The Machabees

William J and Irene Machabee - 1914 (?) to 1943

We have a Polk's directory listing for William J. Machabee as a foreman for the Reno Mill & Lumber company in 1913. He stayed in the lumber industry for most of his life. In 1937 he is listed as being the manager of the Verdi Lumber Company and the following year he is an estimator for the Hobart Lumber Company. In addition, Irene is first listed as his wife during that year, which is interesting as they were married on July 11, 1907.

Mr. Machabee was the father of Delbert Machabee who founded Morrill and Machabee Office Supply, now called Machabee Office Environments, here in Reno. His grandchildren, James and Gary Machabee, still own the business. Gary's son, Scott, is now the president.

We also found a Polk's listing for a Mary Morrish running concurrently with William Machabee from 1917 to 1921. At first I thought maybe she was a servant, but further research has shown she was his mother-in-law and she lived here after her husband died. She died in the house on October 3, 1930. She was 81 years old.

Mr. Machabee died on January 4, 1946. He was 66 years old. Besides his work in the lumber industry, he was a “past Master of the Reno Masonic Lodge No. 13, a patron of the Nevada Chapter No. 13 of the Eastern Star, a member of the Scottish Rite bodies of Nevada and Kerak Temple of the Shrine.” (1) In addition, I have found references in the newspapers that list a Wm. Machabee as president of the Shinglers and Lathers' Union 10,500 and W J Machabee as the Recording Secretary for the Building Trades Council. He may have been a member of the Reno Wheelman, a cycling club still in existence here.

Mrs. Machabee was 86 when she died on August 25, 1970. She was a “Matron of the Nevada Chapter No. 13 O E S” (Order of the Eastern Star) “and was a member of the Daughters of the Nile and of the First Methodist Church.” (2) The First Methodist Church is Reno's oldest church. It was founded in 1868.

In our basement, on one of the joists there is an inscription that reads "Machabee 7/22/1923." During a recent, and serendipitous, conversation with Mary Machabee, the wife of the above mentioned Gary Machabee, she said that date may be significant. I researched that date at NewspaperArchives.com, but found nothing relating to the Machabees on that date. While cleaning out our basement for my 50th birthday party, Rosalie found a long, thin board with holes drilled in it. On it was the inscription "W J Machabee August 30, 1924." Again, I searched to see if that was related to something in Mr. Maccabees's life, but was unable to correlate it to any recorded events.

1. Reno Evening Gazette, Jan. 5, 1946, page 14
2. Nevada State Journal, Aug. 26, 1970, page 9