San Benito-Amador-El Dorado County CA Archives Biographies.....Flint, Thomas 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 17, 2007, 2:48 am

Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

HON. THOMAS FLINT.-That portion of California particularly embraced within the
territorial limits of this volume, is peculiarly prolific ground, from the point
of view of the historian. Much of its history, however, centers about a
comparatively few men, whose names must ever remain in the foreground in the
annals of the Golden State, but who, for the most part, have gone to join the
silent majority. Some remain, however, as active participants and leaders in
present affairs, as they have been since the early days.

  Dr. Flint, San Benito county claims as a citizen of one of these, and one who
has been a prominent figure for upward of forty years. A brief outline sketch of
his career, giving some of the earlist features, becomes therefore a valuable,
and indeed essential, contribution to this work.

  He is a native of Maine, born at New Vineyard, then in Somerset, but now m
Franklin county, on May 13, 1824, his parents being William Reed and Electa
(Weston) Flint. Both the Flint and Weston families were among the early settlers
of New England, and are creditably associated with the important epochs in its
history. On the father's side, the founder of the family in this country,
according to the authentic published volumes of New England genealogy, was
Thomas Flint, who came from Wales. The first mention of his name in the town
records of Salem, Massachusetts, is in 1650, but this is known to be a
considerably later date than that of his arrival. He was among the first
settlers of Salem village (now South Danvers), and the spot in the wilderness
which he selected for his later home is situated on the Salem and North Reading
road, about six miles from the present courthouse in Salem. The first deed to
him on record describes a tract "containing 150 acres of meadow and pasture
land, and lying within the bounds of Salem," bought on September 18, 1654, of
John Pickering. His son, Captain Thomas Flint, was an officer in King Philip's
war, and was in Gardner's expedition against the Narragansetts in 1675. Dr.
Thomas Flint, great-grandfather of our subject, was fifth in descent from the
original Massachusetts settler; and he was a physician by profession, and served
as a surgeon in the Revolutionary war. His son, Dr. Thomas Flint, was born in
North Reading, and located in Sandy river valley, in 1787; he was a prominent
settler and is recorded as the first merchant in Farmington. As a physician and
surgeon he had an extensive practice in the sparsely settled community. His
third child, William Reed Flint, was the father of the subject of this sketch;
he was a land surveyor, and followed his profession for years in the lumber
regions of Maine; he was County Commissioner, and in this capacity took an
active part in the building of permanent roads; he figured prominently in public
life in his day, and was three times elected a member of the Senate of the State
of Maine; he was born October 25, 1796, and on July 9, 1823, was married; March,
1831, he removed with his family from New Vineyard to Anson, Maine; where his
death occurred, August 5,1887. His wife, Electa Weston, also came of one of the
prominent old New England families; the founder of the family in this country
was John. Weston, who was born in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1631, and came to
America at the age of thirteen years, having landed at Salem, Massachusetts, in
1644. He resided in Salem until twenty-one years of age, then became a resident
of Lynn village, in South Reading, now Wakefield, Massachussetts, where he
purchased an extensive tract of land, on a part of which his descendants are
living to-day; the line of descent is traced through several generations to
Joseph Weston, who settled in Concord, Massachusetts, and later removed to
Canaan (afterward Bloomfield, and now Skowhegan), Maine. In the winter and
spring of 1771-'72, he removed with his family to a grant of land, which he had
helped to purchase from the Kennebec Company, and his wife was the first white
woman to settle in Somerset, county, where they lived for several years almost
entirely isolated from the outside world. He died of fever contracted by fatigue
and exposure assisting General Benedict Arnold's expedition past Skowhegan and
Norridgwock Falls on its way to Quebec in October, 1775. Among their nine
children was one who later became prominent as Deacon Benjamin Weston, who
married in March, 1788, Annie Powers, a granddaughter of Peter Powers, the first
settler in Hoi lis, New Hampshire; their daughter, Electa, who was born in 1802,
became the wife of Hon. William R. Flint, and was the mother of the subject of
this notice. She died April 10, 1885. Ten children were born to William Reed and
Electa (Weston) Flint, of whom three became residents of California; Benjamin,
who came in 1849, and until his death was a prominent citizen of this State; B.
P. Flint, the youngest of the family, who is a business man of San Francisco;
and Thomas, the subject of this sketch; George, the eighth child, who resides on
the old family homestead at Anson, Maine, has also been a public man and a
member of the Senate of Maine.

  Dr. Thomas Flint, with whose name this sketch commences, received his literary
education in the high schools and academies of Anson, Skowhegan and North
Yarmouth, Maine. At the age of twenty-one, he began the study of medicine with
Dr. V. P. Coolidge, at Waterville, and later attended the Jefferson Medical
College, Philadelphia, where he was graduated in 1849. While in attendance at
the Jefferson Medical College, his thoughts were seriously turned toward
California, but circumstances intervened to delay his departure until a later
time. Leaving college, he returned to Anson, Maine, where he remained until
1851. His brother Benjamin had gone to California in the early days of the gold
excitement, and the consummation of the Doctor's intention to do so had only
been deferred by the fact that parties who were to accompany him on the journey
had been delayed. Meantime, he practiced medicine causally, but in May, 1851, he
went to New York to begin the sea voyage to California. He secured passage on
the steamer "Crescent City," which left New York harbor on May 28, arriving at
Chagres on June 6. On the following day an incident occurred, which seriously
threatened to mar the pleasure of the journey. Captain Jewett of the Chagres
river steamboat, in violation of the terms of the contract, attempted to
transfer the passengers to small boats with native boatmen, to continue the trip
to Gorgona. The passengers rebelled, and soon a collision was imminent, weapons
being drawn on both sides. The interference of General Hitchcock of the United
States Army, however, was the means of bringing about an understanding, and as a
result the Captain took them to Gorgona by steamer. Small boats manned by naked
natives with long poles, conveyed them to Cruces, and from there they proceeded
on foot, sending their baggage on by express. Two days, the 8th and 9th of June,
were consumed in the foot journey to Panama, at which port they remained until
the 15th, when they boarded the steamer "Northerner," on which the journey was
to be completed. She sailed on June 16, and reached San Francisco on July 7,
forty days from the date of leaving New York. The same evening, Dr. Flint left
for Sacramento by river steamer, and thence proceeded to Volcano (now Amador
county), where he mined a little. On August 8, he started for Coloma, where he
remained until January 9, 1852, engaged in mining to some extent and in the
cattle and beef business. He returned from Coloma to Volcano, and there soon
found himself incidentally attending to quite an extensive medical practice. The
residents of Volcano at that time will recall the 3d of November, when Rod
Stowell shot and stabbed Frank Kerns nearly to death at Fort John, near that
place. "Old Rod " as he was called had established his reputation as a "tough
customer" from his having shot and killed an Indian, and having pinned a
gambling companion to the floor with his bowie knife sticking through his head.
It was expected that Frank's wounds would soon prove fatal, so a vigilance
committee was organized which had "Old Rod" arrested and held under guard for a
lynch trial. Frank recovered, which circumstance kept "Old Rod's" neck from
being stretched, and brought Dr. Flint fame as a skillful surgeon

  On Christmas day, 1852, he started on his return to the East, making the
journey via Panama, and visited his old friends and relatives in the State of
Maine. In the spring of 1853, he started again for California, this time
overland, as had been his intention on coming East. He went to Terre Haute,
Indiana, the most westerly point which could then be reached by rail, and there
was formed the firm of Flint, Bixby & Company, which afterward became so widely
known through its extensive operations in California, composed of Dr. Thomas
Flint, his brother Benjamin, and Llewellyn Bixby, his cousin.

  At Quincy, Illinois, they purchased sheep, and then started in earnest on
their westward journey, crossing the Mississippi river at Keokuk, with 2,400
head of sheep, a team of fifteen yoke of oxen, some saddle horses and other
stock. From Keokuk, those in charge of the stock proceeded across the State of
Iowa to Council Bluffs, where they crossed the Missouri river on the ferry. Dr.
Flint, however, went to St. Louis, purchased the remainder of the outfit, and
took it by steamer to Council Bluffs, where the expedition was met. From the
Missouri, they proceeded up the North Platte, by the old trail, and through the
South Pass and Echo Canon to Salt Lake. Considerable trouble was had with
Indians, and on the Platte river they lost one man, killed by the savages. While
encamped one night, some Indians crept in at midnight, cut the horses loose and
when a man was aroused by the noise, he was shot by the Indians, who then fled.
At Salt Lake, 100 head of cattle were purchased and added to the outfit. They
arrived at the Mormon capital too late, however, to take the northern route
across the mountains, and they consequently turned to the southward, taking what
was known as Fremont's trail. At Provo, Utah, they fell in with Colonel
Hollister, with whom were Messrs. Woodworth and William Perry, who afterward
made their mark in California, and the two trains traveled more or less in
company from Mountain Meadows, at which point they overtook Colonel Hollister's
company.

  They moved along leisurely, remaining some time at places where they found
favorite camping grounds, and arrived at the Mission San Gabriel January 7,
1854, having passed the winter quite comfortably on the road. They remained in
the vicinity of the mission until March, and then started northward along the
coast and stopped at what is now Coyote Station, in the Santa Clara valley. In
July, 1855, they came down to the San Juan valley, and in October following
purchased the San Justo ranch of Francisco Perez Pacheco, who boasted of being
an Aztec Indian, and also made the same claim for his wife, although she may
have been part Spanish.

Pacheco had purchased the land from General Jose Castro, to whom it had been
granted by the Mexican Government. From this point, the firm of Flint, Bixby &
Co. carried on their extensive operations, which made them a power in the State.
No change has ever been made in its membership since its organization at Terre
Haute, except by the death of Benjamin Flint, October 3, 1881, and since that
time, the remaining partners have carried on the business. They were at first
engaged principally in sheep-raising, but from time to time other interests were
added. In 1858, the firm disposed of half the San Justo ranch to Mrs. Lucy A.
Brown, sister of Colonel Hollister, from whom the property passed to Colonel
Hollister, the deed of partition being made in 1861, and the land formally
divided at that time, Dr. Flint making the choice of the portion of the ranch
retained by his firm, this portion consisting of 14,000 acres. This land is
varied as to its topography and productive character, but is all valuable. Its
capabilities in some directions, and the progress made therein, are mentioned
elsewhere.

  In 1858, the firm of Flint, Bixby & Company, engaged in the business of
staging, and became the owners of the line between San Jose and Los Angeles.
Later, this line was extended to San Diego, and for four years they transacted
the passenger and express-carrying business, and carried the United States mail
between those remote points, the enterprise being one of vast magnitude. Seven
hundred head of horses were required as stock for carrying on this business, and
three days were consumed in the trip between the terminal points. Stations were
established throughout the entire line, at intervals of about twelve miles, and
a schedule of six miles an hour was maintained throughout, including stops.

  The firm conducted this line for twelve years, but when the extension of the
railroad from the north began, the length of the line was gradually lessened.
Their superintend-dent was William Buckley, and, in connection with him, they
ran the Panamint stage line for two years, the run being at first from Caliente
to Panamint, and later from Mojave to Panamint. They sold out their interests to
William Hamilton.

  In 1872, Flint, Bixby & Co. embarked in the beet sugar manufacturing business,
as stockholders in the California Beet Sugar Company, being among the pioneers
in this line on the Pacific coast. They built a large factory at Alvarado,
importing the special machinery from Germany, and established a plant, having a
capacity of fifty tons of sugar per day. This plant was moved from Alvarado to
Soquel Santa Cruz County. During their experience in this industry, they
manufactured large quantities of sugar, but the methods then in vogue were
considerably more expensive than those of the present time; and when the market
price of sugar fell below what it cost them to produce it, on account of the
admission duty free of Sandwich Island sugars, they withdrew from the business.

  During this time, they were also engaged in working the Cerro Bonito
quicksilver mine in this county, which, though not now in operation, is still
their property, as also the Monterey quicksilver mine. About the same time, Dr.
Flint was interested in the wool-shipping and commission business, in the firms
of Perkins, Flint & Co., and B. P. Flint & Co., of San Francisco. Flint, Bixby &
Co. have all along been interested in mining, both in this State and in Nevada,
and so continue at present. They also took part in the original organization of
the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, and were the active workers in securing
for the company the franchise and grant of land in San Francisco, and in the
preliminary work generally, and were represented in the directorate of the road;
Benjamin Flint, of their firm, was the first vice-president of the Southern
Pacific Company. Dr. Flint is now largely interested, by himself, through Flint,
Bixby & Co., and through other partnerships, in land and stock, banking and
other interests, and in their operations his firms have handled and owned vast
tracts, part of which have since been disposed of. The firm of Irvine, Flint &
Co., in which he was a partner, owned the San Joaquin ranch, and in that and the
Lomas de Santiago and Santa Ana ranches, together, they had about 100,000 acres.
At about the same time, Flint, Bixby & Co. owned the Huer-Huero ranch, in San
Luis Obispo county, containing about 46,000 acres. As a member of the firm of J.
Bixby & Co., he is an owner in 9,000 acres of the Ceritos ranch, 16,000 acres in
 the Palos Verdes ranch, and over 7,000 acres in the Alamitos ranch. Flint,
Bixby & Co. also have other and smaller tracts in this and other counties and in
the State of Washington, as well as real estate in San Francisco. Their stock
interests are now principally in the line of cattle, of which they have
something like 7,000 head of Durham and Holstein and their crosses. They still
retain some sheep interests, though not nearly so extensively as formerly. They
were among the first on the coast to import Merino sheep from Vermont and New
York, and were the first to pay such a price as $1,000 for a Merino ram, which
price they paid to Hammond, of Vermont. It was considered at the time a foolish
act on their part, but was a signally successful stroke of enterprise, and
helped to gain them the fame they achieved in connection with the sheep
interest. They have sent sheep from their .flocks on orders from Panama, from
the Sandwich Islands, from Nevada, and other remote points. All of their sheep
are either full blood or high grades.

  Dr. Flint, besides his main business interests, is connected in various ways
with a multiplicity of financial and other institutions. His interests in the
old Los Angeles County Bank (now the Bank of America) are represented in the
directorate through Bixby, Llewellyn & Jotham; he is a director in the Grangers'
Business Association, of San Francisco; a director since organization in the
Bank of Hollister; and in its allied savings bank department; president and
director of the Grangers' Union, at Hollister, director of the Somerset
railroad, in Maine. He has also 6erved as director in several mining companies
with which he has been identified. Fraternally, he is one of the most prominent
Masons in the State of California. He is Past Master of Texas Lodge, No. 46, F.
& A. M., San Juan: is High Priest and Past High Priest of Hollister Chapter, No.
68, R. A. M; Past Commander of Watsonville Commandery, No. 22, Knights Templar;
member of Islam Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, San Francisco; member of
San Francisco Council, No. 2, R. & S. M.; member of the High Priesthood; and is
Grand Captain of the Host of the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; in the order
of the Eastern Star, he is Past Grand Patron. He also belongs to Hollister
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. In political life, Dr. Flint has been prominently
identified with the Republican party since its organization in the State, and
has taken an active part in the councils of the party. He served old Monterey
county as a member of the Board of Supervisors, and San Benito county in the
same capacity after the division. In 1876, he was elected to the State Senate,
and in that body represented for four years the counties of Monterey. San Benito
and Santa Cruz. He is now a member of the State Central Committee of the
Republican party, and has previously served a number of years thereon, and has
been chairman of the Central Committee of this Congressional District. As a
delegate from the State of California to the National Republican Convention he
helped to nominate Blaine at Chicago, in 1884.

  Dr. Flint was married at Woodstock, Vermont, on May 20, 1857, to Miss Mary A.
Mitchell, a native of Woodstock, and daughter of Joshua and Mehitable (Gilmore)
Mitchell, both parents being of old families of New England. The Mitchells were
largely a seafaring family, and her grandfather, a ship's captain, was lost at
sea. The Gilmores are an old New Hampshire family, which furnished a number of
members who took an active part in important periods of the Nation's history. A
brief extract from the family genealogy is appropriate in this connection:
Joshua Mitchell and Mehitable Gilmore were married April 30,1818; she was the
daughter of Thomas Gilmore and Tabitha Wilkins, granddaughter of Captain Daniel
Wilkins, and great-granddaughter of Rev. Daniel Wilkins, the first minister of
Amherst, New Hampshire, who was baptized May 18, 1710, and died February 11,
1784. Thomas Gilmore died in the service of his country at Burlington, Vermont,
in 1814. Mehitabla Gilmore was a cousin of Gen. John A. Dix. Captain Daniel
Wilkins married Tabitha Weston; he died in December, 1819; he was First
Lieutenant in Captain Crosby's company on Bunker Hill, and Captain of a company
composed largely of Amherst (New Hampshire) men, in Col. Bedel's regiment, which
was surrendered to the British and Indians at the "Cedars," in May, 1776; he
died of disease shortly after his exchange. Tabitha "Weston was of the third
generation from John "Weston (mentioned in the Weston genealogy); she was born
in 1631, and married April 18, 1653. The records of Salem witchcraft contain the
following: "Daniel Wilkins bewitched to death May 16, 1692, at the age of
seventeen." He was probably the uncle of Rev. Daniel Wilkins.

  Mrs. Flint is a woman of superior intellectual qualities. She is recognized as
one of the highest authorities in this country, of the Order of the Eastern
Star, in which she has attained the greatest prominence. She is Past Grand
Matron of the order for the State, and served two years in that executive
office, an unusual occurence, and is the only one on whom that honor has been
conferred. She is now Past Most Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern
Star for the United States, having reached the highest attainable position in
her great work for its welfare.

  Mr. and Mrs. Flint have three children living, viz: Thomas, Jr., a sketch of
whom appears in this volume; Sarah, wife of George Otis Mitchell; and Richard
H., who, at this writings is attending the School of Technology, Boston.

  In concluding this sketch of Dr. Flint, a brief mention of his personality is
necessary. Though his life has been from boyhood an active one, and though his
interests have been so vast and so far reaching for so many years, requiring an
almost inestimable amount of thought and attention, he is in manner one of the
most quiet and unassuming of men, a quality, however, generally to  be found in
connection with real strength and stability of character. In all respects, Dr.
Flint stands to-day, as he has for many years, one of the foremost citizens of
California.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


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