Sacramento County
Biographies
HIRAM CHASE
HIRAM CHASE, a farmer of Dry Creek Township, was born November 16, 1824, in Saratoga County, New York. His father, Abner Chase, was a native of Vermont, was in early years engaged in the manufacture of clothing, and afterward was a lumber merchant most of the time during the remainder of his life. He died in Cattaraagus County, New York, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He was an energetic man in business, much interested in politics but never aspiring to office. For his wife he had married Mary Cox, also a native of New York; she died at the age of seventy-two years. There were five sons and two daughters in their family. The sons were C. C., Homer, Hiram, Henry, and Charles. All except Charles are still living, and in the Eastern States. Hiram was brought up on a farm in New York and also trained in the lumber business, following this until he was twenty-eight years of age, then, in 1852, came to California. Starting for the coast he was at first in a large train, but afterward he and two others came on with one mule. After stopping in Placerville for a short time he came into Dry Creek Township and rented a ranch of William L. McIntyre on shares. One year afterward he took a farm in San Joaquin. Selling this, he entered into partnership with a son of McIntyre in a ranch on his land, and remained there until 1857 when he went East, by way of Panama, and visited in New York State; and there he was married, in 1859, to Miss Amanda, daughter of Simon and Fanny (Flagg) Frazer. Her grandfather was a soldier in the British army. Both her parents were natives of Vermont. In 1869 Mr. Chase returned to California, by way of the Union and Central Pacific railroads, intending to settle at Los Angeles; but, finding so many of his old friends in Sacramento County beseeching him to remain here, he yielded to their persuasive arguments. Accordingly he purchased his present ranch of 160 acres, from John McFarland; then a part of the Sharon grant. This farm he has improved until he has made it one of the best in the country, it being a model of comfort and neatness. He is now gradually converting it into vineyard and orchard. Mr. Chase has been a member of the I. O. O. F., since 1848, being now connected with the Phoenix Lodge at Galt. Of his four children only two are living: Fanny, wife of S. M. Fulton, and John C., living on the home place.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County,
California. Page 718. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.