Individual Details
Benjamin Quincy Hollenbeak
(31 Aug 1815 - 7 Jul 1880)
BIRTH-DEATH-MARRIAGE: FGS compiled by Charles T. Gotham, Box 54, Canton, PA
17724 (received 1984); Information obtained from Mrs. Evelyn Argles, 455 E.
Ocean Bl., #315, Long Beach, CA 90802 and Robert V. Anderson, Utica, N.Y.
BIOGRAPHY-BIRTH-CHILDREN-SPOUSE-DEATH: Frances A. Gassaway, Compiler, PIONEERS
OF YESTERYEARS; 1708-1900; Fort Crook Historical Society, Fall River Mills CA,
1977; pp 1-12; Book in possession of Art Hawkinson, Hudson WI 1995.
Benjamin Quincy Hollenbeak, the great grandson of William Hollenbeak (born ca
1739) and the father of the Fall River Valley (California) Hollenbeaks, was
born in Fayette county, Kentucky. He married Emma Malinda Wilkerson and they
left Kentucky shortly after their oldest son, Asa Manual, was born (Nov 1841)
to look for a better place with more advantages. Every time they moved they
went farther west.
They were living in Council Bluffs, Iowa, east of the Missouri river,
farming some of the best land in the United States. Their oldest daughter
Harriet and her husband, Samuel Coen, had gone west and were living in Oregon.
The lure of the West became irresistable. They envisioned land that was there
for the taking and gold that was there for the digging, so Benjamin and his
family began making preparations for the long journey.
In the spring of 1864, Benjamin and his wife Malinda and their children:
William Henry with his wife, Barbara and daughter; Asa M. and his wife;
Stephen, 17; George,13; John Thomas, 9; Hannah Linda, 7; and James Arnet, 5,
joined with others at Omaha to form one of the longest wagon trains that ever
crossed the plains. At last the day arrived-- they crossed the Missouri River
and were on their way. The Hollenbeak unit was a strong part of the train.
They brought wagons, equipment, cattle, horses, small farm animals and food
enough to last at least a year.
'Twas spring when the long train crossed the Missouri with the long trek
ahead. They followed the Platte River and struggled with the spring floods--
the crossings and trails were under water and they built rafts to navigate the
swollen waters. The rafts and wagons were carried down stream and often
capsized but no one was lost although they lost some supplies.
At Hall in Nebraska, the oldest son of William Henry, James William, was
born. There was little time to tarry and after a day of rest the train resumed
travel.
William Henry's little daughter, Emma, became sick and died near Laramie,
Wyoming. The train stopped long enough to bury the child along the trail, but
there was no time to lose, so they moved on with heavy hearts and sadley left
the little grave behind them.
They headed south toward Great Salt Lake and continued south across the
cruel Humbolt Country where they encountered many hardships-- scarcity of good
water, poison water, scarcity of feed for the stock and intense desert heat.
However, for one thing the whole train could be thankful-- the Indians had not
attacked them at any time during the trip.
What a welcome sight was Honey Lake. Here was water and feed for the
livestock and here they met some of those who had made the long trip before
them and had decided this was far enough. After resting and letting the stock
feed for a few days, the Hollenbeak Unit decided to move on. They followed the
Lassen Trail to and through Susanville, then turned north to Pittville in Fall
River Valley where they found Charley Young who had pioneered this settlement
on Pit River.
Here they saw a beautiful valley, good land and plenty of water, but the
chilly nights warned of coming winter. The Indians were restless and
unfriendly toward the whites. All things being considered, they decided to
move on westward and when winter did arrive, they were comfortably settled in
Little Shasta Valley. They stayed there for two years but were still
unsettled-- the beautiful Fall River Valley beckened them to return. By this
time Asa and his wife had two little boys, Harry and George, but unfortunately
their marriage did not last.
Asa returned to Fall River Valley in 1866. Benjamin and his family and
William Henry and his family soon followed. Benjamin homesteaded what is the
present W.C. Albaugh Ranch and William H. chose to homestead across Pit River
and south of his father on land that is presently the J.W. Bruce place, much
land that belongs to McArthur along the river, the Al Bruce place and the old
Crum Salughter House facilities. Later Stephen homesteaded what is now the
W.J. Albaugh place. Asa homesteaded 160 with a preemption about four miles
north of Pittville.
Benjamin and Malinda were blessed with one more child, Doctor Franklin
(Doc) after they returned to Fall River Valley from Little Shasta Valley. They
settled down on their homestead. Benjamin was a successful farmer and raised
the younger children on the place, but as they grew and married most of them
left the valley.
Malinda was known as the doctor in the valley not that she was a licensed
medic with formal training but she had a natural talent for treating the sick
and wounded. With long experience she became the hope of life for many, since
there was no other doctor. She set bones, administered to the sick, delivered
babies, dressed wounds and then nursed them back to health. She was a fearless
woman and a great help to her husband.
She once had to protect her family from an Indian who entered her house and
demanded food. She had no food to give away but knew that she must do
something, so she grabbed a heavy stick near the fireplace and struck the
Indian on the head so hard that he fell to the floor, stunned. She then ran to
the field to get her husband and while she was gone the Indian aroused and
finding himself alone, he was long gone by the time Benjamin arrived. In the
line of duty and love, Malinda cared for Asa's two little boys until he could
provide a home for them.
When Benjamin died he left the ranch to Malinda, but she was unable to run a
ranch at her age. Her youngest son, Doc, stayed with her and helped her until
her death in 1910. He then settled the estate and retired to Whitmore to be
with his family. Doc had married, but had no children of his own.
(From "Pioneers of Yesteryears", published by Fort Crook Historical Society,
1977, compiled by Frances A. Gassaway; "Benjamin Q. Hollenbeak and His Family"
by Frances A. Gassaway, pages 1-12)
17724 (received 1984); Information obtained from Mrs. Evelyn Argles, 455 E.
Ocean Bl., #315, Long Beach, CA 90802 and Robert V. Anderson, Utica, N.Y.
BIOGRAPHY-BIRTH-CHILDREN-SPOUSE-DEATH: Frances A. Gassaway, Compiler, PIONEERS
OF YESTERYEARS; 1708-1900; Fort Crook Historical Society, Fall River Mills CA,
1977; pp 1-12; Book in possession of Art Hawkinson, Hudson WI 1995.
Benjamin Quincy Hollenbeak, the great grandson of William Hollenbeak (born ca
1739) and the father of the Fall River Valley (California) Hollenbeaks, was
born in Fayette county, Kentucky. He married Emma Malinda Wilkerson and they
left Kentucky shortly after their oldest son, Asa Manual, was born (Nov 1841)
to look for a better place with more advantages. Every time they moved they
went farther west.
They were living in Council Bluffs, Iowa, east of the Missouri river,
farming some of the best land in the United States. Their oldest daughter
Harriet and her husband, Samuel Coen, had gone west and were living in Oregon.
The lure of the West became irresistable. They envisioned land that was there
for the taking and gold that was there for the digging, so Benjamin and his
family began making preparations for the long journey.
In the spring of 1864, Benjamin and his wife Malinda and their children:
William Henry with his wife, Barbara and daughter; Asa M. and his wife;
Stephen, 17; George,13; John Thomas, 9; Hannah Linda, 7; and James Arnet, 5,
joined with others at Omaha to form one of the longest wagon trains that ever
crossed the plains. At last the day arrived-- they crossed the Missouri River
and were on their way. The Hollenbeak unit was a strong part of the train.
They brought wagons, equipment, cattle, horses, small farm animals and food
enough to last at least a year.
'Twas spring when the long train crossed the Missouri with the long trek
ahead. They followed the Platte River and struggled with the spring floods--
the crossings and trails were under water and they built rafts to navigate the
swollen waters. The rafts and wagons were carried down stream and often
capsized but no one was lost although they lost some supplies.
At Hall in Nebraska, the oldest son of William Henry, James William, was
born. There was little time to tarry and after a day of rest the train resumed
travel.
William Henry's little daughter, Emma, became sick and died near Laramie,
Wyoming. The train stopped long enough to bury the child along the trail, but
there was no time to lose, so they moved on with heavy hearts and sadley left
the little grave behind them.
They headed south toward Great Salt Lake and continued south across the
cruel Humbolt Country where they encountered many hardships-- scarcity of good
water, poison water, scarcity of feed for the stock and intense desert heat.
However, for one thing the whole train could be thankful-- the Indians had not
attacked them at any time during the trip.
What a welcome sight was Honey Lake. Here was water and feed for the
livestock and here they met some of those who had made the long trip before
them and had decided this was far enough. After resting and letting the stock
feed for a few days, the Hollenbeak Unit decided to move on. They followed the
Lassen Trail to and through Susanville, then turned north to Pittville in Fall
River Valley where they found Charley Young who had pioneered this settlement
on Pit River.
Here they saw a beautiful valley, good land and plenty of water, but the
chilly nights warned of coming winter. The Indians were restless and
unfriendly toward the whites. All things being considered, they decided to
move on westward and when winter did arrive, they were comfortably settled in
Little Shasta Valley. They stayed there for two years but were still
unsettled-- the beautiful Fall River Valley beckened them to return. By this
time Asa and his wife had two little boys, Harry and George, but unfortunately
their marriage did not last.
Asa returned to Fall River Valley in 1866. Benjamin and his family and
William Henry and his family soon followed. Benjamin homesteaded what is the
present W.C. Albaugh Ranch and William H. chose to homestead across Pit River
and south of his father on land that is presently the J.W. Bruce place, much
land that belongs to McArthur along the river, the Al Bruce place and the old
Crum Salughter House facilities. Later Stephen homesteaded what is now the
W.J. Albaugh place. Asa homesteaded 160 with a preemption about four miles
north of Pittville.
Benjamin and Malinda were blessed with one more child, Doctor Franklin
(Doc) after they returned to Fall River Valley from Little Shasta Valley. They
settled down on their homestead. Benjamin was a successful farmer and raised
the younger children on the place, but as they grew and married most of them
left the valley.
Malinda was known as the doctor in the valley not that she was a licensed
medic with formal training but she had a natural talent for treating the sick
and wounded. With long experience she became the hope of life for many, since
there was no other doctor. She set bones, administered to the sick, delivered
babies, dressed wounds and then nursed them back to health. She was a fearless
woman and a great help to her husband.
She once had to protect her family from an Indian who entered her house and
demanded food. She had no food to give away but knew that she must do
something, so she grabbed a heavy stick near the fireplace and struck the
Indian on the head so hard that he fell to the floor, stunned. She then ran to
the field to get her husband and while she was gone the Indian aroused and
finding himself alone, he was long gone by the time Benjamin arrived. In the
line of duty and love, Malinda cared for Asa's two little boys until he could
provide a home for them.
When Benjamin died he left the ranch to Malinda, but she was unable to run a
ranch at her age. Her youngest son, Doc, stayed with her and helped her until
her death in 1910. He then settled the estate and retired to Whitmore to be
with his family. Doc had married, but had no children of his own.
(From "Pioneers of Yesteryears", published by Fort Crook Historical Society,
1977, compiled by Frances A. Gassaway; "Benjamin Q. Hollenbeak and His Family"
by Frances A. Gassaway, pages 1-12)
Events
| Birth | 31 Aug 1815 | , Fayette County, Kentucky, , Fayette Cty, Kentucky | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1838 | , Pike, Illinois - Emma Malinda Wilkerson | |||
| Death | 7 Jul 1880 | Pittville, Shasta, CA |
Families
| Spouse | Emma Malinda Wilkerson (1823 - 1910) |
| Child | William Henry Hollenbeak (1840 - ) |
| Child | Asa Manuel Hollenbeak (1841 - 1919) |
| Child | Harriet M. Hollenbeak (1845 - ) |
| Child | Stephen B. Hollenbeak (1847 - ) |
| Child | George A. Hollenbeak (1851 - ) |
| Child | John Thomas Hollenbeak (1853 - ) |
| Child | Hannah Linda Hollenbeak (1855 - ) |
| Child | James Arnet Hollenbeak (1859 - ) |
| Child | Doctor Franklin "Doc" Hollenbeak (1867 - ) |
| Father | Henry Clark Hollembeak (1788 - ) |
| Mother | Hannah Quincy (1793 - ) |
| Sibling | Anna Maria Hollembeak (1811 - ) |
| Sibling | Asa Hammond Hollembeak (1813 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Harriet "Sally" Hollembeak (1817 - ) |
| Sibling | Lovina L. Hollembeak (1820 - ) |
| Sibling | Nancy Phoebe Hollembeak (1823 - ) |
| Sibling | Phoebe Ann Hollembeak (1825 - ) |
| Sibling | Abram Clark "Sandy Abe" Hollembeak (1829 - ) |
| Sibling | Henry Clark Hollembeak (1831 - 1853) |
| Sibling | John William Hollembeak (1833 - ) |
| Sibling | Robert George Hollembeak (1835 - 1857) |