Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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


GEORGE McKINLAY. � There are men to whom defeat is an unknown 
quantity, opposition is swept aside, aggression is met with stubborn resis- 
tance, and success finally crowns their determined efforts to win. This has 
been the experience of George McKinlay, who was born in Scotland, on May 
10, 1856, at Stirling. He is a son of James and Elizabeth (Morton) McKin- 
lay, who were both natives of Scotland and were the parents of nine children, 
George being the only member of the family in the United States. James 
McKinlay was a merchant tailor who conducted an extensive business at 
Stirling. George was reared in Scotland and is. a graduate of the high school 
at Stirling. 

On March 5, 1878, George McKinlay was united in marriage with Miss 
Margaret Currie, a native of Scotland, and they had seven children: James, 
who is married and has a son, James, Jr. ; George, who is married but has 
no children ; Nancy, is Mrs. J. M. Macdonald, and the mother of three chil- 
dren, Elizabeth, Ian and a baby; William is married but has no issue: Eliza- 
beth, single ; Erick is married and has an infant daughter. These children are 
all living and residents of California. Robert C. is deceased. The wife and 
mother passed away in 1910. 

George McKinlay immigrated to the United States and, with his family, 
located on his present ranch in the Minkler district, Fresno County, Cal. At 
that time the ranch contained but forty acres. Mr. McKinlay began to im- 
prove the place and built a residence, also bought the necessary implements 
for the operation of his ranch, but owing to the fact that his ranch would be 
unable, for at least two years, to produce crops sufficiently large to support 
his family, exclusive of other employment, he was obliged to move to Fresno, 
where he operated a ladies' tailoring establishment which he conducted for 
three years. Mr. McKinlay had learned the tailoring business in Scotland, 
where he had conducted a ladies' tailoring shop. During the three years spent 
in Fresno his crops had so increased in volume, and his bank account, too, 
that he was able to return to his ranch with the full assurance that Mother 
Earth would amply supply his wants. Since his return he has made exten- 
sive improvements. His home is large and attractive and contains eleven 
rooms, all elaborately furnished, having modern conveniences which include 
hot and cold water and electricity. In 1917, Mr. McKinlay purchased twenty- 
five acres more, which increases his ranch to sixty-five acres. It is a very 
productive and profitable ranch and is planted to various kinds of grapes, 
including the Emperor, Muscat, Sultana and Mission varieties. From a tract 
of fifteen acres of Emperor grapes he received an average of $1,000. 

Mr. McKinlay is a practical and systematic rancher and believes in using 
up-to-date methods in viticulture, to which can be attributed his great suc- 
cess in this enterprise. On an average he employs three men the year around 
on his ranch. He has been a member of all the raisin associations since they 
were started. His entire ranch is operated by gasoline motor power. 

The second marriage of Mr. McKinlay was solemnized in 1911, when 
he was united with Miss Effie A. Aitken, a native of Glasgow, Scotland.