John M. Horner
John M. Horner | |
---|---|
Noe Valley neighborhood in San Francisco. | |
Spouse | Elizabeth Imlay |
Children | Robert Horner, William Horner |
Parent(s) | Stacy Horner, Sarah Johnson |
John Meirs Horner (1821–1907) was a key figure in the early history of San Francisco and southern Alameda County, California, especially what is now Fremont, California, and Union City.[1]
Early life
John Meirs Horner was born on June 15, 1821, in
Career
He had been a teacher and farmer in New Jersey and quickly took up farming in California quickly became one of California's premier agriculturists, despite being swindled into buying the same land four times and then losing much of it to squatters (according to his own account).[1]
In 1847, he began farming in the vicinity of Mission San Jose. Although he briefly tried mining in 1848, he realized that there was more potential in farming. By 1849, he was making a profit at selling his produce. He was also connected with early agricultural fairs in California designed to encourage others to be involved in growing produce.
He built a building to be used as a school and meetinghouse. Although he allowed Methodists and Presbyterians to hold meetings there, the main meetings conducted there at which he presided were of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This building has been called the first LDS meetinghouse in California.[3]
San Francisco
Horner was one of the
In 1895, descendants of José de Jesús Noé filed a San Francisco lawsuit involving $24,000,000.00 against Horner, stating a percentage of the land in Horner's Addition was legally theirs.[5]
Death and legacy
He died on May 14, 1907, at age 91 in Kukaiau, Hamakua, Hawaii where he had managed the Kukaiau Plantation Company starting in 1884.[6][7][8]
John M. Horner Middle School in Fremont, California is his namesake.
See also
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hawaii
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Historic Resource Survey Findings, South Mission Historic Resources Survey" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ a b From a letter by Horner reproduced in "'Heaven Forgave Me': The Fortunes of John M. Horner" by Ardis E. Parshall on Keepapitchinin, December 7, 2015. Accessed April 16, 2017.
- ^ Cowan and Homer. California Saints. p. 146
- ^ a b "John Meirs Horner". SFgenealogy.org. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ "Noe Valley Land Suit". SFgenealogy.org. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- University of Hawaii at ManoaLibrary. Retrieved 2014-10-13.
- ^ "John Meirs Horner". Anthony Gualco's Alvarado History. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ Silver, Mae. "The Farmer with the Golden Plow: John Meirs Horner (1821-1912)". FoundSF. FoundSF. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- Cowan, Richard O.; Homer, William E. (1996), California Saints: A 150-Year Legacy in the Golden State, Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center of Brigham Young University, pp. 144–147.
- autobiography of Horner with notes based on other writings 20 or more years after his death