GEORGE A. WARE. The extensive and important agricultural interests controlled and superintended by Mr. Ware place him in a position among the leading farmers of Colusa county. Having made his home in this section of the state throughout his entire life, he has acquired a comprehensive knowledge of the soil, the best methods of cultivation and the crops which may be raised with greatest success. For some years and at the present writing he has been given the supervision of the Ware lands, consisting of three tracts of twenty-eight hundred. six hundred and forty and one hundred and sixty acres. making a total of thirty-six hundred acres under his personal management. The ranch covers a distance of five miles east and west, the ranch house where he makes his home lying four miles southeast of Williams. Of the large tract he has placed twenty-eight hundred acres under wheat and barley, which he sows and harvests with the aid of seven eight-mule teams and two combined harvesters.

The Ware family is of New England extraction and became established in America at an early period of the country’s history. George W’. Ware, who was born at Penfield, N. Y., in 1832, came by way of Panama to California in 1852 and settled at Colusa, where with a brother-in-law he established the general mercantile firm of Case & Ware. After a time he purchased Mr. Case’s interest and continued alone, erecting for the demands of his growing trade the second brick building in the county, a well-built structure that stood opposite the old Colusa house. For more than thirty—one years he remained in business. People from all parts of the county came to his store to trade. By reliability of dealings and unwavering honesty he made friends among his customers, who regarded him as a man of progressive spirit and wise judgment. As early as 1868 he began to buy land, his first purchase being a tract adjacent to Colusa. Later he added other properties and devoted his lands to the raising of grain and also to the cattle and sheep business. Gradually he increased his holdings until he owned more than four thousand acres in five different ranches, all in Colusa county, and this immense acreage represented his unaided efforts, for he had no one to assist him in getting a start in the world, but may be called properly the architect of his own fortunes. The management of his varied business interests necessitated the closest attention and he had little leisure for political affairs, in which indeed he bore no part save the casting of a Republican ticket at local and general elections. While temporarily in San Francisco he died February 8, 1884, at the age of about fifty-three years.

Some years after coming to the Pacific coast George W. Ware was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Corwin, who was born in Quincy, Ill.. and in 1853 crossed the plains with her father, Elisha Corwin, and other members of the family. After settling at Marysville Mr. Corwin engaged in the building business. Eventually he established his home in Colusa, and here resided until death. For some years after the demise of Mr. Ware his widow continued to reside at Colusa, but in 1891 she removed to San Francisco. which is her present home. Of her six children, there are three survivors: Mrs. Alice Bedell. of San Francisco; George A., of Colusa county; and Mary R., wife of E. E. Drake, of San Francisco. The only son, who forms the subject of this article, was born in Colusa, November 27, 1868, and received his education in the public schools of the village. On starting out for himself he formed a partnership with Mr. Bedell in 1890 and engaged in raising grain on four thousand six hundred and twenty acres of land, of which tract three thousand three hundred and forty acres belong to the Ware estate. In 1892 he purchased his partners interest and has since been alone in his extensive farming operations. One mile southeast of Williams he owns five hundred and forty acres, which he rents for grain. One of his specialties is the raising of mules, for which there is a steady demand in this section of the country.

At Oakland, this state, in 1891, Mr. Ware married Miss Alexine G. Fairbairn, who was born in Chico, Cal., and is a lady of amiable disposition and a sincere member of the Presbyterian Church. The children of their union are Helen M., Alexine Gertrude and George Fairbairn. In politics, like his father, Mr. Ware has always been stanch in his allegiance to the Republican party, but not an active worker in public affairs. Fraternally he is a Mason, having been initiated into the order in Tuscan Lodge No. 261, F. 8: A. M., at Williams, to which he still belongs.