California Biographies, Santa Cruz County
HAMPTON E. MAKINNEY. 

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

Source:
History of Santa Cruz County, California 
Pacific Press Publishing Company
San Francisco, Cal. 1892
By E. S. Harrison 

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
 

HAMPTON E. MAKINNEY. 

For more than forty years prior to his death Mr. Makinney was identified with the history of Santa Cruz county and 
during eighteen consecutive years of the period he held public office. Preceding his service as a county official he was 
identified with the educational interests of the county and after the close of his labors as a county officer he was en- 
gaged actively in the abstract business as a partner of L. J. Dake under the firm name of Makinney & Dake. The search- 
ing of records and bringing down of abstracts enabled him to acquire a thorough knowledge of the real-estate interests of 
the county. Indeed, perhaps no citizen became more conversant than he with the values and titles to the various prop- 
erties that were bought and sold in late years. After his death his partner purchased the business, which is now con- 
ducted under the name of L. J. Dake. 

Mr. Maldnney was born at Eaton, Preble county, Ohio, July 31, 1843, and was a son of John and Basheba (Wilkins) 
Makinney, natives respectively of Ohio and Delaware. Primarily educated in local schools of Ohio, he was a youth of 
seventeen years when the family took up the trail toward the west and became pioneers of Iowa. As he had received a 
better education than most of the young people of the community where he settled, he was induced to accept a country 
school and for three years he engaged in teaching in the vicinity of the parental home. In the meantime he had mar- 
ried, and with his wife came to California. The Civil war was in progress and the Indians had become very hostile to 
emigrants, many of whom were massacred by the savages. The government had its troops mainly in the south and was 
therefore unable to furnish needed protection for travelers on the plains. After many narrow escapes from the Indians, 
the young couple finally arrived in California none the worse for the perilous journey. 

After having taught several terms of school at Placerville, Eldorado county, Mr. Makinney removed to Santa Cruz 
county, arriving in the city of that name on the 29th of December, 1866, and immediately after his arrival he began to 
teach school. In a very short time he received an appointment as school superintendent and during 1867 he was elected 
to the office, which he filled with conspicuous success for a period of six years. Upon retiring from the superintendency 
in 1873 he was elected to the office of county clerk, the work of which also included the filling of the positions of county 
recorder and auditor. It was recognized that he possessed qualifications admirably adapting him for official labors and 
he was retained in the clerk's office for a period of twelve years, retiring in 1885 to engaged in business for himself. 
Besides his work as an officer of the county he also served as a member of the city board of education for many years and 
in that position he favored all movements for the upbuilding of the schools. His experience as a teacher fitted him for 
successful work as a trustee, for he realized the needs of the schools and the trials encountered by a painstaking instructor. 

Supplementary to the other offices he held, Mr. Makinney acted as deputy district attorney from 1885 to 1887 and filled 
the position with accuracy notwithstanding his lack of a college course in the law. The Republican party received his 
stanch support throughout his life and he was ever firm in his allegiance to the principles for which the party stands. 
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Masons numbered him among their members in the Santa Cruz lodges of 
the orders and he was generous in his aid of their work. At his death, October 8, 1910, he left a wife and two children, 
Fred W. and Pearl. The daughter remains at home, but the son has secured a position in Honolulu and at this writing 
resides on the Hawaiian Islands.