USA > California > San Benito County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 23
USA > California > Monterey County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 23
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The old home was broken up by the father's death in 1863 and the mother's death in 1867, the
latter being sixty-four at the time of her demise. Both were kind to the poor, generous to those in need and hospitable in their treatment of strangers. Under their wise oversight Thomas Watson was trained to habits of industry, self- reliance and kindliness. The cattle business took him long distances from home and thus gave him an accurate knowledge both of stock and of the country. For some years he and his father were accustomed to fatten cattle for the early markets and thus gained large profits, but the severe drought of 1864 caused a total loss of cattle and of previous profits, forcing him to begin anew. At this juncture a friend offered him enough money for a new start and thus enabled him to resume business activities. Born in Monterey county June 14, 1834, he was about thirty years of age when misfortunes overtook him through the protracted drought, but he soon retrieved his reverses and became well-to-do.
The marriage of Thomas Watson in 1853 united him with Louisa Morano, who was born and reared in California, her father having mi- grated here from Central America. On one side the lineage of the Moranos is traced to England. Twelve children formed the family of Thomas and Louisa Watson, namely : Thomas and Lewis, who are now associated with their father in the management of the homestead, a portion of the Corral de Tierra grant ; Nathan, of Monterey ; Abel, a carpenter at Pacific Grove; Henry, who is engaged in the meat business at Salinas; Will- iam, a contracting painter at Salinas; Edward, Mrs. Fred Smith, Mrs. Fred Gates and Mrs. Fred W. Sargeant, all of whom live in Salinas; Mrs. Fred A. Treat, residing in Monterey ; and Lavan, deceased. The children were born in Monterey county and educated in the home schools.
For many years Mr. Watson was an active worker in the Republican party, and on that ticket in 1866 he was elected sheriff of the coun- ty, which then included San Benito county, and this office he filled for three consecutive terms. During that time the country was overrun with desperadoes and stages were often held up and passengers robbed. With the aid of his swift Spanish horses, he captured several of these criminals and in so doing put himself in imminent peril. In the discharge of his duty he was utterly
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fearless. The office was not a salaried one, but fees were collected by the sheriffs. While filling the position Mr. Watson began to buy land and on leaving the office he settled upon and began to clear five hundred and sixty-five acres, to which he later added by purchase from the gov- ernment and the railroad company. Much of the land was in white oak timber. This he cleared from the land and sold. Needed build- ings were erected, the land was brought under cultivation and a systematic course of work in- stituted which brought its later results in profit- able crops.
During the period of his residence in Monterey Mr. Watson had been active in the lodge of the Odd Fellows, but after removing to the ranch it was no longer possible for him to attend meet- ings of the order regularly. Upon coming to the ranch he found a noteworthy lack of educa- tional facilities and at once, at his own expense, started a school, organized a school district, boarded the teacher and enthusiastically inaugu- rated a movement that led to the securing of efficient teachers in later years. At one time there were ninety children attending the school and his service as trustee, which covered a period of many years, was characterized by efficiency and intelligent oversight.
LEVI B. LATHROP.
Possessing a temperament that fitted him for the unusual experiences that came into his life, Levi B. Lathrop came to California at a period when ample opportunity was afforded him for the exercise of his natural instincts and the gratification of his desire for adventure. He was born in New York state April 30, 1815, but in early life he was taken to what at that day was considered the frontier, the family having set- tled in northern Illinois. It was there that the news of the finding of gold on the far western coast reached him, and as captain of a large com- pany of argonauts he set out from Waukegan for the eldorado. Buoyed up by the hope of the rich treasure that awaited him at the journey's end he endured the discomforts and uncertainties of the ox-team jaunt uncomplainingly and finally was gratified when the company halted in Trin-
ity county, in 1849. For a time he engaged in practical mining in that locality, but not for long, for he was keen to observe that in erecting a mill to handle the vast amount of ore taken from the mines he would not only be serving his own interests, but would be a benefactor as well. His was the first mill for this purpose erected in this part of the state and it met with a patronage commensurate with quantities of ore mined.
In search of new fields of activity Mr. Lathrop went to Shasta county after several years of mining in Trinity county, and there recognized possibilities no less alluring than were those in his first location, though of a different character. Among other things he perfected and installed an irrigating system which was the means of stim- ulating agricultural activity in that locality, and from which he himself benefited immeasurably. Owing to their scarcity, vegetables were almost as valuable as gold nuggets, and he wisely fore- saw an opportunity to remedy this lack and at the same time build up his own fortunes. Thus it was that he engaged in the raising of vege- tables on a large scale, in fact he was the only one so engaged at that time, and as a conse- quence he accumulated money rapidly, receiving the munificent price of twenty-five cents a pound for his products. After clearing $26,000 in this enterprise, he determined to go to San Jose, Santa Clara county, in 1853, and if conditions warranted, enter into a similar enterprise there. Fruit-growing had as yet not been associated with that part of the state, and his efforts along this line were looked upon with dark forebodings by his neighbors. His was the first orchard in Santa Clara county and consisted of one hundred acres. The harvest time brought a pleasing re- ward to the enthusiastic orchardist, who in spite of the discouragement of ranchers round about, had the satisfaction of knowing that his predic- tions had been correct, as well as the gratification of abundant harvests. There seemed to be no limit to Mr. Lathrop's abilities. Coincident with his horticultural experiments were ventures in the field of invention which were destined to meet with a success no less brilliant. The com- bined harvester and thresher which he made and patented is now manufactured in Stockton by the Holt Manufacturing Co., and in general use throughout the grain sections of the state;
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the Lathrop hay press, in use in the northern part of the state, is manufactured in San Jose; and among the minor inventions which have come from his hand may be mentioned a lamp burner, wagon spring and anti-rattler for wagon wheels.
Removing to Hollister in 1875, Mr. Lathrop purchased sixteen hundred acres of land four miles from that city and advantageously located in the Santa Ana valley, and this he devoted ex- clusively to the raising of hay. This venture proved as remunerative as any in which he had formerly engaged. As yet no warehouses had been built in the town and it was left for Mr. Lathrop to be the pioneer in this direction as he had been on other occasions elsewhere. He erected the first hay warehouse in the town, with a capacity of sixteen hundred tons, allowing one ton per acre of the land he owned. This ware- house was the first to be equipped with railroad car scales and track in center for convenience in loading. Finally Mr. Lathrop's son, Ransom P., took charge of the entire business and he himself retired from active business life in 1895, at the same time removing to Capitola, Santa Cruz county, where his long and eventful life came to a close May II, 1905. He was a man far above the average in intelligence, as well as in accom- plishments, and wherever he made his home his presence was felt in a substantial and in a moral sense also. By both training and instinct he was opposed to the use of liquors and tobacco and in voicing his sentiments on this subject he be- came a well-known platform speaker. He was equally opposed to secret societies, and this sub- ject also was handled with the same earnestness and determination, and brought him before large and interested audiences. In his earlier life he had prepared for a ministerial career and as an ordained minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal denomination he filled a number of pulpits, but after coming to California he filled local pulpits of the Methodist Episcopal church only occasionally. Mr. Lathrop was a man of deep personal magnetism, and all who came in contact with him felt uplifted and benefited by being in his presence.
In his choice of a wife Mr. Lathrop was par- ticularly blessed .. She was before her marriage Miss Laura Judd, who was born in Vermont
March 26, 1819, and at eighteen years of age was converted to Christianity. Throughout her life she exemplified her belief in whatever she undertook and in her death she was cheered by the Christian's hope of a life hereafter. She passed away at her home in Hollister April 8, 1894, at the age of seventy-five years. Of the ten children born of the marriage of Levi B. and Laura (Judd) Lathrop, we mention the fol- lowing: Cynthia A. died in infancy; Martin A., born January 7, 1842, lives in Los Gatos; Nancy N. also died in infancy; Curtis G., born in December, 1845, resides in San Jose; Martha E. was born December 25, 1852, and is now the wife of Allen Griffiths, D. D. S., of Alameda, Cal .; Mary E. is the wife of George T. Burtch- all, of Oakland; Ransom P., a resident of Hol- lister, is represented elsewhere in this volume; Cyrus Field was born September 1, 1858; Hat- tie A. was born October 11, 1861, and died in 1883 ; and Ida M., the youngest child in the fam- ily, was born October II, 1863, and is now a practicing physician in Ukiah, Cal., having grad- uated from the Cooper Medical College.
SAMUEL McCONNELL SHEARER.
Among the men of power and ability who have wielded an influence along moral and educational lines in Monterey county, mention belongs to Samuel M. Shearer, of Salinas, ex-county super- intendent of schools, who in the early days was one of the county's most able educators. Born in Leesville, Ohio, December 26, 1836, he was one of six children, four sons and two daughters, born to his parents, Hugh B. and Catherine ( Mc- Connell) Shearer, natives of Pennsylvania and Scotland respectively, their marriage being cele- brated in Amsterdam, Ohio. During his youth the father served an apprenticeship at the tan- ner's trade, and throughout his active years he followed it continuously. Three of the four sons at one time included in the parental family are now living, and the youngest, Samuel M., is the only one on the Pacific coast. Both parents lived to reach advanced ages, rounding out their long and useful lives in the old home in Leesville, Ohio.
Samuel M. Shearer grew to young manhood in
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his native county, where he first attended pri- vate schools, which were taught by Abolition teachers, principles with which his parents fully coincided, for they were strong anti-slavery ad- vocates ; later he attended schools that were main- tained partly by private subscription and partly by public funds. When he was twelve years old he was sent to the academy at New Hagerstown, not far from the home place, and for the follow- ing six years studied diligently to prepare him- self for educational work. His first school was in Goshen, Tuscarawas county, and later he took charge of the school at Lockport, near New Phil- adelphia, on the Erie canal. Thereafter, until 1859, he taught in various parts of Ohio and In- diana, in the year just mentioned having charge of a school in Tabor, Ohio. In the course of his travels about the country, however, Mr. Shearer had heard so much about California and its glow- ing prospects that he became dissatisfied with his surroundings and accomplishments in the east, the result of which was that he gave up his school in Tabor and perfected his plans for coming to the west.
Going to New York, Mr. Shearer there em- barked on the steamship North Star, September 17, 1860, and arrived in San Francisco, October 24. The passengers had been delayed at Panama for a time, as the ship that was to carry them to California was out of commission, and an old hulk of a vessel, the Washington, had to be fitted out for the trip from Panama. Twice during the voyage it caught fire, but aside from frightening the passengers little damage resulted. From San Francisco Mr. Shearer went direct to San Jose, where lived an uncle. Arthur Shearer, whose residence in the state preceded the coming of the argonauts. He had formely been a resident of Hannibal, Mo., and from there came to Califor- nia in 1848, locating in San Jose. He was made the first alcalde of the town, and later purchased the Visalia Times, conducting it for a time. Po- litically he was a stanch Democrat, and became a prominent leader of the party in Tulare county. It was while in the home of his uncle, in San Jose, that Mr. Shearer became interested in Monterey county through some parties also visit- ing there. He readily accepted their offer of a school, and soon set out for his new field of ac- tivity, making the journey by way of Watson-
ville. From a point near that place he had to walk along the beach, and in so doing the sand got in his boots and also marred their high polish. In order to save them from injury, which would detract from his otherwise faultless appearance, he took off his boots, but as he neared town and attempted to put them on again, found that his feet were so swollen and blistered that the boots would not go on. He accepted the situation philosophically, and, taking a boot in each hand, walked the remainder of the way into town and up to the old Washington hotel, where he called for the "best room in the house." It was late in the afternoon on Saturday, and he had to be- gin his duties on Monday, so in order to get his certificate it was necessary to take a special ex- amination on Sunday. The following morning, November 12, 1860, he began his record as a teacher in California in the Springfield school, which he taught for three months. In the mean- time he had made application for and secured the San Juan school, which he conducted for over three years with a high degree of success and ability. From there he again made his way to Monterey, and during the two years which he taught there he had as pupils many of the men who are now. filling positions of trust and honor throughout the county, all of whom are loud in their praise of their old instructor.
From Monterey Mr. Shearer went to Gilroy, Santa Clara county, where, during 1866, he con- ducted a school. In the meantime he had mar- ried, and his next school was in Mayfield, where he and his wife both taught for five months. During this time they did not draw any of their salary, receiving it all at the end of the term, $750 in silver. Later Mr. Shearer taught in Mountain View, but after a few months returned to Mayfield. After the new building in San Juan was completed he was solicited to accept the school a second time, going there with his wife; he received a salary of $125 per month, while his wife received $60 as his assistant. His- reputation as an educator of ability received recognition in 1871, at which time he was elected county superintendent of schools, and the fol- lowing year he assumed the duties of his new office, having in the meantime taken up his resi- dence in Salinas. He filled the position of super- intendent of the county for two years with en-
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tire satisfaction, and during this time also was at the head of the schools of Salinas. In the meantime, however, he had become interested in a business enterprise, and at the end of his sec- ond term as superintendent he declined re-elec- tion in order that he might devote more attention to his business venture. In 1873 he embarked in the grain business on a large scale, extending his operations to all parts of the county, although in the meantime he also taught school in various parts of the county. It was about this time that he was bereaved by the death of his wife, and for a change he went to Livermore, Alameda county, and taught for a time. Coming once more to Monterey county, he again engaged in the grain business, enlarging his operations from year to year until the present time.
In 1874 Mr. Shearer was appointed county tax collector under Sheriff Andrew Wasson. Owing to the death of his brother-in-law, Melville Byer- ly, which occurred in 1875, he took charge of the paper of which Mr. Byerly was the proprietor, the Salinas Index, and conducted it until he ne- gotiated a sale to W. J. Hill, with whom he re- mained for a time. Although Mr. Shearer has been successfully interested in a number of busi- ness enterprises, his interest in educational work has never ceased. For two years he served as superintendent of the city schools, and in 1879 he was elected one of the trustees of the schools of Salinas. Following this, he was again elected to the office of county superintendent of schools and filled this position efficiently for three years. No one has had more deeply at heart the good of the schools and the welfare of the pupils than has Mr. Shearer, and though no longer directly associated with educational work, does not lose an opportunity, as he drives through the coun- ty, to stop and give the children a short talk on the benefits of an education and obedience to teacher and parent. During his terms as head of the schools he always presided over the teachers' institutes, the first one being held in Hollister in 1874. While living in San Juan he was secre- tary of the Odd Fellows lodge there, and was also a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men. He holds a teacher's life certificate, and for years has been a contributor to the local pa- pers, as well as to those of San Jose and Watson- ville.
Mention has previously been made of Mr. Shearer's first wife, who before her marriage was Miss Climena C. French, a native of Michigan and an educator of note, who held a life cer- tificate. She passed away in 1874, leaving two children, one other child having died previously. The eldest of the children living is Grace V., who- was primarily educated in the public schools of Salinas and later attended the State Normal, from which she graduated ; she is now the wife of J. H. Harvey, a veterinary surgeon of Salinas, and is the mother of one child. Edwin F. Shearer is a resident of Southern California. Mr. Shear- er's second marriage united him with Miss Mar- tha J. Young, a native of West Virginia, and also a teacher by profession prior to her mar- riage. Three children were also born of this marriage, only two of whom are now living. Laura L., who is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, studied higher mathematics in the University of California and is also a musician of note; she became the wife of Dr. A. E. Rich- ardson, formerly of Salinas, and is the mother of three children. William McC. Shearer, a grad- uate of the University of the Pacific and of Stanford, is inspector of immigration in Van- couver. Ever since he became a resident of the county Mr. Shearer has worked indefatigably for the advancement of any project that had for its. object the betterment of conditions, and in so far as he was able has given financial assistance to. charitable movements.
JOHN W. HOHSTADT.
In order to recuperate his health, which had become impaired through hard service in the Union cause during the Civil war, John W. Hoh- stadt came to California in 1864 and has since been a resident of the west. He was born in St. Albans, Franklin county, Vt., March 4, 1829,. a day memorable in history as the beginning of the administration of President Jackson, as it was- on that day that he took the oath of office. His- parents were John and Mary Ann (Teachout) Hohstadt, of Dutch and Yankee birth respect- ively. Longevity was a characteristic strongly. marked in both parents, for the father lived to at- tain the age of ninety years, while the mother,
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who was born in Vermont, in 1801, lived to the age of ninety-nine, passing away in Monterey county in 1900.
The early life of John W. Hohstadt was passed in more or less monotony on his father's farm in Franklin county, doing the chores that fall to the lot of all farmers' sons and attending the dis- trict school during its short terms up to the age of fifteen years. It was about this time in his ca- reer that the family migrations began, the father first taking his family to Ohio, later to Kentucky, and still later he settled in Missouri. There John W. attained manhood years and settled down to the life of agriculturist and stockman, all of which he gave up to answer his country's call to arms at the time of the breaking out of the Civil war. He was among the first to enlist, and as- sisted in raising the first Missouri regiment that went to the front. The first battle in which the regiment participated was the battle of Athens, in which conflict the captain was wounded, whereupon Mr. Hohstadt led the charge. He later saw service at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry, Pittsburg Landing and along the skirmish line. When he entered the service he enlisted as a member of Company I, First Regiment, but this was afterward consolidated with the Twenty-first Regiment, Col. David Moore commanding. After three years of faithful service in the cause of his country Mr. Hohstadt returned to his home in Mis- souri. The hardships which he had endured dur- ing this time had made inroads upon his health, and he determined to come to California, where a more equable climate prevails than in the central states with which he was familiar. Leaving Missouri in March, 1864, with a party of nine wagons, he began the journey that was to land him at his destination six months later. He was accustomed to frontier life, so he was able to readily adapt himself to the inconveniences which necessarily are a part of the overland journey. The most serious thing with which they had to contend was high water, and at Julesburg, Colo., they had to wait fourteen days for the Platte river to recede. Reaching California finally, Mr. Hohstadt went to Red Bluff, Tehama county, where a brother of his wife lived. From there he went to the mountains, near Lassen's Peak, and operated a hotel at the Hot Springs for about three years, at the same time owning and fatten-
ing cattle on the range. He then located in Placer county, near Roseville, where he pur- chased the Virginia hotel and ranch, but as the locality was too hot and barren the undertaking was unprofitable. From there he went to San Luis Obispo county, where he gave his attention to raising horses, among others raising Hunter, one of the fastest horses in the country, and he also owned the sire, Oregon George.
A peculiar fascination for life in the wild and unsettled localities still untouched by railroads led Mr. Hohstadt to go to Mexico in 1875, tak- ing with him one hundred and thirty head of cat- tle. These roamed at will on the range until the legislature passed the fence law, which restricted their boundaries. From Magdalena, where he first located, he went to Camionia, where he bought sixty thousand acres of land, for which he paid twenty cents per acre. The land was well adapted for grazing, and was further valuable from the fact that silver mines were found there. After making his home there for twenty years he came to Monterey county, purchasing a ranch near Blanco, for which he paid $200 per acre, this also including all of the stock and the house furnishings. He ran the ranch profitably for eight years, and at the end of that time sold it at an advance of $152 per acre over the purchase price. After disposing of the ranch he came to Salinas and purchased the residence which he now occupies, at No. 404 Front street.
Before coming to the west, Mr. Hohstadt had been married in Missouri to Miss Melissa J. Morgan, a native of that state, as were also two of their children, William, who was killed by Indians, and Nancy, who is also deceased. Five other children were born to them in California, Charles, John, Lewis, Francis and Eugene. The three first mentioned operate the ranch in Mexico previously mentioned, and there, too, they main- tain a ten-stamp mill in a group of mines, an undertaking which is proving quite remunerative. One of the sons, Lewis, exhibits in a large de- gree his father's pioneer spirit; when Cochise county, Ariz., was very thinly settled, except by Indians, he went to Douglas and located, building the first hotel and establishing himself in the real estate business there.
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