Shasta County Biographies

EUGENE CLINTON DOLL 

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Eugene Clinton Doll was born July 29, 1895 in Ono, California, to Valentine and 
Harriett Doll. He was the youngest child in the family. He attended the Ono 
school with his brothers and sisters. The family lived on a farm and as a small 
child he had chores to do; when he was older the tasks became more difficult.
 
Eugene joined the Navy during World War I and was stationed at Mare Island 
during the entire time. After his discharge Eugene returned to Shasta County. He 
worked as a Railroad Express Agent in Redding for thirty two years. He spent 
three more years in Yreka. He retired in 1957. Eugene was active in VFW, the 
Redding Grange and the Homeowners Real Estate Association.
 
Annie Erva Meyer was born August 30, 1899 in Palo Cedro, to Herman and Grace 
Gray Meyer. She was the oldest living child in the family. Annie had 13 brothers 
and sisters, four of them died as infants. Annie's father worked at the 
Balaklala mine and the Terry Mill; he later owned and ran a dairy. Annie's 
grandparents were Fredrick and Caroline Meyer, a well known family in Shasta 
County.
 
Eugene and Annie were married on June 20, 1920 in Redding by Pastor Charles G 
Lucas of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Eugene and Annie had two daughters.
Doris Jean b. 1921 ; Genevieve b. Nov. 13, 1922 d.1980 m. Stuart Preston Smith 
Jr.
 
They lived at 1608 Chestnut Street in Redding. In the 1950s the house burned 
down while they were on vacation. They rebuilt the house in the same location. 
Annie's brother, Valentine Meyer and family, lived in their Redding home during 
the three years Eugene worked in Yreka. The address is still the same and is 
owned by the family. Eugene and Annie's daughter Doris lives in the house with 
her daughter Nancy and son-in-law Dennis Mort.
 
In 1951 Eugene and Annie bought a cabin on Nelson Creek in Big Bend. The cabin 
was built in the 1920s, using oak trees growing on the property. When their 
house burned in Redding they lived in the cabin at Big Bend. The cabin is still 
standing, but has gone through many changes over the years and is no longer 
useable due to the Nelson Creek flood in 1997. The Doll family has spent many 
happy occasions there and are looking at ways to rebuild the cabin.
 
Eugene died January 3, 1970 at Memorial Hospital in Redding. He had lived his 
entire life in Shasta County and is buried at the Lawncrest Cemetery in Redding.
After the death of her husband, Annie lived in the cabin at Big Bend. She 
remained a widow for three years. On Sept. 15, 1973 she married Floyd Leon 
Criger. Floyd lived in Mongomery Creek and had a paper route in that area. Annie 
died Oct. 13, 1978. She is buried at the Lawncrest Cemetery, beside Eugene.
 
Source:  Shasta Historical Society, Feb. 2004