was in a dilapidated state; but gradually they brought it to a high state of cultivation, setting the entire acreage to cling peaches. In 1915, J. Eugene Morrison was made general manager for the company and remained in that position until 1919, when with his brother James he purchased the interests of his brothers, Hugh A. and Archie. In 1922 this ranch was sold to Henry Kleinsorge, who has retained Mr. Morrison as superintendent; and he handles all the details and the management of the ranch.
The marriage of Mr. Morrison in Sacramento, November 19, 1919, united him with Miss Irlene Cook, a native of Sutter County, daughter of Seely Cook, whose sketch can be found in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison are the parents of one daughter, Betty Jean. Mr. Morrison was a member of the first board of directors of the California Canning Peach Growers’ Association, and is a past vice-president of the Barry Center of the Sutter County Farm Bureau. Fraternally, he is a member of Enterprise Lodge, No. 70, F.&A.M., Yuba City. He is the executor of the John H. Morrison Estate. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison are members of the Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Morrison is a member of the Bogue Wednesday Club.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p . 1308
AUGUST STAAS
A progressive and successful rancher, whose methods and results are of particular interest, is August Staas, whose ranch lies two and a half miles to the north of Meridian. Born in Hartum, Westphalia, Prussia, on December 26, 1868, he is the son of August and Louise (Meier) Staas. His father, who was a bricklayer and stone-mason, lived and died in Germany, passing away at the age of fifty-five. The mother had died at the age of thirty-nine. They were worthy folk, and were the parents of three children, August, Lena and Christ.
August Staas went to the common or grammar schools, and in 1881 came to the United States with his uncle, Fred Meier, and settled at West Butte, where for years he worked for wages on Frederick Tarke’s ranch. He then purchased sixty acres on the Sacramento River two and one-half miles north of Meridian, and there he now has a small dairy and an alfalfa and grain ranch. He bought the estate from J. K. Wood some twenty-six years ago, and improved it, building a home and other farm buildings.
In 1895 Mr. Staas was married, at Nashville, Ill., to Miss Emma Granneman, a native of that State, and the daughter of Henry and Christina Granneman, who were farmer folks there. This devoted wife died in 1901. Three years later, on August 30, 1904, Mr. Staas was married, at Yuba City, to Miss Nellie C. Fairlee, a native of Pennington, Sutter County, and the daughter of Andrew and Eliza Fairlee. Andrew Fairlee was a pioneer who made his way across the plains with ox-teams when a young man, mined in the Sterling district, and later embarked in the stock business; while the last part of his life he mined again in Sterling country, breathing his last at the age of sixty-three. Mrs. Staas was the third of four children in her parents’ family, and attended the Pennington and Noyesburg schools. Six children were born in the family of Mr. Staas: Alice (Mrs. Leman), deceased, and Effie, Fred, Roy, Fay and Lea. Mr. Staas is an Odd Fellow, holding membership in the Meridian Lodge, in which he is a Past Grand and a Past District Deputy. Mrs. Staas is a Rebekah, and has been Noble Grand. In political affiliation, Mr. Staas is a Republican.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p . 1309
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