Western Expresses | H

Daniel Webster Harrier was the proprietor of D. W. Harrier’s Express, which operated from Nevada City (where he connected with Wells, Fargo & Co.) to Moore’s Flat, Woolsey’s Flat, Orleans Flat, Lake City and North Bloomfield. The earliest reference to his express is from the Nevada City Transcript Jul 19, 1864; however, the unique Type 2 printed frank usage has a Nevada City May 1, 1864 postmark. In late Aug, 1865, Harrier sold his stage and express line to Philip & Gregory, who operated over the same route beginning Sep 1, 1865.

Harrison operated his California express is Siskiyou County between Susanville and Goose Lake in 1872.

J. Hawes and Co’s San Francisco & New York Express was formed by Joseph Hawes and Charles Lumbard on Dec 13, 1854. They advertised for the Vanderbilt Independent Line steamer Cortes that departed on Mar 24, 1855 (cover below carried on this trip). Their last ad appeared on Mar 17, 1856.

T. R. Hawley began in the express business as a partner in Weld & Co.’s Express in 1849. In Nov, 1849 Hawley bought out his associates in Weld Co.’s Express and changed the name to Hawley & Co.’s Express. Initially, he ran between San Francisco and Sacramento, with a stop at Benicia, later adding Fremont, Nicholas, Eliza City, and Marysville. Hawley connected with Adams & Co. in San Francisco. He added John M. Freeman (who had left Adams & Co.) as a partner in Jul, 1850, around the same time he acquired Angle & Co.’s Express. Hawley sold his interest in the firm to John M. Freeman, based on an announcement of Nov 11, 1850. Hawley & Co.’s Express operated through the end of Nov, 1850, after which it transitioned to Freeman & Co.’s Express.

Stephen Clayton Haydon, a merchant in Petaluma, established his express to handle mail in Sonoma and Marin County towns north of San Francisco, as listed on his printed frank. Haydon had been agent for both Pacific and Wells, Fargo & Co.’s Expresses, as well as advertising an express from Aug 18, 1855 to Nov 10, 1855. Haydon’s Pioneer Express again advertised in the Petaluma Sonoma County Journal from Jan 30, 1857 to Feb 27, 1857. The Apr 17, 1857 issue contained the first ad for American Express, which noted that they had purchased “Mr. S. C. Haydon’s list.”

Little is known about this express company, except for information from the lone surviving cover. From that cover, below, we can assume they operated in the East Bay (Hayward, formerly known as Haywood, is in Alameda County) and connected with Pacific Union Express Company, possibly in Oakland. The latter express company operated from Jul 1, 1868 to December 1869 when they were absorbed by Wells Fargo.

Samuel Hervey began his express in Nov, 1858 by purchasing the route (former proprietor not identified) from Nevada City “to the principal points in Little York township” passing through Camden, Red Dog, Waloupa, Little York, Liberty Hill, and Remington Hill. Hervey sold his express to James McLearn in Apr, 1860, after only 17 months in the express business.

Hinckley & Company’s Express was founded in 1860 by C.S. Hinckley and John Sowers. The express operated among the mining towns, via Denver City and Fort Kearney, to Omaha City, Nebraska Territory. The company was purchased by the Central Overland, California & Pike’s Peak Express Company on May 11, 1861.

J. W. Hoag, John Bamber, and Charles Gable purchased the Contra Costa Express from R. T. Lockwood in Oct, 1855, adding W. F. Herre’s Contra Costa Express in Nov, 1855. John Bamber had left and started his own express when J. W. Hoag advertised for the sale of his express in Sep, 1858. Hoag’s attempt to find a buyer (to challenge Bamber’s dominance of the area) was unsuccessful and he exited the business on his own.

Frank J. Hoffman was the senior partner in each of the three Hoffman Expresses which operated in Northern California between Dec, 1849 and Oct, 1851: Hoffman & Co. Express with an unknown partner (Dec, 1849 to sometime in 1850), Hoffman & Page’s Express (Sep, 1850 to Jan, 1851), Hoffman & Little’s Express (Jan/Feb, 1851 to Sep/Oct, 1851). Their primary route was from Sacramento up the American River to the South and North Forks of the American, with an additional route from Nevada City to Rough & Ready, Grass Valley, Newtown, Bridgeport, Sacramento and San Francisco. Hoffman & Co. sold out to George E. Clarke, acting on behalf of Gregory’s Express.

John Hogan was the proprietor of Hogan & Co.’s North San Juan and Humbug Express. Hogan is listed as a “Stage Proprietor” and North San Juan resident in the 1870 census. The earliest ad for his “stage and express line” is from the Aug 3, 1872 North San Juan War Club, noting that he connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. at North San Juan. The North San Juan Times carried Hogan’s last express ad on Jul 4, 1874. He sold his stage and express line to Sherman & Co., whose first ad appeared on Jul 25, 1874.

Ben Holladay started his overland express from Atchison, Kansas to Placerville, California in 1862. He extended his lines in 1864, going from Salt Lake City, Utah to Walla Walla, Washington, with branches into Idaho, Montana and Colorado. In the spring of 1866, he bought out Butterfield’s Overland Stage and Dispatch Company. Ben Holladay, “the stagecoach king”, sold out his empire to Wells, Fargo & Company on Nov 1, 1866.

Charles J. Morley and Homer B. Holland purchased Francis’ Express on Mar 3, 1862, forming Morley & Holland’s Express. Based out of LaPorte, they served numerous camps throughout Sierra and Plumas Counties, connecting with Everts Wilson & Co. at Marysville and Whiting & Co. at Quincy. They sold their express route to William Ford Jun 14, 1862, who operated his express over the same routes they had. Holland and Morley re-entered the express business a little over two months later when, on Sep 1, 1862, they purchased Everts, Wilson & Co.’s “LaPorte and Plumas Express” and started Holland, Morley & Co.’s Express, connecting at Marysville with Wells, Fargo & Co. and at LaPorte with Whiting & Co. They were succeeded by Holland & Wheeler’s Express in Jul, 1863.

Charles H. Morley sold his interest of Holland, Morley & Co.’s Express to Simeon (Sam) Wheeler in Jul, 1862, thereafter being Holland & Wheeler’s Express. They had principal offices at LaPorte and Marysville and operated over the same basic routes as their predecessor company, connecting with Wells, Fargo & Co. at Marysville and Whiting & Co. at Quincy. Holland & Wheeler’s Express operated for a little more than two months, with Holland selling out his interest to Wheeler effective Oct 1, 1863.

In Mar, 1862, Emerson Bennett Hopkinson purchased Durgan’s express route that ran from Nevada City into the Dutch Flat area with service to Hunt’s Hill, Red Dog, and Little York. In Jun, 1864, he sold the route to J. A. Stone, but repurchased it Feb, 1865. Hopkinson established another route in Jun, 1864 on the Dutch Flat and Washoe Road. He connected with Wells Fargo at both Nevada City and Dutch Flat. Hopkinson is thought to have ceased operating sometime in late 1868 or early 1869.

The May 23, 1874 Yreka Union reported that “Dave Horn is now proprietor of the Yreka and Scott Bar Express,” with tri-weekly service from Yreka to Scott Bar, and return the following day via Indian Creek, Fort Jones, McAdams Creek and Deadwood. An article of May 27, 1874 noted that Horn’s express was under the management of Lavinia Tickner, perhaps indicating that Tickner was a partner in the business. The Jan 27, 1877 Yreka Union reported “David Horn has sold his interest in the Scott Bar and Yreka Express to F. L. Tickner, who now owns the entire business,” further reinforcing the possibility that Tickner was a partner prior to Horn’s sale.

Alexander Hunter was the principal proprietor of the first of the two Hunter & Co.’s Expresses, announced as a new express on Feb 5, 1851, serving the mining camps on the South, Middle, and North Forks of the American River. Hunter’s connected with at first with Gregory’s Express and later with Adams & Co.’s Express. Alexander Hunter left the firm in the spring of 1852 and departed for the Eastern States. The Jul 30, 1852 Sacramento Union noted Hunter’s return from the East, but also stated that eight individuals (none from the original company) were co-partners under the name of Hunter & Co.’s Express. Alexander Hunter became their agent at Placerville, and was the de-factor Wells, Fargo & Co. agent there as well. Hunter & Co.’s Express sold out to Wells, Fargo & Co., as announced in the Jul 15, 1854 Placerville Mountain Democrat, effective Jul 1, 1854.