Neighbor News
History of the Hook House
The previous owner left behind an overview of the history of this craftsman style home, one of last remaining Pleasant Hill farmhouses
Here is the history of the former Hook home at 6 Saint Lawrence Court, Pleasant Hill, according to the previous owner who left behind an overview of the history of this craftsman style home, which is one of last remaining farmhouses from Pleasant Hill’s rich agricultural history.
According to one of the former owners, there was a rumor that William and Solomon Hook were part of the Donner Party. The former owner visited the Donner Party Museum in Truckee, CA. A curator at the museum told them there were two Hook Brothers, ages 11 and 13, who were on the journey with their mother, Elizabeth Donner and step father, Jacob Donner. The two brothers had been adopted by Jacob when the couple married, so at the time of the tragedy, the two brothers had been listed with the last name of Donner.
Parents Jacob and Elizabeth perished during the long winter siege, but brothers William and Solomon survived. Younger brother William died shortly after being rescued. Solomon, then 14, eventually established himself in the Contra Costa County area. He changed his name back to Hook to avoid persecution by the locals in the area.
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According to the previous owner, Solomon Hook arrived by covered wagon in 1846. Hook owned 3000 acres in the valley of central Contra Costa County. Solomon Hook divided his 3000 acres between all his sons and daughters. He had 12 children but only six survived.
Solomon then built 2 homes for each of his sons. Over time, much of the Hook property was transferred to one of Solomon’s sons, James Hook.
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The railroad had a 99-year lease with James Hook to cross through Contra Costa County and through the Hook properties. The railroad map was discovered at 6 Saint Lawrence Court in 1969 hidden in a stack of magazines dated 1910 under floorboards in the upstairs attic.
James Hook built 3 “cottages” for each of his sons in the early 1900’s.
6 Saint Lawrence Court is one of the 3 homes built in 1918 and was originally owned by James Hook’s son, Theodore Hook.
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* I have not verified any of the above information *
