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 GEORGE KIRKHAM HOSTETTER. Since a boy of but five years, Mr. Hostetter has been without father or mother, and while he has succeeded it is the result of his own well-directed ef- forts. His father, Francis Hostetter, was a native of Kentucky, but finally migrated to Mis- souri where he followed farming up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1844. He mar- ried Catherine Lankard, who died two years later. G. K. Hostetter was born in St. Charles county. Mo., January 14, 1841, and after the death of his mother he and two sisters made their home with Alden Farnsworth near St. Charles until 1854, when the family crossed the plains to the Pacific coast. The trip was made with ox-teams, the party following the old Carson route. After a weary journey they arrived in California in October, 1854, and settled in the beautiful Santa Clara valley where one of the party, O. W. Farnsworth, had previously lived. On arriving in the valley Mr. Farnsworth settled on a one hundred and sixty-acre ranch four miles from San Jose and Mr. Hostetter remained with him until 1864, when he went into the mines of Idaho. This trip proved a failure and after a few months he went to Oregon, locating in the Grand Ronde valley, where he found employment for one year. In 1865 a return was made to California and farming was resumed in the Santa Clara valley. A year later, on December 11, 1866, Mr. Hostetter married Margaret Rea, who was born in Illinois. She is a daughter of James Rea, who was born in the western part of Virginia, March 9, 1799, of Irish and Scotch parentage. He made his home in the Vicinity of his birth until early manhood, when he accompanied his parents to Ohio, locating in Viallia county, and there he married Hannah Hudsonpillar. The latter, also a native of Virginia, was born the same year as her husband and with her parents removed to Ohio about the same years the Reas did, both families settling in Gallia county. James Rea engaged in farming for some time after their marriage, being located near Gallipolis, Ohio. In 1833 he took his fam- ily to Hancock county, residing at Fort Findlay until the fall of 1838. when they removed to the vicinity of Decatur, Macon county, Ill. In 1854 he crossed the plains to California and located near San Jose, Santa Clara county, where his death occurred, at the age of eighty-three years. From 1865 until 1891 Mr. Hostetter was engaged in farming and horticultural pursuits near Berryessa. While there he improved an orchard of fifty-three acres, meeting with marked success in his business ventures. In 1891 he disposed of his interests and located in San Jose where he resided until March, 1899, when he located in Lindsay, Tulare county, having pur- chased his present ranch in 1893. Upon his locating on his ranch in 1899 he set out an orange grove of fifteen acres. lie also owns two hundred and sixty-four acres a quarter of a mile north of Lindsay. While Mr. Hostetter has resided in Lindsay but a few years he has taken a prominent posi- tion in the affairs of the town, and aside from his own personal interests is now vice-president of the Rochdale Company and is a director in the Lindsay Orange Growers' Association. In both of these concerns he is a valued member, his advice being freely asked on all important questions. He has made a success of his life work and has overcome obstacles that would have discouraged many, being determined to win for himself a position of prominence. That he has accomplished his aims all will admit, but in this battle for a competency he has never neglected the duties of a citizen, and when called upon to assist he has always been willing to respond, both with his advice and his means. To Mr. and Mrs. Hostetter have been born five children, as follows : Frank F., George F., Alvin M., Rea H. and Mary A. They have been reared amid the comforts of life and all have been given the advantages of a good common school education. The family is liked by all and both Mr. Hostetter and his estimable wife are welcomed into the best homes in the state. In Santa Clara county where they lived for many years they have scores of friends who sincerely regretted their departure.