Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: DYGERT, GIRARD, MURDOCK

 

            Lewis Hebard, son of Albetis L. and Philomelia Hebard, was born in Wells, Hamilton County, New York, April 20, 1821.  His father and mother were natives of Dutchess County, New York.  Albetis L. moved from Dutchess to Hamilton County, and thence to Marcy, Oneida County, New York, and in 1843 the family moved to Illinois, where Mrs. Hebard died, in 1844.  Mr. Hebard then returned  to New York, where he soon after died.  Lewis, the subject of this sketch, the only child, was reared in New York and went with his father to Will County, Illinois, where he remained while his father resided there.  He then went to Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where he remained till March, 1850, when he left for California, coming overland.  The party with which he traveled arrived in Sacramento August 7, 1850.  Upon his arrival he immediately went to the mines and located at Cook’s Bar; in three weeks he was taken sick and returned to Sacramento, where he had to remain six weeks.  He then went to work on the American River levee, where he worked a short time and went to the Big Bar mines and remained till January, when he went to Jackson Creek and thence to Amador Creek, where he remained till spring.  After a few more wanderings he finally came to San Jose, in 1852, and went to work at the carpenter trade, which he followed for five years.  In 1857 he went to the mountains above Lexington, where he took up 160 acres of land under the pre-emption act, where he has since lived.  At that time the land was wild and was inhabited by grizzly bears, deer, etc., and he endured great hardships for some years in clearing the land.

            Mr. Hebard was married in January, 1849, to Lucinda Dygert, a native of New York, of German parentage.  She died in March, 1863.  They had four children, all of whom are dead.  Mr. Hebard was married again in September, 1874, to Mrs. Lodoiski A. (Girard) Murdock, a native of Mobile, Ala.  She has two children, one by her former marriage and one since.  Mr. Hebard has 105 acres, twenty-five of which are under cultivation.  He has a fine orchard, containing cherries, prunes, plums, peaches, and apples.  The rest of his land is in hay, pasture, and lumber.  Mr. Hebard was a charter member of the Hook and Ladder Company of San Jose, organized in 1853.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 320-321
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy

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