California Biographies Source: History of Fresno 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 (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm A. R. HILTON.� Pioneers of Fresno, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Hilton reside at 1544 N Street, where they are enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. Mr. Hilton was born at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, April 19, 1852, descended from a very early English "family who settled in Nova Scotia. His father, Fred- erick Hammond Hilton, was also born in Nova Scotia, where the paternal grandfather, Thomas Hilton, ran a tannery and boot and shoe manufacturing establishment at Yarmouth, being among the first, if not the first, leather and boot and shoe manufacturers in Nova Scotia. Thomas Hilton was born in England at or near Liverpool, where the Hiltons had been tanners and leather workers for generations. Thomas Hilton married in England and brought his family to Nova Scotia in the early days. He was twice married, but had no children by his second wife, although raised a large family by his first wife. Frederick Ham- mond Hilton was the oldest son and succeeded to his father's business. He married in Nova Scotia. Miss Mary Hilton. During the gold excitement he came across the Isthmus in 1852, and mined at Georgetown, and in other gold-mining districts. He went back to Nova Scotia in 1856, and in 1868 re- turned to California, accompanied by A. R. Hilton in 1868. They crossed the Isthmus, arriving at San Francisco May 1, 1868. They went on up to Center- ville, Alameda County, where the father opened up a boot and shoe shop. The mother and the rest of the children joined the father and our subject about six months later. A. R. Hilton attended the public schools at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia ; was brought up in the Congregational Church, and shortly after coming to California, he was apprenticed to Walton and Faulkner at Cen- terville, and learned the blacksmith trade and horseshoeing, serving an ap- prenticeship of two and a half years, when he bought out a blacksmith shop in Centerville, ran it three years, then, as a journeyman blacksmith, worked in San Francisco, Oakland, Bakersfield and Pittsburg (then known as New York Landing) in Contra Costa County, where he met -and married his wife. She was Miss Alice Rebecca Whitney, daughter of William E. and Sophia A. (Fales) Whitney � their marriage taking place August 11, 1877, at New York Landing. William E. Whitney was born at Thomaston, Maine, where he was also married and there Mrs. Hilton was born and lived till she was eleven years of age, attending the public schools. Mr. Whitney came to California in 1849 and dug gold near the Nevada line, went back to Maine and returned again to California. His family joined him in California on Thanksgiving Day, 1868, sailing via Panama. Mrs. Hilton grew up at New York Landing. now Pittsburg, and attended Mill's Seminary. Mr. Whitney followed railroad building at Pittsburg and farmed 300 acres. He built the first limekiln in Santa Cruz; built the Black Diamond Railway, put in a great deal of piling and built many of the piers and wharves about the bay; became an extensive contractor in building culverts and bridges for the Southern Pacific Railway and became well-to-do. He died at New York Landing more than thirty years ago. His wife outlived him and died at the home of Mrs. Hilton in April, 1894, seventy-two years old. The Whitneys had four children who grew up : William J., well known in Contra Costa County. He died at Pittsburg several years ago ; Frank, died in Contra Costa County; Mary A., is the wife of George South, farmer, at Pittsburg; and Alice Rebecca. Four of the Whitney children died before reaching maturity. Mrs. Hilton's mother, Sophia A. Fales, was born in Thomaston, Maine, was a very intellectual person ; was a school teacher in Maine. Her family were merchants and sea-faring men. The Fales were of English and Scotch origin, and the progenitors had settled in Maine before the Revolution. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hilton went to Kernville, Kern County, where he bought a partnership in a blacksmith shop, which he ran three years, thence went to Bodie, Mono County, and worked in blacksmith shop connected with a gold mine one year and then ran a blacksmith shop of his own about nine years, then Mr. Hilton came to Fresno, November 29, 1888; bought two lots on N Street across the road from the old Church Mill. He built a shop and conducted a general blacksmithing business and gained wide recognition as the manufacturer of the Hilton Wagon. He made and sold thousands of the Hilton Wagons, locally. He also manufactured buggies and light road wagons, but his principal work was the making of wagons for freighting in the mountains and in the valley, wagons, from for two horses to sixteen horses. He remained actively in business until 1904 when he was taken seriously ill and underwent an operation. They have lived at 1544 N Street since April, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Hilton have two living children : Mary Sophia, wife of W. H. Davis, a raisin grower at Round Mountain, Fresno County, and they have eight children: Frederick Hilton ; Mary June ; Alice Adelia ; Elizabeth Ann ; Walton Leslie ; Shirley Jane; Chester Byron; Earla May; and Leslie Allen, manager of the United States Rubber Company in San Diego. He married Miss Ethel Van- dercook. formerly of Fresno, and they have one child : Bettie Jane. Mr. and Mrs. Hilton have watched Fresno grow with great interest. Mrs. Hilton and the children are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Hilton is an Odd Fellow ; is a naturalized American citizen, and in political matters is a Republican.