San Joaquin County
Biographies
ALEX. HORN
ALEX. HORN, a farmer of
Castoria Township, was born in New York city, August 23, 1814. Being left an
orphan at the age of one year, he was raised by an uncle. At the age of
thirteen he was bound out as an apprentice to a cabinet-maker, serving seven
years. At the end of that time, in 1834, he was married to Miss Mary Ann
Simmons. In 1837 he was employed at the Brooklyn Navy Yards. In the fall of
that year, with his wife and child, he sailed for Mobile, Alabama, on a
merchant vessel. In January, 1838, he was employed in the Pensacola Navy Yards,
Florida. In the summer of 1838 he came to New Orleans where he remained a short
time. From there he embarked for Cincinnati, Ohio, settling in Covington,
Kentucky. While there he took an active part in the campaign of 1840, for
General Harrison, of log-cabin renown. He had participated in the previous Presidential
campaign of 1836, in New York city. The spirit of adventure still urging him
west, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, preparatory to getting on the frontier.
In the fall of 1841 he took passage up the Missouri river for Booneville, on
his way to Springfield, Missouri, at that time the most remote frontier town of
the State. There he worked at his trade until the fall of 1849, when he started
for Washington city, District of Columbia, in company with the late Governor
Phelps, of Missouri, at that time a member of Congress. Held a position in the
Capitol during that long session when California was admitted as a State. Was
appointed Receiving Clerk of the Postoffice Department by Postmaster-General
Collamer in 1850, served until the end of the fiscal year 1853, when he was
removed by the Pierce administration. Returning, he went to work at his trade
again. During the long, cold winter of 1855-’56 he was caught in a blizzard and
nearly frozen, and became very much disgusted with the climate. Not being satisfied
with his previous adventures, he concluded to start across the plains to
California. He sold his farm at a sacrifice and bought fifty-six head of
cattle, and left the settlements in April of 1856. They were four and a half
months on the way. Lost half of the stock, and two young men in the train were
killed by the Indians or the Mormons. He was with the first emigrants to cross
the Sierra Mountains on the Big Tree road. On arriving here he settled on the
ranch of 320 acres, situated about eight miles from Stockton, where he has
resided ever since. He visited New York in 1878, with his wife and youngest
daughter, after an absence of forty-one years.
Alex. Horn and wife celebrated their
golden wedding at the close of 1884. Mrs. Horn died January 3, 1889. Their
children and grand-children number 25; they were all present at the
celebration, besides many of their friends. His children are as follows: Henry,
Mary, Matilda, John and Minnie.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 501-502. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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