Sacramento County
Biographies
SAMUEL M.
HOOVER
SAMUEL M. HOOVER, deceased, was born June 5, 1828, in Blair (then Bedford) County, Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Sprecher) Hoover. The former was born January 1, 1793, and the latter October 21, 1798. They were married Febraury 23, 1819, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, both being natives of that county. The term of their married life extended over forty years. They removed from Lancaster County to Bedford, and afterward to Martinsburg, Blair County, where the subject of this sketch was born. In 1854 they sold out and went to Illinois, locating on a farm in Whiteside County, adjoining the city of Sterling, where they made their home for the remainder of their lives. Mr. Hoover died July 14, 1859, and his wife August 3, 1870. They were the parents of nine children, viz: Catharine, George, Sarah, Samuel M., Louisa, John, David, Elizabeth and Henry. Excepting the eldest daughter, Catharine, all are living, and, with the exception of John and Louisa, are the heads of families. Samuel, our subject, was raised on his father’s farm. The country there was new, and the children were brought up very differently from the children of today, having to endure many hardships. Samuel Hoover had to walk three miles to school in the winters through the snow. In the summer they could not spare him, but kept him at home to work on the farm. When a boy, especially on washdays, he was sent out into the fields to pick up stones and pile them in a heap, ready to be hauled away. Many times he has worked at it till his fingers bled. Often his lunch was sent out to him, in order that he would not bother the folks at the house. On cold, frosty mornings he was sent barefooted after the cows. These are only a few of his early experiences. Poverty was not the cause of this, as his parents were considered to be rich and were prosperous farmers, but it was the custom of the country. All the lads of the neighborhood were brought up in the same way. He was a great help to his father in many ways when he grew older; he assisted him in building their house, barns and other buildings. When he was twenty-one years old he determined to go West. He told his father, who tried to dissuade him, telling him that if he wished to marry and settle down he would give him a fine start; but young Hoover was determined to see more of the country. Accordingly his father gave him $300 and told him to go and see for himself, and if he succeeded in finding a better country than Pennsylvania, the old gentleman might be induced to sell out and emigrate. In 1850 he started for Burlington, remaining about two weeks, then returned to Pennsylvania. He traveled all the way back by land. His route was to Rock Island, then across to Peoria; there took the stage for Indianapolis, the stage route being over corduroy roads. The passengers stood it as long as they could, then got out and walked into Indianapolis. At Zanesville they bought horses, and Mr. Hoover started down the turnpike on horseback, crossing the Wheeling bridge, and then on into Pennsylvania, arriving home after the hardest riding he ever did. The following spring he and his brother George started back for Iowa and Illinois, buying a couple of fine stallions in Pennsylvania before starting, taking them to Illinois. On arriving there, George returned to Pennsylvania, and reported to his father that is was pretty good country, which was the cause of the old gentleman selling out and moving to Illinois. Samuel and George had arranged to go to raising horses in Illinois before George returned East, leaving Samuel there, where he remained till spring, and during that time made considerable preparations for going into that business. Then the California gold fever broke out, and he began making the arrangements necessary for a trip across the plains. He bought a wagon and four horses, and secured three passengers who paid him $150 each for their passage through and board. Early in the spring of 1852 they started from Council Bluff, following the main road of travel via Salt Lake. They took a few more passengers on the road, among whom were ex-Lieutenant Governor Charlie Fish, and a man named Durgae. The wagon train they joined was commanded by Captain Conda, who had about forty men with him and a large band of horses. Mr. Hoover’s and Conda’s parties continued together until they neared Salt Lake, where they separated, Hoover going via Salt Lake, and Conda going by a northern route; some of Conda’s men joined Hoover. The party stopped in Salt Lake City a week, taking in supplies. They finally continued their journey, and arrived in California in August. At Ragtown Mr. Hoover sold his horses and wagon, with the exception of the stallion which he had brought all the way from Pennsylvania, and which was almost too weak to walk, to an old stage man named “Bill” Hamilton, for $700. He received the payment in inch slugs, which he packed on his person, as his horse was not able to carry them. At Mud Springs, he sold the horse for $500. Then, unencumbered, he returned to Placerville, and he and the man named Durgae took a contract for putting down a slide or shoot to pass lumber down to the ditch to build a flume. For this they received $500. He came to Sacramento and at last decided that he wanted a ranch. Accordingly he and a Dutchman who had come out with him started for the Debago country, in the neighborhood of the red-woods. They found the people there very much averse to having any new-comers there, on account of the trouble they were having with the squatters’ claims and as he was very politely but forcibly requested by several men to leave, he concluded he had better do so; so, mounting their horses he and the Dutchman came straight back to Sacramento. Not long after that he bought out a restaurant between J and K streets, which he ran two or three days, and finding it to be good business, bought out another on Front street. Three weeks later the big fire of 1852 came, and he was the loser by about $1,500, together with the improvements he had laid out on the place. This left him only $400, $200 of which he gave to a man and commissioned him to go to San Francisco and buy a stock of cakes, cherry brandy, etc. When the goods arrived from San Francisco he was unprepared to receive them, and as part of them were of such nature that hey had to be disposed of immediately, he spread out his cakes on the top of his barrels, and sold out all except his brandy. He was well satisfied with the results. He then decided to try mining, and accordingly sent for his Dutchman and went to Sonoma. They worked two weeks and got nothing. Mr. Hoover had his own and his friend’s expenses to pay; so when his funds were reduced to $20 they started for Sacramento. Arriving at Stockton, he had but $5, not enough to bring them both to Sacramento; so he told his friend to work his way up. When he arrived in Sacramento he had but 25 cents in his pocket. With this he bought some pie, then crept into a haystack, where he spent the night, the first and last night he ever spent in a like place. Next morning he hunted up “Bill” Hamilton, the man who bought his horses, told him he was “dead broke” and wanted a job. Hamilton took him to the Bee House, gave him his breakfast, and told the landlord to board him as long as was necessary; then gave him two horses and told him to go to work for himself, and when he was able he could repay him. In the course of two weeks he had made $700, besides paying Mr. Hamilton. This was during the floods, and the streets of Sacramento were all afloat. He hitched his team to a boat and took passengers through the streets. This only lasted two weeks, and then the streets were once more fit for foot travelers. He then tried hauling freight, and continued until the railroad was built. Finally he purchased his present place of 1,200 acres on the Cosumnes River, where he carried on a successful business, the ranch being fertile and productive. He was one of the largest hop-growers in the county; also raised grain and cattle. He owned another ranch of 1,600 acres on the Sacramento River, which is devoted to stock raising. He first commenced raising hops some eight or nine years ago. The year hops commanded such a high price he hauled the most valuable load ever hauled through the streets of Sacramento; it consisted of 103 bales loaded on four wagons, and drawn by nine mules and a horse. He took it to Front Street, and delivered part of it to Booth & Co., and the rest to Mebius & Co. It brought $10,000. The home place is one of the finest in the county. The building is a handsome structure, and the place is kept in first-class order. Mr. Hoover was married April 18, 1861, to Margaret Van Zandt, daughter of John and Lydia Van Zandt, all natives of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. She was born November 25, 1838, and resided in her native place till she was sixteen years of age; then she went to Huntingdon County to school, and afterward taught school as long as she was in that state. From Pennsylvania she went to Illinois, thence to Missouri where she was married. She left there for California April 21, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover had one son, Ben Van Zandt Hoover, born November 24, 1863.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of
Sacramento County, California. Pages 604-606. Lewis
Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.