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.

Four Generation Friday - Grandma Wisner

Beatrice Marie (Hawver) Wisner (1901-1992)
Lawrence Wisner (1924-2013)
Raymond Wisner (b. 1948)
Sandee (Wisner) Broersma (b. 1975)

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.

Happy Birthday JC Hawver

In Auburn, California, there is a person of local historical interest that happens to be my wife's 4th great uncle, and today is his birthday. He is Dr. JC Hawver, a dentist back in the late 1800s to early 1900s. He also made some paleontology discoveries in a cave in the area, and now that cave is named after him.

His house was abandoned, and a few years ago it was torn down to expand the parking lot for an In-N-Out Burger. But they put a plaque to commemorate him. However whoever wrote the inscription got his name wrong. His middle name was not Carpenter, it was Christopher. I read somewhere that they plan on correcting the error.

My Great Grandparents are 8th Cousins!

Maybe I'm a little weird, I think it's kinda cool that my wife's great grandparents are 8th cousins. Maybe "interesting" would be a better choice of words than cool...but in any case, the whole process has been really fun. Years of research led to finding a connection that forms a circle that spans 10 generations and around 300 years. Raymond Clifford Wisner married Beatrice Marie Hawver in 1921, approximately 300 years after their 7th great grandparents were born. I tried making a graphic for it in Excel. Check it out:

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - August & September

These are the last few entries from JC Hawvers diary. I wish I had more to transcribe. Maybe someday I will find more from another diary.

8-12 Went to Damascus by having Young our landlord wake us early. We had packed all we could last eve. So we were soon ready to start after breakfast. I gave a team a quarter to bring our valise up at it was coming today. The place is a cool one being in a ravine with north side hill so steep that the sun does not shine over the hill until eight oclock. It must be dreary in the winter. Met a friend who, in 1873 drove the store team from McKillicare and for the last twenty years. But at present is not paying expenses.

8-15 Drove down to Iowa Hill to get the mail as there seemed to be no prospect for anything to do today. We started at about eleven and reached there about one. It was very cloudy going down so it was very pleasant. But coming back it was very sultry until a thunder shower started. It came near giving us a wetting but did not as the top of the buggy is good. About nine of us turned out with a large saw and went for the big bee tree in earnest, then we had to send for wedges to get it down. Lots of cross bees, but little honey.

8-19 In the evening we went to Iowa Hill, got there just about dark after a splendid ride of about ten miles. This forenoon I put on some old clothes and rode into a mine through a tunnel over a mile long. The ride was nice and the mine extensive being drifted but the walk back out alone through the water was tiresome.

8-20 I have been around town all day trying to get something more than promises and talk. But have nothing to do. What a pile of mail mother sent last night. Among the rest we got our cards to Order of I.O.G.T., a letter from home and from Luties home also.

8-21 Got through work by a squeeze and started for Sunny South about four pm. It was good and dark when we got to the boundary house at the foot of a hill steeper than a house.

9-6 We attend the school party and dance it being in the house where we stop. It being the first dance Lutie and I have attended since our marriage. I may ask her to attend another but hardly think it for she will take no interest in the dance and requires more coaxing than the pleasure justifies.

9-12 Packed our traps up to the buggy and started to leave, but we were persuaded to remain to dinner. On settling with Abrams, his bill was fifty cents more than mine which was $59.50. We have been in Sunny South about three weeks. I cleared while here about $50.00 having done some good work. Now tonight we spend our first night in Towers Hotel, Michigan Bluff.

12-26 Auburn-1 granate dish pan, 1 corset #22 without pads, 3 prs ladies woolen hose and 1 pr #4 C shoes. Sacramento-Yardage & findings for dresses.

Lutie = Lucretia Backus, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister

Henry = Henry Hawver, JC's brother
Prince = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry

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.

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - June & July

Here is some more out of the diary of Dr JC Hawver. There were no entries for May transcribed in the document that I found, so either he didn't have any or there were some missing pages in the original when it was transcribed. Here are his entries for June and July 1878.

6-9 Stasia’s Birthday. Mrs. Beach and four children, K. Backus, M.J., Annie & Alice N. and others came down and we ate dinner under the apple trees in the orchard when the hay had been cut off.

6-10 Left home intending to ride to N. Bloomfield with Cunningham was too late so I rode up with the butcher, got up too late to do any work. Commenced board at Mrs. Victor’s again.

7-4 Father and Henry work on the road while the rest of us stayed at home having no way of going banbury. Fathers often and gay on a sled, but we will wait and take our Fourth when we get our horse and buggy and start out on the road. I hardly expect to get much of a Fourth.

7-7 Leonard got down from Downieville about nine oclock, bringing Prince and the buggy with him. This morning we hitched Prince up and drove to North Bloomfield to see Mr. Clerendall. Found he had gone to Nevada City with the remains of Wm. Nab who died last night from being thrown from his carriage, but we waited and rode home by moonlight after seeing him when we got home.

7-8 Took Leonard to N San Juan when I bought Prince and buggy from him, giving him my note with father to back it for $200 and Crandall to back it for $300. Father’s due in five months and Crandalls due 2-1-1879. Had prince shod as I came through Cherokee.

7-9 Father takes mother up to No Bloomfield in the buggy in the afternoon. Mother enjoyed the rest.

7-14 Father and all hand laid off the road today, to finish tomorrow. Henry hitched up Prince and took Stasia up to Mrs. Nichols and around for a ride. I filled several teeth form Mr. Talbot.

7-15 Father finished his road at six and got home at supper time. He said a month ago that he would finish the 15th of July but I guess it was more of a happenstance than anything.

7-17 Mother made us a good dinner and as we had all things ready, we started on our first pilgrimage from home about two oclock. Lutie did not seem to mind the start much but it was hard for me to say goodbye and start out from home. Henry seemed to feel it as much as anyone. Everyone has been made so pleasant for me at home that I feel humbled too much to try and express my gratitude in words. So here we are in Nevada City, 10 miles away from there. Tomorrow we will put 14 miles more between us as we will drive to Colfax.

7-18 Made Colfax by late supper time. The road was terrible coming from Grass Valley. The influence of the railroad has been against the major road so now it is in poor trim. Have found a good place to stop at the Exchange Hotel.

7-19 Spent the day resting and looking around Colfax thinking that if work enough came in we could stay here a day or a week but as I have found nothing we will break for Iowa Hill in the morning. Colfax being a railroad town it had excitement enough to keep it up but should judge that the real business done amounts to but little.

7-20 Reached Iowa Hill 10 miles from Colfax between twelve to one. Got dinner and put up at J. Youngs Star Hotel. We have either to make some money in Iowa Hill or pull out fairly soon because our dollars amount to but a very small sum. I think though that I will get something to do.

7-22 Extracted a lower right desideous lateral incisor for Mr. Young ad fifty years of age. The tooth had a perfect root but the crown was curious. It was the same length as his permanent teeth and shows plainly where tobacco has been chewed with it for years. Of course it had been the cause of a crowned denture, but was extracted on account of it’s decaying.

7-29 Everyone today had a piece of smoked glass. Watching the eclipse. I smoked the two front lenses in my small telescope and had a good view of the transit.

Lutie = Lucretia Backus, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister

Henry = Henry Hawver, JC's brother
Prince = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - April

Here are some more entries from the 1878 diary of JC Hawver, a dentist in the Nevada City area in California.

4-3 I have been home a week tomorrow and all I have done is to cut brush and burn it but even that has made real improvement in the looks of the hill above the house. We trimmed up some more small pine trees at the upper edge of the grove.

4-4 Dr. Leonard came up here when we arranged our account and we went home leaving me to do any work in this section would find to do, having finally made up his mind to sell his house and furniture and leave for the Black Hills. He now has my note for $200.00 and I our line besides that $86.

4-5 I went up town to get to do some work for Richardson but we bring in Cherokee jailed. I came home and spent the afternoon chatting with Lutie, Mother and Clara Hawley who came down to find Stu Evelvilles girls. Stasia is stopping with Mrs. Brigham for a few days doing some sewing for her.

4-9 Father hitched Tom to the Spring Wagon and I took myself and Traps to N. Bloomfield where I had a pleasant reception from all I met. Father, Mr. Creagan and myself had to give up bonds for the building of the road from Columbia Hill to Lake City. I thought they would let me off but not so. Today I start out in a world for myself with just $1.00 in my pocket and owing $300.00 with but one third of that amount coming to me that I could collect.

4-13 I packed my things away in a rush this morning to get a ride down home with Parzetti on the store team, it was going down to Talbots. Reached home in good season, but found Father was up town and been drinking badly for a few days. Mother was not yet returned from Corral where Father took her last Wednesday. Lutie and Stasia went with him but they came home Thursday. I found Lutie two days before the ususal time.

4-14 Somebody said it was ten when Lutie and I got up this morning but no one seamed to care much about it. The rest of the day was spent in taking a good bath and being Luties beau.

4-15 Henry and I hustled from home this morning over the Kennebec to take the stage for Humbug. We got there in time and our patience gave out waiting for it to come. I rode on the seat with the driver, sorry later when the snow blew thick some of the time. We found five inches of snow all over the ground this morning.

4-16 Took impression with plaster of paris, neither one of their plates are just what they aught to be for all they would do if no better could be made. Plaster surely takes a better impression of a flat mouth than the moulding compound does. I wrote to Leonard’s Folks to know when he would be home, desiring to go down there and have him show me how to set teeth.

4-17 This morning I was surprised to have a man come to the door and say “You are Dr. Hawver I suppose. I have a tooth and I want you to fill it for me.” It pleasured me sure. But I filled it and five more, he left me $12.50. It is sure like old times to fill a tooth again, but I do good work. This evening I finished reading the Crossing Voyager, sequel to the Young Hunters, written by Captain Maynard Reid.

4-18 I got Austin to take me and my traps to Relief Hill having given him $2.50 for the same. He is leaving me at the Relief Hill Hotel run by Mr. Lund which as I wrote before, I have found to be a well kept house with but one boarder besides myself, an old acquaintance named Milton Bau a fine young man. Attended a revival preaching.

4-19 Worked all day and attended Revival again. Preaching what I think.

4-20 Worked filling teeth, mostly with gold and cleaning tartar off teeth. It now strikes me that the higher up on this ridge I go the more tartar I find and the deeper yellow it shows. Rode with Mr. Panzetti from Relief Hill to Humbug.

4-21 Just after making up my mind to stay up and not go home today, Henry came up on Tom and we took him to the stable and Henry to the Barber Shop and had his hair cut. After he took dinner with me he took Tom and started for home. I did some work then struck out on foot for Relief Hill.

4-22 Work

4-23 Work then attend church to hear Mr. Redding preach his last sermon before he goes to N San Juan. His revival some days has resulted in twenty or more people joining the Church.

4-24 to 26 Work on plate. I finished Mrs. Lund’s plate and put them in. She seemed very much pleased with them though I was not when I put them in and found they were not as tight as they aught to be being a partial set, and she having good use of them. We settled up him paying me $16.00 for my work and I paying him $11.00 for my hotel bill. Road with Mr. Parzetti to Humbug and lodged at Victor’s Parish House.

4-30 Went with Lutie up as far as her mother’s gate where we had often met and often parted. I kiss her there and returned to meet the stage from San Juan to meet Stasia.

Lutie = Lucretia Backus, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister

Henry = Henry Hawver, JC's brother
Tom = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry