FRANK HILGERS

Butte County

Biographies

FRANK HILGERS

FRANK HILGERS.--The year 1862 chronicled the arrival of William Hilgers in the state of California, after a long and tiresome trip across the plains with ox teams. He was born in Prussia, and when a small boy was brought to the United States by his parents who located in Potosi, Wis. There the boy grew to young manhood, received his education and learned the harness-maker's trade. When eighteen years of age, in 1862, he set out for the Pacific coast with P. R. Welch, and upon his arrival in Marysville, Cal., he began working at his trade for Henry Kemper. After he had become accustomed to the ways of the western country and had made a little stake for himself, he made a trip to Butte County and found employment on a ranch owned by Jacob Briggs, at Hamilton Bend, six miles from Oroville. He worked in the orchard for two years, and so well did he like his change of occupation that he arranged to purchase the place. He set out more trees and had a good commercial orchard of peaches and cherries, all of excellent quality, which found a ready market in Oroville and Marysville.

Soon after he had purchased the ranch, Mr. Hilgers was united in marriage with Susan Beall, a native of the Buckeye State, born in Cambridge, the daughter of John L. Beall, of Scotch ancestry and of an old Maryland family. He crossed the plains with ox teams in 1849 and was engaged in mining for gold for one year, after which he returned to the east, and in 1852 brought his wife and family to California via Panama. On their arrival in this state they located at Hamilton Bend where Mr. Beall farmed until his death.

As Mr. Hilgers prospered with his orchard he desired to branch out into grain-raising. His orchard had increased to one hundred thirty acres, on his home place of four hundred eighty acres, besides which he had two hundred forty acres in grain. This tract he operated with good results until his death at the age of forty-eight years. His widow, with the aid of her children, continued to farm the place until 1910, when they moved into Oroville. Mrs. Hilgers died October 14, 1915, at the age of sixty-seven years. There were six children in their family: William John, who died at the age of eight years; Martha Elizabeth, who passed away when thirteen; and Frank, Henry, Charles and Catherine, all partners in the horticultural and farming operations on the home acres. All four were born in Butte County, reared on the farm, and attended school in Union district, near their home place.

The oldest son in the family of his parents, Frank Hilgers was raised on the ranch, and, with his brothers and sister, received a common school education, which he supplemented by a course in the Stockton Business College, from which he graduated in 1901. After the death of his father he joined with the other members of the family and they all worked together in harmony on the two-hundred-forty-acre and four-hundred-eighty-acre ranches, besides leasing adjoining land and doing business on a large scale. In 1910 they leased the Hamilton Bend Ranch to the Pacific Dredging Company, which is now dredging for gold on the property. After leasing the ranch, in the same locality as their old ranch, and which consists of two hundred acres in orchard and farming land.

Frank Hilgers has taken a prominent place in the affairs of Butte County, having served as a trustee of the Union School District for some time. He is public spirited and holds the respect of his associates. The family maintain the principles of the Republican party, are highly respected by all who know them and are leaders in their social circle.

Transcribed by Sande Beach.

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 548-551, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

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