History Of Merced County
John Outcult, 1925
A native son of
the Golden State and an educator of prominence and influence in Merced
is Anthony Warfield Meany, the principal of Merced High School and
supervising principal of the Livingston High School. Mr. Meany is
blessed by nature with a healthy mental and moral outlook on life and
early in his career manifested a desire to enter upon a professional
career; this desire was gratified largely through his own efforts.
A son of the late
Anthony J. Meany, he was born on March 24, 1882, in Merced. A. J. Meany
was a prominent citizen of the San Joaquin Valley and was born in
Ireland on March 1, 1842, was taken to Canada when a babe in arms and
there grew to boyhood. At about the age of eleven he left home and went
to Pennsylvania, where he served an apprenticeship, under an older
brother, to learn the trade of carpenter and cabinet-maker. In early
manhood he worked on an Ohio River steamboat for a time, then drifted
into St. Louis, where he remained and made his start for California via
Panama about 1863. Upon arriving in California he at once located in
Mariposa County and followed his trade and became a very well-known and
successful contractor and builder.
In time he located
in Snelling, Merced County and worked at his trade and while living
there was elected sheriff of the county in 1872, serving in that office
for twelve years. When the county seat was removed to Merced he located
in that city and ever afterwards made it his home. After his term in
office expired he resumed the building business and continued active
until his death, passing away in November, 1891, at the family home in
Merced. He was twice married. His first wife was Emma Ruddle, niece of
the late John Ruddle, and one daughter is now living, Daisy Meany the
wife of J. F. King, (SEE THEIR
OBITUARY BELOW)
an Oakland dentist. His second marriage, in 1881, united him with Miss
May Tackett, who was born in Tuolumne County in 1858. Her parents
crossed the plains in 1856 and settled near Sonora, where her father
was engaged in the building business. By this second marriage a son,
Anthony Warfield Meany, was born. A. J. Meany had served two terms in
the California State senate.
Anthony Warfield
Meany was reared in Merced and attended the public schools for his
preliminary education, graduating from the high school in 1900. His
father dying when he was a lad of nine, he has but little recollection
of him.Determined to get a good education he next entered the
University of California at Berkeley, meanwhile working in warehouses
during vacations to pay his own way. He was active in the student body
at college and was on the track team for three years, was on the Blue
and Gold staff and Rally committee and was a member of the Skull and
Keys, and the Golden Bear, honor societies, and still holds his
membership in the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He was graduated with honors
in 1905 with the A. B. degree. He took a position in a warehouse for a
time, then spent three years as an employe of the Yosemite Valley Railroad
during its construction. His next position was as bookkeeper for John
R. Graham, where he remained until he began teaching in the Merced
school in 1908; six years later he was appointed principal of the high
school when there were eight teachers and a student body of 150. This
has been increased to twenty-seven teachers and a student body of 450
in Merced, and when the Livingston branch was added the faculty was
increased to thirty-five and the student body to 600. The new buildings
have been erected since Mr. Meany has been in charge.
The marriage of A.
W. Meany with Miss Kathryn Stradley, of New York, took place on July 6,
1914, and they have a daughter, Kathryn Christine. In politics Mr.
Meany is a Democrat and served as chairman of the County Central
Committee. He is an exempt fireman, having served as a volunteer of the
Merced department for six years. Fraternally, he is a member of the
Masons, the Elks and the Native Sons; and he is a member of the Rotary
Club, the California State Teachers' Association and the California
High School Principals' Association.
During the war he
was County Food Administrator under Ralph Merritt, and served on the
County Defense Committee and various Bond and Speaking Committees. As a
citizen he is progressive and a champion of all measures for the
benefit of his town, county and State. All in all he is a man of whom
his city may be justly proud.
FRESNO BEE, Friday Dec 12, 1930
Former Merced Man Dies After Wife
Succumbs
MERCED-(Merced County) Dr. J. F.
King, pioneer Merced dentist, died suddenly in Oakland Wednesday night
from the shock of the unexpexted death of his wife earlier in the
day. This is according to word received here yesterday.
Mrs. Daisy Meany King had not been
ill, relatives stated. She was in the yard of their home at non,
they said, when Dr. King heard her cry. He rushed to the
yard where she had swooned and she died in his arms.
Death was due to heart failure, it
was learned. Dr. King, who was subject to heart weakness, was
prostrated with grief and died in the evening from shock.
Double funeral services were to be
held in Oakland this afternoon. Dr. King, 65, first practiced
here in 1890(hard to read this date). For the last several years
he had practiced in Oakland.
Mrs. King was a native of Snelling,
Merced County, the daughter of A. J. Meany, pioneer contractor, sheriff
and state senator. She was the sister of Warfield Meany,
principal of Merced High School, and stepdaughter of Mrs. Mary Meany of
Merced. On son of the couple survives. He is Dr. Paul Meany
King of Oakland.- transcribed by cdf
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