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Hezekiah Rohrer is listed as living in the San Lorenzo Township of Santa Cruz County California in the 1900 US census. He identified himself as a white male born Nov 1845 and was 55 on his last birthday. He was born in Ohio and his parents were born in Pennsylvania and were both citizens. He indicated that he had been married to Lucy (born NY 1855) for 27 years, and that they had three sons Frank (born KA 1877), Grove (born KA 1884) and John (born CA 1888). His occupation was listed as that of a farmer and he had not been out of work. While he had not attended school he could both read and write. His home was owned and was free of mortage.

Illinois Civil War Data Base

Hezekiah Rohrer a resident of White Oak IL enlisted in Co. A of the 150th IL Inf 1865/02/06 and was Mustered out in Atlanta 1866/01/16

Santa Cruz Great Register, 1908

Hezikiah Rohrer declared in the Santa Cruz Great Register of 1908 that he was born in Ohio, was 62 years old at the time, a farmer and a resident of Boulder Creek.

Santa Cruz Superior Court Records, Divorce Complaint No. 7210 (April 19, 1917)

Complaint by Plaintiff Hezekiah Rohrer against Defendant Annie Rohrer

The complaint identifies the two as having been married at Ceres in Stanislaus County on July 4th 1911. On October 1,1914 after 3 years and 3 months of marriage Annie Rohrer deserted Hezekiah without any cause reason. Hezekiah also indicate that since their marriage Annie had treated him in a cruel and inhuman manner. He indicated that on different dates during 1915, 1916 and 1917 Annie had stated to different parties Hezekiah untrue and living with another woman which caused him great humility and caused him to be shunned by friends. The complaint was signed by his attorney former judge Lucas Smith.

Santa Cruz Burial Records (1905-1938)

Santa Cruz Burial Records indicate that Hezekiah Rohrer, a widower, died at Agnew Hospital in Santa Clara County on January 10, 1924 and was removed for burial on January 12, 1924. His age was listed as being 79, and his occupation being that of a [railroad] section hand. He was listed as having been a resident of California for 30 years and local for 9 years [apparently the time at the Twin Lakes location]. Death was caused by bronchial pneumonia.

Evergreen Cemetery Records

Evergreen Cemetery records indicated that H. Rohrer Died on January 12, 1924 at Age 79. His wife Lucy A. Rohrer buried in the same plot was born in 1854 and died 1907 shares a headstone with her parents Uriah Smith (1825-1911), and Lucy A Smith (1835-1907).

A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Frederick H. Dyer

The Union Army (Volume 3); A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65

ILLINOIS 150TH INFANTRY (One Year)

One Hundred and Fiftieth Infantry.-Col., George W. Keener Lieut.-Col., Charles F. Springer; Maj., William R. Prickett. This regiment was organized at Camp Butler Feb. 14, 1865, was mustered in the same day for one year, and left for the front on Feb. 18. It arrived at Bridgeport, Ala., Feb. 27, where it garrisoned Forts Nos. 3 and 4, and the blockhouses on the Nashville & Chattanooga rail road from Bridgeport to Chattanooga. It left Bridgeport March 24, and arrived at Cleveland, Tenn., on the following day. It left Cleveland May 2, and arrived at Dalton, Ga., May 3. The left wing of the regiment marched to Spring Place, Ga. and garrisoned that town until July 1, the right wing remaining at Dalton. The regiment left Dalton on July 7, and arrived at Atlanta July 8, being the first regiment that passed over the road after the grand march of Maj.-Gen. Sherman. It left Atlanta on Aug. 14, and arrived the same day at Griffin, Ga., where it occupied the 2nd sub-district-District of Allatoona, 3rd division, Department of Georgia-as follows: Cos. A and E at Griffin; D at Jackson; C at West Point, F at Newnan, B and G at LaGrange; K at Greenville; H at Franklin, and I at Atlanta. On Dec. 31, the regiment was assigned to the District of Atlanta with headquarters in that city. It was mustered out at Atlanta Jan. 16, 1866, and ordered to Springfield, Ill., where it received final payment and discharge.

The Mountain Echo (May 26, 1900)

Grove Rohrer was brought from Santa Cruz Tuesday morning and given his preliminary examination on the charge of burglarizing the Simonds Saloon in Boulder Creek recently. After hearing the strong circumstantial evidence in the case and also the boys story, Judge Hartman committed him to answer the charge in the Superior Court with bail fixed at $1000. In default of bail he was taken back to the county jail to await trial. young Rohrer denys all knowledge of the robbery and gave a rather lame account of his whereabouts on the night of the till tapping. He seems to be an urgent candidate for the reform school.

The Mountain Echo (December 10, 1904)

Mr. and Mrs. Uriah Smith, the parents of Mrs. H. Rohrer, have removed here from Saratoga and will make their home at the Rohrer homestead.

Santa Cruz Surf (May 16, 1907)

Died: ROHRER - at Boulder Creek, Lucy Amanda Rohrer, a native of New York, aged 52 years 5 months 9 days.

Santa Cruz Surf (June 24, 1910)

Leaves Husband For Chinese

An interlocutory decree of divorce was granted today by Judge L.C. Smith to Hezekiah Rohrer from Katie Rohrer on the grounds of desertion and intemperance.

They were married in San Jose in 1908, and eight days after marriage, the wife left her husband for a Chinese.

The Mountain Echo (July 1, 1911)

A divorce has been granted by Judge Smith to Hezekiah Rohrer from Kate Rohrer.

The Mountain Echo (September 4, 1910)

On Saturday morning Katie Rohrer, known as Mrs. Hom Pock hired a rig from I.B. Hobson, stating that she would not go over four miles. Saturday night came and she did not return. On Sunday Mr. Hobson drove a party up to the Big Basin and when he returned in the evening he went out to hunt up his rig, having received in the meantime a telephone message that his horse was at a ranch above Boulder and that his rig was over the grade on the Bear Creek Road. Failing to find the rig that night, he returned to Bear Creek the following morning and found his buggy several miles up the road badly shattered. Mrs. Hom Pok was found on her way to Santa Cruz and is now in the county jail on a charge of a misdemeanor, having taken the rig much farther than she stated, and then having abandoned it.

Santa Cruz Surf (October 21, 1912)

A Dastardly Outrage
An Elderly Woman Assaulted at Twin Lakes

Fred Lorenzana, a 19 year old, has the charge of rape preferred against him by Mrs. Anna Rohrer of Twin Lakes, who is 59 years old.

Mrs. Rohrer came in on the train on Saturday night, and was waiting at the Station at Seabright for the 6:40 Capitola car.

She alleges that Lorenzana got off the car there and was sitting at the station and casually commenced a conversation with her. He suggested to her that instead of waiting that they start to walk, as he was going in the same direction, and they had too long a time to wait.

The young fellow then left and disappeared in the darkness, and Mrs. Rohrer boarded the Capitola car when it came along.

When she got off at Twin Lakes she was again approached by the same young man, who had already reached that point. It was dark, and he said he knew her and would like to walk home with her, but she refused his proffer, stating that she did not know him.

When the curve was reached just at the concrete plunge she was grabbed by the neck and the assailant put his arm around her and pulled her down the bank above the plunge.

She claimed he threatened her if she made an outcry and struck her; and Mrs. Rohrer shows several bruises. She says she was dragged across the wide beach under the trestle and close to the breakers. She was afraid he would kill her, and before he left she promised him all her money if he would not further molest her and went back to the place near the plunge, where the purse had been dropped and where she handed it to him. It contained about five dollars.

She went to Twin Lakes Hotel and a telephone message was sent to the sheriff’s office and soon Sheriff Trafton and Under Sheriff Rountree were at the hotel. They interviewed the woman, who told her story and gave a description of the man. They saw the marks on the beach of the footprints of the assailant, and of where the woman was dragged.

Mrs. Rohrer stated that she had overheard the young man on the car say that he was going to the woman barber on Soquel avenue in the evening for a shave, and with this clue and a description the officers started for the man. They talked with the conductor and got more information about him, and when they reached the barber shop they found the one answering the description of the man they were searching for.

He positively denied the story, but his explanation was soon upset. The prisoner was then taken before the woman, who was positive in her identification.

Lorenzana lives on the East Side, and his father was killed a few years ago in a logging camp by a falling tree.

Two charges have been preferred against Lorenzana- that of rape and burglary.

The Robbery charge is preferred on account of the threat made to kill if the money was not turned over to the fellow.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (March 2, 1918)

Aged Veteran Arrested

Hezekiah Rohrer, a veteran of the Civil War and 73 years of age, was arrested Wednesday at his home at Twin Lakes by Deputy Sheriff Geo. Dennett, on a felony warrant charging wife abandonment. The warrant was received by the local sheriff's office by telegraph from Constable Carmichael of Modesto.

Mr. Rohrer formerly lived at Boulder Creek. He has lived in Santa Cruz country for 20 years. A divorce suit of the couple is now pending. His wife lives at Ceres.

Lucas F. Smith has left for Modesto to handle the case for Mr. Rohrer.

Editor's Note: No additional information on the case was uncovered in follow-up editions of the Sentinel or Surf

Date of Birth: 1845-11-13

Date of Death: 1924-10-01

County: Santa Cruz

Cemetery/City of Burial: Evergreen Cemetery

Mortuary: CGD

Cause of Death: Lng/Pneu

Date of Marriage: Multiple

Spouse: Jane/ Lucy/ Kate/Annie

Occupation: RR Wrkr/Frmr

Height: 5'4

Local Address: Twin Lakes

Last City: (CA Agnews 24)

Native of: OH

Father Native of: (PA)

Mother Native of: (PA)

Enlisted: 1865/02/06

Discharged: 1866/01/16

Military Unit: IL_ 150 Inf_ Co A

Rank: Pvt

Military Notes: R-WhteOak-M/O Atlanta GA

GAR#: N/R

Available records used to obtain information:
Cemetery records
Santa Cruz County death records
California Death Index
Military records
Santa Cruz and Monterey newspapers
Voter Records

CW Reference: SEN 1918/03/02