Harvey J. Ostrander

"A USEFUL COUPLE MARRIED. We notice from an Oakland exchange that one of the early, most respected and enterprising pioneers of Merced county, Mr. Harvey J. Ostrander, aged 82 years, has been granted a license to marry Mrs. Mary F. Norwood, aged 55 years. They are no doubt man and wife by this time. The groom is very well known to nearly everyone in Merced county except the new comers, and the bride has visited Merced a number of times in a good cause, a noble work in which she has spent a number of years of her life. The marriage is one of companionship, social surrounding, love and affection, in a second life and as the laws of longevity have been extended to the worthy and deserving human beings by the Supreme Being, we wish Mr. and Mrs. Ostrander another generation and a pleasant and happy life. The San Francisco Chronicle has this to say of the marriage: Harvey Ostrander, a California pioneer of Merced, 82 years of age, was wedded tonight to Mrs. Mary Fletcher Norwood, a prominent suffragist and State organizer of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. The ceremony was performed at the home of J. A. Ostrander, a son of the groom, at 951 Ninth street, and was witnessed by members of the Ostrander family, several grandchildren of the groom and a few friends. In securing the marriage license today the aged pioneer confessed to his four score and two years and gave the age of his bride-to-be as 55. Mrs. Ostrander has been a resident of Oakland for several months and has for years been a zealous worker in the temperance and equal suffrage causes. In her the bridegroom found his affinity, for he, too, has long been interested in temperance work. Mr. Ostrander is a wealthy resident of the San Joaquin valley, where he has been known in public affairs for half a century. He is the father of Judge Ostrander of Merced, a prominent jurist. The latter and his family were present at tonight's ceremony'." - Merced Express, Sat., 16 Nov 1907, pg. 3/4.

"SEE WEDDING OF THEIR GRANDSIRE. Merced Pioneer Weds a Woman Suffragist at Home of His Son. Oakland, November 12. Harvey Ostrander, a California pioneer of Merced, 82 years of age, was wedded to-night to Mrs. Mary Fletcher Norwood, a prominent suffragist and State organizer of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The ceremony was performed at the home of J. A. Ostrander, a son of the groom, at 951 Ninth street, and was witnessed by members of the Ostrander family, several grandchildren of the groom, and a few friends. In securing the marriage license today, the aged pioneer confessed to his four score and two years and gave the age of his bride-to-be as 55. Mrs. Ostrander has been a resident of Oakland for several months and has for years been a zealous worker in the temperance and equal suffrage causes. In her the bridegroom found his affinity, for he, too, has long been interested in temperance work. Ostrander is a wealthy resident of the San Joaquin valley where he has been known in public affairs for half a century. He is the father of Judge Ostrander of Merced, a prominent jurist. The latter and his family were present at to-night's ceremony." - San Francisco Chronicle, Wed., 13 Nov 1907, pg. 11/5.

"AGED 82 HE FINDS CUPID IN LODGE. In order to work in closer affiliation in the social order of which they are prominent members and officers, Harvey J. Ostrander of Merced, who has seen eighty-two winters of life, and Mary Norwood of Oakland, fifty-five years old, were married today. The license was issued to the couple yesterday. For years they have been closely associated together in lodge work and a warm regard has ripened into love. Ostrander is one of the most prominent citizens of Merced. He is a well-kept man and does not look a day over fifty years. The bride is a handsome woman." - Oakland Tribune, Tue., 12 Nov 1907, pg. 4/3.

"PASSING OF A PIONEER. Harvey J. Ostrander Passes to the Great Beyond. The death of Harvey J. Ostrander, Merced county's oldest California pioneer, occurred at 5 o'clock last Sunday evening at his home near Dos Palos, after an illness of a week from pneumonia. The deceased was a native of New York, aged 88 years, 2 months and 6 days, and he leaves a widow, Mrs. Mary Ostrander of Dos Palos, a daughter, Mrs. T. N. Crew of Chico, and two sons, William Ostrander of San Francisco and Fred G. Ostrander of Merced. The remains were brought to this city and the funeral services, which were attended by a large number of sorrowing relatives and friends, were held at the Central Presbyterian church at 10:30 o'clock Wednesday morning, the officiating clergymen being Rev. Henry T. Babcock of Merced, Rev. George B. Greig of Berkeley and Rev. Merrill of Dos Palos. Following the services the remains were laid to rest in the family plot in the K of P. cemetery. The pall-bearers were William Youd, William Whealan, J. B. Olces, E. L. Moor, A. N. Ames and J. H. Dugain. Harvey James Ostrander was born in the State of New York on October 7, 1825. He spent his early manhood in his native State and when gold was discovered in California in 1849 he came to this State, coming by way of Mazatlan, Mexico, to San Diego. During the trip he suffered many hardships, and was compelled to make the trip from the latter place to Tuolumne county on foot. He engaged in mining and merchandising at Hawkins Bar, Tuolumne county, with marked success. In 1850 he moved to the Merced river near Snelling and engaged in grain farming, but met with reverses on account of lack of rain. He then engaged in the business of supplying fresh meat to the miners and became a large shipper of cattle. In 1852, Mr. Ostrander returned to New York where he was united in marriage to Miss Lydia A. Wheeler, who died in Merced, in 1890. Of the five children born to this union three survive. During 1853 Mr. Ostrander, with others, erected and operated the first flour mill on the Merced river. In 1854 he again resumed farming and for many years conducted the most extensive farming operations in Merced county, and for a number of years farmed the land on which is now located the town of Planada. Shortly after his second marriage about five years ago he removed to Dos Palos, where he resided up to the time of his death. Mr. Ostrander was a pioneer in many respects. He not only erected the first flour mill on the Merced river, but he dug the first well in the county for the watering of sheep, constructed the first irrigating ditch in the county, set out the first orchard and planted the first alfalfa seed, and is said to have cast the first and only Republican vote at Snelling in 1856. Mr. Ostrander was a genial, whole-souled gentleman and an energetic, progressive and patriotic citizen, and there are none who knew him but will regret his passing." - Merced Express, Sat., 20 Dec 1913, pg. 3/5.

"The Superior Court adjourned immediately after convening last Tuesday out of respect to the memory of the late Harvey J. Ostrander, father of F. G. Ostrander, a leading member of the local bar." - Merced Express, Sat., 20 Dec 1913, pg. 3/1.