William "Will" Mudget was born in Fresno, California on July 23, 1877 to Elvin and Eliza Ann Reed Mudget. His father was a hunter and a cattleman who in 1899 lost his herd to disease. Will found a job at Tehachapi with a man named Hamp Williams. When his mother took over managing the stage station at Indian Wells on the road to Bishop, Will was given a job of taking care of the horses. His mother also developed a herd of Angora goats and Will helped her drive them to Camp Cady in the desert beyond Barstow. When there wasn't enough feed, they returned them to the Antelope Valley.
In 1908 Will, his sister, Viola, and his mother left for Oregon but one winter was enough for them and they returned to the Antelope Valley.
There is a picture of Will Mudget on Ancestry.com with his mother, two of his sisters and several nieces and nephews, taken about 1910.
He was close friends in life with William "Will" Frakes, son of Almeda Mudgett and Samuel Frakes. They were cousins. Together Will Mudget was known as Will and Will Frakes was simply known as Frakes. Both were amateur naturalists and outdoorsmen.
In 1904, they captured several dozen desert quail and transported them to Santa Catalina Island, originating the covey there.
Once when Frakes was injured while trying to capture bighorn sheep, he released his horses to go home. Will Mudget backtracked the horses and rescued him. When Frakes was nearly blind and his home burned it was Will Mudgett who took him home to the Antelope Valley.
Will never married.
Will Mudget died May 8, 1946 in Mojave, California. He was 69.
He is remembered by family in 2009.
Family researchers should note that some members of this family spelled their name with the second "t" - Mudgett. Even in this cemetery both varieties are found.
In 1908 Will, his sister, Viola, and his mother left for Oregon but one winter was enough for them and they returned to the Antelope Valley.
There is a picture of Will Mudget on Ancestry.com with his mother, two of his sisters and several nieces and nephews, taken about 1910.
He was close friends in life with William "Will" Frakes, son of Almeda Mudgett and Samuel Frakes. They were cousins. Together Will Mudget was known as Will and Will Frakes was simply known as Frakes. Both were amateur naturalists and outdoorsmen.
In 1904, they captured several dozen desert quail and transported them to Santa Catalina Island, originating the covey there.
Once when Frakes was injured while trying to capture bighorn sheep, he released his horses to go home. Will Mudget backtracked the horses and rescued him. When Frakes was nearly blind and his home burned it was Will Mudgett who took him home to the Antelope Valley.
Will never married.
Will Mudget died May 8, 1946 in Mojave, California. He was 69.
He is remembered by family in 2009.
Family researchers should note that some members of this family spelled their name with the second "t" - Mudgett. Even in this cemetery both varieties are found.
William "Will" Mudget was born in Fresno, California on July 23, 1877 to Elvin and Eliza Ann Reed Mudget. His father was a hunter and a cattleman who in 1899 lost his herd to disease. Will found a job at Tehachapi with a man named Hamp Williams. When his mother took over managing the stage station at Indian Wells on the road to Bishop, Will was given a job of taking care of the horses. His mother also developed a herd of Angora goats and Will helped her drive them to Camp Cady in the desert beyond Barstow. When there wasn't enough feed, they returned them to the Antelope Valley.
In 1908 Will, his sister, Viola, and his mother left for Oregon but one winter was enough for them and they returned to the Antelope Valley.
There is a picture of Will Mudget on Ancestry.com with his mother, two of his sisters and several nieces and nephews, taken about 1910.
He was close friends in life with William "Will" Frakes, son of Almeda Mudgett and Samuel Frakes. They were cousins. Together Will Mudget was known as Will and Will Frakes was simply known as Frakes. Both were amateur naturalists and outdoorsmen.
In 1904, they captured several dozen desert quail and transported them to Santa Catalina Island, originating the covey there.
Once when Frakes was injured while trying to capture bighorn sheep, he released his horses to go home. Will Mudget backtracked the horses and rescued him. When Frakes was nearly blind and his home burned it was Will Mudgett who took him home to the Antelope Valley.
Will never married.
Will Mudget died May 8, 1946 in Mojave, California. He was 69.
He is remembered by family in 2009.
Family researchers should note that some members of this family spelled their name with the second "t" - Mudgett. Even in this cemetery both varieties are found.
In 1908 Will, his sister, Viola, and his mother left for Oregon but one winter was enough for them and they returned to the Antelope Valley.
There is a picture of Will Mudget on Ancestry.com with his mother, two of his sisters and several nieces and nephews, taken about 1910.
He was close friends in life with William "Will" Frakes, son of Almeda Mudgett and Samuel Frakes. They were cousins. Together Will Mudget was known as Will and Will Frakes was simply known as Frakes. Both were amateur naturalists and outdoorsmen.
In 1904, they captured several dozen desert quail and transported them to Santa Catalina Island, originating the covey there.
Once when Frakes was injured while trying to capture bighorn sheep, he released his horses to go home. Will Mudget backtracked the horses and rescued him. When Frakes was nearly blind and his home burned it was Will Mudgett who took him home to the Antelope Valley.
Will never married.
Will Mudget died May 8, 1946 in Mojave, California. He was 69.
He is remembered by family in 2009.
Family researchers should note that some members of this family spelled their name with the second "t" - Mudgett. Even in this cemetery both varieties are found.
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