Butte County
Biographies
WALTER L. GALLATIN
WALTER L. GALLATIN.—Among the best bakers in Butte County, is Walter L. Gallatin who, by commendable enterprise, has both enlarged the capacity of his well-known establishment and raised the standard of its output, and has thus added to the commercial importance and prosperity of the town he serves. Today his Home Bakery, with its modern machinery and beautiful fixtures, is known far and wide.
Mr. Gallatin was born in Atchison, Kans., March 20, 1888, the son of Rudolph Gallatin, a native of Switzerland, who came to the United States and settled at Atchison as a landscape gardener and horticulturist, finally passing away amid the scenes of his successful labors. Mrs. Gallatin, who was Miss Amanda Bubb, was a native of Weston, Mo., and became the mother of six children. She, also, is dead.
The second youngest of these children, Walter, was educated at the public schools, and when fourteen years of age was apprenticed to learn the baker’s trade at the Grant Bakery. At the end of two years, that is, in 1905, he came west to California, and found employment at Marysville with Charles Hitz, under whose guidance he completed his apprenticeship. He also learned the handicraft of the confectionery. Continuing there two years, he at length bought Hitz’ Bakery, taking into partnership his three brothers, with whom, for three years, he did business under the name of Gallatin Brothers.
In 1914, Mr. Gallatin sold his interest in the firm to his brothers, and on the first of July came to Oroville, where he bought the Home Bakery from George Nance. He at once put in new fixtures and the most approved machinery, installed electric power and built a new oven, and now he has a capacity of four thousand loaves at day and reaches his many customers with two auto deliveries. Selling by wholesale as well as retail, he ships his products to distant points by means of the Western Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads, and by stages. His bakery is on Montgomery Street, and is one of the attractive stores in the town. An active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Gallatin is in national politics a Republican.
At Sacramento, Mr. Gallatin was married to Anna Luhe Heilig, a native of Atchison, Kans., by whom he has had two children: Walter L., and Eloise C. He belongs to Yuba City Lodge, No. 185, I. O. O. F., at Yuba City; is a member of the Woodmen of the World at Oroville, and is also active in the Rebekahs at Yuba City.
Transcribed by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C.
Mansfield, Pages 1319, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
©
2009 Sharon Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies