Yolo-Colusa-Amador County CA Archives Biographies.....Hershey, David N. 1818 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 29, 2007, 3:37 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

DAVID N. HERSHEY.-In the history of the territory embraced within the limits of
Yolo County no name appears in more intimate connection with the progress and
development of this region than that which heads this article. A brief mention
of his origin, and an outline resume of some of the salient points in his
career, therefore, become not only valuable but indeed essential in this volume
of Northern California. Such men are the corner-stones of any community: a study
of the results accomplished by them should be of absorbing interest and great
value to the young.

  Mr. Hershey is a native of Maryland, born in Washington County, at a point two
miles from Funktown and only four miles from that more important point,
Hagerstown, the date of his birth being the 13th of April, 1818. His father,
David Hershey, was a native of Pennsylvania, born at a point in Dauphin County
distant only a mile from Harrisburg, the capital of the State. His mother, whose
maiden name was Christiann Holier, was born near the dividing line between
Pennsylvania and Maryland. Both parents were of German ancestry, and grandfather
John Hershey, a preacher of the United Brethren faith, was born along the banks
of the river Rhine, whence he emigrated to America, and was one of the founders
of the church referred to.

  When the subject of this sketch was but six years of age his parents removed
from his native place to Montgomery County, eighteen miles west of Rockville,
and not far from the line of the District of Columbia. There he was principally
reared, and he made it his home most of the time until 1841, when he went West
with his brother-in-law, also named David Hershey. The latter located with his
family in Howard County, Missouri, not far from Fayette, and about 200 miles up
the river from St. Louis, and our subject, who had driven a team the entire
distance, went to live with them. He got all he could make there, and remained
with them one year. In 1842 he devoted his attention to the raising of tobacco,
and in the following year dried and put up seven hogsheads. He had difficulty in
disposing of it in the local market, but a man whom he had known in Maryland,
but then a resident of Missouri, Dr. Ober by name, took it off his hands. He
sent it to Baltimore, where, however, there was no sale for that grade of
tobacco. He then shipped it to Europe, and the report in the shipment, afterward
received, was regarded by Mr. Hershey as very flattering to his efforts. Some
hogsheads were rated in the European markets, as "sound; sweet flavor; fair
condition;" while the others were marked, "ordinary, but sound."

  Raising and curing tobacco continued his principal occupation until in 1844 he
formed a partnership with Dr. Ober for the purpose of expanding the business,
the latter furnishing the capital, while Mr. Hershey devoted his personal
attention to the business. He put up seventy-one hogsheads of strips and thirty
or forty more of leaf tobacco, all but one hogshead of which Dr. Ober shipped in
his own name. As he failed Mr. Hershey never received a cent out of the entire
stock, and the only tangible result he had to show for all his time and work was
one solitary hogshead of tobacco, while he was about $200 in debt! He remained
in the business on his own account, in spite of the discouraging results of the
venture, adding to it also by manufacturing cigars, and built up quite a trade
with the fur traders and other dealers of St. Louis, exchanging for furs, pelts,
etc. Besides, he shipped considerable to Shreveport and other points south on
the river. He also went on the road with a team, and traveled with it selling
tobacco and cigars throughout southwestern Missouri, the Indian Territory and
Texas.

  On a trip made in 1848 he entered Texas at Preston, and visited the towns in
that portion of the State. He went to Bonner, to Sherman, and finally to Dallas,
which was then only a trading post, with a few shanties, giving no promise of
the fine large city which stands there to-day. From Dallas he proceeded to
Shreveport, and on his arrival there found the cholera raging. His nephew, who
accompanied him, became so alarmed at this condition of affairs that our subject
sent him home, and with him the furs accumulated on the trip. Mr. Hershey found
out, while at Dallas, that there was no coffee there; and, being unable to
dispose of his team at Shreveport, he purchased a load of coffee, and prepared
to start with it for Texas trading posts. When his preparations were about
completed, a man whom he had been dickering with in regard to the team, came to
him and offered to purchase it. But the load which he had bought was then a
white elephant on his hands. In this dilemma he went to a merchant to whom he
had been accustomed to ship tobacco from Missouri, and the latter agreed to take
the coffee off his hands at the price he had paid for it. This solved the
problem, and he soon disposed of his outfit. He then went back to Missouri,
where he one day passed a young man whom he did not recognize. The latter spoke,
and he recognized the voice as that of the nephew whom he had parted with at
Shreveport, though so emaciated as to entirely change his appearance. He had
gone home by way of New Orleans, where he was stricken with the cholera. He
reached home safely, after a hard struggle with the disease, but had not the
slightest idea what had become of the furs in his charge. Thus went the fruits
of that long and tedious trip.

  In 1849 Mr. Hershey one day received a letter from a cousin, who wrote that he
was on his way to California, requesting Mr. Hershey to meet him at
Independence. With the full intention of accompanying his cousin on the journey
to the Golden State, our subject went to the point named, but after a search
among the thousands of emigrants there failed to find his relative. The cholera
broke out among the thickly crowded people while he was there, and disappointed
he went back to resume his labors in the tobacco business.

  In 1850 he made a trip back to his old home in Maryland, and returning thence
to Missouri, in 1851, went up to Linn County, to work for Colonel Flournoy and
his brother John, with whom he remained until 1853. In the latter year, his
employers having 100 head of cattle left from a band which had been purchased
for a California contractor, he and William S. Flournoy started with them for
California. They crossed the Missouri River at St. Joseph, and were soon well
along on the long journey. In Nebraska their attention was attracted by the
sight of Indian runners who were evidently engaged in carrying some important
news. On arriving at Fort Kearney they found that the officers in charge had
stopped the stream of emigration at that point on account of trouble with the
savages. It seemed that some Indians, being refused the boat on the ferry, had
fired on the boat, and a squad of ten soldiers, who went to arrest the
offenders, killed two of them and arrested two of the leaders and put them in
jail. The emigrants were allowed to leave the fort only in large trains under
escort, and after a detention of two days our subject and party were permitted
to proceed. The Indians could be seen off toward the mountains, charging madly
on their ponies, and the train of whites put out double picket guards each
night, tearing an attack. One night, while Mr. Hershey was on guard, with his
mule, a fine large saddle animal picketed some fifty yards away, he heard the
beast snort as if scenting danger. Going to the next man supposed to be on
guard, he found him wrapped in slumber. Slipping the rifle out of the picket's
hands he carried it back to his own post, When the man awoke he went into camp
and said that the Indians had been about and had taken his gun from him. Mr.
Hershey came up and told the man to go with him, and taking him back showed him
the missing gun. In answer to the inquiries of the surprised man, he told him
how it came into his possession, and then informed the captain of his train that
if they wanted men on guard who would attend to business they had better put on
some one who could keep awake there in place of the man who had been so
negligent. The party eventually passed through the region infested by the
hostile Indians and proceeded on by the way of Fort Laramie and Sublette's
Cut-off, and thence into California by the Carson route, the trip having
consumed the time from May to October. Arriving at Fiddletown, Amador County,
Messrs. Hershey and Flournoy stopped there, as their men wanted to go to mining,
and a few days later they proceeded on to Yolo County. They located near where
Mr. Hershey now resided, taking up a quarter section each adjoining, and baying
out the claims of squatters who had been temporarily on the land. Our subject
put up a cabin about a hundred yards from the house in which he now lives. He
and Flournoy went about improving their places, and pastured their stock, having
got through with all but about 25 per cent, of the 100 head apiece with which
they had started. They found, eventually, that their land was claimed by other
parties under what was known as the Knight grant, and a long and expensive
investigation followed. Mr. Hershey was not the man to be driven off from his
possessions without a struggle, and though defeated in the courts of the State
he appealed to the United States Courts, and there came out victorious. He
branched out in the cattle trade, increasing the scope of his business, and in
the days of the mining period was accustomed to drive his fat animals to the
mountain camps for a market. His cattle business grew to such proportions that
in one year he and his partner branded as many as 1,000 calves. Of late years,
however, he has not devoted so much attention to stock, but has several dairies,
milking over 200 cows, and making cheese; has about 700 head of cattle, and some
fine stock,-Holsteins, Durhams, etc.

  Mr. Hershey is an excellent judge of land, and has always recognized the fact
that it was to be found the safest, soundest kind of property. With excellent
judgment he has from time to time added to his possessions until he now ranks as
one of the largest holders of good land in this whole region. On his home ranch
he has 1,120 acres. Half a mile west he has a tract of 160 acres, and 160 more
above Block's Station. In another large ranch above Dunnigan he has 2,400 acres
in this county and 240 in Colusa. Four miles west of that he has 600 acres in
Colusa, and 240 adjoining it in Yolo. Near by he has a timber tract of 160
acres, and is the possessor, besides, of another piece of land containing 320
acres, which was conditionally sold, but on which the contract has not been
fulfilled. It adjoins the last 240-acre tract mentioned. Though all of this land
requires looking after on his part, he only farms three-fourths of the home
ranch and half of the large tract near Dunnigan. He has, besides these various
tracts mentioned over 9,000 acres of tule and river bottom land, starting seven
or eight miles east of here and running toward Sacramento. He is the owner of
part of the old home place in Maryland, and has made two additions, now having
800 acres, which is a large farm there. It is not far from Boyd's Station, on
the Metropolitan road. He owns two-sevenths of the great "76" canal in Fresno
and Tulare counties, and two sevenths of 19,-000 acres of first-grade land. The
canal was built by the company for the purpose of irrigating this land,
originally amounting to 31,000 acres. Three months ago our company, sold the
canal to the Allen Irrigating Company for over $410,000. Mr. Hershey was for
several years a director in the company.

  Mr. Hershey has extensive bank holdings, being largely interested in the Bank
of Woodland and the Bank of Yolo, being one of its directors, and the Grangers'
Bank of San Francisco. He is the owner of the Hershey House, at Knight's
Landing, which he built to take the place of the three-story brick hotel
destroyed by fire, which had been constructed by him and a partner.

  Mr. Hershey, while in no sense an office seeker, has been compelled by his
prominence here to take a somewhat active part in public affairs and has had an
official career worthy of mention. In 1879 he was the Democratic nominee for
Representative in the State Legislature of California, and led his party to
victory. In 1883 he was re-elected again to represent his district, showing the
confidence of the people and their satisfaction with his record. He served both
terms with credit, and took an important part in several important measures,
notably the passage of the act to change the system of voting in swamp-land
districts from the acreage basis to that of valuation. He has several times
represented the Democracy of the county in the State conventions, and the party
is glad to recognize him as one of its wheel-horses when he takes off his coat
for the fray. He is one of the oldest Odd Fellows hereabouts having joined the
order at Linneus, Missouri, in 1852, and being now a member of Woodland Lodge.

  He was married in this county, January 2, 1873, to Miss Ella, daughter of
William F. Flournoy, previously mentioned, who went back to Missouri in 1854,
and in 1865 returned to California, being now a resident of Modoc County. Six
children have been born to them, of whom one-Magdalena, is deceased. Those
living are: Cornelia, Davidella, May, Grace Harlan and D. N.

  Mr. Hershey is one of those solid, substantial men whose presence in a
community is worth much as an example for old and young. Such men show the
capability of a country, and are a standing reproof to drones and non-producers.
He is a man of the highest standing in business and social circles, respected by
all, and the results of his work will live in the history of the community which
he has so long made his home. Mr. Hershey is now engaged in leveeing, and has
been for the last five years reclaiming some 5,000 acres of land, working as
high as eighty head of mules and horses. The last winter, being very severe,
broke his levee and destroyed 800 acres of a fine farm. He intends to rebuild
the levees, and is now at work with fifty head of mules and horses of his own,
and will put on 100 more horses.


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.


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