Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Alcorn
Birth14 Jun 1868, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co, CA
Census25 Aug 1870, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co, CA
Memoroll#98, pg 396
Census25 Jun 1880, San Lorenzo, Santa Cruz, CA
Memoroll#82, pg 484
Death30 Aug 1958, Prescott, Yavapai Co, AZ
BurialArizona Pioneers Home Cem, Prescott, Yavapai Co, AZ
Misc. Notes
As the son of Branceford Alcorn and Sarah Catherine Stultz, he was one of the youngest 4 sons of more than 20 kids spawned by his dad Bransford Alcorn; who settled in the Santa Cruz area off Highway 9.
William may have gone with one of his older brothers, possibly for mining, and is listed on the Voter Registration for Del Norte Co, CA from 1890 thru 1896. He married Josie there in 1894, even though he was a decade older and she was still a teenager. 
There are family stories of a confrontation, and Josie ended up leaving town with 3 year old Ida, when she was pregnant with Phillip, and went to Oregon. He apparently left for Arizona, and lived the rest of his life there as a miner and prospector.
[Obituaries] The Prescott Courier, Prescott, Arizona - Monday, 1 Sept 1958
William Alcorn, Pioneer State Resident, Dies
William Alcorn, well-known pioneer engineer and prospector in this area and other parts of Arizona died Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Pioneer's Home. He was 72 years of age and had resided in Arizona for 58 years, a great many of them in Yavapai County.
Born in Santa Cruz, Calif., June 14, 1886, he first arrived in Arizona in 1900 in the Patagonia area. He entered the Pioneers' Home from Yavapai County early in 1952.
Surviving him are a son, P. E. Alcorn, Calistoga, Calif.; two daughters, Mrs. Pearl Nelson, Oakland, Calif. and Mrs. Ida Sewlow, Visalia, Calif.; and a nephew, W. W. Alcorn, Pittsburg, Calif.
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Hampton Mortuary.
~~~~~~~
The Prescott Courier, Prescott, Arizona - Tuesday, 2 Sept 1958
Funeral Services Set For William Alcorn
Funeral services for William Alcorn, 92-year-old pioneer prospector and engineer in Yavapai County and other sections of the state, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the Hampton Mortuary.
The Rev. Norman C. Yetman, pastor of the First Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will be in the Pioneer' Home cemetery on Iron Springs road.
Alcorn, born in 1866 in Santa Cruz, Calif., came to Arizona in 1900, arriving in the Patagonia area.
Among survivors are his son, P. E. Alcorn, Calistoga, Calif; and two daughters, Mrs. Pearl Nelson, Oakland, Calif. and Mrs. Ida Sewlow, Visalia, Calif.
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The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona - Wednesday, 3 Sept 1958
William Alcorn
Prescott - Funeral services for William Alcorn, 92, who died in the Pioneer's Home Saturday, will be at 2 p.m. today in the Hampton Funeral Home.
Survivors are his son, T. E. Alcorn, Calastaga, Calif., and two daughters, Mrs. Pearl Nelson, Oakland, Calif., and Mrs. Ida Sewlow, Visalia, Calif.
Burial will be in the Pioneers Cemetery.
~~~~~~~
The Yavapai County Messenger, Prescott, Arizona - Thursday, 4 Sept 1958
Services held for William Alcorn Wed.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. for William Alcorn, who died Aug. 30 at the Arizona Pioneer's Home.
Alcorn was 92 at the time of his death, born June 14, 1866. His original home was Santa Cruz, Calif. In 1900, he moved at Patagonia, Ariz. His principal occupation during his lifetime was prospecting and mine engineering. He entered the Pioneer's Home in January 1952.
Services were conducted at the Hampton Mortuary by Rev. Norman C. Yetman. Interment followed in the Pioneer's Cemetery on Iron Springs road.
Alcorn is survived by two sisters (sic), Mrs. Ida Stewlow of Visalia, Calif. and Mrs. Pearl Nelson of Oakland, Calif.; and a son, P. E. Alcorn of Calistoga, Calif.
Spouses
Birth17 Mar 1881, California
Death5 May 1943, Visalia, Tulare Co, CA
BurialBlue Lake Cem, Blue Lake, Humboldt Co, CA
Misc. Notes
Daughter of Lawrence S. Alkern and Susan Ida Morehead.
Josie married William Alcorn in Crescent City while only a teen and had daughter Ida there a year later.
There was apparently a family dispute, possibly between William and Josie’s father. But the result was that Josie left while pregnant with her son Phillip, who was born in Feb 1900 in Coos Co, OR.
After giving birth to Phillip in Oregon, Josie took her babies to Washington Co, Idaho and set up housekeeping with Robert Owens (b. Sep 1860, NY), as she is listed for the June 1900 census. She also began to use the name Alchorne, which is the ancient name of both Alcorn and Alkern.
By 1910 she had moved again to Gold Hill, NV where she ran a boarding house as Josie Alchorn (24, CA) with the 3 children and her sister May (17, NV) and husband Edward Muldoon (25, NV), with 5 lodgers. The census indicates she had 4th child who was no longer living. Edward Hoad was living in a boarding house in Virginia City at the time, working as an electrician in a quartz mine. So this is likely where they met.
She was apparently married (a second time) to Edward William Hoad a short time later and returned to California, as she was living in Oakland in 1913, Richmond in 1915, and Chico in 1918 as Josie Hoad. And by 1920 she is listed in the census for Blue Lake as Josee Hoad (38, CA) as head of household, with children Phillip (19, OR) and Pearl (18, ID) Alcorn, as well as Thomas Hoad (6, CA).
She is listed in Eureka from 1922 thru 1927, and then back in Lake City in 1930, this time with her husband Edward Hoad. In the 1930 census, both her brother George Dewey Alkern (18 May 1891, CA - 4 Oct 1940, San Francisco) and her daughter Ida (33) were divorced and living with Josie (49) and her (second) husband Edward Hoad (50, CA). Also living with them, in addition to the 5 boarders, was her nephew Fred Muldoon (19, NV).
In 1940, after Edward’s death, she was living in Ukiah as head of household (60, CA) with her divorced son Phillip Alcorn (40, OR) and grandson Gail (5, CA). It says that she had been living in Gilroy, CA in 1935, while Phillip & Gail were in Siskiyou County in 1935.
Marriage24 Dec 1895, Crescent City, Del Norte Co, CA
Divorce
ChildrenIda Catherine (1895-1968)
 Phillip Edwin (1900-1960)
 Pearl Gwyneth (1902-)
Last Modified 23 Sep 2018Created 5 Aug 2023 using Reunion on a Mac