Yolo-Nevada-Placer County CA Archives Biographies.....Merritt, Hiram P. 1830 - 
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Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

HIRAM P. MERRITT, of Merritt Station, Yolo County, the most extensive breeder of
live-stock in Northern California, is a representative of the best type of the
American business man. Like most men who have achieved distinction in their
respective callings, he started in life without capital save a fine physical
organization and an active and well-poised brain. A pioneer of 1850, he came
here a young man, and after passing through more than the usual vicissitudes and
reverses of those early days, he has by industry, economy and shrewd judgment
long stood in the front ranks of Yolo County's wealthy, influential citizens.
Dr. Merritt was born January 24, 1830, in Fairhaven, Rutland County, Vermont.
His father, Noble Merritt, was a lumberman. His mother's name before marriage
was Elizabeth Bates. He was three years of age when his parents moved to
Allegany County, New York, by way of Lake Champlain and Erie Canal. In their new
home his father engaged in the lumber business, as that portion of the State of
New York was then a dense forest; and here young Hiram assisted his father to
the extent of his ability, thus forming the habits of industry which he still
retains, although of late years his heavy work has been more of the intellectual
kind. As the prospects in Western New York for business with the commercial
world were not satisfactory to his ambition, he started for the West, in company
with his uncle, Sydney Merritt, as far as Detroit, and alone to Indiana. On
starting, his cash capital was only $15, and arriving at South Bend, Indiana, he
found his capital reduced to $2.50. Here he first secured employment in a drug
store, which place he retained for six years, receiving as compensation only his
necessary expenses, with the privilege of studying medicine. By diligence and
economy, and occasional practice at dentistry, he became able to attend medical
lectures and graduate at the State Medical College of Indiana, in the spring of
1849. Returning to South Bend, he followed his chosen profession, in partnership
with his old preceptor. His father sent him $100 at the beginning of his
practice for the purchase of a horse to use in attending calls. He gave $25 of
this to an aunt to keep for him, with the intention of coming to California,
which he did the next year-1850. He joined an Indiana party, comprising the Wall
Brothers (now of Denver), Dan W. Earl, of San Francisco, and others. At Council
Bluffs he utilized his medical knowledge in a small-pox epidemic, vaccinating
the multitudes as he sat upon the wagon-seat. He also had many occasions to
exercise his medical skill while crossing the plains.

  The party arrived in Sacramento in August. The first business in which Dr.
Merritt engaged after arriving here was that of running a meat-market, at
Bridgeport, on the South Yuba, and financially he was successful. In three
months he sold out, went to the North Fork of the Cosumnes River, in Placer
County, intending to follow the practice of medicine; and while residing there
he became famous as a hunter. On one occasion, while out hunting deer, he was
shot at by an Indian, the ball striking the rock on which he was sitting and
throwing the splinters into his face. At another time he was engaged with a
party of miners in a skirmish against Indians who had stolen their horses and
mules, and in this engagement about thirty Indians were killed.

  But, as the settlers were few and there was but little sickness among them,
and as the Doctor had no taste for mining, he would have returned East could he
have collected money enough, and continued his medical studies in Philadelphia.
As it has turned out, however, it is probably the best for him that he remained
in this State. On the first day of January, 1851, he passed through Yolo County
the first time, being at the time engaged in transporting merchandise by mule
pack-train between Sacramento, Scott's River, Yreka and other points north, a
distance of 400 miles; and although his capital was small, he made money. Going
next to Carson Valley, with some $2,000, he did a prosperous business buying
cattle, horses and mules of emigrants on their way to California and selling
them to settlers in the Sacramento Valley. After thus accumulating considerable
money he entered farming pursuits on an extensive scale in Yolo County; but the
first effort was a failure. Yet he took courage and began to retrieve his
fortune by returning to Carson City and resuming his old trade with the
emigrants. He did not undertake to wait in idleness for his grain to grow, as
most others did, but improved his time in trading. He adhered to his
agricultural pursuits until about three years ago, when he rented all his
agricultural lands in Yolo County, since which time he has been occupied looking
after his extensive stock-breeding farms and other interests. Thus he has been
busily employed every season since he first came to the State, except that of
1856, when he made a visit to the East; but even this time he utilized the
opportunity by bringing with him a herd of horses, which he disposed of
profitably after his arrival here. Although he early abandoned his medical
profession, his knowledge of hygiene and medicine has doubtless been of great
benefit to him through this long period. He has made some money, of' course, by
the natural rise in the value of his lands, and has become by far the most
extensive stock-raiser and mule-breeder in Central California, having grazing
grounds in several other parts of the State besides Yolo County, and also in
Nevada. In Yolo County alone he has over 4,500 acres of good land; the exact
number of acres cannot be told without a study of the public records, and is the
largest land-owner in the county. He has 2,500 acres of the finest land where he
resides, at Merritt Station, which point is named after him. It is on the line
of the railroad between Woodland and Davisville, whence as much grain is shipped
as from any other point on the road. The Doctor has 14,000 acres in Trinity and
Mendocino counties, devoted to grazing and breeding mules and cattle. On an
extensive tract in Nevada he has 30,000 sheep or more. He is one of the original
owners in the great Seventy-six Canal in Fresno and Tulare counties, which
serves to irrigate immense tracts of land. It is one of the most gigantic
enterprises of the kind in California. The Doctor's example has ever shown that
he is a firm believer, not in luck, but in untiring industry. He has been
President of the Bank of Yolo ever since its organization. He has made two trips
to the Eastern States, and in 1878 he made a trip across the Atlantic, visiting
Great Britain and various points on the continent of Europe; was in Paris during
the great exposition of that year. He is so firm a believer in the capacities of
the soil and climate of Central and Northern California that he really maintains
that an industrious man can not only make a living off of ten acres of ground
here, but actually lay up money. In view of this fact he holds that the price of
land here is absurdly low.

  The Doctor was married May 26, 1868, to Miss Jeannette E. Hebron, and has two
sons and two daughters. The sons, Alanson A. and George N., are both with their
father, and by both inheritance and training they are exemplary young men,
having been brought up to appreate [sic] the utility of industry.


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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