Week 8 - Migration - Porter family

My great-great grand uncle Hosea Bellon Porter, better known as HB, was born about 1830 in New York the youngest son of Aaron and Lovina (Chapman) Porter. The family migrated from New York state to Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana by 1818 based on the birth places of some of their children and Aaron showing as head of household in 1820 and 1830 census records. The family than traveled on to Cedar County, Iowa about 1832. The father Aaron died in 1846 and by 1860, many of the siblings, including their mother Lovina, had headed for Minnesota and then on to Oregon. John J (my 2x great grandfather) and his brother Nicholas and their families stayed in Iowa.

By the year 1870, HB was found near Winters, Yolo County, California about 30 miles west of Sacramento. He owned land, was worth about $1500.00 (over $46,000.00 today) and had two farm hands. In 1880, he was located in Solano County, California; not because of moving, but because the county lines had changed.  By then he had a foreman and ten Chinese workers that helped on his ranch. Obviously, an entrepreneur for the times.

Traveling to California from Iowa during the 1860's would have been challenging at best. The most common route was the Oregon-California Trail that would have taken close to four months to complete by wagon. In 1870, the Pacific Railroad / Overland Route was completed, and a train would have made the travel time shorter, with a cost of between $65 and $135 (between $1400.00 and $3900.00 today) depending on what class you traveled.

Solano County played a significant role in the development of the U.S. fruit industry during the 19th century. Between 1845 and 1910, it was renowned for producing the first deciduous fruits such as apples, figs, nectarines, plums, and others. The region’s climate and fertile soil made it ideal for cultivating these crops, and its early contributions helped shape the agricultural landscape of California, which would become known as a major agricultural hub.

Hosea never married and when he died 18 Mar 1890, he stated in his will that the property he owned was to be left to his nephew William Arthur Young who had been living with him for about a year. William was the youngest son of Hosea's sister Sarah.


Doing a follow-up on William Young, I find that in 1900, 1910, 1920.... he was living in Winters, California - but he was living in town. 

Not on the land that had been given to him. Did he sell it, or did he lose it? That will be another mystery to be researched.

Barbie


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