USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California, including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description; together with a record of the Mexican grants also, incidents of pioneer life; and biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers and representative men > Part 66
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EDWIN WEED HILLER .- Born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, June 7, 1828. He resided there until December, 1843, when he learned the car- penter's trade. In February, 1846, he went to Watertown, Middlesex county, same State, where he was engaged at his trade for two years. He then removed to Milford, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire, but remained there only a short time-for, on hearing of the Gold excitement in California, he returned to his native place, and after ten days there sailed in the ship Aurora on January 9, 1849, for this coast. The passage around the Horn occupied six months, arriving at San Francisco July 1st. On landing he followed his trade for six weeks, and then started for Morgan's Bar, on the Tuolumne river, and there embarked in mining, which he followed until December, 1852. He then returned to San Fran- cisco, and from there came to Contra Costa county, first locating at San Pablo, where he remained one year, at the expiration of which he moved to Martinez, where he has since resided. Mr. Hiller is a member of the Pio- neer's Association, and has been Coroner and Public Administrator since
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1872, and Deputy Assessor since 1874. In 1859 our subject purchased his present beautiful place, on which he built a residence, on the west side of Martinez on what is known as Island Hill. He married May 30, 1858, Mary C. Burdett, a native of Nantucket, Massachusetts, by whom there was one child, now deceased.
BENJAMIN HODGES .- This old and respected pioneer of Contra Costa county is a native of Greene county, Illinois, and was born March 22, 1825, residing in his birth place on a farm until he was fourteen years of age. His parents then moved to La Fayette county, Wisconsin, where the subject of this sketch dwelt until March, 1852. Leaving his native State on the above date, accompanied by his father, mother and three brothers, they started to cross the plains to the Land of Gold, beyond the Rockies, being fitted out with ox-teams. After a weary trip of six months, and the sad death of a sister and a brother-in-law from cholera, which was very fatal to the emigrants of that year, they came direct to Contra Costa county, and at that early date located on the place now owned by his brother Samuel. In the Fall of 1857, he bought his present farm, con- sisting of two hundred and ninety-three acres, two miles from Walnut Creek, and is now engaged in general farming, honored and respected by all his neighbors. Mr. Hodges was united in marriage in La Fayette county, Wisconsin, in 1851, to Miss Emily Seeley, a native of Illinois. They have two living children: Ellen and Minnie, now Mrs. Henry T. Jones.
JAMES HOEY .- This well known business man of Martinez is a native of County Louth, Ireland, and was born in March, 1854. At the age of sixteen years he emigrated to the United States, and on landing in New York, was joined by his brother Mathew, the two then coming together to California by rail, arriving in San Francisco May 24, 1870. Our subject came direct to Martinez, Contra Costa county, and went into his uncle's store, in the same place now occupied by himself. Here he was employed five years, and on March 13, 1875, bought out the business of his relative, and is now conducting the store on his own account, wherein he first embarked on arrival in the county. It is not by mere luck, however, that Mr. Hoey has attained this position. It has been by uprightness in his dealings, honesty with his customers, integrity in his actions, and a strict resolution in all undertakings. By these means has he advanced his interests and gathered around the goods of this life that he hath. He married in Martinez, November 9, 1880, Mary Tormney, a native of Ireland, and has one daughter-Mary Ann.
FERDINAND HOFFMAN .- A native of Prussia, born in the Province of the Rhine April 12, 1827. When twenty years of age, being then sub- ject to draft in the army of his native land, Mr. Hoffman concluded to
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escape such service, and consequently emigrated to America, arriving in New York in the Summer of 1847. Here he sojourned some six months, and then moved westward to St. Louis, where he found employment at his trade of shoemaker, that he had learned in Prussia, and there resided until 1850. He then joined a train bound for California, crossed the plains, and arrived in Georgetown August 3d of the above year. He there followed mining for a short period, then moved to San Francisco, where he engaged in the boot and shoe trade, and prosecuted this until his coming to Contra Costa in 1858. He first located in Martinez, engaged with his brother in the tannery business, and there remained for three years, when he sold out his interest, and with his brother Christian pur- chased an interest in a quartz mill in El Dorado county, which, proving unsuccessful, they moved to the Iron House District in this county and engaged in the sheep business. In the Fall of 1861, he, with his brother, located on his present beautiful ranch of nine hundred and sixty acres one mile from Byron, all now being in a high state of cultivation. Married in Martinez, January 20, 1870, Miss Eliza Notting, a native of Prussia. By this union they have three living children-Walter, Emily and Byron.
WILLIAM HOFFMAN .- Was born near Cologne, Prussia, June 21, 1821, and resided in his birth place until March 5, 1847; then being twenty- six years old, he started to seek his fortune in the New World, and there- fore emigrated to the United States, first locating in St. Louis, where he found employment at his trade, that of tanner, which he had learned in Prussia. In the Spring of 1849, he started from St. Louis to New Orleans, where he took passage on board the old Potomac, came around the Horn, and after an unusually long passage of eight months, arrived in San Francisco January 5, 1850. Having spent a few days in the metropolis and Sacramento, he came to Contra Costa county, and, in 1855, bought his present place of eighty-two acres on the border of the town limits of Martinez; a place he has since changed from the habitation of Indians. snakes and poison oak to one of the most pleasant homes to be found in Contra Costa. Here, in 1855, he built the first and only tannery in this county, and has prosecuted that business ever since.
BEVERLY R. HOLLIDAY .- Was born in Warren county, Kentucky, December 22, 1823. When but two years of age he was taken by his parents to White Hall, Greene county, Illinois, and there resided until 1832, when they removed to Morgan county, in the same State, where our subject received his education in the common schools, learned the trade of wool carder (at which he worked until 1840), and dwelt until coming to the Pacific Coast. Was engaged in teaching from 1840 to 1849, in Scott county, Illinois. In March, 1849, Mr. Holliday joined a
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company bound for the Land of Gold, and traveling, with ox-teams, by the Old Emigrant Route, arrived at Johnson's ranch, Placer county, October 1st, of the same year. Thence he proceeded to the mines on the American river, where, however, he remained only a short time. We next find him engaged in getting out lumber, in the San Antonio red- woods-lumber being, at that time, worth four hundred and fifty dollars per thousand lineal feet. In January, 1850, he came to Martinez, where he was employed, at seventy-five dollars per month, to take charge of the school at that place-it being the first seminary opened in Contra Costa county, with an average attendance of six pupils, which increased in six months to twenty-six pupils. Here Mr. Holliday continued "to teach the young idea how to shoot" until the Fall of 1850. In December, 1850, he opened a dry-goods and grocery store-firm name, Hunsaker & Co .- and continued in that business three years, during which time he also acted as Deputy Treasurer of the County, under Judge D. Hunsaker. In 1850 he was also elected Justice of the Peace, an office he filled until 1854, and was chosen one of the Associate Justices of the Court of Sessions, which was abolished in 1855. Our subject now turned his attention to farming, and first located on the property now owned by Mr. Blum, near the farm of N. B. Smith, where he resided until 1867, and then moved into Franklin cañon, one mile from Martinez, and located on public land, where he resided until 1875, when he purchased his present place of sixty-four acres, three miles from Martinez, where he is now engaged chiefly in fruit culture. He married, in Lafayette, August 19, 1855, Jane A. Holliday, a native of Pennsylvania, and has six surviv- ing children-Mary J. (now Mrs. Thomas Scott), Charles H., William B., Minerva L., Eliza E., George Edwin.
BARNES HOLLOWAY .- This old and respected citizen of Contra Costa county was born in Blount county, Tennessee, March 9, 1811, and there resided until his twelfth year, when he was taken by his parents to the adjoining county, where they settled and our subject received his educa- tion and resided until 1835. In that year he moved with his parents to Missouri, where he engaged in farming, in Cass county, for about fourteen years. In the memorable year of 1849, Mr. Holloway-among the many at that time being attracted to the New Dorado-on April 25th, accompanied by his wife and family, commenced the arduous journey across the plains to California, where they arrived October 9, 1849. He engaged in hauling wood until the Spring of 1850, at Sutter's Fort, and then removed to Santa Clara county, locating where now stands the little town of Mountain View Station. Here Mr. Holloway, in company with Revs. C. Yager and Wesley Gallimore, and Edward Dale, rented land from Mariano Castro, although each farmed on his own account. On
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February 15, 1855, he moved to Contra Costa county, purchased seventy acres of land seven miles southeast of Martinez, where he has since dwelt, engaged chiefly in grape growing and general farming. Being a man of sterling merits, Mr. Holloway is respected by all who know him. He married, in Cass county, Missouri, February 30, 1836, Jane A. Mclellan, a native of Tennessee, and has two children-Amanda M. (now Mrs. Tucker) and Helen M.
WILLIAM HOOK, (deceased) .- William and Elijah were twin brothers and were born in Salem, Botetourt county, Virginia, on February 14, (St. Valentine's day) 1805. Their father died when they were quite young, and in 1819, when the boys were fourteen, they moved with the family to Old Franklin, Howard county, Missouri, where they engaged in building houses, etc. The forts built by the Government for the protection of the settlers against the Indians were being abandoned. The brothers were engaged in the building business until the year 1827. There were expeditions fitted out in Missouri, for trading in Santa Fé. They purchased a quantity of dry goods, bought and loaded their wagons, and joined an expedition under the command of Capt. Whetmore, for Santa Fé. This was called a venture. The expedition proceeded without any unusual occurrence until the night before their arrival at Santa Fé, when they met some Mexicans bringing their families out from the city. On inquiry, they learned that there was to be a massacre on the following day, which took place and many were killed, among them Governor Bent, father-in-law of Kit Carson. Finding themselves unable to dispose of their goods in Santa Fé, Elijah took the wagons and glassware to Chi- huahua, where he sold them. William hired mules, packed the rest of the goods on them and carried them over the mountains into Sonora, where Elijah joined him at Opesara. They visited the principal towns in Sonora, sold what goods they could and returned with the rest to Santa Fé, where they left them with a merchant. Learning that the Indians were troublesome on the route home, they went to Matamoras, where the brothers parted, Elijah taking passage in a vessel bound for Philadelphia. He had about fifty thousand dollars with him, which he put in the safe, no one but the Captain knowing that he had any money. After they had been at sea for some days, a sailor, who pretended insanity, came up to Elijah, while he was standing on the quarter-deck, looking over the side of the vessel, and saying, " I shall not live to see Philadelphia," picked Elijah up and tossed him overboard. The vessel was going about six knots an hour, and Elijah, being a good swimmer, kept up with the vessel. The passengers suspecting foul play, threatened the Captain that if he did not save him they would throw him into the water. Boxes, chicken-coops and other articles were thrown overboard to try to save
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him, and just as he was sinking the last time, he caught a rope with a death-grip, and was pulled on board completely exhausted. A part of the fifty thousand dollars intrusted to Elijah's care belonged to a merchant of Sonora, and was to be paid to a merchant of Philadelphia, named Mr. Rockhill.
On Elijah's arrival at Philadelphia he sought out this gentleman, who was one of the wealthiest merchants of that city, and paid him the money. Mr. Rockhill invited Elijah to dine with him, and made many inquiries concerning the Mexican country. The result of the interview was that the brothers, with Mr. Rockhill, chartered a brig and loaded her with goods for Guaymas. Elijah went overland to Guaymas, sold the goods, and returned to Missouri. When William parted from Elijah at Mata- moras, he purchased a drove of mules in company with a man named N-, and started for Missouri through Texas. On the way he was taken sick and fell from his horse, and was taken to an Irish settlement in the northern part of Texas, where he was kindly cared for. When he had sufficiently recovered, he went on with his mules until he reached the mouth of the Red river ; there he sold them, and arrived in Missouri, ill in health, after a three months' journey. After being engaged in mer- chandising for several years, the brothers went into the steamboat busi- ness, and purchased a vessel called the Globe, and made a trip to New Orleans. The cholera broke out on her after she returned to St. Louis, and all her crew died except the two brothers, both of whom escaped. They sold the Globe, and returned to Franklin, Howard county, where they built a new boat called the Far West. On the second trip, while returning from New Orleans, Elijah was taken sick with the yellow fever and died when about thirty miles from St. Louis, during the last days of August, 1835. His remains were taken to St. Louis and there buried. William sold the Far West, and went to Saline county. There he engaged in merchandising, and also built a flour mill, which was destroyed by fire. In this year, 1835, he married Miss Miranda Brown.
In 1847 he went to Arrow Rock to reside; remained there until 1850, then started with his wife and family across the plains, arriving at Placerville about September 1, 1850-just before California was declared a State. His daughter Emma was born the 15th of October, 1850. She was the first white child born in Placerville. Remained in that place until the following Spring, selling goods, building "Long Toms" and other mining machines, and then went to Sacramento. After a few unsuccessful attempts at business in Sacramento, went with his family to San Francisco and built some houses. Learning that the Capitol was to be at Vallejo, and being advised by some influential persons to move there, he rented his houses in San Francisco and went to Vallejo. Not being successful in this enterprise, he went with his family to Martinez
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in 1853, and there engaged in merchandising, owning one of the pioneer stores in that place. In 1854, he bought his first piece of land in Contra Costa county, to which he added by purchases in 1855 and 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Hook were much interested in education, and sent their sons and daughters to the best institutions of learning in the State. They had twelve children, six of whom are now living. Their daughters Mary, Amanda and Ada, went to the Young Ladies' Seminary at Benicia, where they graduated, the eldest being one of the first class of graduates in the State. The oldest son, Elijah, graduated from the Santa Clara College; the next two sons, Henry and John, graduated from Mr. Flat's College at Benicia ; two others, James and Vincent, graduated from the State University, one in the Engineering, and the other [from the Agri- cultural Department ; the youngest son, Dr. Walter E., graduated in the State Medical College and also from Bellevue. William Hook always had great faith in the purchase of land, as the best investment for money, saying that it could neither burn up nor run away, and has added to his purchases, from time to time, until he is in possession of between two and three thousand acres, a part of which he has lately divided among his children.
Since the above was handed to us by Mr. Hook, the Fell Reaper has claimed him ; he died, at his residence near Pacheco, July 24, 1882. On the 29th, at the meeting of Martinez Lodge, No. 41, F. and A. M., the following resolutions in respect to his memory were passed :
" WHEREAS, It has pleased Almighty God, in the dispensation of His providence, to remove from our midst our brother, William Hook, who has been a member of our Masonic Order for more than a quarter of a century, and after long suffering and a tedious and trying affliction, has at last been called to rest from his labors:
" Resolved, That in the death of our brother we are again admonished of the uncertainties of life, and that we, too, are mortal, and must also soon go to 'that bourne from whence no traveler returns.'
" Resolved, That in his death our Order has lost a genial and worthy brother, and his family a devoted husband and father, and the community a worthy, enterprising and useful citizen.
" Resolved, That we heartily sympathize with the widow of our deceased brother and his children in this their great bereavement.
" Resolved, That as a mark of respect to the memory of our deceased brother, this Lodge be draped in mourning for thirty days, and that these resolutions be spread upon the records of this Lodge, and a copy be fur- nished to the widow of our deceased brother by the Secretary of this Lodge.
" L. C. WITTENMYER, " THOS. A. BROWN,
Committee."
"JOS. P. JONES,
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E. F. HOUGH, M. D .- Was born in Genesee county, New York, October 30, 1823. When six years of age he was taken by his parents to Chau- tauqua county, in the same State, but at the end of two years moved with them to Cleveland, Ohio, our subject the meanwhile attending the common schools in New York and Cleveland. He afterwards attended college in Berea, Ohio, whence he graduated in 1839. On receiving his degree the Doctor proceeded to Wisconsin and Illinois, and for four years conducted a hotel in Chicago, where, too, he graduated in medicine under Doctor Delamuter, of Cleveland, Ohio, a noted physician of that place, his earlier studies in pharmacy, however, being under the supervision of an uncle in Cleveland. Determining to try his fortune in the Land of Gold, we find Dr. Hough starting for Waukegan, Illinois, on April 6, 1849, with a train of eight wagons, accompanied by his wife and family, a sis- ter and sister-in-law, and a brother. The journey across the plains was the usual one of pleasures and pains, and finally after a trip of five months and eight days, they arrived at Sacramento, August 8, 1852. Here Doctor Hough established himself in the practice of his profession, but at the end of six months he abandoned the Sacramento field, and betook himself to the Sonora mines, in Tuolumne county, where he prac- ticed for about eighteen months. From there the Doctor established him- self in San Francisco, where he resided until coming to Contra Costa county in October, 1853. He then settled in the beautiful Ygnacio val- ley, and was, if not the first, one of the earliest settlers in that district. In his solitude he suffered considerable animosity at the hands of the native Californians, who were inimical, in many instances, to the presence of Americans ; on finding out, however, that he was a healer of the sick and wounded, their conduct changed, and that popularity which has never since waned was then established. In the Ygnacio valley he opened a store and house of entertainment, which he parted with in 1855, when he moved to Martinez and erected the hostelry known as Hough's Hotel, and conducted it for a quarter of a century, until he leased it in June, 1880, still owning the block of buildings, however. After thirty-one years of hotel-keeping the Doctor has now retired from an active participation in business affairs, and has full time to give to other congenial tastes, chief among them being the perfecting of a patent on car trucks. Married in Lorain county, Ohio, October 12, 1842, Miss Sybel Marsh, a descen- dant of Asa Marsh, one of the pioneers of Madina county, Ohio, and has two surviving children, Jane E., (now Mrs. Bennett), and William J. The Doctor is possessed of one of the finest cabinet collection of gems, as he is also the first discoverer of mineral paints in California. A notice of this will be found on page 134 of this work.
CHARLES E. HOWARD .- Was born at Wareham, Plymouth county, Mass- achusetts, November 12, 1826. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits
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until he left for California. He sailed from Mattapoisett, Plymouth county, Massachusetts, April 19, 1849, and arrived in September of the same year. He then proceeded to the mines and returned to San Fran- cisco in 1853, when he engaged in business there for three years. In 1856, he acquired a farm, and is at present following that vocation. Mr. Howard married, August 19, 1857, Susan M. Homan, a native of Boston, who was born in 1832. By this union there are Ann L., born in 1858; P. B., born in 1860; and Ida G., born in 1862.
NATHANIEL S. HOWARD .- Born in Wareham, Plymouth county, Mas- sachusetts, January 19, 1819, and is the son of Nathaniel and Mary (Briggs) Howard. Here he was educated at the common schools and resided until attaining his seventeenth year, save the period between ten years and sixteen years of age, which Mr. Howard served on board ship. At the age first mentioned he proceeded to Fairhaven, Bristol county, where he served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, and followed it until 1849. On August 1st, of that year, our subject formed one of a company to purchase the ship Florida, at a cost of forty thousand dol- lars, with cargo. In this vessel Mr. Howard sailed around the Horn to San Francisco, where he arrived January 1, 1850. Soon after disposing of the cargo at a handsome sum-one hundred thousand dollars-Mr. Howard proceeded to the mines on Merced river, where he commenced the search for gold in Solomon's gulch. At the close of a twelve-month he returned to San Francisco, commenced working at his calling of a car- · penter, and so continued until 1856. In September of that year he re- moved to Contra Costa county, acquired his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and has since resided there, with the exception of one year, 1864, which he spent in Austin, Nevada, during the silver-mine excitement of that place. Married May 30, 1844, Elizabeth S. Hitch, a native of Fairhaven, who died June 22, 1876; by this union there are : Lizzie A. (now Mrs. Smith), Millie S., and Kate F.
M. B. IVORY .- The subject of this sketch was born in Erie county, Penn- sylvania, November 30, 1831, and resided in his birth-place until attaining his majority. At the age of twenty-one years he went West to seek his fortune in the pine forests of Wisconsin, and embarked in the lumber business for five years, at the end of which he returned to his native home. On September 20, 1858, he started for California, via New York and Panama, and arrived in San Francisco October 16th of the same year. Remaining a short time in the metropolis, Mr. Ivory came to this county, which has since proved his home, located in Green valley, on part of the place now known as the "Cook Ranch," and resided there until 1871. In the Fall of that year he was elected to the position of Sheriff of Contra Costa county, and took his office in March, 1872 ; was re-elected to the
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same office in 1874, filling it with credit to himself and satisfac- tion to his constituents. In 1873 he sold his farm in Green valley, and at the expiration of his term as Sheriff, in 1876, paid a visit to his old home at the East, consuming some four months in the same. On his return to this coast he located in San Francisco for a short time, when, in November, 1878, Mr. Ivory was appointed, by the Clay Street Bank of San Francisco, superintendent of their present ranch of over thirteen thousand acres, better known as the " Marsh Grant." He resides in the historic "Stone House" on the above ranch, while it is safe to say there are but few men in this county better known or more highly respected than the subject of our memoir. He was married in San Francisco Decem- ber 15, 1874, to Mrs. Fillmore, a native of Massachusetts.
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