Santa Clara County
Biographies
HOOVER BROTHERS
(Henry
& Samuel M.)
In the livery business of Hoover Brothers the student of California history sees something more than a landmark of San Jose, founded in 1874 by men who, before and since that date, have been connected with some of the largest mule and horse government contracts in the state. Nor was the family name unknown during the historic year of 1853, when, on April 15, Henry Hoover was born, the senior member of the firm, and admittedly one of the most expert judges of horses and mules in the west. As far back as 1846 his father, Wesley, had traversed the trackless and danger infested plains from Missouri to the coast, displaying much courage and determination. To follow the course of this intrepid pioneer from his youth to old age is not only a pleasure, but a privilege, because he represents a type of men fast disappearing from the face of the earth, and because there are at the present time probably not half a dozen still living who came so early to the state.
Wesley Hoover was born June 2, 1820, on Stone’s River, Rutherford county, Tenn., his father, Mathias, having been born in West Virginia about 1800. His paternal grandfather, Christopher, also was born in West Virginia, and established the family in Tennessee at a very early day. The paternal great-grandfather, Mathias, came from Hanover, Germany, settling in what is now West Virginia, where he farmed and lived to an old age. Mathias, the father of Wesley, left Tennessee with his family and settled near Rusk, Cherokee county, Tex., where he died while the Civil war was devastating the land. Through his marriage with Nancy Warren, twelve children were born, all of whom attained maturity. Nancy Warren was a daughter of John Warren, who enlisted in the Revolutionary war at the age of sixteen, serving under Washington, with whom he spent the winter at Valley Forge. His uncle, General Warren, figures in American history as one of the heroes who lost their lives at Breed’s Hill, near Bunker Hill. John Warren removed to North Carolina, and later to Bedford county, Tenn., where, like the rest of his family, he lived to an old age. Wesley, the only child of Mathias to come to the coast, was reared on the Tennessee farm, sending his youth in monotonous fashion up to his twentieth year, working hard from morning until night, and receiving scant education in the small log schoolhouse near his home. Now, when eighty-four years have crowned his life, he recalls that night in November, in 1833, when the great meteoric shower took place, and it seemed as if the stars were leaving their celestial homes and flying through space to the earth. It was the privilege of Mr. Hoover to enlist in the state militia with the intention of helping to put down the trouble with the Seminoles in Florida, in 1842, but he only went as far as Macon when the trouble was adjusted, the Cherokees, who had not yet been moved to the west, having revolted and sought to join the Seminoles in the south. Left in Macon with few resources at his command, he found employment in a packing house for a couple of years, returning then to Tennessee, where he remained until February 1844. Mr. Hoover then went to St. Louis, visited the Jefferson Barracks at Jefferson City, went up the Missouri river to within ten miles of Independence and worked for a farmer for a couple of years. April 2, 1844, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Young, a native of Rutherford county, Tenn., and daughter of Samuel C. Young, a native of Tennessee, and an early settler of Missouri. Mr. Young lived in Jackson county for many years, and one of the most exciting incidents of his life was helping to drive the Mormons out of Missouri. His wife, Nancy (Lee) Young, also was born in Rutherford county, Tenn.
After his marriage Mr. Hoover bought government land and engaged in farming, making his home in a rude log cabin ten miles from Independence. He was a venturesome and energetic man, and having become accustomed to the frontier did not hesitate to push still farther into the unexplored wilds. The winter of 1845-46 was a busy one in the little house, for plans were being made for the long journey to California, and the first of May witnessed the loading of the wagon and the final hitching up of the strong oxen. Mr. Hoover chose the old overland trail which so many hundreds traversed after him, by way of Forts Kearney and Laramie and the Sweetwater river to the North Platte where the company camped four days, resting from their labors and laying in a supply of buffalo meat, their provisions having become sadly depleted. This association with the buffalo is one of the most graphic of Mr. Hoover’s memories of early days, and he recalls the river at which they drank, at times practically invisible because of the great numbers crowded into it. For miles around the country was black with the great champing fellows, and so vital a part of the landscape did they seem that it would have been the height of rashness to predict their ultimate extinction. At Fort Bridger the company met Hastings and Hedgepatch, who advised them to take the course south of Salt Lake, and in consequence of which they traveled a short distance with the Donner party, but, finding them too slow and arbitrary, pushed ahead on their own responsibility. So far south did they proceed that they barely escaped Death Valley, and, turning northwest, they crossed the desert, experiencing the most terrible sufferings from want of provisions and water. Finally they struck Fremont’s well, and after four days in the desert came to the Humboldt, and hence proceeded to Truckee. The weather was bitterly cold ere they reached the end of their journey, and the night before coming into California the mountains were so steep that they were obliged to double their teams and tie trees to the wagons in order to let them down easily. Arriving in Sacramento November 28, 1846, Mr. Hoover found the snow thick upon the ground and there seemed little for him to do but remain where he was for the present. He found employment with Mr. Sutter, but was much disappointed never to receive any pay for his work, so in the spring of 1847 he made his way to Alviso, and from there came by wagon to Santa Clara county. The Mexican war had in the meantime broken out, and he remained here until its finish, engaging with Mr. Young in the manufacture of lumber by hand, and growing enthusiastic over the climate and general advantages. In June, 1848, he went to the mines on Mormon Island, and having once gotten a start, returned to San Jose and located his family, going then to Coloma, and on to the North Fork of the American river. In the latter place he struck rich gold deposits, but when the deep fall of snow drove him out he returned to San Jose and invested in city real estate, thereafter buying and selling as the market seemed to warrant. In time he returned to the redwoods, manufactured lumber, but in 1851 was obliged to leave owing to the prevalence of cholera in the camps. In one of the camps he was unfortunately bitten by a rat, and the poison permeating his system nearly cost him his life. Mr. Hoover next turned his attention to cattle raising, first on Pine ridge and afterward on the Tulla river, San Joaquin valley, but the dry year of 1864-65 practically wiped out all of his cattle, and later disease invaded his stock and caused heavy losses. Until 1870 he bought and sold and managed different ranches in Santa Clara county, but since then has lived with his children in San Jose, and has undertaken various line of occupation, principally that of street contracting. To his taste and knowledge is due the improving of Alum Rock avenue for General Naglee, and he set out all of the trees which are now so much admired and make the drive a delight to the eye. Nearly six years were spent by him in beautifying St. James Park, and he otherwise contributed to the artistic upbuilding of the town of which he has been a retired resident for the past six years. Mr. Hoover has always been a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics came from the old time Whig to the Democratic party. It was his great satisfaction to have his married life a particularly happy one, and the wife who shared his lesser fortunes in the pioneer days tarried with him until December 25, 1901, her death occurring at the age of seventy-four years. There were six children in the family, of whom Henry and Samuel M. are in the livery business in San Jose; May is the wife of George Pickering of San Jose; Annie is the deceased wife of Mr. Lawrence of San Jose; Nellie died at the age of fourteen; and Adelaide died in infancy. Mr. Hoover’s memory is still clear, and his faculties alert, and he likes nothing better than to contrast the present with the past. He remembers when nearly all the houses of San Francisco were made of adobe, and when few had shingles, and there was but one built of boards.
Henry Hoover passed the first years of his life in the family home on Second street, San Jose, where the Fair is now located, and from where he went forth to his diversions with the other boys of the town, and to his studies at the district school. Later on he attended Bowen Academy and Santa Clara College, the latter for two years, and afterward spent two years on his father’s farm. He was still young when he became interested in the buying and selling of mules for the government, principally for the Arizona camp, built for protection against the Apaches. In his mule and horse contracting business he was for years associated with Henry Washburn, of San Francisco, terminating years of active business together about ten years ago. The partners shipped animals by the carload from Missouri and other middle western states, supplying practically all of the street car lines of the western cities, including San Francisco and San Jose, Mr. Hoover doing the buying, and Mr. Washburn the greater part of the selling. They worked up an enormous business, and for years had contracts with the San Francisco lines, doing what other contractor never did, taking back all animals which proved unsatisfactory, providing complaint was made within ninety days. They had a large corral on the corner of Fifth and Townsend streets, San Francisco, and for years took back all of the worn-out horses, paying the company $25 apiece for them. The business took Mr. Washburn many times to the middle west, and the names of both men became associated with the best and most extensive in the horse and mule buying and selling line on the Pacific coast. Mr. Hoover purchased his present place of business in 1874, on North First street, and since then the St. James Stables have catered to a large and paying trade, keeping pace with the progress in the business in other parts of the country, and having on hand always the equipages and general equipment of a first-class livery. Mr. Hoover is also interested in ranching, and besides an orchard of forty-two acres, with a family residence on Senter Road, he owns a fifty-six acre ranch in Berryessa, purchased in 1892, and twenty acres on McLaughlin avenue. He pays taxes on residence and business property in San Jose, and is one of the town’s most active citizens. His wife was formerly Jennie Jones, born in San Jose, and daughter of Nathan Jones, one of the very early settlers of Santa Clara county. A daughter, Gertrude, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoover, upon whom her parents have lavished every advantage within their power, and who is a talented and versatile young woman, being a graduate of King’s Conservatory of Music. In a business holding large possibilities for the shrewd and unscrupulous man, Mr. Hoover has maintained a reputation for fairness and integrity beyond the average. For years his judgment regarding the merits or demerits of a horse have been accepted as final, and he has done much to maintain a high standard, encouraging soundness, strength, and good blood as worthy the attention of breeders, and backing up his assertions by paying good prices for his animals. There are few men on the coast who have had his opportunities, or having them, have profited by them continuously for so long a time. About ten years ago he gave up dealing in mules entirely, and since has turned his attention exclusively to horses and his livery business.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1339-1341. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Joyce Rugeroni.