El Dorado County
Biographies
HUGO T. HART
Is one of the principal wine makers in Salmon Falls township, where he has 200 acres of land and about 14,000 vines of the best varieties. He was born near Rotterdam, in Holland, on the 19th of July, 1827. When a boy of only about 14 years old he went to sea, and in the time that he was a sailor, traveled the world over visiting the ports of all nations. In the month of May, 1849, he left New York city on the brig Emma Prescott, going around Cape Horn to San Francisco, where he arrived December 30th. After a few months spent there, in company with five others run a “whaler” boat up to Sacramento, tied the boat to a tree and went to the Yuba river to mine. Flour was $50.00 per sack and all other articles of food so high that Mr. Hart tired of working simply to pay for “grub,” hence he abandoned the mines, worked his passage to Sacramento, and there paid $17.00 to get to San Francisco. He engaged in the lighterage business for a time.
After earning money enough to travel, he came to Mormon Island and began mining there and at McDowell Hill, there he was quite successful and went east to New York city; where he was married to Miss Eva Mahl, on the 7th day of May, 1852. The same year he returned to California via Cape Horn again. There are two children, Edward T. Hart, the first child, born on McDowell Hill, and Mary, now Mrs. James Hoke. Edward was married to Mrs. Ida (Shaff) Knight, who had one child, Sadie, and their son is called Albert T. Mrs. Hoke has four children, viz.: Fannie, Sophia, Henry and Hugo. Mr. Hart has been successful in building up a good home from nothing on which to work in 1856, when he took up his present place. In 1858 he began planting vines. In 1870 he moved into his present residence, which is his present residence, which is 60 feet long, 24 feet wide and 2 stories high, the basement is used as a wine cellar. He makes large quantities of vinegar and turns out about 3,000 gallons of wine and 500 of brandy per annum.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p - 247
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler