John Crowninshield and Hannah Haines
John Crowninshield Wilder was the eldest son of Elias and Turzah. They had traveled from Vermont to New York in the early 1820’s along with Elia’s parents, Artemas and Dolly Wilder, and his brothers Artemas Jr. and James. Land purchase records for Western New York show Artemas Wilder, John’s Grandfather purchasing lots 2 and 4 in 1824. The 1830 census record for Ashford, Cattaraugus, New York, list John’s father Elias and grandfather Artemas living one farm away from each other.
John was born in 1827 and all future documents lists his birth place as New York, we believe it was most likely Ashford, but we don’t have any firm proof. Elias and Turzah gave John his Grandmother’s maiden name, Crowninshield, as his middle name. From the dates of his parents marriage and the subsequent births of his siblings, it is fair to say that John may not have been the first child born, but he was definitely the first that successfully made it past infancy. We don’t know anything about his childhood, but we know the family were famers and stock raisers and moved often looking for new opportunities to acquire good farm land. Artemas, Dolly, Elias, Turzah and John would pull up stakes in New York and move to Ohio sometime before 1839. The family is listed in the 1840 Wheeling, Guernsey, Ohio census. John is listed as age 13. He is living with his Father, Mother and siblings. It is in Ohio that his grandfather Artemas and grandmother Dolly would pass away.
According to family stories and records, John learned carpentry and blacksmith skills and worked as a farm hand when needed. John even tried his hand at mining during the gold rush era of California.
John Crowninshield Wilder and Hannah Hanes had 8 children.*
Lydia Cordellia Wilder born Jul. 9, 1852, Independence, Ia.
John David Wilder born Dec. 22, 1853, Independence, Ia.
James Elias Wilder born Nov. 18, 1857, Mo.
George Adelbert Wilder born Feb. 16, 1860. Died from scarlet fever, Jun. 11, 1864
Alice Azema Wilder born Oct. 5, 1861. Died from scarlet fever, June 6, 1864
Lora Ursula Wilder born Mar. 2, 1866, Woodwards Mill. Mo.
William Sherman Alvaro Wilder born Aug. 30, 1867. Woodwards Mill. Mo.
Francis Marion Alvadore Wilder born Apr. 13, 1869, Woodwards Mill. Mo.
San Francisco harbor during the Gold Rush.
(Photo: Public Domain)
Dreams of Making a Fortune
In 1849 gold was discovered in the foothills of California. By 1850 new discoveries of silver, copper and platinum in Northern California were being trumpeted across the states. Now was the time to get rich and any men got the fever and headed west.
Travel from the planes of America to the San Francisco, California was not easy or cheap. Even the cheapest steerage tickets on a steam ship were costly, running up into the $300 range. However, in 1853 the two steam ship companies decided to dropped their prices bringing the dream closer to reality. Steerage tickets were now available from $110 to $200.
Like many men, John C. Wilder would try his hand at mining. Sometime in early 1853, possibly after the birth of his son John David (Feb. 1853), John started out for California, most likely taking a train from Iowa to New York to purchase a ticket for the trip to California.
Family oral history says he took a steamer ship around the tip of South America and into San Francisco bay. As John was not a wealthy man, we are certain he traveled in steerage, but this makes tracking his travels, ship taken, dates arriving, difficult as often steerage passengers were not listed by name. At this time sailing from the east coast to the west by way of the tip of South America could take up to 198 days: The equivalent of 6 months.
There is great historical record of travel by steamship to and from California at this time. If you are not familiar with this aspect of the gold rush and growth of the United States. Hi recommend you check out the Maritime Heritage Project - Ships Passengers There are many interesting articles posted from that time that capture the challenges of travelers, conflicts with the steamship companies and paint a great picture of what it was like to be on the cutting edge of the gold rush and immigration to California in the mid 1800’s. Many passengers on the long trips around the tip of South America struggle with disease, illness, bad weather, and cholera outbreaks. We feel fortunate that John C. survived his travels.
A woman with three men panning for gold during the California Gold Rush. Credit: By Unknown - http://www.neatorama.com/2013/11/05/Gold-Rush-Girls/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52272060
(Photo: Public Domain)
The Hard Truth About Mining
As with many men arriving in California with mining on their mind, John would have had 2 options: Head East for the El Dorado hills or north to the new mining boom of Tehema and Siskiyou counties. Family history as referenced by “The Book of Wilders” tells us he mined in the RedBluff area around Igo and Ono. To get there from San Francisco, he would have another 2 options: By stage, or by steam boat. We don’t know which, but after 196 days on a steamer, he may have just decided to take the road. This would be “the old trappers road” or the “H.B.C. Road”, the original trail that ran from Oregon down through California and later traveled by wagon trains headed west from the interior. This is now what we call Highway 99 and travels north along the Sacramento river up into Shasta and then Oregon and south to San Bernardino.
By 1853, the are around Shasta had already played out with many minors having pulled up stakes and left claims for the many minors coming from China, Portugal, Mexico as well as other areas of the U.S. New claims and get rich quick opportunities had already passed by. Many men coming to the area for the first time would find out how hard it was to find enough gold to make it worth their while with several opting to work for larger mining outfits. We wonder if John may have turned to his standby skills of carpentry and blacksmith to make ends meet, we just don’t know for sure.
After what must have been a very difficult two and a half years, John returned to Iowa in 1856. He may have taken the more direct return route through the Isthmus of Panama. which at the time was taking as few as 43 days to make the trip. A major improvement from the alternative trip around the tip of South America.
Union soldiers at the battle of Fredericksburg- U.S. Civil War. Courtesy of Goodfreephotos.com (photo: public domain)
Serving in the Civil War
After his return to Iowa, John C moved his family closer to his brother and father in Missouri. On April 6th, 1862, at Fairmount, Missouri, he mustered into the Union army with the Second Missouri State Militia Cavalry.
John served as a private in the Calvary in companies A, C and D. He served under Captain William Dawson (Company A), Captain Perry D McClenihan (Company C) and Captain Ignatius Burns (Company D)
John would fight the remainder of the war and be honorably discharged in April 1865 at St. Louis, Mo. as a Private but not without harm. As a soldier he encountered the hazards of war that not only included people shooting at you, but the harsh conditions of soldier life in the field of war. It was during his service that John contracted a chronic case of dysentery due to poor food and tainted water. Health and sanitary conditions were exceptionally difficult for the Union to manage and many soldiers died due to the living conditions. The condition effected john severely causing extensive injury to his bowel.
While serving, John’s wife and children lived with his brother James and his parents Elias and Turzah. In June of 1864, John’s two children George and Alice died of Scarlet fever.
After the war around 1890, he petitioned the government for financial support as he was no longer able to carry on his job as a blacksmith. He petitioned for many years with no avail. His brother James and several other fellow soldiers sent letters testifying to the caliber of his character, that he was not sick until returning from the war and that he was not prone to drinking and poor living. He never received pension or support from the government, which was much the same with many other soldiers that served in the Civil War.
John wasn’t the only Wilder in his close family to server. His brothers George Fuller Wilder and Alonzo Parker "Lon" Wilder also fought in the Civil War, both fighting in the Union Army. They also had a cousin James who enlisted and fought along side John in the Second Missouri State Militia Cavalry. Both brothers and cousin survived the war, returned to their families and lived long lives.
In 1870, just after the completion of the rail line connection to the west, John gathered up his family and boarded a train for California. Finally he would return to California and join his parents and brother James.
John and Hannah stayed in Silvyville, California for a short while where he worked as a farm hand. He then moved his family north to an area he probably was familiar with during his time mining; Ono, Shasta County. It was in Ono that he opened his blacksmith shop and finally settle down.
Two of his sons William “Bill” and Francis “Frank” married Robinson sisters. William take over his father’s blacksmith shop. Rank had two daughters, Delia and Mona. It is due to them that the Wilder family lines from Elias and Thurza are captured in the revised book of wilders and jotted down here on this website. They also donated family memorabilia and photos to the RedBluff historical society.
John C. and Wife Hanna are buried in the rural cemetery in Igo, California, just a stones throw away from Ono. His children became active members of the community going into ranching, blacksmithing, school teaching. We have many cousins that branch from John and Hannah. Cousins that have been been meeting at a Wilder family reunion for over 70 years.