Ida Belle Mc Near was married to George P. McNear, the son of John Augustus Mc Near. John owned the graineries, the hotels, the banks, and the railroads in Petaluma in the 1850 ‘s. Because of their wealth, she had traveled all over Europe. Women were not to be educated in those days, but she and her friends began the Petaluma Women’s Club where they studied the history of a European Country for an entire year. Thus she helped educate the women in Petaluma.