Shockley, W.H., 1855-1925

William Hillman Shockley was born on September 18, 1855 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to William, a whaling captain, and Sarah Shockley. He had two younger brothers, George and Walter. Shockley graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1875. He worked for a time in Florida and California before moving to Nevada.

Shockley worked at the Mount Diablo Mine and Millworks from 1880 to 1893 in Candelaria, Nevada, holding several positions at the mine including general manager. When the silver market collapsed in 1893, Shockley left Nevada.

In 1895, Shockley moved to Europe. Shockley went to China in 1897 in order to establish mining concessions for British businessmen, helping set up the Pekin Syndicate of London.

In 1905, Shockley returned to Nevada and moved to Tonopah. In January 1908, he married May Bradford. The couple had one son, William Bradford Shockley, in 1910. The family lived in London before settling in Palo Alto and, later, Los Angeles, California. In addition to his mining career, Shockley was an avid photographer and botanist. He died in Los Angeles, California on May 26, 1925.