RODOLPHUS BUKEY HALL

Sacramento County

Biographies

RODOLPHUS BUKEY HALL

Rodolphus Bukey Hall was born in Kentucky, September 7, 1825, his parents being Shadrac and Mary (Greathouse) Hall. The father was born in Virginia, January 19, 1789, of American parentage but of Scotch descent on the paternal, and English on the maternal side. The mother, a native of Kentucky, was of German or Pennsylvania-Dutch descent on both sides. Her father, Herman Greathouse, was a native of Pennsylvania and a soldier of the Revolution. He lived to be over eighty and his wife, by birth Massey Ann Bukey, was seventy-five at her death. Grandfather Shadrac Hall, a Virginian, was a Presbyterian minister and his wife, by birth a Miss Walker, was also a Virginian. The parents of R. B. Hall were married in Kentucky about the close of 1814, and a large portion of their children were born in that State. They afterward moved to Spencer County, Indiana, where Mr. Hall was elected sheriff for four terms, eights years, and afterward coroner. He had previously been a tanner, but had retired from that business. He died February 28, 1856, eleven years after his wife, who died November 21, 1844. They were the parents of a large family: Mary Ann R., born October 9, 1815; America G., October 29, 1816; Eliza B., March 30, 1818, by marriage Mrs. Wright, died October 17, 1884; John W., June 28, 1819; Randolph B., April 7, 1821, died November 5, 1873; Harmon G., September 30, 1822; Massey Ann G., January 23, 1824, by marriage Mrs. Pierce, died September 27, 1846. Rodolphus Bukey, the subject of this sketch, was born September 7, 1825, in Spencer County, Indiana; Jemima G., March 11, 1827; Issac G. (see sketch); Elizabeth O., September 23, 1830, by marriage Mrs. Mattingly, died July 8, 1869; Luther G., January 8, 1832, a resident of Fresno, California, since November, 1888, when he came out from Kentucky; Nathan F., November 17, 1833; Jonathan P., August 22, 1835; Shadrac, December 28, 1837, died February 4, 1838; Joseph W., July 29, 1838; James Wellington, July 24, 1840, became a physician and came to California in 1878, remained here through the winter of 1878-‘79, went to Oregon in March, 1879, returned here toward the close of 1880 and died at San Diego, January 4, 1881; Virginia F., December 5, 1843. The subject of this sketch served in the Mexican war in the Fourth Indiana Infantry from April 8, 1847, to August 25, 1848, was Sergeant of Company E, and is a pensioner of that war. He came to California across the plains in 1852, arriving in August at Placerville, where he went to mining. For many years, at various points, but chiefly at Michigan Bluffs and Forest Hill, he continued in that business, making and losing money, with but little final gain. September 9, 1861, he arrived on Grand Island by invitation of his brother, Issac G. (see sketch), and was half owner of the ranch until the return of his brother in 1880, when he sold out to him and removed to Santa Rosa for the better education of his children. He rents 200 acres on Andrus Island, just below Isleton, on which he raises alfalfa chiefly. R. B. Hall was married March 4, 1864, at San Jose, to Miss Ellen D. Hawkins, a native of Vermont, a daughter of A. M. and Candace (Rising) Hawkins. The mother, born in Albany, New York, died June 7, 1845. The father, born in Georgia, Vermont, in 1809, a lawyer by profession, was appointed postmaster at Starksboro, Vermont, under Jackson, over fifty years ago, and held the office until Cleveland’s administration. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are the parents of six children: Hattie Virginia, born June 27, 1866, has learned the business of telegraphy and is employed in San Jose; Josie Elizabeth, born March 10, 1870; Rosie Grace, May 27, 1872; Carrie Elmira, November 24, 1874; Lyman Bukey, December 25, 1875; Nellie America, February 23, 1877, and died of heart disease at Santa Rosa, June 1, 1889.

Transcribed by Karen Pratt.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 533-534. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.

Sacramento County Biographies