GEORGE WASHINGTON BALIS, one of the reliable and prominent old-timers of California, came to the State in 1851. He is a native of Westfield. New York, born October 17, 1825. His grandfather came from Germany and settled in New York in the early history of that county; and his father, Abiah Balis, was born in New York, and there married Maria Clow, also a native of New York and of German ancestry. The subject of this sketch was the second of a family of seven children, five of whom are living. He was reared on a farm, and received his education in New York and Pennsylvania. At the age of twenty. one years he removed to Wisconsin, where he purchased a farm of 120 acres, built a house and made other improvements, and lived there for live years. In 1851 he came to California, seeking a more congenial climate and finding what he sought. He returned East, sold out and came back to this coast to make it his future home. In Sacramento County he purchased 800 acres of land, and also built a hotel, the Balis House, made other improvements, and resided there for eighteen years. At the expiration of that time he went to Tehama County. Here he bought 2,320 acres of land, six miles southwest of Red Bluff, and to this he has added until he owned 5,500 acres. In the last three years he has sold off in small tracts 4,850 acres; has 650 acres remaining for his home. In 1877 he settled on the property, built a good residence and engaged in sheep-raising. Since that date he has been largely interested in farming and sheep-raising and has been very successful. He also has an average of 500 acres in wheat, and has harvested twenty-five bushels to the acre,' which he sold at Red Bluff for $1.65 per hundred pounds.
Mr. Balis also had a successful mining experience during the early years of his residence in this State. For seven years he was a miner, had a fine claim, and kept a trading post and a boarding house near Placervilie. He worked the claim for three years and employed from three to ten men in it. They took out over $60,000, taking out in a single pan from five cents to five dollars. Mr. Balis sold his interest in the claim for $1,000, after working it for three years.
He was united in marriage, in 1849, to Miss Adelia McGlashan, a native of the State of New York. To them have been born eleven children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: Marella, born in Rock County, Wisconsin, is now the wife of Aden Bullard, and resides near her father. The other children were born in Sacramento County. William married and lives at Oakland; Dora, at home; Edward, in San Francisco; Mary, Newton B. and Edmund, at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Balis are members of the Baptist Church at Red Blufl. Mr. Balis is a Master Mason in good standing with his lodge. He has been a life-long Republican. Having recovered his health in California Mr. Balis naturally thinks there is no place like this sunny clime for a home.
