Résumé

Principal, George McGreavy, Millwright, Boston, MA, c. 1850. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: East Boston (Boston Ward 4), Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: 335; Page: 54b, accessed 09/16/2025.)

Principal, George McGreavy, Millwright and Draftsman, San Francisco, CA, 1856-1862. In 1856, McGreavey specialized in the design and construction of mills, including flour, saw and quartz. Sawmills produced lumber needed to build early San Francisco, quartz mills were used in gold mining and flour mills fed the early inhabitants of the city. The large-scale construction of this mill infrastructure enabled San Francisco to grow and become the economic center of the West Coast. Additionally, the city's advantage as a sheltered port and the early settlement of talented metalworkers and engineers enabled the growth of its early industrial base.

McGreavy worked as a millwright in San Francisco until at least 1862.

As noted in an ad placed by McGreavey in the San Francisco city directory of 1856, likely early clients for McGreavey's services included the R. McKee and Company, grocery and commercial merchandise firm at 48 (or 60) Front Street; I. Friedlander and Company, flour merchant, at 60 California Street; and Bond and Hale, commercial merchants, at 59-61 Sansome Street. (See Harris, Bogardus and Labatt San Francisco City Directory: for the Year Commencing October 1856, p. 77, accessed 09/16/2025.)

Relocation

George Baxter McGreavy, Sr., (possibly spelled "McGreavey,") was born in Ireland, c. 1825. He immigrated to the US before 1850 and lived for a time in East Boston, MA, where two of his children were born. According to the 1850 US Census, he resided in East Boston with his wife Mary and a boarder, Catherine Lanigan (born c. 1834 in NY). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: East Boston (Boston Ward 4), Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: 335; Page: 54b, accessed 09/16/2025.)

He ventured to CA by at least 1856, where his name first appeared in the San Francisco city directory. (See Harris, Bogardus and Labatt San Francisco City Directory: for the Year Commencing October 1856, p. 77, accessed 09/16/2025.)

On 08/02/1860, McGreavy resided in San Francisco's 12th US Census district, with his wife Mary, daughters Mary J. McGreavy and Ellen F. McGreavy and his son George B. McGreavy. He had a very modest fortune consisting of $250 in real estate and personal assets of $150. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: San Francisco District 12, San Francisco, California; Roll: M653_67; Page: 366; Family History Library Film: 803067, accessed 09/16/2025.)

In 1862, McGreavey resided on the south side of Filbert Street, between Leavenworth and Hyde Streets. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1862, p. 268.)

According to San Quentin State Prison records, McGreavy resided in Placer County, CA, in 1867. He was convicted of grand larceny and began serving a two-year prison term on 07/08/1867 at San Quentin. That institution discharged him on 03/15/1869. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Archives; Sacramento, California; Secretary of State California State Archives San Quentin Prison Registers, accessed 09/16/2025.)

As noted in San Francisco voter rolls, George B McGreavy, Sr., died on 01/10/1871 in San Francisco, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, names cancelled from 06/15/1870; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 41; FHL Roll Number: 977096, accessed 09/16/2025.)

Spouse

He wed Mary McGreavy (no maiden name known, born c. 1828 in either Ireland or NY).

Children

He and Mary had at least three children: Mary J. McGreavy (born c. 1852 in MA), Ellen F. McGreavy (born c. 1851 in CA) and his son George B. McGreavy, Jr. (born c. 1853 in MA).

Biographical Notes

1867 San Quentin State Prison records indicated that, at age 42, McGreavy stood 5-feet, 3-and-1/2-inches tall, and had blue eyes and was bald. He had a light Caucasian complexion. His prison description indicated that he had received multiple distinguishing features, including a number of scars, some of which may have been incurred at work. It read: "Spare features, bald on top of head, vaccine mark on left arm, scar between 1st and 2nd joints [of] middle finger, left hand, scar on right upper arm, cupping mark on stomach, ten scars on back of neck, one on point of shoulder blade, stout built." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Archives; Sacramento, California; Secretary of State California State Archives San Quentin Prison Registers, accessed 09/16/2025.)