John Thomas HAMNER

                   Information obtained from handwritten pedigree chart from Charles K. Bird
grandson of John Arthur Hamner on 1-20-2000.

   JOHN ARTHUR HAMNER, HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY (Written in 1962)

	I, John Arthur Hamner, was born in Corona, California, January 16, 1892. My parents were John Thomas Hamner and Martha Ann Hamner, who were married in Corona, California.  My father was born in Northport, Alabama, and my mother in San Bernardino, California. My father came to California at the age of 20 years. My mother's folks came from Virginia in
1850, so I am an old-line Californian. My mother's folks came to California by covered wagon in 1850 and settled in San Bernardino.

	My father bought a ranch three miles east of Corona on Magnolia Avenue. I was three years old when I became a farmer. My two brothers, Ben and Emmett, and sister, Ellen, were born there. The ranch was not large, 40 acres partly cleared and surrounded by sagebrush and washes. Papa had good teams, so was able to clear and level the land for irrigation. After 3 or 4 years he bought 120 acres of brush land adjoining the first 40 so we had 160 acres. We continued to buy more land and develop it until we were farming as much as two thousand acres, raising hay, grain, cattle, hogs, and both horses and mules for market, they being the only power we had on ranches at that time. I sure did enjoy myself helping my folks develop this wonderful ranch. This story sounds pretty nice, but without the wonderful mother I had and the help of her to my father, this would have been a different story. She was the one that carried all of us through all the most trying times. Many Christmases would not have been very happy had it not been for her. She was the backbone of the family and farm; also the entire community--the one who always gave of herself--a wonderful wife, mother, and friend to all.

	My school began with me riding a horse to Corona. After a short time winter came, so I stayed with my Aunt Lula and Uncle Charles Main in town during the week, my folks getting me every Friday night and taking me home over weekends. I did this during first, second, third and fourth grade. Then a small new school was built in Alvord with 14 pupils, one teacher teaching through the eighth grade. I went there until the last half of the eighth grade, then went to Corona again, staying with my aunt and uncle until I finished high school, this being my education.

	My wife, Zilpha Ellen Davis, and I met in Corona High School. She graduated one year ahead of me. After I finished school, she and I were married, thus starting our new life, and wonderful family, consisting of two boys and four girls.

	I started to work running engines pumping water and taking care of its delivery to many users in the La Sierra District for agricultural use. There our first child, Margaret, was born. After one year we moved to Corona. There I worked in a gent's store. One year later we moved on our first farm. There we started farming with 100 baby chicks and some hens and a cow. Next I began buying baby calves hoping to have a dairy some day. After two years, we were milking 26 cows and still raising calves. We grew our pasture and hay for them.

	In 1916, my Uncle Charles Main and I became partners. We sold the first farm and bought a larger one (155 acres), put both herds of cows and calves together, and delivered retail milk to Corona. Four years later, I sold my half interest to my uncle and moved to Riverside. There I worked for an implement and truck company for two years, then quit my job and bought a 15-acre walnut grove and 1200 head of sheep. Then I sold our house in Riverside and built a new one on the walnut grove in Arlington. We did very good with grove and sheep. Not long after we had our grove and sheep I built a cement pipe yard and made concrete pipe and other cement products. Then started contracting pipeline and other cement products.
We had done very well in all of our investments. Then came the "bump" of 1929-30. This was our first set-back since we started our family life, and the first test we had to meet. I did not know how to handle myself. I did a pretty poor job; had it not been for my wife and family, I don't believe I would have made it, they made the difference. They were able to give me courage. Before the "bump", I had moved all the sheep to Imperial Valley; having made my friends there., I started buying hay and grain for dairymen and feed mills in Los Angeles, then built a feed yard in the City of Imperial (Central Valley Feed). I had a partner there, which did not turn out good, so left this company after three years. Went to work on government jobs during wartime-sewer, water, and street work. My experience in the pipe yard and contracting cement work came in handy then to help me. After the war was over, I helped my father take care of his property until he passed away. My mother left us four years earlier, which was a shock to all our family, £or she was only seventy-six.

	Our children are all married, and most of them live near us. We have fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.
We are having fun now helping them where ever we can and enjoying their children.
                  

                   Social Security Number: 556-30-1149

The state listed in the birth locality field
is where the Social Security Number was issued.



The state listed in the birth locality field
is where the Social Security Number was issued.

The zip code listed in the death locality field
is the last place of residence.

Death Residence Localities
ZIP Code: 92504
Casa Blanca, Riverside, California

Casa Blanca, Riverside, California
Hardman Center, Riverside, California
Riverside, Riverside, California


Riverside, Riverside, California