Yolo-Santa Cruz-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Marders, H. L. 1837 - 
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Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

H. L. MARDERS
    The greatest westward migration known in the history of the world occurred
during the '50s, when the newly discovered mines of California proved the magnet
that attracted gold-seekers from every portion of the globe. One of the
expeditions that crossed the plains had among its most active members a youth of
seventeen years, H. L. Marders, who had left forever the old associations of
boyhood and had joined in the movement destined ultimately to develop the then
unknown west. The young traveler was a member of an old family in the United
States and was born in Missouri, April 17, 1837, being a younger brother of
William Nathaniel Marders, like himself a native of Monroe county, his birth
having occurred August 30, 1834. The brothers were alike in energy of
temperament, fertility of resource and fondness for adventure, and many of their
experiences in the west were memorable and to a large degree perilous.

    An opportunity to work his passage across the plains came to H. L. Marders
in 1854 and he eagerly availed himself of the chance. The expedition with its
large herd of cattle and it full equipment of wagons and supplies proceeded by
way of Fort Laramie and the Platte river, on to Chimney Rock and Echo Canyon,
thence via Devil's Slide and the sink of the Humboldt into the mining regions.
On one occasion, just as dawn was lighting the east, the guard heard several
arrows suddenly whizz by and as he turned an Indian jumped to his feet,
exclaiming "How do you do!" Without the pause of an instant the guard shot the
Indian twice and the savage dropped dead. Knowing other savages lurked in the
distance ready to attack the party, the captain of the train hastily posted a
notice for other emigrant trains, warning them of danger. The party then started
forward with as much haste as possible and did not pause until they were sixteen
miles away. Afterward they learned that every member of the next emigrant train
was killed by Indians.

    Leaving the expedition in Nevada and remaining behind to earn some needed
money, H. L. Marders followed freighting for two years and hauled many loads to
Jacobsville, five miles west of Austin, on the Reese river. In addition he
hauled salt from Sand Springs to Virginia City. Each trip brought him from $1000
to $1500. One of his chief difficulties was the loss of cattle through the
drinking of the alkali water. Notwithstanding all losses he found the freighting
business one bringing considerable profit and he followed it both in Nevada and
California for a considerable period. Meanwhile he also had frequent intervals
devoted to prospecting and mining. The first visit he ever made to Yolo county
was during the year 1864 and since then he has been more or less closely
identified with various portions of the county. In the vicinity of Woodland he
hired out to do a job of plowing and turned the sod neatly and expeditiously
with five yoke of oxen, when the rancher himself had been unable to accomplish
satisfactory results with seven yoke. For six months he worked with Jesse D.
Carr, for several years he lived in Watsonville (Santa Cruz county) and for
three years he made his home in Woodland, where he built a large stable and then
leased one-half of the building to tenants. The occupations of the early days
(mining, freighting and ranching) he tried at different times and had his share
of good luck and of adversity, but with it all he never lost his affection for
the west and his sincere belief in its future prosperity. For some years he and
his brother, William Nathaniel, engaged in the raising of sheep at Casey's Flat,
but eventually their partnership was dissolved. In 1900 he located at Esparto,
set out an orchard of fourteen acres to almonds and grapes, and has also set out
an orchard of twenty-five acres near his place.

    The marriage of Mr. Marders took place in Sacramento in the year 1877 and
united him with Miss Martha Sweeney, a native of Missouri. She died in 1896,
when forty-four years of age. They became the parents of two sons. The elder,
Miles, married Mattie Bolden, a young lady from El Paso, Tex., and they have
three sons, Miles, Jr., Glenn, and Merl of Esparto. The political affiliations
of Mr. Marders are with the Democratic party, and his brother, the late W. N.
Marders, likewise voted the Democratic ticket at national elections. This
brother, who passed away August 13, 1899, owned nine hunderd and fifty acres in
the Sacramento valley and left, to inherit the estate, his widow, formerly
Esther Ryder and their four children, William O., Mabel O. (Mrs. W. E. Nissen),
Maude Esther (Mrs. H. E. Brown), and Roy A.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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