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

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - March

More from the 1878 diary of JC Hawver. Here are his entries from March:

3-2 How glad I am to be home with Lutie and here in bed waiting for her to come. She is taking her bath, I have just had mine.

3-3 Tom threw me off this morning, he took objection to the belly band of the saddle bags. Nobody hurt more than a frightening.

3-4 Mother commences her 54th year today so I stay to take breakfast at home in which there were 18 Robins (she had 19 children but only 8 survived). I bought Mother my present, really one she needed, a set of glass ware. This day passed pleasured indeed.

3-7 This evening Lutie and I attended N Bloomfield Lodge. We had a very pleasant meeting with the members and witnessed an initiation also heard a very enlightened remarks made by Bro. Richard Jones.

3-10 Tried to be Luties beau in the afternoon taking her to see the air compressor and Burley drill in the MBGM Co. Tunnel at shaft #7, it is a complicated machine making ____ feet per month.

3-11 Moved my engine and things down to Edwards Hotel so that I might keep Lutie company while I have work to do and as I was expecting to get to clean Katies teeth, but she went to school in the afternoon we arrived to avoid having them cleaned (her mother is an Irish man you can bet the world). The Double Shaft struck blue gravel last night.

3-12 Had callers and Lutie and I visit a woman with three children.

3-16 Lutie went down in the Stage and I rode Tom down home though we both walked from the west edge of the turning of the Stage Road. Lutie was up with me for 11 days and our bill was $5.50.

3-20 How good it is to arrive home where everything is cherished, pleasant and comfortable.

3-21 It seemed harder than ever to leave Lutie and start for Humbug to work.

3-28 I left N. Bloomfield this morning with the purpose of going to spend another week with Dr. Leonard, have him fill my teeth and see him perform more plate work. But when I got home I did not get off in time for the Stage so here I am at home with Lutie.

Lutie = Lucretia, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister
Tom = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - February

Here is the continuing saga of JC Hawver's daily life in his own words. These are his entries from February 1878

2-1 Saw numerous friends in No Bloomfield, thinking it would justify I concluded to take my instruments up by stage in the morning. Brought Lutie home a pair of of rubber over shoes lined with flannel and buckling in front of the ankle a unbleached cloth. Brought Mother home three balls of knitting cord for # 1 I got five linen collars #15 of course my favorite style. Father was as indulgent as ever this morning. I told him how Mother thought he humored me to much.

2-4 Reached N Bloomfield some where about noon, was hospitably received by Mr. Smith and his deserving daughters Nellie and Tillie and son Fulton. I saw Tom (horse) in good comfortable quarters then took dinner and went to work. It took all day as there was much decayed teeth. 2-5 Continued work, and attended lecture of Mr. Leland and his reorganization of North Bloomfield Lodge #460 of the I.O.G.T.

2-6 This morning I stepped into the first snow I have met with this season. The south wind came near severing the roof as it did about blow it off. This at Victors house where I slept for the night and where I slept and roomed with McAllister during the winter of 73-4.

2-7, 8 & 9 Put in gold fillings and cleaned teeth, spent the evenings with friends.

2-9 Had an appointment with a man for this afternoon but he failed to appear so I mounted Tom and headed straight for home, where I was glad to get and glad to be welcomed back. Lutie, Stasia and I went to lodge where we were elected to different jobs.

2-10 The fornoon had slipped away before I had any thing done but to taking my bath. Lutie and Mother went with me as far as the edge of the Diggings as I went to Columbia Hill where I did some work.

2-11 How hard work it was for me to leave Lutie and the pleasantness of home this morning as I got ready to start for Humbug. When I reach my journeys end safely about one pm for all it rained steady since morning. But taking the tops of a pair of gum-boots for leggings and a blue cloak with Tom to ride I came out all dry. Many thanks to Mr. Kallenburger the barber for his room and use of his new chair. I did much good work.

2-18 Edwards Hotel in Humbug is the only place in town that will comfortable enough for Lutie when she comes to stay.

2-20 Played cards at the Barber shop and took a lesson to not encourage card playing. Wish Lutie was here!

2-22 It is not many years since I could lay in bed and hear dancing going on over my head. (Washington’s Birthday Dance in the Hotel where he stayed).

2-24 Have many friends in N San Juan but barely any work. Instead of spending my money for cards and liquor, I will spend it to improve my instruments and do better work.

Lutie = Lucretia, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister
Tom = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry

Amanuensis Monday - JC Hawver's 1878 Diary - January

This weekend I visited the Doris Foley Library in Nevada City, CA. I went with my dad and he was checking out some maps of the area and property maps of where his house is. While he was doing that I took a quick look at the card index to see if there was anything on the Hawvers that lived in the area, and there was.

There was a transcription of the 1878 diary of JC Hawver, who was a local dentist and later became a prominent person in Auburn. This transcription was done by his great great granddaughter. I took some pictures of the transcription and later read through it at home. I found out a couple bits of information that I didn't know, and the entries even though they were pretty short painted a picture of his daily life in the foothills that I thought was pretty interesting. So I thought others would be interested to read what he had written. Here are his entries for January 1878.

1-1 Bro. Brall--- traveled over 120,000 miles while working in the cause of temperance, will never know the good accomplished.

1-22 Shouldered my Engine and packed it up to Columbia Hill. Cleaned Pat Farrel teeth, charged him two dollars, the first work I have done out side the Family. Put a nice gold filling for Eva Hallowell, what a feat, one that Dr. Harris of Grass Valley had put in came out. Got home just in time for supper though it rained like spit. Just at dusk we set out a lard can in a fair place to catch the rain, that we might see about how much rain falls. Recd. a letter from Dr. J.C. Leonard.

1-23 Put in another gold filling for Mrs. Hallowell. I think I have made a success of the work done for her which amounted to $5.00. Finished the day on Emerson Fowler’s teeth. Got home through less rain. Lutie and Stasia washed but stand a poor chance to get the clothes dry.

1-24 Finished Emerson Fowler’s teeth using New Amalgum and Hills White Stopping to fill his teeth with, charged $10.00 with the understanding that when they got the money I would take out the stopping in the front teeth and fill them with gold for $5.00 more.

1-25 Packed my traps over to Mr. Hulband’s house. Found a splendid room to work in, well lit and warm. Filled two cavities with amalgam for Mrs. Hulband. Got home hungry as I quit Fowlers to soon for dinner and to Hulbands to late.

1-26 Repaired tree cavities and filled them with gold for Hulbands, finishing the job of filling then pulled a root for Anne and a lower right molar for Nellie. I called their bill $23.00. Took a walk up to the post office and back and packed my instruments home through the rain. Spent the rest of the day listless enough.

1-27 I had intended to go to N San Juan today but it looked so much like rain and a late start caused me to stay at home. I pitched quarts with Henry and shoot a revolver at a marker with Stephens, they both beat me. I was about as successful a beau for Lutie in the end, but I will always be her friend. And how did it rain! Mr. Wm Stephens did the most for our entertainment but in consequence had to go home in a coat that I loaned him.

1-28 Went to N San Juan and back home. Father fixed up Tom (horse) all good and nice for me to ride him to N San Juan, could not say what I appreciated for his kindness, Leonard gave me the rest of my instruments which have just come from Philadelphia. Gilbert had my new _______ boots done, they are roomy for sure. The roads are fearfully rutted up from last nights rain, two inches fell.

1-29 Lined my box that holds my instruments (Forceps, Pluggers, Points, Etc.) with red felt, it makes an improvement. It took all day to putter as above and clean all by tricks and put them in good shape. A huge washing entertained the girls in the rear part of the house.

1-30 Put in a square day in the kitchen on two photograph frames shaped and covered with white beans, green and brown coffee, small white rocks, and four o’clock seeds. Covered with glass ground in small pieces. The last one looks much the prettiest and mother’s picture will be put into it and hung in Luties and my room. Lutie and Stasia ironed a large washing.

1-31 The sun broke out about noon today and on remarking that I was going up town Lutie and Stasia said they were going along. So up town we three went, no adventuring as Luties over shoes with mud on the trail which had been covered full of loose mud. Stasia staid all night with Mrs. Clay. Katie came a pace down the reservoir bank with Lutie and I as we came home from Mrs. Brauchers. Sent to San Juan for a money order of $2.57.

Lutie = Lucretia, JC's wife
Stasia = Anastasia Hawver, JC's sister
Tom = JC's horse
Dr. JC Leonard = JC's teacher of dentistry

Henry Sylvester Hawver died 108 years ago

Henry Sylvester Hawver (1822-1903) died 108 years ago today in Auburn California. I have been trying to find where he is buried. I thought that even though he died in Auburn, he would have been buried in Nevada County somewhere since that's where he lived.

I found a copy of his obituary in the Placer Herald on Saturday, 5 September 1903. Here is the text:

Death of Henry S. Hawver
Henry Sylvester Hawver, father of Dr. J.C. Hawver, died in this city on Friday of last week at the age of 81 years. The deceased was born in New York, January 4, 1822. His parents located shortly after in Wisconsin, where his childhood and young manhood were passed, and where, in 1842, he married the daughter of Judge Douglas. In 1850 he crossed the plains with the rush of gold seekers to California, where his wife and four children joined him three years later. He mined in El Dorado, farmed in San Benito, teamed to Virginia City in it's boom time, lumbered in the Sierras, and finally settled in Nevada county among the hydraulic mines, where he made his home for thirty years. A short time ago he was brought to Auburn for special care and treatment, owing to his fast failing health.

He leaves a wife and six children, ninteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren scattered from Cape Nome to the boarders of Mexico. His surviving children are: Mrs. Cypres Johnson, Pacific Grove, Cal., Mrs. S.W. Modie, Los Angeles; Dr. J.C. Hawver, Auburn; Mrs. John C. Modie, Kern City; Mrs. C.W. Godgrey, Nevada City; Dr. H.D. Hawver, Spokane Wash.

Mr. Hawver's life was that of the typical pioneer, pushing his way toward the setting sun, with more hope for tomorrow than confidence in today.

I went to the Old Aurburn Cemetery to see if there were any Hawvers buried there. I found that JC Hawver had purchased a plot, but when I went to the plot there were no markers there. Later I found in the Hooper Weaver Mortuary Records Index 1877-1928 a reference to Henry S Hawver's wife: Anastasia Noailles (Douglass) Hawver. I went to the Doris Foley Library in Nevada City to look at the record. I discovered that even though she died in Nevada City, she was buried in Auburn, presumably next to her husband.

Check out the document:


So my conclusion is that both Henry and his wife Anastasia are buried at the Old Auburn Cemetery.

For more info on Henry S Hawver that I have found check out my Rootsweb page on him.