Santa
Clara County
Biographies
EBY
ATHY HETTINGER
EBY ATHY HETTINGER.
As a builder who has made a thorough success of this profession and who
has a clean reputation for sterling integrity, E. A. Hettinger, of
Palo Alto, Cal., holds an indisputable place of prominence among the
substantial business men of California, his native state. Born September 23, 1860, in Red Bluff,
Tehama county, he is the youngest of two children born
to Benjamin Frank and Sarah (Eby) Hettinger, the
former born near Philadelphia, Pa., and the latter a native of Wayne county,
Ohio. In early manhood
B. F. Hettinger removed to Ohio, where he lived for some years, and
in 1856, accompanied by his family, he crossed overland to California. Although a tailor by trade, he discontinued
that occupation upon locating on the Pacific coast and for a time engaged in
mining. He subsequently moved to Red
Bluff, in Tehama county, and in 1861 to Los Angeles,
which was his home for about two years.
Returning to Red Bluff in 1863 he became an employe
in the Antelope saw mills, and for years was head sawyer there. The closing years of his life were spent in
the vicinity of Red Bluff. He is
survived by his widow, who is now residing in Drummond, Mont., at the advanced
age of seventy-five years. Two children
were born to them, a daughter and son.
The
primary education of Mr. Hettinger, gleaned from the common schools of his
native state, was supplemented by an advanced course in the Red Bluff Academy,
which he entered in 1880 and attended two years. At the age of fourteen he began to learn the
carpenter’s trade during the hours not occupied with school work, and after
leaving school he thoroughly mastered the trade, serving an apprenticeship
under his brother-in-law, Edwin Dunckel, in Butte
City, Mont. He followed this occupation
as a journeyman in Butte, Helena and Red Bluff until 1886, removing at that
time to Monterey, Cal. There he assisted
in building the celebrated Del Monte hotel.
It was upon April 22, 1887, that Mr. Hettinger first took up
his residence in Santa Clara county, locating at that
time at Mayfield, and for about a year was employed on the Stanford University
buildings. In 1890 he launched forth as
a contractor and builder, and at the time of his marriage, which occurred the
same year, he was $300 in debt. He had,
however, ability and perseverance. In
Oakland, where he next located, he found conditions unfavorable and in 1891
returned to Mayfield. Afterward he was
successfully engaged in building at San Jose, Los Gatos and at Palo Alto, removing
for a permanent residence to the latter place in 1895. In 1889 he erected the first building in this
place, which is now in the rear of the J. J. Morris real estate
office. With his office at his
residence, No. 541 Ramona street, Palo Alto, the intervening years have
been spent by Mr. Hettinger in the active pursuit of his chosen
occupation, and his many years of experience have not only thoroughly equipped
him for the business, but have inspired him with a keen appreciation and love
for the beautiful in architecture.
Finished products of his mind and hand are to be seen in many parts of
Santa Clara and surrounding counties as lasting monuments of his ability. Among the buildings erected by him or for
which he furnished and completed the exterior and interior woodwork we name the
following: at Palo Alto, the Stanford
building, the Dean & Dudfield building,
Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, Delta Tau house, and Episcopal church; at the
Stanford University, the assembly hall, library, department of chemistry
building and mechanical engineer building.
He also built the Stanford post office, Stanford University Memorial
Church, Stanford inn, Phi Delta Theta Club house, Delta Kappa Epsilon Club
house, Bachelors’ Club house, Delta Upsilon Club house, the George B.
Cooksey residence, the first five-story building erected in San Jose for James
Dougherty in 1884-85, the San Jose High School building, New Lyndon hotel at
Los Gatos, in addition to large buildings in Oakland and Menlo Park, in San
Mateo county. At the present time he has
the contract for the addition to the new museum.
The
home ties of Mr. Hettinger date back to November 30, 1890, for at
that time he wedded Miss Tillie Weisshaar, who was
born in Mayfield, Cal., where their marriage took place. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hettinger are
prominent in social circles, the former affiliating with Castle No. 62, K. of
P., of Red Bluff; and Lodge No. 294, A. O. U. W., of Mayfield, Cal. Although not particularly active in the
political field he is a supporter of the Republican party.
[Inserted by D. Toole.]
HETTINGER
ARTICLES
1883
Jul 31, The Montana Standard, P4, Butte, Montana
Mr.
E. A. Hettinger writes that he, with nine other carpenters from Butte are working on Dunekleburg and Morise’ grist mill at New Chicago. The mill will cost $20,000 and will be completed
by the middle of October.
1890
Jul 19, The San Francisco Call, P2, San Francisco,
California
E.
A. Hettinger of Mayfield, J. C. Whalley and wife of
Seattle, George Schench, wife and two daughters,
Joseph McLaughlin, William F. Satterwhite of San Bernardino
and E. W. Harner of Philadelphia are recent arrivals
at the Wilson House, Oakland.
1890
Dec 2, San Francisco Chronicle, P10, San Francisco, California
Marriages
Hettinger-Weishaar – November 30, at the residence of the bride’s
parents, by Rev. Father Reardon of Menlo Park, Ely[sic] A. Hettinger of Oakland
to Tillie Weisshaar of Mayfield.
1928
Dec 10, San Francisco Chronicle, P12, San Francisco, California
Hettinger
– In Palo Alto, December 9, 1928, Eby A., beloved
husband of Tillie Hettinger, a native of Red Bluff, Cal. Funeral notice later.
1928
Dec 12, San Francisco Chronicle, P12, San Francisco, California
Hettinger – In Palo Alto, December 9,
1928, Eby A., beloved husband of Tillie Hettinger, a
native of Red Bluff. Cal. Friends are
invited to attend the funeral Wednesday, December 12, at 2:30 o’clock, from the
Tinney Funeral Home.
Entombment, Alta Mesa Cemetery.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1183-1184. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.