Homer Edwin “Pinkey” Hillard

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Homer Edwin “Pinkey” Hillard

Birth
Eau Claire, Butler County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death
4 Jul 1963 (aged 72)
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA
Burial
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Homer Edwin Hillard was the son of Elizabeth Atlantis "Lizzie" Richardson (1868-1942) and George Edwin Hillard (1861-1950). He was named for his mother's father, Homer Richardson and his father George Edwin Hillard.

He came to California in 1905 when the family moved west from Pennsylvania. He helped his father on the ranch, first clearing the land and then he assisted in planting the berries and apple orchard. He then struck out for himself, at the age of 21, traveling the coast of California by lumber schooner, bus, train, and automobile, finally settling into oil field work at McKittrick, California. He was called 'Pinkey' by his co-workers and friends for his red hair.

On December 11, 1917, Homer enlisted at Fort McDowell, California for military service in World War I. He was assigned to Company B, 26th. Engineers at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Homer was promoted to Sergeant on September 21, 1918 and received an Honorable Discharge at the Presidio, San Francisco, California, February 5, 1919. He met his future wife, Edna, at a party in Philadelphia while he was in the service.

He was married to Edna Emily Reh Helfer (1892-1989) on November 12, 1919 at the Fort Worth City Hall, Fort Worth, Texas by Attorney E. R. Maben, J.P.
Children:
Don Reh (1920-2021)

Homer worked the in the booming oil fields of of Ranger, Texas until April 1920 when they moved to southern California. In Venice, California, they ran a concession on the pier, where they had a large spinning wheel with numbers on the edge, if your number came up, you won a ham. The pier burned down and he went back to work for Shell Oil in the oil fields of Taft, California, Bakersfield, California and Casper, Wyoming. He worked on the discovery of the Edison field in Bakersfield and received a $500 bonus from Shell Oil. In 1922, they moved to Long Beach, California and in 1931 he started an ice cream store, which he ran for a year. And then again went back to Shell Oil. In 1933, they moved to Compton. In 1936, he purchased an apple ranch next to his father's ranch in Sebastopol. He sold the ranch in 1939 and went back to Compton where he worked for Shell Oil and Union Pacific Oil. After Homer retired, in 1956, they moved to Santa Rosa, California in 1960.
Homer Edwin Hillard was the son of Elizabeth Atlantis "Lizzie" Richardson (1868-1942) and George Edwin Hillard (1861-1950). He was named for his mother's father, Homer Richardson and his father George Edwin Hillard.

He came to California in 1905 when the family moved west from Pennsylvania. He helped his father on the ranch, first clearing the land and then he assisted in planting the berries and apple orchard. He then struck out for himself, at the age of 21, traveling the coast of California by lumber schooner, bus, train, and automobile, finally settling into oil field work at McKittrick, California. He was called 'Pinkey' by his co-workers and friends for his red hair.

On December 11, 1917, Homer enlisted at Fort McDowell, California for military service in World War I. He was assigned to Company B, 26th. Engineers at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Homer was promoted to Sergeant on September 21, 1918 and received an Honorable Discharge at the Presidio, San Francisco, California, February 5, 1919. He met his future wife, Edna, at a party in Philadelphia while he was in the service.

He was married to Edna Emily Reh Helfer (1892-1989) on November 12, 1919 at the Fort Worth City Hall, Fort Worth, Texas by Attorney E. R. Maben, J.P.
Children:
Don Reh (1920-2021)

Homer worked the in the booming oil fields of of Ranger, Texas until April 1920 when they moved to southern California. In Venice, California, they ran a concession on the pier, where they had a large spinning wheel with numbers on the edge, if your number came up, you won a ham. The pier burned down and he went back to work for Shell Oil in the oil fields of Taft, California, Bakersfield, California and Casper, Wyoming. He worked on the discovery of the Edison field in Bakersfield and received a $500 bonus from Shell Oil. In 1922, they moved to Long Beach, California and in 1931 he started an ice cream store, which he ran for a year. And then again went back to Shell Oil. In 1933, they moved to Compton. In 1936, he purchased an apple ranch next to his father's ranch in Sebastopol. He sold the ranch in 1939 and went back to Compton where he worked for Shell Oil and Union Pacific Oil. After Homer retired, in 1956, they moved to Santa Rosa, California in 1960.

Inscription

Homer E. / 1890 - 1963 / Hillard / Edna E. / 1892-1989