Felix Grundy Hoard, who was named after the Attorney General in the administration of Martin Van Buren, was listed as an assayer in Fiddletown, California, in the Pacific Coast Business Directory, 1867 edition. His occupation apparently changed, and the same publication in its 1871-1873 edition listed him as a stock and money broker, without a citation under the "assayers" category.

Fiddletown, located in Amador County, was founded by Missourians in 1849 , Although legend has it that the town name was derived from fiddlers who entertained miners at work, a visitor to the place in 1850 reported that not a single fiddle or fiddler was to be found anywhere. In the rough and tumble times of 1849 when the town was founded, it would have been difficult to imagine musicians doing anything but digging for gold as industriously as possible! In 1878 the picturesque name was changed to Oleta.

As an assayer, F. G. Hoard received gold dust and nuggets from miners, refined and assayed it, and issued appropriately stamped gold bars.