George Albright Estes

George Estes married the divorcee, Amanda Malvina McCommas Field(1840-1911), about 1863 probably in Tuolumne County. They lived with Amanda's two children, George McCommas Field and Leonora Adelia Field, from her previous marriage. George and Amanda produced five more children: Phoebe Jane, Juliette E., Franklin Albright, Alonzo Jefferson, and Mary M. Estes. George sold his home and ranch of 160 acres at the western edge of Merced and Stanislaus counties to Simon Newman(later founder of Newman, California 1888) in July of 1875. George and Amanda then homesteaded land promised by the Southern Pacific Railroad known as Mussel Slough near Lemoore, California. George, his wife and children, and mother-in-law, Phoebe Ann Adams Hale McCommas Evans, were living there at the time of the infamous "Mussel Slough Tragedy" of May 11, 1880, afterwhich settlers were evicted from their properties.

The family relocated to the Mill Creek(Dunlap) area soon after along with other families, such as the Overton Foster family, in a place then known as Hopewell(now State Highway 180 and Hopewell Road). They homesteaded 160 acres situated between Overton Foster's 160 acres to the north and 160 acres homesteaded by George M. Field, who rejoined with the family in 1884, to the south. Leonora Field apparently resided with them again about this time.

Throughout his life, George listed himself as a farmer, but probably also raised stock. George died in 1882 of pneumonia. George and Leonora Field and Phoebe, Juliette, Alonzo, and Mary all were married in the Dunlap/Hopewell area over the late 1880's to mid-1890's. Inscription: Husband and father for a time farewell, not lost, but gone before

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via father Joel Estes by SmartCopy: Mar 5 2015, 14:29:05 UTC