California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 JOHN HILTON. Prominent among the successful farmers of Tulare county is John Hilton, who is located a mile and a half east of Portersville on property which he purchased in the fall of 1876. He is a native of Oswego county, N. Y., where he was born June 8, 1827, the third in a family of twelve children, of whom all attained maturity and eight are now living. His father, John Hilton, Sr., was born in. New York state, the son of a Revolutionary soldier, in manhood becoming a farmer in Livingston county, Mich. In 1849 he crossed the plains to California and upon his arrival engaged in mining in Placerville until his death, which occurred the following year. His wife, Hannah Wrought in maidenhood, was born in New York state and died in Michigan. One son, George, enlisted in the Third Michigan Cavalry and died in the service. John Hilton was reared in New York state until 1836, when he accompanied his parents to Livingston county, Mich., where he received his education in the subscription schools of that sec- tion. He remained at home until attaining his majority, when he began farming at Casnovia, Muskegon county, clearing a farm of heavy timber. He continued to improve and cultivate eighty acres of land until 1864, when he decided to bring his family � wife and seven children � to the more remote west where opportunities for advancement were more plentiful. He accord- ingly outfitted in March of that year with horse-teams and with twelve wagons in the train, going from Grand Haven to Milwaukee by boat, when they drove across Wisconsin and Iowa to the Missouri river. At Council Bluffs they laid in a new supply of provisions and continued on their journey, having to wait, however, two weeks to cross the Missouri river, as there were forty-two hundred wagons ahead of them. The journey to Oregon was safely accomplished via Fort Hall, and from Oregon City they went to Marion county and located within twelve miles of Salem, where Mr. Hilton engaged in farming until the following year. He then took his family to Mariposa county, Cal., and followed farming for a year; thence to Sonoma county until the fall of 1867. when he located on land he pre-empted twelve miles south of Porters- ville, Tulare county. In 1876 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres where he now resides, which he devoted to grain and stock-raising. In 1898 he set out twenty acres of navel oranges in addition to his other interests. Of his original purchase he still owns one hundred and fifty-five acres, all of which is under irrigation from the Pioneer Ditch. In Michigan Mr. Hilton married Eliza Averill, who was born in Onondaga county, N. Y. Her father, Samuel H. Averill, was a native of Vermont and an early settler of Onondaga county, N. Y., where he farmed and engaged as a lumberman. In 1848 he removed to Ottawa county, Mich., where he engaged as a farmer until his death at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. His wife, formerly Elizabeth McFarran, of New York state, also died in Michigan, at the age of seventy-five years. Of their family of twelve children eight attained maturity, two sons serving in the Civil war, one dying in service. Mrs. Hilton was the fourth in order of birth. To Mr. Hilton and his wife were born the following children : Nellie, the wife of Rob- ert Baker, of Portersville ; Julia, wife of James Montgomery, of Los Angeles ; Carrie, the wife of George Brown, of Bakersfield ; Frank P., a prominent member of the Knights of Pythias, being Forest Ranger of the Southern division of the Sierra Forest Reserves, having charge of the Kern river division near Isabella; John, a miner, of Portersville ; Delbert, a farmer at Han- ford, Kings county ; Adella, residing in Portersville, the widow of C. T. Graef ; and Mary, the wife of Frank Woodley, of Los Angeles. Mr. Hilton is a Socialist in his political affiliations, having withdrawn his allegiance from the Republican party in 1894.