Gridley Biggs Cemetery Records indicate burial on October 26, 1933; with George aged 50 years, 3 months, 25 days, married, residence Gridley.

George Warren Tolley was born at Nephi, Utah on June 27, 1883, being a son of Samuel and Sarah Jane Picton Tolley. The boy lived at his birthplace until seven years of age and then went with his parents to a farm near Nephi where he lived until sixteen years of age. He obtained a limited education attending school a few weeks in the winter. After his people moved to Mountain View, Alberta, Canada, he attended Sunday School and meetings and was ordained a Teacher on June 27, 1901 by Joseph H. Gold and acted enjoyingly in his calling until appointed to the mission field. He was ordained an Elder on September 27, 1902, by Jonathon Hunt.
In company with nineteen other Elders, he set out in January 1903, for Great Britain on a mission. His first assignment was in Belfast, Ireland but after eight months, he was transferred to County Armagh. The people were nearly all Roman Catholic and did not become very interested in the labors of the young missionaries; however, many gratifying experiences were had by Elder Tolley.
A man named Alex McLean, who had been deaf for years, was administered to for his affliction and in three days his hearing was completely restored although not a member of the church at that time.
After working in other parts of the Emerald Isle, he was transferred to the Leeds Conference where he worked with Elder Cecil Woodward as overseers of the Halifax Branch. His mission terminated with happy remembrances and he set sail for home on April 27, 1905, being placed in charge of a company of emigrants at Montreal, Canada. He reached Mountain View in May and had just got work on his farm barely begun when he received a call to go to Orton to serve as Bishop of the ward. He reached Orton on June 24, 1905 and was ordained a High Priest the same day by Henry L. Hinman, Patriarch.
Brother Tolley was only in his early twenties when he became a Bishop, being one of the youngest official of that class of the church. Notwithstanding, he had thus far failed to observe Apostle Paul's declaration as to the marriage qualifications, but in all other respects was doing a good work.
After three years of faithful labors in building up the Orton Ward in Canada, Bishop Tolley moved to California owing to sickness and other misfortunes, and was immediately called to act as President of the Church Colonies in that state.
A large social hall and the largest church building in northern California were immediately erected in Gridley. Bishop Tolley was the architect and builder. With three other brethren, he borrowed money from the bank in order to defray the expenses of construction. He then waited for people to meet their appointments.
Bishop Tolley had been Superintendent of Sunday Schools in four different nations, has acted as President and Vice-President of the Gridley Chamber of Commerce and the Butte County board of trade, has been chairman of an important school board and filled many other offices of importance. For many years, he was the leading contractor and builder in the section of the country in which he lived.
While serving as Bishop of the Orton Ward, Brother Tolley made a trip to Salt Lake City for the purpose of acquiring a wife and helpmate. He was sealed in marriage in the Salt Lake Temple to Phyllis Maud Sillito, a former resident of the state of Idaho, but now living in Canada. They were married on June 26, 1906, and then returned to Orton where brother Tolley continued to serve as Bishop until his release in May of the following year. Poor health plus other misfortunes at this time prompted them to seek other climes.
Attracted by the promise of work and an ideal climate, they departed from Canada and traveled by train to California. They arrived in Gridley in May of 1907 and rented a small house in town. Brother Tolley was very much impressed with the climate and availability of work. He acquired two acres of land on French Avenue in colony #4 and proceeded to build a small home there.
A new irrigation district had been created in the are providing numerous irrigation canals to transport water from the river to numerous crops requiring water. This was something that the new Mormon colonizers appreciated, since many of them had had prior experience in it. The availability of cheap water pus an ideal climate for growing diversified crops was a strong factor to induce settlers into locating in the Gridley area.
Early in 1907, a group of thirty or forty people of the Mormon faith came to Gridley from the vicinity of Rexburg, Idaho. They were originally headed for the San-Joaquin, but were diverted to the Gridley area by agents of the local land company. These early colonizers purchased land in colony #4 and then proceeded to work the ground in preparation of planting crops. At the same time, they were thinking and making plans for a house in which they could live and escape the elements.
Shortly after Brother Tolley arrived in Gridley, he was put in as Sunday School Superintendent and was called in May of 1908 to be the President of the Gridley Branch of the church. He served in this office until May of 1914, at which time he was honorably released. Serving with him as counselors were George M. Larsen and J. O. Wilcox.
The saints were making plans to build a social hall building in the area, which they could also use as a chapel until another church could be built on lots in town at a future tie. Brother Tolley, having an abundance of knowledge and experience in carpentry, was asked to take charge. Under his leadership, they soon had their building completed and ready for use. This building served as a meetinghouse and also for socials and other activities of the branch until their new chapel was built in town across from the high school in 1912.
Brother Tolley was raised in a large family, consisting of six brothers and five sisters. A short while after he had located in Gridley, he was joined by his youngest brother, Calvin Dean, and three of his sisters, namely May-Etta, Lola, and Lucille. Calvin Dean was hired by P.G. & E.; Lola found a job in the local Creamery; and Lucille went to work for the Telephone Company.
Misfortune struck our local contractor and builder while at work one day. He was stricken with an attack of appendicitis and was taken to Sacramento where surgery was necessary to take care of the problem. Recovery was quick; and once again our man was on the job.
In 1911, he built a new and larger home for his growing family. The location was on West Sycamore, where the Colusa Highway begins. Also during this same time, there was a great deal of building going on. Many new settlers were wanting houses and barns built. All of this sudden building kept Brother Tolley on the run.
The new Social Hall built by the saints in colony #4 just a short distance east of French Avenue served the people in many ways. In addition to its use as a chapel and for M.I.A. activities, it also was used on Pioneer Day and again on the fourth of July. Memorial Day on May 30th, with Mormon Participation, was held in the Opera House on Ohio Street in town.
Transportation during this time was mostly by horse and buggy, or bicycle. During the winter months, the roads and streets in Gridley became difficult to travel on since there were no paved roads at that time. It was about 1917 when, with the advent of the automobile, the downtown streets were first paved.
In 1913, Brother Tolley was called to Utah to attend the funeral of his mother. She was buried in Nephi, where George was born and had spent the early years of his boyhood before moving to Canada with his family. To travel to or from Gridley, there was the Southern Pacific Railroad, which covered the west-coast states. Also, there was an electric train, which traveled between Chico and Sacramento. Passengers had to take the bus from town out to East Gridley in order to ride on the train; a two mile trip.
On December 1, 1916, George bought his first automobile, a Maxwell Touring car. There were only a few people in Gridley with cars at this time, but before long, most of the families in the area had one. With his new car, our contractor was able to travel from job to job in a much shorter time. It also enabled him to take work in neighboring towns.
Shortly after acquiring their new car, George and Phyllis Tolley, Lucille Tolley (George's sister), and Leslie Thompson, motored down to Marysville to see "The Garden of Allah." Before many more months had passed, the marriage of Lucille to Leslie Thompson took place.
While working on a two story building in Marysville, Brother Tolley had an accident; he fell into a stairway and was taken to the hospital and kept overnight for observation. No serious injury was evident so he was released. While driving his car on another day, he encountered another car on a narrow bridge. The man driving the other automobile came across the center of the bridge and struck Mr. Tolley's vehicle, tearing off the front left fender, the running board, and the rear left fender. George was really shaken up but suffered no bodily harm. The driver of the other car was drunk and proven to be at fault.
In 1912, the saints bolstered by the arrival of new members, erected a new church building in town. It was built on two lots across the street from the high school. It was the largest church-owned building in northern California and had a seating capacity of nearly eight hundred. George Tolley was the contractor in charge of construction.
Following the Armistice to end World War I, a great building boom developed. People who had waited patiently during the war years suddenly were ready to build homes, barns, gun clubs, stores, schools, churches, etc. At one time, contractor Tolley had more than forty men employed in construction. Some of his projects during the 20's included a new high school at Galt; two elementary schools and one bank building in Oroville; two elementary schools near Marysville; a theatre and store in Portola; and an elementary school, high school shop building, city hall, and a Memorial Building in Gridley, and many, many homes were built in the area.
May Ettie, George's sister, married Milton Scott and departed from Gridley to make their home in Idaho. Calvin Dean Tolley, George's youngest brother, died January 22, 1922, electrocuted while working as a lineman for P.G. & E. Lola Tolley, another sister, married Joe Hodgebom on April 3, 1922.
By 1924, George Tolley's family had grown to five sons and five daughters. A prouder father could not be found anywhere. He enjoyed being with the children and doing things for them. Taking the children to the circus pleased him. On several occasions, he would take the entire family on an outing up to Bidwell Bar, which was a picnic spot on a sandy beach along the river near Oroville.
In the summer of 1930, Phyllis traveled by train to visit her mother and brothers living in Canada. Then in September, George and four of his sons and one daughter made the journey to Canada in a large Studebaker car. Four of George's brothers resided in the area so a great deal of visiting took place. After two and one-half weeks of fun and relaxation, the homeward journey began including George, Phyllis, and five children.
Along about this time, the Tolleys suffered the loss of a daughter. Georgeina, his third daughter, eighteen years of age, suddenly became ill and died within a few days.
George Tolley suffered an injury to his hand a few months later while engaged in building a house. He lost a finger and thumb while using a power saw. This slowed him down for a while, but he soon was active once more.
He filled many responsible positions in the church after his release as Branch President. To mention a few - Superintendent of the Y.M.M.I.A., Boy Scout Committee Chairman, and Stake Sunday School Board.
Phyllis Tolley suffered an injury to her neck in an automobile mishap in the summer of 1933. As a result, she was confined to her bed for a time, or when up, she had to wear a cast or braces.
Brother Tolley suffered a heart attack while speaking in church in the Colusa Branch on October 21, 1933 and died the same day. Funeral services were held on October 25th in Gridley in chapel he built. Burial was in Gridley Biggs Cemetery.