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


WILLIAM YERINGTON.� A gentleman well and favorably known in 
the western part of Fresno County is William Yerington, the popular hotel 
man at Mendota. He was born near Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, on 
March 21, 1870. His father, Mordecai Yerington, was a native of Ohio who, 
when a young man, emigrated to Iowa, where he improved a farm. In 1876 
he removed to Putnam County, Mo., where he resided on his farm until his 
death. Mr. Yerington's mother was Hannah Lovett, a native of Illinois, who 
also passed away in Missouri. 

Of the seven children born to his parents, William Yerington is the 
fourth in order of birth. He received a good education in the public schools, 
and assisted his parents on the farm until twenty years of age, when he de- 
termined to come West. Arriving in Boise City in 1890, when Idaho was a 
territory, he was employed on a horse ranch and rode the range. Later on 
he drove a delivery wagon in Boise City. In 1893 he came to California and 
was employed on a ranch at Hayward, and then in horticulture at San Jose 
until 1895, when he came to the San Joaquin Valley. His first employment 
there was at general ranching on the Uriah Wood ranch near Volta, later he 
worked on other ranches in the vicinity until he entered the employ of Miller 
& Lux and rode section on the canals out of Los Banos for a period of three 
years. He then became foreman of the Hog Camp ranch on the Dos Palos 
ranch at Oxalis, a position he filled for six years, when he resigned and located 
in Mendota in the spring of 1907. 

Two years later, in partnership with Alex McCullough, Mr. Yerington 
purchased the Mendota Hotel. They ran it together till 1909, and then Peter 
Hansen bought McCullough's interest. Since then the Mendota Hotel has 
been conducted by Yerington & Hansen as a first-class house, and has been 
well patronized. They built a large concrete garage, the first concrete fire- 
proof building in town. 

Peter Hansen is an old resident and a well-known man in the Mendota 
section. Coming to Merced County in 1890, he was in the employ of Miller 
& Lux about one year, when he began riding section on the canal for the 
San Joaquin & King City Canal Company, which he continued for eighteen 
years, during the first twelve years with his headquarters at the Dos Palos 
ranch, and the last six years at the Mendota Dam. He owns an alfalfa ranch 
at Stratford, Kings County. Mr. Yerington also owns an alfalfa ranch of 
seventy acres in the same locality. 

William Yerington was married in San Jose to Miss Julia Haney. who 
was born in Iowa. Fraternally. Mr. Yerington is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias, of which he is Past Chancellor Commander.