David Hewes
Encyclopedia
David Hewes born into one of the "old families" of the state that trace back seven generations to the patriot Joshua Hewes. His father died when he was five years old. Hewes supported himself from the age of fourteen and earned enough to pay for his education including entry into Yale College
. During his second year at Yale he joined his savings with a small inheritance from his father investing the monies in galvanized iron houses that were shipped to California. He travelled by ship and arrived at San Francisco in February 1850 and later set up a general merchandise store in Sacramento
. In 1852 Sacramento was devastated by fire and in early 1853 a flood leaving Hewes with little resources. Seeing San Francisco as a promising metropolis of the Pacific Coast he began a small-scale business of earth-moving as the city was leveling sand dunes and filling streets.
Hewes' Steam Paddy Company purchased steam shovels and then built the first steam locomotive on the Pacific Coast. He grew the enterprise to reclaiming the harbor, blocked by hundreds of abandoned ships from the gold rush
, to level and fill the area where much of San Francisco's business district now stands. He was called the "maker of San Francisco" because it was through "his initiative and energy that the task was undertaken and accomplished". Hewes was invited to be a part of the Big Four (Central Pacific Railroad) but declined due to the financial risks, over his lifetime he gained and lost several fortunes. Hewes is associated with the construction and completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad
although he was an enthusiastic supporter rather than being directly connected with the building. He provided the golden spike
marking completion of the rail and he also planned connecting the railroad company's wires to Western Union
so the taps of the silver hammer driving the golden spike in Promontory Point, Utah
could be heard in San Francisco.
Hewes first marriage was to Matilda C. Gray in 1875 and they spent two and a half years in Europe. On the return trip Matilda's health necessitated that they move to a warmer climate. They settled in Southern California. Matilda died in 1887. Hewes' second wife was Anna Lathrop, sister of Mrs. Leland Stanford
. Married in 1889, they also travelled overseas and additionally to Europe they spent parts of their eighteen months in the Orient and Mid-East. Anna died soon after in August 1892.
Hewes first started what arguably was his greatest accomplishment - the Hewes ranch near El Modena in Orange County
when he moved there with Matilda. Called Anapama, "a place of rest", it was a massive sheep ranch over 800 acres (3.2 km²) with a large portion eventually converted in vineyards which later died off from blight. Hewes restored the ranch as a citrus farm which was one of the noted orange groves that stayed with the estate until 1920 when it was sold for $1,000,000. Hewes' art collection of pictures, statues and frescos was presented to the Leland Stanford Jr. University
. He also created Hewes Park on what was once a barren hilltop. Hewes died in Orange, CA in 1915 at the age of 93 and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery
in Oakland, CA.
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
. During his second year at Yale he joined his savings with a small inheritance from his father investing the monies in galvanized iron houses that were shipped to California. He travelled by ship and arrived at San Francisco in February 1850 and later set up a general merchandise store in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
. In 1852 Sacramento was devastated by fire and in early 1853 a flood leaving Hewes with little resources. Seeing San Francisco as a promising metropolis of the Pacific Coast he began a small-scale business of earth-moving as the city was leveling sand dunes and filling streets.
Hewes' Steam Paddy Company purchased steam shovels and then built the first steam locomotive on the Pacific Coast. He grew the enterprise to reclaiming the harbor, blocked by hundreds of abandoned ships from the gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
, to level and fill the area where much of San Francisco's business district now stands. He was called the "maker of San Francisco" because it was through "his initiative and energy that the task was undertaken and accomplished". Hewes was invited to be a part of the Big Four (Central Pacific Railroad) but declined due to the financial risks, over his lifetime he gained and lost several fortunes. Hewes is associated with the construction and completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
although he was an enthusiastic supporter rather than being directly connected with the building. He provided the golden spike
Golden spike
The "Golden Spike" is the ceremonial final spike driven by Leland Stanford to join the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory...
marking completion of the rail and he also planned connecting the railroad company's wires to Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
so the taps of the silver hammer driving the golden spike in Promontory Point, Utah
Promontory Point, Utah
Promontory Point, Utah, is the southernmost edge of the Promontory Mountains in southern Box Elder County, Utah, centered approximately at , with an elevation of 1285 meters above sea level...
could be heard in San Francisco.
Hewes first marriage was to Matilda C. Gray in 1875 and they spent two and a half years in Europe. On the return trip Matilda's health necessitated that they move to a warmer climate. They settled in Southern California. Matilda died in 1887. Hewes' second wife was Anna Lathrop, sister of Mrs. Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
. Married in 1889, they also travelled overseas and additionally to Europe they spent parts of their eighteen months in the Orient and Mid-East. Anna died soon after in August 1892.
Hewes first started what arguably was his greatest accomplishment - the Hewes ranch near El Modena in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
when he moved there with Matilda. Called Anapama, "a place of rest", it was a massive sheep ranch over 800 acres (3.2 km²) with a large portion eventually converted in vineyards which later died off from blight. Hewes restored the ranch as a citrus farm which was one of the noted orange groves that stayed with the estate until 1920 when it was sold for $1,000,000. Hewes' art collection of pictures, statues and frescos was presented to the Leland Stanford Jr. University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He also created Hewes Park on what was once a barren hilltop. Hewes died in Orange, CA in 1915 at the age of 93 and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery
Mountain View Cemetery
The Mountain View Cemetery is a large cemetery in Oakland, California. It was established in 1863 by a group of East Bay pioneers under the California Rural Cemetery Act of 1859. The association they formed still operates the cemetery today...
in Oakland, CA.
Further reading
- Samuel Armor, History of Orange County, California: with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 1, pages 222-225, Historic Record Co., 1921 (original at the New York Public Library)http://books.google.com/books?id=yhMVAAAAYAAJ
- Benjamin F. Arrington, Volume 1 of Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts: A Classified Work, Devoted to the County's Remarkable Growth in All Lines of Human Endeavor, More Especially to Within a Period of Fifty Years, page 218, Lewis historical publishing company, 1922 (original from the University of Virginia)http://books.google.com/books?id=1HAMAAAAYAAJ