GEORGE WILLIAM HATMAN

 

 

George William Hatman was one of the sterling, venerable and honored pioneer citizens of San Francisco at the time of his death, in 1908, he having here maintained his home for more than half a century and having marked the passing years with worthy achievement and inflexible integrity of purpose.  He was born in Germany, where the original spelling of the name was von Huetman, and where his father was a farmer by vocation.  Mr. Hatman was a lad of thirteen years at the time of the family immigration to the United States, and he was reared to manhood in the State of New York, where he received the advantages of the common schools of the period.  His father died in 1871, and his mother had previously passed away.  Two older brothers of the subject of this memoir were gallant soldiers of the Union in the Civil war, in which both sacrificed their lives.

 

     Mr. Hatman and his young wife came to California in the year 1852, after an eventful voyage around Cape Horn.  While the vessel was off the mouth of the river Del Plata, it was dismantled in a severe storm, a jury mast having been rigged to take the place of those destroyed, and the boat having then put back to the Port of Rio de Janeiro, where it remained three months.  There Mr. and Mrs. Hatman transferred to another vessel, and while the same was in the Port of Valparaiso, Chili, for water and supplies, the first child of the young couple was born. Mr. Hatman arrived with his wife and infant child in San Francisco in April, 1852, and he soon found employment in driving a mule cart, he having received in compensation a gold slug worth $20 for each week of service.  The family home for some time was situated on Kearney Street, and later, after buying a pocketful of potatoes for $2.50, he engaged in the raising of the tubers in Spring Valley, which is now Union Street.  He bought property at a point between Gough and Frank streets, on the present Union Street, and here he engaged in the dairy business.  It is worthy of note that the house which was the family residence until 1867 was brought from China, and that eventually it was transformed into a chicken house.  Mr. Hatman continued in the dairy and chicken business until the time of his death, and was one of the venerable pioneers who lived to see San Francisco devastated by the great earthquake and fire of later years. Mr. Hatman was a charter member of the local Verein Eintroech, and was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, but his interests centered in his home, his devotion to his family having ever been unfailing.

 

     Mr. Hatman married Miss Mary Frances Rinke, who likewise was born in Germany, and who preceded him to the life eternal.  They became the parents of nine children: Mary Frances is the wife of William Ryan, of San Francisco; Wilhelmina became the wife of James Steele and is now deceased; Katherine Elizabeth is the wife of R. J. Andrews, of San Francisco; George Albert, Addie and Charles are deceased; William John is a prosperous citizen of San Francisco; Josephine J., is deceased; and Frank C. resides at Vallejo.

 

Transcribed 6-5-04 Marilyn R. Pankey.