William L. McCray was a ranchman, and the proprietor of the Old Homestead, a well-known summer resort in Cloverdale township, located in Oat valley, about a mile from the village.*

William Lafayette's (he used both names from time-to-time as first names) great-grandfather, Daniel McCray, emigrated to the United States from Scotland in colonial days. He was also of patriotic blood, his grandfather, William McCray, a native of Tennessee, having served as captain of a company in the War of 1812. He was a man of fine physique, jolly and good-natured, and after his removal to Missouri, where he took up government land, he improved a farm from the wilderness. He was a strong Democrat and a man of considerable prominence.

At the age of sixteen years, William Lafayette McCray came with his parents to California, driving three yokes of oxen across the plains.

Being the eldest of a large family of children, he began life for himself in 1865. Going to Solano county (he's listed in the 1870 US Census at Rio Vista working as a farm laborer on the large farm of Edwin Forest), he took two of his sisters with him as far as San Francisco to be treated for sore eyes, earning enough money as a day laborer to pay their expenses. After working in the harvest fields and on the farm for a year he became foreman of a heading and threshing machine outfit, doing the harvesting on large ranches for four years, and receiving $250 a month in summer and $80 per month in the winter seasons.

He subsequently herded hogs for a time, then bought and sold horses, in which he met with financial success.

Coming back to Cloverdale, Mr. McCray established a stage route from this town to Bartlett Springs, running it for four years. Subsequently preempting one hundred and sixty acres of fine timber land in Humboldt county, he remained there a year, when he disposed of his land at $50 per acre.

The following fourteen years he made money as a butcher and meat dealer, but going into the mines of Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, he continued his mining operations from 1886 until 1894, and lost all that he had accumulated.

Locating in Fresno county, Mr. McCray started a stock ranch in partnership with a friend, but not meeting with success in the venture gave it up at the end of four years on account of the drought. Renting his present ranch from his mother-in-law in 1898, he carried on general farming. Twenty-six acres of this ranch were devoted to the raising of grapes, and forty-five acres to hay, both profitable crops. Politically he was a steadfast Democrat, but never cared to hold office.

On November 21, 1872, Mr. McCray married Mary A. Elliott, who was born in [Rincon Valley], Santa Rosa township [Sonoma Co., CA], April 26, 1851. Her parents were Emsley and Rachel (Cyrus) Elliott, the latter a daughter of Enoch and Rebecca (Cook) Cyrus. The Cyrus's traveled to California in 1846, ahead of the Donner Party. Rachel's brother, John Cyrus, married a survivor of the Donner Party tragedy, Lovina Graves.

Mr. and Mrs. McCray had one child, Arthur Lafayette McCray, who was secretary and manager of the Producers' Packing Association, at Fresno, Calif. as of 1904.

Note: He registered to vote on 27 July 1869 in Cloverdale, Sonoma Co., CA; 25 Aug 1873 & 1877 in Kelseyville, Lake Co., CA; and 6 Mar. 1879, 20 Aug. 1886, 3 Aug. 1892 in Alameda Co., CA.

*McCray settled on 236 acres which were originally owned by his mother-in-law. This property is located in an area called Oat Valley, located across from the Hamburger Ranch stretching back to the river. Prior to moving to Cloverdale he lived in Lake County, where he was a partner in the Highland Springs resort. Accordingly, it was natural to Pop to build a resort in Cloverdale.

His hotel was known as the Old Homestead and it could accommodate 100 guests in the resort and tents were set up. The resort was not high class, but instead offered guests an affordable way to enjoy the countryside and swim in the river. The McCrays were self-sufficient regarding their property. They grew their own vegetables, kept cows and made their own wine. Pop was also an avid hunter and usually caught enough game to feed guests.

In later years the McCray’s son Arthur took over managing the Old Homestead. In 1924 Pop supposedly drove his auto off a 30-foot embankment. Upon getting out of the car, he exclaimed, “This 76-year-old stage driver is still on his feet.” Unfortunately, the resort burnt down in 1928.

(Source: Stories from the past by Susan Bennett Nov 25, 2015)
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“POP” McCRAY DIES AT SON’S HOME IN OAKLAND. Career of Picturesque Pioneer Comes to End While He Sleeps

William Lafayette “Pop” McCray, California pioneer and for many years famous as the proprietor of the “Old Homestead,” an early hostelry near Cloverdale, came to the end of his colorful career Monday. He died at the age of 89, at the home of his son, Arthur L. McCray, at 3517 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland with whom he was visiting. He was stricken while asleep. Thousands throughout California will mourn the passing of the familiar, picturesque pioneer, whose genial hospitality and many kindnesses had earned him many friends. Born in Missouri, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William H. McCray. With his parents he crossed the plains to California in 1864, taking a hand in driving the oxcart on the adventuresome journey. The pioneer family settled on a ranch a mile and a half north of Cloverdale, on the site now called the Trading Post. It was “Pop” McCray’s father who planted the huge gum trees that now line the highway adjoining the Trading Post building.

For a few years the then-young McCray went to Oakland and then Fresno to learn the trade of butcher, but lured by adventure he returned to Sonoma county and jn 1869 became a stage coach driver between Cloverdale and Kelseyville. His stage coach run was through rugged country in which law and order was scarce and holdups were frequent. But somehow “Pop” McCray became known to be a marked stage driver—he alone among many drivers in the area escaped as a victim of the constantly roaming bandits. The stage coach days were only a part of his career.

For 50 years he operated the “Old Homestead”, which was widely-known throughout the state for the generous hospitality of McCray. The celebration of “Pop” McCray’s birthday anniversary became a memorable event at the resort. Hundreds gathered for it and a one time the event attracted 1,100 guests.

But the days of the automobile, with its faster transportation, and the days of prohibition was a hamper on conviviality, took a toll on old-time roadside inns such as McCray had made famous, and his days of inn keeper came to an end.

McCray was a member of the Santa Rosa Elks. Sixty-five years ago McCray was married to Mary Ann Elliot. Now 85, Mrs. McCray survives her husband. Other survivors are his son, Arthur, and three sisters and a brother. They are Mrs. I. E. Shaw of Cloverdale, Mrs. Kate Winter of Washington, Lawrence McCray of Oakland, and Mrs. Oliver Williams, postmaster at Cloverdale.

(Obit published in the Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, Number 52, 23 September 1937 on the front page.)