San Diego-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Hazzard, George W. 1845 - ************************************************ 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 February 21, 2006, 3:11 pm Author: Theodore S. Van Dyke GEORGE W. HAZZARD. ONE of San Diego's most enterprising and reliable business men is George W. Hazzard. Mr. Hazzard is a native of Indiana, having been born in Cambridge City, Wayne County, in that State, in February, 1845. His father died when he was an infant and George lived in Cambridge with his mother, attending the district school, until he was fourteen, when he removed to Delaware County. One year afterward his mother died, and at the age of fifteen he found himself alone in the world. He was then obliged to give up school and accepted a clerkship in a store in Muncie. Here he continued until he was twenty-two. Then, after a brief stay in Michigan, he started for California, arriving in San Francisco in November, 1868. After a short sojourn there he visited several places in Northern California, and finally, in December of that year, came to San Diego. He had heard good reports of San Diego as a place with a future before it, and this, together with the fact that his physician had advised him to seek a mild climate, had determined him to come here. The first thing he did was to take up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Otay Valley. After locating his claim and filing his papers, he found he was unable to improve it and therefore went to work for a gentleman in Paradise Valley. He worked there for four months, and during that time an offer being made him for his Government claim he sold it. With the proceeds he bought a piece of land in Paradise Valley containing ten acres, but by that time he came to the conclusion that farming was not his forte and he sold it, taking the proceeds and embarking in business in San Diego. In June, 1869, Mr. Hazzard opened the first grocery store in the young city at the corner of Fifth and I Streets. San Diego then had a population of one hundred and fifty persons. He succeeded splendidly in his business enterprise, and as the place began to grow his business continued to increase. In 1871 National City began to come into prominence; and as it was understood that Tom Scott was to make that place the terminus of his overland railroad, he decided to remove there, being partly induced to make the change by a land consideration offered him by the Kimball Brothers. He remained in National City for three years. During this time San Diego was growing rapidly, and Mr. Hazzard concluding that he might have made a mistake, returned here. He at once began the erection of a brick store, one of the first brick buildings in San Diego, at the corner of Sixth and H Streets, which cost him $14,000, and at that time was considered a great enterprise. He continued to carry on a general merchandise business at this location until 1882, when he sold out to the firm of Francisco, Silliman & Co. During his fourteen years' business experience Mr. Hazzard had accumulated considerable ranch and city property, which he retained. During the last four or five years of his business career he had large dealings with the interior of the county and with Lower California. At times things looked rather blue, but his faith in San Diego's future had been unbounded from the start and he never lost heart. When Mr. Hazzard opened an office and began handling his own property he naturally drifted into the business of handling property for other people, and he was soon engaged in a large real estate business. He had, through his large acquaintance, formed while engaged in the mercantile business, established a reputation for good judgment and re liability, and as a consequence found his advice sought by many people. Of late years most of the heavy real estate transactions in which he has been engaged have been on account of persons in the East. For one party in Cincinnati he has sold over $200,000 worth of real property, they leaving everything to his judgment. While conducting business as a merchant Mr. Hazzard became interested in the mining industry of the county, and has aided largely in developing that portion of San Diego's wealth. In 1882 he bought the Hubbard mine, situated in the Banner District. He afterwards sold a one-half interest out and still retains the residue. He has great confidence in the county's mineral resources and predicts a bright future for them. Mr Hazzard has never held a political office, and has no taste for politics. He has been prominent as a member of the Chamber of Commerce since its organization, and has served two terms as President of that body. He was one of the original incorporators of the San Diego Water Company and was for a number of years a Director. He was also one of the incorporators and a Director in the Gas Company for a number of years, until 1883. He is interested in the Artificial Stone Company, and the Marine Railway, and was one of the incorporators and is the largest individual stockholder in the Masonic Building Association. In 1886 Mr. Hazzard built a handsome residence, in that charming section of the city, known as Florence Heights, at a cost of $20,000, where he now resides with his family. San Diego has no more ardent friend than Mr. Hazzard. He has always been ready to devote his time and means to every project tending towards the city's permanent advancement, and his reputation as a public-spirited, progressive citizen is proverbial. Additional Comments: From: THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. ILLUSTRATED, AND CONTAINING BI0GRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS. SAN DIEGO, CAL. LEBERTHON & TAYLOR 1888 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sandiego/bios/hazzard578bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb