John S. Hittell

John Shertzer Hittell (J.S. Hittell, December 25, 1825 – March 8, 1901) was an American author, historian, and journalist of the United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought. Hittell wrote on a wide variety of topics including history, mining, Christianity, Pantheism, phrenology, morality, and politics. He is best known for his works A History of The City of San Francisco and Incidentally of the State of California (1878) and The Evidences Against Christianity (1856).

Early life and education

John Shertzer Hittell was born December 25, 1825, in Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to Catherine Mueller Shertzer and Jacob Hittell. Both parents were of German descent in families which came to America long before the American Revolution. His family moved to Hamilton, a town in Southwestern Ohio, in 1832.

His brother Theodore H. Hittell was an author and historian who met and wrote about the life of John "Grizzly" Adams in his book The Adventures of James Capen Adams, Mountaineer and Grizzly Bear Hunter of California.

Starting in 1839, Hittell attended Miami University and learned Latin, Greek, French, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Rhetoric. He obtained a Masters of the Arts degree in 1843. After graduating, Hittell decided to go into Law and entered the office of John Woods, a leading attorney in Hamiltin. His studies were interrupted by dyspepsia and headaches which Hittell attempted to cure by long walks and working on a farm in Hake County, Indiana.

Gold mining

In the spring of 1849 during the excitement of the gold rush he left the bank of the Missouri River with a company of adventurers en route to California. They arrived at the Sacramento River on Sept. 19. Hittell spent the winter of 1849 and 1850 at Reading's Diggings (Shasta County).