John Hollenbeck
1834-1924

From "History of Solano County" contributed by Ed Schrader

The experiences of John Hollenbeck are not limited to the narrow confines of Solano county: indeed, memory carries him back to other days and other states. He was born in New York, August 2, 1834, and at the age of ten years moved with his parents to near Geneva Lake, Walworth county, Wis. That was the home of the family for ten years, during which time the son received his education in the public schools, and also became familiar with farming as conducted in that section of country. With the knowledge and experience obtained up to this time he set out for the west in 1854, when he was twenty years of age. The journey by ox-train from Wisconsin to California consumed six months and was not devoid of troublesome experiences, for the Indians attacked them and one of the party was killed at their hands. A halt was made to Council Bluffs, then only a small trading post, and from there to Salt Lake City occupied almost three months. At the latter place the party ran out of provisions and had to subsist on boiled wheat three times a day until they arrived in California. On reaching his destination Mr. Hollenbeck worked as a farm hand at Courtland.  In 1864 he was enabled to make his first purchase of land, and today he owns more than three hundred acres of rich land on Ryer Island. His first crop was a yield of onions from two acres that netted him $2,000 in 1964, and from this start he gives credit for his splendid success. He raised beans, potatoes, alfalfa, grain and hay in addition to onions. There was also a fine section of the ranch reserved as range for the horses and cattle which the owner raises.

Mr. Hollenbeck's first marriage occurred in 1864 and united him with Miss Mary Mehan, a native of Ireland. Seven children were born of this marriage as follows: James, part owner and captain of the dredger Grand Island; Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. Hampton, of Ryer Island; John, engineer on the dredger Grand Island; George J. and Daniel F., both farmers on the island;  and two others who died early and whose names are not known. On September 17, 1878, the mother of these children died, and in 1880 Mr. Hollenbeck married Miss Mary Bird, a native of Boston, Mass and four children were born of this marriage as follows: Lizzie K., Mrs. Kelly of Ryer Island; Gertrude, who stayed at home; Albert H. who farmed on Ryer Island; and Ethel, Mrs. Rasmussen of Ryer Island.

Mr. Hollenbeck was one of the prime movers in organizing Ryer Island as a reclamation district. The whole island of about twelve thousand acres is enclosed by a sixteen foot high dike, assuring almost perfect safety from floods, as it is several feet higher than any flood. Politically Mr. Hollenbeck was a Republican. For years he was clerk of the Ryer district school board, his long retention in office proved his efficiency as a business man and his general attitude toward education.

Mr. Hollenbeck has all those characteristics of his parents, who were natives of New York, that have made their memory revered in the home town.  Kind and generous, every good cause finds him ready to help, and every opponent finds in him a man "worthy of his steel." He has not only won, but has also retained the esteem of his fellow-townsmen, because of his integrity of purpose and great desire to better conditions of his locality.

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