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Zephaniah C. Hoagland

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Zephaniah C. Hoagland

Birth
Howard, Steuben County, New York, USA
Death
29 Feb 1884 (aged 63)
Kane County, Illinois, USA
Burial
Elgin, Cook County, Illinois, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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A native of New York, Zephaniah C. Hoagland was a pioneer of Elgin, Illinois. He was the husband of Celia M. Sears; Father of Serena E.Hoagland, Dr. Ralph Pratt Hoagland, Zephaniah P. Hoagland, Ward Lispcomb Hoagland, Brigham H. Hoagland, Samuel C. Hoagland, Harry Abram Lincoln Hoagland, John Gilbert Hoagland and Chattie Amelia Hoagland. Zeph participated in the California Gold Rush. He drove Express Wagon and was a Team Contractor. Zeph's parents were John and Rachel (Campbell) Hoagland of New York. His siblings were James Campbell Hoagland, Mabel Ann Hoagland, Elizabeth H. Hoagland, John Wilson Hoagland, Nelson John Hoagland, Israel Baldwin Hoagland, Ward Sherman Hoagland, Hannah B. Hoagland, William Wallace Hoagland and Grace B. Hoagland. Zephanaiah was well known in Elgin, Illinois.

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Hoaglands

For more than a century, through four generations and changingmodes of transportation, the Hoaglands hauled freight and people around Elgin.

Zephania Hoagland's aunt and uncle pioneered east of town in Hanover Township in 1837. Born in Steuben County, New York, Zeph also was an early arrival here, but didn't settle down in Elgin until he had tried his luck as a'49er seeking gold in California. Zepbania became a teamster whose horse-drawn wagon carried goods around the little mill town that grew into an industrial city during his lifetime.

Zeph's son, Sam C. Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1855. He worked for his father and then purchased his own one-horse express wagon in 1876. The livery (a stable keeping horses and vehicles for hire) he bought four years later became one of Elgin=s largest. He also ran buses to and from the factories and supplied a big Tally-Ho wagon for picnics.

Sam Hoagland was a prudent businessman who maintained a card index on the cost of every animal and piece of equipment in his stable. His records indicated what each horse had eaten and earned. He also knew each one's habits. When a drummer had rented a rig to go to Dundee, be complained on returning that the horse had balked. Sam charged him more than originally agreed because the rig had gone all the way to Algonquin. How did Sam know? Old Betsy never stalled except on the Algonquin bill.

Some customers desired well-dressed drivers as well as a carnage. In the Hoagland wardrooms were 15 outfits of fur coats, gloves, and caps. There were enough neatly brushed silk hats to costume a half-dozen minstrel shows.

By the time be retired in 1913, Sam Hoagland owned 26 horses, 11 full-sized closed carriages, three hearses, three fancy conveyances, opera hacks, pallbearer wagons, two-seat carriages, picnic wagons, and one-seat light driving rigs of all descriptions.

Sam's son, Fred J. Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1880 and joined the business after leaving high school. When the livery closed, he adapted to the motor age and started the Hoagland Taxicab Company with three Model-T Fords and two Reos, all black. Meters were introduced in 1919, and the original fare they tallied was 25 cents for the first mile and 10 cents for each succeeding two-fifths mile. After World War I, Fred began buying Yellow cabs manufactured in Chicago by John Hertz, and the firm's name was changed to the Elgin Yellow Cab Company.

The early Yellows had tonneaus in which only the passenger compartment was enclosed. The driver was in the open air, exposed to rain and snow. After Hertz sold out to General Motors, Hoagland switched to Chevrolets.

Two-way radios, which reduced cost and response time, were introduced in 1946. At its operating peak in the 1950s, Elgin Yellow had about 60 full and part-time employees, including three full time dispatchers, two telephone operators, maintenance shop repairmen, and drivers. The firm had 18 cars on the streets in the summer and 25 in the winter. The cars averaged about 7,000 mile per month. Eight new cars were purchased each year. By the end of the decade, Elgin Yellow had switched from Chevrolets to Checkers made in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Fred's son, Charles Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1913. While still a boy, he learned the ropes by guiding new drivers around the city. He eventually became a partner in the business, withdrawing in 1964, but was driving his private livery until he reached the age of 70.

http://www.elginhistory.com/dgb/ch06.htm

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A native of New York, Zephaniah C. Hoagland was a pioneer of Elgin, Illinois. He was the husband of Celia M. Sears; Father of Serena E.Hoagland, Dr. Ralph Pratt Hoagland, Zephaniah P. Hoagland, Ward Lispcomb Hoagland, Brigham H. Hoagland, Samuel C. Hoagland, Harry Abram Lincoln Hoagland, John Gilbert Hoagland and Chattie Amelia Hoagland. Zeph participated in the California Gold Rush. He drove Express Wagon and was a Team Contractor. Zeph's parents were John and Rachel (Campbell) Hoagland of New York. His siblings were James Campbell Hoagland, Mabel Ann Hoagland, Elizabeth H. Hoagland, John Wilson Hoagland, Nelson John Hoagland, Israel Baldwin Hoagland, Ward Sherman Hoagland, Hannah B. Hoagland, William Wallace Hoagland and Grace B. Hoagland. Zephanaiah was well known in Elgin, Illinois.

-----

Hoaglands

For more than a century, through four generations and changingmodes of transportation, the Hoaglands hauled freight and people around Elgin.

Zephania Hoagland's aunt and uncle pioneered east of town in Hanover Township in 1837. Born in Steuben County, New York, Zeph also was an early arrival here, but didn't settle down in Elgin until he had tried his luck as a'49er seeking gold in California. Zepbania became a teamster whose horse-drawn wagon carried goods around the little mill town that grew into an industrial city during his lifetime.

Zeph's son, Sam C. Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1855. He worked for his father and then purchased his own one-horse express wagon in 1876. The livery (a stable keeping horses and vehicles for hire) he bought four years later became one of Elgin=s largest. He also ran buses to and from the factories and supplied a big Tally-Ho wagon for picnics.

Sam Hoagland was a prudent businessman who maintained a card index on the cost of every animal and piece of equipment in his stable. His records indicated what each horse had eaten and earned. He also knew each one's habits. When a drummer had rented a rig to go to Dundee, be complained on returning that the horse had balked. Sam charged him more than originally agreed because the rig had gone all the way to Algonquin. How did Sam know? Old Betsy never stalled except on the Algonquin bill.

Some customers desired well-dressed drivers as well as a carnage. In the Hoagland wardrooms were 15 outfits of fur coats, gloves, and caps. There were enough neatly brushed silk hats to costume a half-dozen minstrel shows.

By the time be retired in 1913, Sam Hoagland owned 26 horses, 11 full-sized closed carriages, three hearses, three fancy conveyances, opera hacks, pallbearer wagons, two-seat carriages, picnic wagons, and one-seat light driving rigs of all descriptions.

Sam's son, Fred J. Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1880 and joined the business after leaving high school. When the livery closed, he adapted to the motor age and started the Hoagland Taxicab Company with three Model-T Fords and two Reos, all black. Meters were introduced in 1919, and the original fare they tallied was 25 cents for the first mile and 10 cents for each succeeding two-fifths mile. After World War I, Fred began buying Yellow cabs manufactured in Chicago by John Hertz, and the firm's name was changed to the Elgin Yellow Cab Company.

The early Yellows had tonneaus in which only the passenger compartment was enclosed. The driver was in the open air, exposed to rain and snow. After Hertz sold out to General Motors, Hoagland switched to Chevrolets.

Two-way radios, which reduced cost and response time, were introduced in 1946. At its operating peak in the 1950s, Elgin Yellow had about 60 full and part-time employees, including three full time dispatchers, two telephone operators, maintenance shop repairmen, and drivers. The firm had 18 cars on the streets in the summer and 25 in the winter. The cars averaged about 7,000 mile per month. Eight new cars were purchased each year. By the end of the decade, Elgin Yellow had switched from Chevrolets to Checkers made in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Fred's son, Charles Hoagland, was born in Elgin in 1913. While still a boy, he learned the ropes by guiding new drivers around the city. He eventually became a partner in the business, withdrawing in 1964, but was driving his private livery until he reached the age of 70.

http://www.elginhistory.com/dgb/ch06.htm

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