SOCRATES HUFF

San Francisco County

Biographies

SOCRATES HUFF

SOCRATES HUFF, Treasurer of Alameda county, was born in Crawford county, Ohio, July 1,1827, a son of William and Pleasa (Garber) Huff. The father was born in New York State, in 1800, and the mother in Pennsylvania, in 1806; was married in Ohio, and in 1829 moved to St. Joseph, Berrien county, Michigan, being among the early settlers in that section. The mother died there, in 1830; her father reached the age of seventy-five, dying near Elkhart, Indiana. William Huff became owner of landed interests in the new settlement of St. Joseph, but his career was chiefly that of a country merchant and Indian trader. He died in 1848. Grandfather Huff had come from Georgia to Central New York; but the first American Huff was of the early Dutch immigration, some intermediate ancestor having probably settled in Georgia. Grandfather Huff lived to be over 100 years of age, and some of his children also reached advanced age.

The subject of this sketch had the benefit of such limited educational advantages as were accessible in the pioneer settlements of this period, and grew to stalwart and vigorous manhood in St. Joseph.

When the news of the gold discovery in California was confirmed, Mr. Huff, with his brother, L. B., and four others, set out for the land of golden promise, in February, 1849. Ascending the Missouri from St. Louis on the steamer Dacota, with their outfit for their journey across the plains, this steamer sunk some sixteen miles from Council Bluffs; the party escaped with their lives, with loss of entire outfit. Fitting out again at Council Bluffs, they crossed the river and started on the weary trip by the usual route, by way of Salt Lake and the Truckee Pass, reaching Bear river on August 12, 1849. There Mr. Huff was quite successful in mining, but thinking business more profitable proceeded to Sacramento, where he engaged in business for a short time. The hardships of the journey across the plains and the malaria of Sacramento constituted a succession of assaults that had a serious effect on even his rugged constitution. Leaving Sacramento, he reached the Mission San Jose, in what is now Alameda county, remaining in that section until March, 1851, when he visited the Eastern States.

Beginning in August, 1851, he bought a freighting vessel, and engaged in that business, plying between Alvarado, San Francisco and Stockton, until November, 1852. He then made another trip to the East, and was married, February 14, 1853, to Miss Amelia Cassaday, born in Pennsylvania, in 1833, a daughter of James Cassaday, who had afterward settled in Cook county, Illinois, at what is now Pullman, near Chicago. Her father reached the age of sixty-five, but her mother died at about middle age. After his marriage, Mr. Huff went to Iowa, whence he drove a herd of cattle to Green valley, Alameda county, where he resided until 1857, when he went to Haywards. In 1859 he again went East, accompanied by his wife and children. Returning once more, in December, 1859, he settled at San Leandro, which has been the home of the family, though he was afterward engaged in mercantile business in Carson City some years prior to 1870. Meanwhile, in 1863, he was first elected Treasurer of Alameda county, holding the position four years. Besides his farming and real-estate interests, he has been interested in banking and insurance business. Always faithful in the discharge of the duties of citizenship, Mr. Huff has been active and prominent in the domain of politics, and was a delegate to the National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1880. He was again elected County Treasurer in 1886, and re-elected in 1888 and 1890, his present term ending with the close of 1892. His unblemished reputation for integrity and absolute uprightness of character makes him an ideal treasurer, commanding the unquestioning confidence and unqualified respect of the whole community, without reference to party lines.

Mr. and Mrs. Huff are the parents of seven daughters, all born on this coast; Ida, the wife of J. F. Sloane, a native of Pennsylvania, now secretary and treasurer of the Lindsley Mercantile Company of Spokane, has one son, Sidney H., born in that city in 1889; Jennie, residing with her parents; Katie, deceased in 1883; Nellie E., the wife of Orrin P. Downing, born in Valparaiso, Chili, of Massachusetts parents, now a wholesale druggist of San Francisco, has two children Edith and Bonnie Downing; Carrie, Mamie and Laura, all residing at San Leandro.

Transcribed by 11-17-06 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 172-173, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.

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