Jack
McRae and Elizabeth McRae settled at point San Quentin, about 1872,
with their 3 year old
daughter, Mary McRae. The McRae's are
the first known owners of the Sheppard Hotel and property. The
original parcel included several adjoining homesites along Main
Street up to the prison and covered more than three acres.
Mary
went to school in the "gulch" later known as the
"valley" in an area near the west
gate and to San Rafael high school. After that she went to San
Francisco college. When she returned to San Quentin her father,
recently appointed postmaster, turned over the duties of the post
office to her. This became a long career for her and she became post
mistress. She also had been an agent for several newspapers at San
Quentin and the ferry.
About
1890 Mary married Frank Mails and have two children, Margaret born
about 1892 and Walter born about 1895. When Margaret finished her
schooling she, too, worked in the post office. Walter became famous
in the sport of baseball. See Walter Mails.
In
later years, she became Mary Newby.
The
Sheppard Hotel, and property, was inherited by John Mc Rae's
daughter, Mary (Mc Rae) Mails, and later to her son, Walter Mails,
and daughter, Mrs. Margaret Landers. In 1962 the land
and hotel were sold to John F.
Varney, Jr.