Tehama-Monterey-San Joaquin County CA Archives Biographies.....Chase, Hiram B. 1823 - ************************************************ 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 18, 2007, 6:04 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) HIRAM B. CHASE is one of the oldest settlers of California. Having come to this State in 1846, and having seen much of the wonderful transformation which has taken place on this coast since that time, it is eminently fitting that a sketch of his life be given in this work. Mr. Chase was born in Fulton County, Illinois, March 14, 1823. He was reared on a farm and, like the majority of farmer boys, went to school in the winter and worked on the farm in summer, and thus laid the foundation for an active and useful life. The Mexican war came on, and, at the age of twenty-one, he enlisted in Company A, Mormon Battalion, entering the service as a private and being promoted to Second Sergeant of his company. He came to California under the command of General King, but was afterward in the command of General Cook. The war ended and they were mustered out at Los Angeles, in 1847. Mr. Chase went to Monterey and engaged in making lumber with a whip-saw, which he continued that winter. When gold was discovered he went to the mines on the American River; was successful in finding gold, but received an injury which compelled him to cease work. He then went to Salt Lake, where he remained until spring. At that time he returned to the mines and took out $2,000. During his mining experience he has taken out $5 in one pan, and as high as two hundred dollars in a day. After leaving the mines he located on a ranch, twenty-five miles below Sacramento, and lived there fifteen years. Then sold out and went to Oregon; spent a season there and at one or two other places; came to Red Bluff in 1870; lived in the city eight years; and then went to his present ranch, three miles northwest of Red Bluff. Here he owns eighty acres of choice land. Mr. Chase was married in 1861, to Miss May Maria Childers, a native of Missouri. Nine children were born to them, only three of whom are now living: Arthur, born on the Sacramento, is now living on an eighty-acre ranch, near his father; Newton, born at the same place; and Lorenzo, born in Oregon. Mrs. Chase died in 1872. Mr. Chase has been a life-long Republican. For services rendered in the war, he receives a pension of $8 per month. His mental faculties are remarkably well preserved for a man of his years. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/chase720gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb