YUBA  COUNTY

Biographies & Family Ties

ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS

VISITORS AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN YUBA COUNTY

Appeal Democrat - 12/27/1948, p3

[photo] Caption:  KING OF THE COWBOYS ARRIVES IN MARYSVILLE - Roy Rogers, leading Western film actor, was in town today for some duck hunting before leading a troupe of western actors in a free show for Yuba-Sutter folk tomorrow in Memorial auditorium.  Rogers is shown above on his famed horse, Trigger.  He and his wife, Gale Evans, and a score of cowboy stars and their families are guests of Mel Williams, Hub auto dealer, who will be host for the Christmas party.

ACTORS IN MARYSVILLE FOR WILLIAMS' PARTY

    The Mel Williams Christmas party will be staged tomorrow in Memorial auditorium-and a score of the Western film and radio stars will make up the cast were in town today for some duck hunting before the show. - Roy Rogers, "King of the Cowboys," and his wife and leading lady, Dale Evans, along with a dozen other film stars and their wives were out in the vicinity of the Buttes this afternoon shooting ducks. - They arrived in Marysville in several parties last night and today-and will stay at local hotels and motels as well as private residences until Wednesday when they must head back for Hollywood. - Tomorrow at noon they will parade through Marysville streets if there is no rain. - But rain or shine the free show will be staged in the auditorium; at 2 p.m. for the youngsters and at 8 p.m. for the older folk.  The party is a treat on Mel Williams, Marysville automobile dealer, an annual custom he has carried on for the past 14 years. - This may well be the best-and certainly the largest party-he ever put on. - The principal actors will be the western film stars-his friends since the days when he lived in Southern California. - The show will consist of traditional western acts with plenty of music. - Among the actors will be the Sons of the Pioneers, famed for their western songs on records, in movies and on the radio for more than a decade. - Already in town today were Rogers and his wife; Gabby Hayes, the bearded character of many a western film; Russ Hayden of the Hopalong Cassidy films and a one-time resident of Chico; PeeWee Strange, Hugh and Karl Farr, Curt Massey, Pat Brady, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer and Lloyd Perryman, as well as members of their families.

Appeal Democrat - 12/29/1948, p1

THOUSANDS SEE SHOW; ROGERS VISITS KIDDIES

    More than 15,000 bi-county residents were the guests of Mel Williams, Hub automobile dealer, at his annual Christmas party and show at Marysville's Memorial Auditorium last night, and thousands of children and adults were turned away due to a lack of room at the auditorium. - For Marysville, this was the largest turnout ever to jam-pack the auditorium.  In the afternoon some 7500 children attended a special performance given by Roy Rogers, the Sons of the Pioneers, Gabby Hayes, and many other western radio and screen stars.  Almost 2000 children were denied admittance because there was no room for them inside the hall. - The same show was given again last night, and as was expected, the house was again filled to over-flowing.  About 2500 persons heard the show over sound trucks in the street, while another 7500 people crowded the building. - Earlier in the day, the largest crowd in the Twin Cities ever to turn out for a parade was on the streets as Rogers, Dale Evans, and others paraded, some in autos and others on horseback. -  This was Williams' Christmas party for local residents, and in giving it, he was following a long-established custom he started 14 years ago, when he gave a Christmas party for crippled children in Southern California. - His long acquaintance with Rogers and the rest of the group made it easy for Williams to ask them to contribute their talents for his holiday party.  While they were in Marysville, the entertainers, their wives and families were all the guests of Williams. - CHILDREN VISITED - But although many people were turned away from the auditorium for the lack of room, one eight-year-old girl who asked to see Roy Rogers was given a surprise visit from the "King of the Cowboys." - She was Tresa Nell Eliot of Linda Corners, who was preparing to see the show yesterday morning when an oil stove reportedly exploded in the home, severely burning her. - In response to her request to see Rogers, the actor visited her hospital room yesterday afternoon following the performance for the children.  He spoke with her for several minutes, gave her an autographed picture of himself, and promised to return to visit her when the bandages are removed and she is feeling better. - Earlier in the afternoon a bouquet of flowers was sent to Tresa's room in Rogers' name.  Her doctor said today the child's condition is still "critical." - Rogers also visited several other children in hospitals, including six-year-old John Philip Belzer, of Rt. 1, Gridley, who had his tonsils removed yesterday and so missed the show.  The cowboy star chatted with the first-grader and let him hold his "shooting iron" for a while. - Visits were also made yesterday to children hospitalized at Yuba and Sutter county hospitals.

Appeal Democrat - 10/30/1953, p 1

VANTRESS RANCH IS SOLD TO FILM STAR, PARTNER

    Roy Rogers, the cowboy film star, and Mel Williams, Marysville automobile dealer, have purchased a 314-acre ranch in District 10 from Charles Vantress, and friends to the movie star say he plans to live in Yuba-Sutter when he retires from the films. - The purchase was announced today by J. H. (Bud) Weider of the Francis Laney realtor firm. - It is reported the price involved was approximately $115,000. - The ranch, chiefly rice land, is off Oroville Hwy., near Woodruff Lane. - The ranch, once known as the Dave Ruth ranch, will be called the H & T ranch by Rogers and William.  That is the registered brand of the partners and stands for Trigger, Roger's movie horse, and the Trigger colt, Harvest now owned by Williams. - Souza Bros. now have the rice acreage on the land under lease. - Rogers and Williams are also partners in two other ranches, both of them in Sutter county near Twin Oaks.  One of these ranches has approximately 200 acres and is on Hwy. 24.  The other is about 100 acres and is in Tudor district. - Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans, and two of their youngsters are in Yuba-Sutter this weekend. - Rogers is here to stage benefit shows at the annual fall festival of the Notre Dame convent tomorrow and Sunday.

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