San Benito-Tuolumne-San Joaquin County CA Archives Biographies.....Hodges, James I. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 17, 2007, 2:21 am Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) JAMES I. HODGES, a well-known and much respected pioneer of San Benito county, California, dates his birth in Wilson county, Tennessee, September 30, 1830. At an early age young Hodges left home and started out in life for himself. In 1846 he enlisted in the army for the war with Mexico, but was rejected on account of his age. He then went to Arkansas and worked for a man by the name of Wood, with whom he remained until May, 1849. During that time he was employed on a pony express route from Rock wood to Morrow, Louisiana, a distance of 150 miles. It was the intention of Mr. Hodges to make the journey to California via water that spring, but circumstances prevented him from doing so. Still, however, determined to come to this coast, in the spring of 1852 he left Clarksville, Arkansas, with Captain Jamison's company, April 14 being the day on which they started. Their company consisted of about 380 persons; they crossed the plains with ox teams, and their experiences were similar to those of many other emigrants. When they reached the North Platte, Mr. Hodges was taken with the mountain fever, and was sick some two weeks. A few days after he had sufficiently recovered to take charge of his team, he had a run-away and was thrown into a creek. Getting wet caused him to take a relapse, which came near proving fatal. September 18, 1852, was the date of their arrival in Stockton, California. Mr. Hodges turned his team out, took his pack and left for Sonora, Tuolumne county, where he engaged in chopping down timber for building purposes. He remained at this place one month, receiving $4 a day and board, after which he returned to Stockton. He then began hauling goods from Stockton to the mines, and the last load he took stuck fast in the mud. He sold flour at $1 per pound. In 1853 he and five others took up a claim. After they had opened it and were about to begin work, a man came along and wanted to buy out Mr. Hodges, and he sold his interest for $500. He was next engaged in hauling lumber from the mines to Stockton for three months. After that he went back to the mines and was engaged in mining until 1865, when he sold out for the sum of $70,000. Returning again to Stockton, he remained there till 1866, thence to Santa Rosa, and from there, in 1867, to Watsonville. In the fall of 1868 he went to Soquel, and the following fall located in Hollister, then Monterey county, now San Benito county. November 28, 1860, Mr. Hodges was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Shirley, by whom he has had seven children, five sons and two daughters. One daughter is deceased. 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanbenito/bios/hodges1060nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb