San Joaquin County
Biographies
VICTOR V. HECK
VICTOR V. HECK, grocer of
Stockton, is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, born September 11, 1841, his
parents being Jacob and Amelia (Wills) Heck, both of whom were born in Europe;
when he was a child of but six months, his parents removed to New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and there he was reared until he had reached the age
of sixteen years. He received his education there and at Bryant, Lusk and
Strattan’s Business College, Cleveland, Ohio. In 1857 the family removed to Missouri, settling three miles east of Neosho, on Joy’s Prairie, Newton County, where they had a farm.
Victor V. Heck, subject of this sketch,
not being adapted to farming, concluded to find some occupation more congenial,
and left home late in the same year that the family removed to Missouri. He got a situation carrying mail on one of the
routes out of Neosho, for A. J. Burden, and drove stage teams three
months. Afterward for about a month, he carried mail from Sacoxie to Turkey
Creek mines, and next went to work for Wiley & Johnson, carrying mail from
Neosho to Fort Scott, Kansas. He gave up that situation, and went to work in the lead
mines at Granby for a short time. He was offered an opportunity to go
to Oregon, overland, by ox team, and decided to go. On the 3d
of May, 1860, a company of ten wagons (with whom was Mr. Heck), went to Fort
Scott, where they joined with the McVey train, and started on the long trip
across the plains, Mr. Heck driving an ox-team. They had no difficulty until
arriving at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas, on the middle route to Oregon. The road had not been traveled for five years before
that, and was nearly as wild as ever. They had a skirmish with the Indians, and
drove them off, but lost ten head of stock. They kept a sharp lookout, and for
some time were saved considerable inconvenience on account of the red-skins,
though they had no more trouble with them after crossing the mountains. The
first town they struck was Ashland, after traveling down Bear river. Thence they proceeded via Jacksonville and
Rogue river valley, across the Coast Range, to Crescent City, and thence up the coast, making their own road over
the mountains. They brought up at Pistol River, ten miles south of Ellensburg, and mined there that
winter. They then started back for California,
traveling through the State in different directions, by way of Yreka, Shasta, Butte,
and Soda creek, thence down the Sacramento
river. When they halted they
were at Petaluma. There Mr. Heck stopped, and he obtained work, being engaged
about there at different occupations, the man he crossed the plains with having
gone back to Iowa. Mr. Heck remained in the vicinity of Petaluma until
1863, then went up to Star City, Humboldt County, Nevada, where the famous
Sheba mine was then attracting such attention, shares in the noted swindling
concern having been run up from three-bits to $600 each. When he returned from
there, he went to San Francisco, and entered into the service of the Union,
in Company I, Sixth California Volunteer Infantry. He had been with the company
but a short time when he was promoted to Corporal, and a week or ten days later
was brevetted Sergeant and detached on steamer duty between San Francisco and
Panama. He served in that capacity till the close of the war, and was
discharged at Benicia thirteen days after his regiment was mustered out. He
was engaged at various avocations from that time until the Western Union
Company decided to build a telegraph line from San Francisco to St.
Petersburg, via Alaska. Mr. Heck went to headquarters and offered his
services for the expedition. Captain Wright, who was employing the men, gave
the preference to soldiers, and Mr. Heck, being one of the fortunate ones,
signed the roll April 1, 1866. On June 6, 1866, the barque “Palmetto”, with the
expedition on board, sailed for Petropaulovski. Their first stopping place was Honolulu, where they arrived July 2, 1866. On the 5th
of July, they resumed the voyage, which proved to be an eventful one. After
encountering severe storms, running over a reef, and meeting with many
dangerous experiences, they reached Petropaulovski in the latter middle of
August. Colonel Bulkley, who had gone before, had left orders there for the
expedition to go to Ghigiginski, and they reached that point about the last of
September, having been six weeks making 400 miles, the weather being intensely
cold. They were met by Major Abass, by whom they were given instructions as to
their future movements, and some necessary advice. They then concluded to
start, notwithstanding the weather, which had reached a frightful degree of
cold. Later, they met George Kennan, who was their division superintendent,
under Major Abasa. They traveled the country from Gigiga to Pengueni with dog
teams, a troublous incident of the journey being some difficulty with the
foreman, Sanford, in regard to salaries. Mr. Heck refused to work longer for
the wages he was receiving, and all the others but one followed him in that
movement. That was in May, 1867. They started back by dog teams to Gigiga,
where they arrived June 6. There they made arrangements with Mr. Kennan for
provisions and other necessaries to live comfortably until a ship could arrive
to take them back to San
Francisco. A
party of four--A. L. Bowser, Henry Preble, William O’Brien and Mr. Heck--went
to Myack light-house and pitched their tents there to await the arrival of the
ship. Mr. Kennan requested them to keep a look-out for any vessel that might
come into the gulf, and to send him a runner should one appear. None making
their appearance in time, Mr. Kennan paid them a visit. They manned a
whale-boat, and started across the gulf to see if they could sight a vessel.
They were fortunate enough to meet the barque “Sea Breeze” (Captain Hamilton),
sixty days from Honolulu. They boarded the vessel, and were splendidly
treated. While on the vessel they witnessed the process of cutting up a whale.
They remained on board till evening, and before taking their departure were
given a large number of newspapers of April dates. When they landed, they built
a fire, and sat down to read the news. One of the readers noticed an item which
stated that the Western Union Company had suspended operation in Northeastern Siberia, owing to the fact that Field’s cable had proved a
success. That was news indeed, and Kennan could hardly realize it. He cut out
the article containing the news, and took it back with him to surprise the
others. In September, 1867, the barque “Onward” (Captain Sands) arrived from San Francisco to take them home. The party, including Kennan,
boarded her, and she then proceeded to Yamski, where she took on three more,
thence went to Okhotsk, where the last installment of three was taken aboard.
The vessel then headed for San Francisco, where the party arrived without trouble save from the terrible storm
encountered between the Farallones and the Heads. The storm struck them in the
day-time, and before night they were running out to sea under a goose-wing
main-top sail and a jib. They rode out the most violent portion of the storm in
safety, and on the 8th of November anchored off Black Point, where
the water blew over the decks all night. After landing, Mr. Heck drew his pay
and went to Solano County, where he worked on a farm for Hall & Martin. He
worked until after haying, in the spring, and then started home to see his
parents. Going to San Francisco, he concluded he would like to see Stockton before going East, and coming here, he has remained
ever since. He was for several years engaged in various avocations, among them
clerking in a hotel, selling sewing-machines, sheep ranching in Nevada, and finally engaged with the firm of Buck & Hedges,
with whom he remained for eleven and a half years. In November, 1885, he
embarked in the grocery business for himself on the corner of California and Church streets, where he has built up an
extensive trade.
Mr. Heck was married in Stockton, April 27, 1872. His wife’s maiden name was Miss Mary
McCann. They have five children, viz: John, Nellie, Victor, Amelia and Irene.
Mr. Heck is financial secretary of Charter
Oak Lodge, No. 23, A. O. U. W., and of Jefferson No. 98, I. O. O. F., at Woodbridge.
Mr. Heck has had a varied experience, such
as falls to the lot of but few men, and has thus come into possession of much
valuable knowledge gleaned from personal experience, making him a very
entertaining conversationalist.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 322-324. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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