A tribute to William Randolph Hearst's mother

Phoebe attended the local one room school, and even spent a year at the Steeleville Academy that was run by a church in the next county. She was tutored in French, and she dreamed of Paris while she learned to read the language.

Her love of children and books drew her to teaching. She started by running the one-room school she had attended, and then she worked for the Meramec Iron Works. They operated a school for the children of employees, and Phoebe was one of the most popular teachers they had.

After that, she tutored the children of a well to do family. All this was before she reached the age of 20.

George Hearst was from a neighboring family, but he was 23 years older that Phoebe. The Hearsts were considered well off, for they owned their farm and some other land, including a small mine. George headed for California in 1850 to put his mining experience to the test. Phoebe was only 7 when he left.

George had a talent for mining, and did well in California. When his mother became ill, he returned to Missouri and stayed through her sickness and death, and remained to settle affairs. During his two-year stay, he discovered that his little neighbor, Phoebe Apperson, had grown up.

She had developed into something of a belle and had no shortage of suitors. She must have realized that George Hearst showed promise, because she married him in spite of family objections because of their age difference. The newlyweds left Missouri and came to settle in

California. William Randolph Hearst was born during that first year.

The rest is history. George did remarkably well in mining. Phoebe adjusted nicely to her new lifestyle. She became an overprotective mother, devoting all her energies to Willie.

When William finally went away to school Phoebe had time for philanthropic work. Again drawn by her interest in children, she became involved in a new and controversial project to provide free kindergartens for all children. She established and funded seven Hearst Free Kindergartens in San Francisco.

An outgrowth of the kindergarten movement was a "mother's club" designed to encourage better understanding between families and the schools. This evolved into what today is the Parent Teacher Association. She paid the expenses of the first organizing convention.

She was active in many projects. She is well known for her contribution to buildings at The University of California at Berkeley. She was also involved with Women's Clubs and YWCA buildings, often using the services of Julia Morgan, who later became William's architect at San Simeon.

We can claim the Hearst family to be one of ours here on the Peninsula. George and Phoebe bought the Howard home in San Mateo, the "Uplands." They had Julia Morgan remodel it to resemble a home in Washington, D.C. After that it was referred to as "The White House."

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 777 Hamilton St., Redwood City.