Sacramento County
Biographies
DANIEL FLINT
DANIEL FLINT. To Daniel Flint, the
pioneer hop grower of the Pacific coast, the people of California
are greatly indebted for the practical discoveries along the lines of one of
the most important industries of this part of the west. Mr. Flint is a native of New Hampshire, his
birth having occurred in Swanzey, May 9, 1832, his
parents, Benjamin and Harriet (Rixford) Flint, being
descendants of old Vermont families, in which state they were both born. The father became a farmer in New
Hampshire, where he spent the balance of his
life. Daniel Flint was reared to young
manhood on the paternal farm, receiving his education in the district school
and the home academy, after which he worked for his father for a time. Finally entering the employ of a firm in Winchester
in the capacity of clerk, he remained in that location for three years; after
which he worked for Flint & Holton, of Crown
Point, on Lake Champlain, N. Y. Attracted to the west by the possibilities
held out to the man of ability and energy, with sufficient courage to endure
the hardships which were necessarily a part of pioneer life, he came to California
in 1853, making the journey by Cape Horn. In San Francisco he was
employed in the bonded warehouse for the United
States government for two years and for
three years as bookkeeper for his brother.
In 1858 he decided to engage in the hop business in the Sacramento
valley, this being an experiment entirely, as he was the pioneer in this
line. For two years he and his brother
had been propagating the roots in Alameda county and finally came to the conclusion that with care California
could become a profitable field for this industry. He then purchased a tract of twenty acres in Sacramento
county and planted it to hops, having the first yard
of the kind in the county. He was
successful in the raising of a good crop, but experienced much delay and
difficulty in disposing of it. The
brewers of San Francisco were
supplied from eastern markets and he found some trouble in securing a trial for
his crop. He finally placed a large
quantity in the hands of one of the principal brewers and after a test as to
the quality, he purchased the entire crop.
With this encouragement he proceeded to make a comprehensive study of
the raising of hops and wherever improvement could be made, counted neither
time nor expense a loss in his efforts to perfect his crop. He has steadily increased his business and
has become thoroughly versed in hop culture, and is regarded as an authority in
his line. In response to a request from
the government for an article relating to the best modes of hop culture Mr.
Flint carefully prepared a paper and mailed it to Washington, D. C. After a
rigid examination and comparison with other papers on the same subject Mr.
Flint’s article was awarded the decision, and he was immediately forwarded a
draft for $140. Mr. Flint is the owner
of several ranches, and he has one hop yard of fifty and one of sixty-five
acres in Sacramento county, and during the hop season employs a large force of
men, women and girls. Another industry
which engages considerable of his attention is the breeding of fine draft,
roadsters and trotting stock.
Mr.
Flint spends his leisure hours in Sacramento,
where he owns a beautiful home, presided over by his wife, whom he married
August 22, 1854. She was formerly Mary
E. Russell, a native of Crown Point,
N. Y., and a daughter of Azanna Russell. Born of this union were the following
children: Lillian J., wife of Elwood Bruner; Russell R.; Flood V.; Alice H.,
wife of William Lampert; William R.; Howard M.;
Clarence C., of the United States navy; Stanley M. and Edward C. Five of the sons are engaged in the hop
growing business. Although Mr. Flint has
been solicited many times to accept public offices within the gift of his
Republican friends he has steadfastly refused the honor. Fraternally he is a prominent Odd Fellow and
has been master of the local and grand master of the state grange, and is now
(1905) serving his fourth term as treasurer of the latter body. He is a communicant of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and a liberal supporter of charitable enterprises, and is
especially active in the work of the Humane Society, of which he was one of the
organizers and is now serving as treasurer.
For three years he was a director of the State Agricultural Society, and
for two years of that time was superintendent of the track. Mr. Flint has not only established a reputation
in the line of his business, but is as well esteemed by his fellow-citizens
throughout the section of the state where he is best known, by honorable
manhood, business principles and integrity winning a place among the
representative men of the section.
Transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal.
Source: “History of
the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley, California” by J. M.
Guinn. Pages 668-673.
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.
© 2007 Priscilla Delventhal.