Hames, John

John Hames was a New York-born immigrant who came to Monterey in 1843 after a stint in South America, and moved to Soquel in 1847. Hames and John Daubenbiss were contracted by Michael and Martina Castro Lodge to build a sawmill at Rancho Soquel, on Soquel Creek. John built a house in the Pleasant Valley area, and today's Hames Road was named for him. Brother Benjamin followed John to the area, establishing a tannery in what is now Porter Gulch - just to the west of Cabrillo College.