Alameda County
Biographies
HENRY H. BEHRMANN
HENRY H. BEHRMANN became a property owner in Irvington, Alameda
county, in 1889, though he made his home for twenty-four years upon the ranch
now occupied by his widow and son and developed the land advantageously. He
took a deep and abiding interest in the development of resources in the county
and in addition to being a farmer whose efforts added no little to the
agricultural prestige of the community was also a citizen of worth and
intelligence.
Born in Holstein,
Germany, July
27, 1838, Mr. Behrmann was reared to the practical duties of a farmer. In
1858, when twenty years of age, he followed the example of so many German lads
and emigrated to the western world, where broader opportunities gave scope for
greater effort. He made the voyage to California
by way of Cape Horn, and after his arrival in the state came at once to Alameda county and secured
employment on a farm near Alvarado, where he remained about one year and then
went to the mines at Dutch Flat in Placer county for several months. He also worked
in the neighborhood of Pleasanton
for a time, and eventually rented land on the Doherty tract—about three hundred
acres in all—and entered into the cultivation of hay and grain. He continued in
that location until 1880, in which year he rented the Hall ranch of three
hundred and eleven acres, located one-half mile from Alvarado, remaining upon
this ranch until his death March 5, 1894, at the age of fifty-four
years.
On the 28th of February, 1869, Mr. Behrmann was
united in marriage with Helena Vegts (Fox in English), who was born in Hanover, Germany,
November 2, 1850. She was reared in her native land and came to the United States
in 1866. She remained in New York for two
years, then came to California by the Panama route and located in San Francisco, making that city her home
until her marriage. The following children were born of this union:
Frank E., who is now engaged with his mother in the management of the
ranch; Annie, the wife of W. C. Jamison, of San Francisco;
Christiana, the wife of Henry Schroder, of Alvarado, Alameda county; and
Henry, a machinist and engineer in the glass works in San Francisco. Since her
husband’s death, Mrs. Behrmann has remained on the ranch, and in
partnership with her eldest son has successfully conducted the business up to
the present time. The ranch is devoted to the cultivation of beets, potatoes,
corn, onions, hay and grain.
In his political convictions Mr. Behrmann was a
stanch Republican. For several years he served as school trustee, always taking
a deep interest in educational affairs. He was very anxious that his children
should receive a good education and they were therefore given every advantage.
He was a liberal and consistent member of the Lutheran church.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 22 September 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
784-787. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.
ALAMEDA
COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES
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