Monroe Hawver Really Was Killed

Benjamin Hawver and hs first 5 children

It's been somewhat of a mystery for as long as I have been researching him.

Monroe Hawver was the father of Benjamin Monroe Hawver, who went on to have 7 children and a very large clan that has extended down 5 generations full of descendants.

Benjamin's story is that when he was a teenager, he ran away from home because his step father, Ezra Pullen, beat him and treated him so bad that he couldn't stand it. He was later reunited with his mother (Julia Frances Keith) in San Fransisco after she left Mr. Pullen. In San Fransisco Ben met his wife to be, Magdalena Gall, and then off they went.

So if Ben ran away from his step dad, who was his real dad?

His name is Monroe E. Hawver. He was born around the year 1845 in the Wisconsin Territory (before it was a state). His father moved their family on a wagon train to California sometime in the early 1850s, and by 1860 they were living in Gilroy, CA.

On Sept. 6, 1874, Monroe was married in Hollister, CA (near Gilroy), to Julia Keith.

A few years later, their son Benjamin was born in Hollister on Sept. 22, 1877.

Then by the 1880 census, Julia and their son Benjamin were living on there own.

So what happened to Monroe?

The story that was passed down and later transcribed was that in 1879, Monroe was killed in an argument over a horse. I even had heard in the telling of it that it was a knife fight.

Years of searching online had not been able to confirm his death. I couldn't find a grave, or a death certificate, or a newspaper story. Now a death certificate was going to be hard, since the state of California didn't require standard death certificates until 1905. Before that each county had different ways of record keeping, if they even kept records at all. And as far as newspapers? I was assuming that his death might be listed in one, however not all newspapers from every year and every town have been digitized, so searching is only available online for certain papers and years.

It wasn't until just recently I came across this story in a more recently digitized paper, the San Jose Mercury-News. This story was published on June 15, 1883.

As you can see this story was about the death of Monroe Hawver that had happened tree years previous. Amazing. Also - Soda Springs, Idaho? That was new. So I did a search for Jesse Powell in the Idaho digitized newspaper archive and then came up with this gem, published in the Idaho Semi-Weekly World on August 10, 1880:

As you can tell from the two stories, Julia thought that the killing was not Monroe's fault. I'm more inclined to side with her, but there is no way to know for sure. I'm just extremely happy that I now have been able to confirm the story about being killed...in an argument...over a horse...even with a mention about a knife. I'm also super pumped about having a death date: July 29, 1880, and a death place: about 18 miles from Soda Springs, Idaho Territory (Idaho wasn't a state yet). So, happy 140th death anniversary today!

I'm sure there will be a little bit more to find eventually, since there was an original story written in a California newspaper, as referenced in the first story apologizing for being wrong about not believing his death. I hope to find that one and others in the continuing stories that this family has, buried in history.

New Year's Eve Love

I'm sure this isn't where their story began, but it feels like this is about the time that my wife's great grandparents, Raymond C. Wisner and Beatrice Hawver, started to get serious.

In 1918, Ray was 18 years old and Bea was 17. Ray and his parents moved to California from Illinois around 1910. They started off in the Lodi area and then homesteaded in the foothills near San Andreas. Here is a picture of the Wisner Homestead.


Another thing that I'm not quite sure on is the timeline of when they moved from Lodi up to San Andreas. I think they might have gone back and forth a couple times? Or maybe they still had a house in Lodi and San Andreas was their ranch?

When they moved to the homestead, they must have made some new friends. Maybe with neighbors, or maybe at church? I'm not completely sure that they were going to church at the time. Anyway, some of those friends to the Wisners, were the Hawvers. The Hawvers had lived in the area since around 1904. They sent this nice note to the Wisners, inviting them over for a New Years celebration.

Mr. & Mrs. Wisner,

You are invited to gather at the Canadian Valley farm to participate in a joint celebration, first enjoying yourself and to bid farewell to 1918 and welcome 1919. Second to bid farewell to our beloved neighbors Fishers. Also congratulate Miss Beatrice Hawver on successfully reaching the age of 18. Come early in the afternoon of Tuesday Dec 31.

B.M. Hawver

The picture below is from around 1918, of the Benjamin Hawver family, at their home in Calaveras County. Ben had lost his wife Magdalena in 1917, so it was just him and his 5 kids, Beatrice (17), Ruth (14), Gus (8), Judy (4), and Edith "Bobby" (3).

I came across another picture, that is the Hawvers with their neighbors. I'm wondering if these are the neighbors that they are saying goodbye to on New Years? The Fishers? It looks like everyone is wearing the same clothes as in the picture above.


So apparently, that get together on New Years was a great time for everyone, both young and old. A few days later, Ray wrote a letter to Bea, telling her lots things, including how his parents had a good time, his career goals, and also how much he likes her. Below is a transcription of that letter.


Jan 4, 1919

My Dear Friend:
I will write you a few lines to let you know that I arrived safely and to make a good beginning on my promise.

I am awfully lonesome just now. Have been just listening to a Victrola and you know that usually makes me sad and lonely. One of the pieces we played was " I'm sorry I made you cry." I think that's one of the prettiest songs I've heard for a long time. I can see you now, in my mind's eye, that afternoon after your father came home. I know how your heart must have ached, but you stood it all so bravely. The sight of those tears made me feel like crying myself.

I wouldn't make you mad for anything so I'll try not to write any more silly stuff in this letter anyway.

I had a long, slow and tiresome trip down here. I had rather rode a good horse. I got here at about 6:00 PM. I was awful cold then and is yet and has been for the last two or three weeks. I got my supper at the "Coffee Club" and then went and found a place where I could get board and room for $7 a week in advance so I paid for it last night & today. But I thought I could do better than that so today I russled around and found this place. I think I told you something of them. The people who live here I mean. The folks of those two boys whose pictures I showed you. I sleep in the attic with the boys. I had rather have a room of my own but we can't always have just what we want. I'm just like one one of the family here. I play the Victrola & piano whenever I feel like it. I pay $5.25 a week & my washing won't be over 50¢ a week. 



Jan 6, 1919.
Well, I started this letter and company came, so I didn't get to finish it. And yesterday I helped these people trim up some brush & in the afternoon we took an auto ride, they have a Ford. In the evening I took a little joyride with one of the boys. It was some ride too, believe me I told him I didn't want to "go west" just yet. I don't either. I feel that I have a great deal more to live for since I spent that last night & day with you. It seemed to me that we had a kind of understanding between us that last night when we said good-bye. I know I understand you better than I ever did before, and it only makes my friendship grow truer and tenderer. I wish I could be with you more, but I suppose you don't. At least that is the impression I got from what Percy said about you a Danie that afternoon when I left San Andreas. I was the happiest person on earth, in spite of leaving everything behind, until I saw him, and then most of my doubts came back again. I surely hope there's nothing in it.

I hope all this doesn't make you mad. I am trying to write with the Victrola going. It's a pretty hard thing to do.

I went to work today. It seems kind of good to be back in the mill again. I may go into the butcher business. It's harder work and longer hrs. but more chance for rapid advancement. I could have gotten into the market up there if I had known of it, is what started me to thinking of it.

You wouldn't have any objections to a fellow who was a butcher would you? Please answer this. It may make a lot of difference in my plans. It would be easy to write if I knew how I stand, with you. If I could only be sure you cared. I wish I could see you and talk it all over with you. Maybe you think I am too young. I know I am awful thoughtless and babyish sometimes. I hope to outgrow that though. I out growed an awful lot of it that last day with you. Life seems so much more serious now.

I remember you saying you wanted to knit your father a sweater. I asked mother to knit me one but she thinks she can't. Would you knit me one if I sent you the yarn? The yarn costs about $3. I would love to have something like that made by your hands.

I don't believe anything has done the folks so much good, as that little New Year party, since they have been up there. It all started by you & Ruth & Maurice coming over that Sunday. It has all put a lot of life back in her. She loves Ruth and Maurice but she more than loves you (if that is possible). I don't give her any credit for that though, I don't see how anybody could help it. That makes me worry sometimes too. Mother said you were awful sweet and pretty & she didn't blame me for liking you, but thought I had good judgement. She said I looked awfully happy that night. I couldn't help it, I don't remember of ever being happier. Well when you get this read I suppose you'll think you've read enough for once. If it makes you mad just tell me and I'll try not to let it happen again.

Yours forever,
Ray

P.S. This is an awful messy letter but I haven't time to copy it so please excuse this time. Please write right away & please don't be angry with me. You know I'm lonesome. If you didn't get my card my address is: 505 Hilborne Street. Lodi, Calif.
Please write. I gave up going on another joy ride tonight to finish this. Yours ever, Ray.

Workday Wednesday - National Ice Company

My wife's great great grandfather Benjamin Hawver worked at the National Ice Company in Floriston California, near the Nevada border. I recently came across this picture from 1900 and was very excited to see it.

Thanksgiving 1936 at the Hawvers

While having Thanksgiving with relatives, I was looking through old family albums searching for old pictures and came across this one from 1936 in Rail Road Flat, CA. I guess they didn't want future generations to know the identity of the little boy in front.

Falling In Love From Across The Street

There is a story from my wife's side of the family that tells how her GG Grandparents met. They were Benjamin Hawver and Magdalena Gall. He was born in 1877 and she was born in 1880. They were both living in San Francisco with their parents and the story is that she was washing windows while he was working outside the same building, and their eyes met and they fell in love.

I was doing some research on her father Gottlob Gall and found him listed in the Langley's San Francisco Directory each year for over 20 years (from 1884-1905). By the way those directories are available on sfgenealogy.com. He was a baker, and during his time in San Francisco he worked at and eventually became the proprietor of the "Volz & Gall bakery & coffee saloon" which was located on 28 4th St., just off of Market St. Here is a listing from 1895.


In the same directory I also found an entry for Benjamin's mother Julia. She worked at a cigar and tobacco shop, that just happened to be across the street at 41 4th St!


Assuming that this is indeed Benjamin's mother, I don't think that I could get any closer to finding documentation that proves this story, short of having the love story printed in the San Francisco Call itself. The fact that their parents both worked across from the street from each other would definitely put them in close enough proximity to bump into each other and fall in love.

The address of the bakery (28 4th St.) was in the Pioneer Building. So it would have been one of those little shops that was at the bottom. Today that building is an Old Navy, but back then the building was different. Across the street is a modern day Marriot where the cigar shop would have been. Here is a picture of the Pioneer building from 1888.


Then in 1906 San Francisco had it's famous earthquake and most everything was damaged, either in the earthquake or in the fires. Here is the same Pioneer building in 1906. You can see that the shape of the windows are the same.


All this to say, I don't know if their eyes met in the window or not, but it appears that they were both in very close proximity, at the same time, and so it is a good chance that this is the building where they met.

The many husbands of Julia Frances Keith

My 3 Great Grandmother, Julia Frances Keith, has been somewhat difficult to research. According to her death certificate, she was born on 30 May 1856 in Placer County, California. Ok, cool she was born to pioneers, but that makes it hard to find record of her birth cause California had only been a state for about 6 years. Family stories say that she was born in the next county over, Nevada County. Regardless...still hard to find.

If that wasn't bad, family stories also say that she had been married 3 times, so her name kept changing. I've discovered that she was actually married 4 times. So in the end, I do have a trail of info on her, but I don't know what that says about her life, having 4 husbands. She could have picked bad husbands, or maybe she was more at fault.

My starting point was family stories. Fortunately a relative of mine had written them down, and you can read them here. Julia's first husband was Monroe Hawver. I since have found him to be Monroe Emilious Hawver (ca 1845-1879). They were married on 6 September 1874 in Hollister, San Benito Co, CA. I found mention of their marriage in the San Benito Advance, off of newspaperabstracts.com, and also in the county marriage records book:

Marriages Recorded in San Benito County, California Beginning 1874
Book 1 Page 18
HAVWER, M.E. native of Wisconsin, resident of Hollister, aged 28 years obtained a Marriage Affidavit on September 2nd, 1874 and married KEITH, Julia, native of California, resident of Hollister, aged 18 years on September 6, 1874 as witnessed by H.S. DRYDEN

They had a son Benjamin in 1877, and then in 1879 Monroe was killed by a Mexican in an argument over a horse, or so the story goes. I hope to prove or disprove that story, but the newspaper for the area has a gap for the year 1879, at least on newspaperabstracts.com. I've looked and the newspapers do exist, but only available at the library at UC Berkely or something like that. One thing that I did find was Julia and son Benjamin living on their own in 1880 in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County:


On 20 February 1881, Julia was married in Watsonville to W.N. Bardue. I believe his full name to be William Nelson Bardue.

The Pacific Coast, March 5, 1881
Married -- BARDUE - HAWVER -- in Watsonville, Feb. 20th, W.N. BARDUE to Mrs. Julia F. HAWVER

But by 1883, she was getting a divorce from him:

The Hollister Democrat, March 2, 1883
Personals --
The case of BARDUE vs. BARDUE, divorce, came up for hearing before Judge BREEN yesterday

Then around 1885 or so, Julia married again. This time to Ezra F. Pullen. The family story is that he beat Julia's son Benjamin, which led to him running away. I haven't found a marriage record for them yet, but did find a few articles mentioning their names. Here is one relating to Julia's niece staying with her.

Salinas Weekly Index, Thursday, 28 Apr 1892
Hollister ‘Free Lance,’ 22nd: Mrs. Ezra PULLEN appeared before the superior court Monday and produced Isabella KEITH, in response to a writ of habeas corpus issued out of the supreme court. Judge BREEN ordered the child to be returned to the Sisters of Charity and turned over to her mother, Mrs. W.E. KEITH of Panoche. The sheriff was charged with the execution of the order. The contempt proceedings against Mrs. PULLEN will come up for hearing today. It is very probable that they will be dismissed, however, as Mrs. KEITH is indisposed to push the matter.

A few years later, Julia came in contact with her son that ran away. She moved to San Francisco to be with him, and divorced Mr. Pullen. An article about her divorce in the San Francisco Morning Call, on 24 Jan 1895, points to his alleged violent behavior:


About 5 years later Julia married again. This time to Gustav David Hirschler, on 1 June 1900, in Floriston. I found a mention of their marriage in an article relating to marriages of people who possibly had not been divorced yet (15 June 1900, San Francisco Call).


Whether the divorce was finalized or not doesn't really matter because Ezra Pullen died in 1895. In 1910, the trail of Julia is picked up again in the census record. But now it appears that she is not living with her latest husband, and is instead living with her son again, in the town of Mokelumne Hill, CA.


To make things even more confusing, it looks like she is mentioned twice in the 1910 census. The other time she is listed as Mrs. G.D. Hirscher living in Meadow Lake, CA. So is she still living with her husband, or did she move out in between when these 2 census records were being filled out?


I'm always on the hunt for more information, but I don't know if that will lead to more answers. I don't know if she ever had any more children. I don't know if some of the marriages were good or bad, or if it was her fault or one of her husbands fault for having the marriages fail. One thing for certain though is that she didn't like to be alone. Even in death, she is buried in between her son and his wife.


Update: I have discovered a 5th husband! This one was before the other 4. Crazy.

Sacramento Daily Union, 1 July 1872

MARRIED

In Panoche Valley, Fresno County, June 20th, by A. F. Gove, Justice of the Peace, Charles C. Wainright, Late of Ohio, To Julia Frances Keith. 

Julia would have been about 16 years old in 1872. They must have gotten a divorce. Charles Wainright married again in 1879 to Ramona Carteron, and on their marriage record it says that he was previously married to Julia Keith and that she was still living.

Black Sheep Sunday - Mr. Pullen

I don't know of too many black sheep in my family, but this guy would probably qualify. The story that has been passed down is about a man named Mr. Pullen. I guess technically he is not a blood relative, but he still had a big impact on the family.

Mr. Pullen was the 3rd husband of Julia Frances Keith. Julia had been married to Monroe Hawver in 1874, had a son in 1877 by the name of Benjamin, and had become a widow in about 1879. She married Mr. Ezra F Pullen around 1885. He had a ranch in King City, near Hollister, California. The story goes that Mr. Pullen was a bad husband and would frequently beat her son Benjamin. When Ben was 12, Mr. Pullen kicked him so hard in the groin that Ben was injured. When he got better, Ben ran away from home and went to San Francisco. He wrote to his mom to let her know that he was ok, but Mr. Pullen intercepted the letters before they got to her. But one letter finally got through to her when Ben was about 16 or 17, and she left Mr. Pullen to go live with Ben.

This story was passed down by one of the daughters of Benjamin. So far the evidence that I have found seems to support the movements of Julia and her son Benjamin. And I did find in the San Francisco Call a mention of their divorce.


Although this little mention in the newspaper doesn't prove the story passed down, I think that this little line seems to speak to Mr. Pullen character: "In his answer to his wife's complaint for divorce, Ezra F Pullen denies that he drew a knife on his wife and threatened to cut her heart out."

And today happens to be the anniversary of Mr. Pullen's death. He died on 22 April 1895. Although I didn't know him, or even about him until the last couple of years when I started researching him, I couldn't help but find some satisfaction when I found his grave. He is buried next to his parents in Hollister, California.

The Hawver's 112th Anniversary

I had been searching for a long time, and when I found this marriage record in the San Francisco Call, I got pretty excited. It was not known the exact date of Benjamin Monroe Hawver and Magdalena Maria Gall's marriage, but this little bit of text gave our family the info we needed. It was partially hard to find because of the misspellings, but as you can read they were married 112 years ago today on 15 April 1900 in San Francisco.

Beatrice Marie Hawver turns 111

There has been conflicting stories about how Beatrice Marie Hawver was born, or more specifically to whom she was born. One story that was passed down was that her father slept with a prostitute in San Francisco, she gave birth to Beatrice, and he raised her and later married someone else. I think the basis for that belief was that for the first few years of her life, Beatrice lived mostly with her grandparents, and felt detached from her parents. She may have thought that she was adopted, and I think that that is how the story got started.

The evidence that I have found surrounding her life does not support that story of her birth. I believe she was a ligitamate child. Her parents, Benjamin Monroe Hawver and Magdalena Marie Gall, were married on 15 April 1900 in San Francisco. Here is a mention of their marriage in the San Francisco Call on 16 April 1900:


His name is misspelled, but it usually is in most of the records that I find. Around 9 months later, on 6 January 1901, Beatrice was born in Floriston. Here is the mention in the San Francisco Call on 18 January 1901:


Before she died, Beatrice wrote down in a note where she was born, and she said it was Floriston, not San Francisco, which is consistent with the newspaper. If she was born in Floriston, why would the supposed prostitute mother move with Benjamin and his new wife from San Francisco to Floriston and then hand the baby over? Even without a birth certificate to say conclusively who her mother was, I think that I have enough evidence to disprove the prostitute story.

Who was Benjamin Monroe Hawver?

So who was Benjamin Monroe Hawver? Until relatively recently I didn't know very much about him. If he was alive, today would be his birthday, and he would be 134 years old. He was born on 22 Sep 1977 in Hollister, San Benito Co, California. Thanks to a few sources I have been able to confirm that date, but the oldest of those sources has to be from the San Benito Advance, about a week after he was born. Thanks to the awesome work of someone, a whole bunch of abstracts have been taken from area newspapers which allowed me to find this gem of info:

San Benito Advance
September 29, 1877
=================
Born -- at Hollister, Sept. 22nd, to the wife of M.E. HAWER, a son.

If you are wondering where you can possibly find info like this, go to newspaperabstracts.com. Not all localities have the same amount of transcriptions, but you might get lucky like I did.

A relative of mine took the time to interview Benjamin's daughter, Julia Louise "Judy" Hawver, before she died and was able to write down some of the family stories. Much of the story revolved around Benjamin and here are some of the highlights:

Benjamin's father was killed in 1879 by a Mexican man in an argument over a horse. I have not been able to prove or disprove this story yet. That year has not been transcribed on newspaperabstracts.com yet. But by 1880, according to the 1880 census, Benjamin and his mother Julia were living by themselves in Watsonville, Santa Cruz Co, California.

Benjamin's mother went on to marry 3 other men. One of the men was named Pullen. I believe his first name was Ezra. According to the family story Mr. Pullen was not a kind stepfather and frequently beat young Ben. When Ben was 12 Mr. Pullen kicked him so hard in the groin that he was injured. When Ben had recovered he ran away to San Francisco.

On his way to San Francisco, Ben had to beg for food. One place after breakfast Ben was told by the woman of the house that he could go split wood to pay for his meal. Ben split wood for a couple of hours and then went to check with the lady to see if they were square. The lady indicated that he needed to split some more wood to which he replied "but I didn't eat that much."

Ben continued to support himself by doing odd jobs. Some local taven keepers took a liking to him and would allow him to eat the hard boiled eggs and nuts which they left for their patrons. Ben would frequently write his mother, but Mr. Pullen intercepted and destroyed them before they could reach her. When Ben was 16 or 17 a letter did get through to his mom. Julia left Mr. Pullen and went to live with Ben in San Francisco. After arriving there she divorced Mr. Pullen and stayed with Ben.

When Ben was 20, he met a girl named Magdalena Gall. The story goes that she was washing windows while Ben was working outside the same building. They saw each other and fell in love. Magdalena's father was a strict old German and would not allow his daughter to date young men. So they eloped.

I was able to confirm their marriage in the San Francisco Call, by going to the historic newspaper section of the Library of Congress


Benjamin had 5 children with Magdalena:
Beatrice Marie b. 6 Jan 1901
Ruth Frances b. 18 Jul 1904
Gustav B. b. 10 May 1909
Julia Louise b. 2 Jul 1913
Eleanor Edith b. 28 Oct 1914

The only picture that I have of Ben and Magdalena is this one with baby Julia.


Magdalena died in 1917, and Ben would later get re-married to Edith Florence Beckman. They had a couple more kids together:
Reatha Caroline b. 20 Jun 1926
Monroe Chester b. 20 Jan 1928
Unnamed b. 16 Jun 1931

Benjamin was a rancher and a stock raiser in Calaveras County. Benjamin died on 28 June 1938 in San Andreas, Calaveras Co, California. He is buried next to his mother and 1st wife in the Mokelumne Hill Cemetery, Mokelumne Hill, in Calaveras County. On a recent trip I was able to stop in and see the County Clerk for Calaveras County and got a copy of his death certificate.

          
For more details on Ben, check out my info on World Connect at Rootsweb.com.
And for the full transcription of Julia Hawver's memories, you can check them out on my Flickr page.

--Update 24 Nov 2011--
I was able to find and scan a picture of Benjamin Monroe Hawver taken around the time of his oldest daughter Beatrice's wedding, which would have been in 1921. He wanted a family picture of himself and his 5 children.