Hiram Plank is the son of William Benedict Plank and Rachel Gollihon. Born near the Clinch River in Claiborn County, Tennessee 6 March 1831. Hiram moved with his family to McMinn County, Tennessee following the death of his mother, His father remarried to Anna Grubb and the family moved to Missouri settling in Crawford County. He met and married Nancy Lamb, daughter of John Lamb and Catherine Adams, in Crawford County, Missouri 23 February 1851. Ten children are recorded to their union : Rachel Catherine, Mary Elizabeth, William Thomas, James R., Nancy Ann, John Wesley, Sarah Perlina, Lavina Jane, Margaret Alice, and George Benjamin Plank. Hiram was a Minister of the Gospel and established the United Christian Church in Dent County, Missouri in November of 1865. He was a farmer by occupation and moved his family to various locations in Missouri over the years they lived there settling and farming in Dent, Phelps, Crawford, Miller and Howell Counties. Hiram's father-in-law, John Lamb, inspired a migration of residents from Dent and Crawford Counties in Missouri to Oregon and the Coquille Valley in 1873. Hiram and his family were part of this movement but returned to Missouri in 1877 and again settled in Dent County. Because of the extreams of weather in Missouri, Hiram moved out West to Northern California and settled near Redding in Shasta County in 1885. He and Nancy moved again to San Benito County around 1900 to live near their son George and daughter Lavina in Gilroy and Hollister. Nancy passed away in Hollister in 1910. Hiram then moved Selma in the valley in Fresno County to live with his son John Wesley Plank and his family. He passed away at John's home 15 May 1911 and is buried in the Old Cemetery North of town.