Butte County
Biographies
AUGUST L. NEUBARTH
AUGUST L. NEUBARTH.--A popular
insurance man who, through his cultivated natural talent and his willingness to
contribute largely of his private time for the benefit of the public, has much
advanced the musical interests and opportunities in Chico, is A. L. Neubarth, so well-known as a regimental bandmaster. He was
born in Waterloo, Saint Clair
County, Ill., on August 30. 1864, the grandson of a German named Neubarth, also a native of Illinois,
who was a cigar manufacturer and had a cigar store. He served in the Civil War
as a private in the Second Regiment Missouri Volunteers, and had two brothers
who also took part in the great conflict. In 1876, he came to California
and went to Tehama County,
where one of his brothers, Frederick Neubarth,
lived; and four months later he removed to Chico.
Here he engaged in the manufacture of cigars; and being an expert both as to
judging the material and as to workmanship, he acquired a wide reputation as a
tobacconist. In that field he continued active until he retired; and here,
where he found life agreeable amid many friends, he died, on November 30, 1894.
He was a musician, and took an active part in musical circles in Chico.
Mrs.
John Neubarth, who was Miss Josephine Kathan before her marriage, came from the beautiful
mountain region of the Tyrol. She had a brother who
volunteered as a Union soldier, served in an Illinois
regiment, and died in Libby Prison. Mrs. Neubarth
passed away at Chico in 1908,
beloved by all who knew her. She was the mother of five children, three of whom
are living.
When
he was six years old, A. L. Neubarth, who was the
oldest child in the family, was taken to St. Joseph, Mo.,
where he attended the public school; and in the fall of the memorable year of
1876 he was brought to California, and in the same year
settled in Chico, where he
continued his schooling. Having finished his studies, he obtained a first-grade
certificate to teach, but he did not avail himself of the opportunity to enter
upon the profession of the educator. While pursuing his studies, he had worked
in a drug store, the establishment being that of McCormick Brothers, and in the
drug business he continued until 1885. In that year he engaged as clerk for J.
W. Roper, the well-known insurance agent; and afterwards he took over the
business himself, representing nine old lines of fire insurance. For fifteen
years or more he has been in the same location. In addition to his insurance
business, he owns fifty acres of land at Gridley, devoted to alfalfa and to
almonds, and is interested in a prune orchard near Chico.
When
Mr. Neubarth was married, the ceremony took place at Chico,
and the bride was Miss Rose Schorr, who was born near
Gridley, the daughter of Jacob Schorr, the well-known
pioneer of Butte County.
Two children blessed this marriage: Edwin is a graduate from the Chico
High School, and was an assistant
in his father's office until he left with the Second Regiment of Infantry for
service on the Mexican border. In March, 1917, he volunteered for service with
the United States Expeditionary Forces in France.
The second son, Wesley, is still attending the high school. The family
residence is located at No. 330 Wall Street.
Mr.
Neubarth is a Republican in politics. He is active in
all movements for the building up of the city and county, and is a loyal
supporter of the Business Men's Association. For twenty years he served as a
school trustee, having been elected in 1899, and during that time served four
years as president of the board. His service on the school board covered a
period when much important work in building schoolhouses had to be undertaken,
and commenced when only fifteen teachers were required to look after the
various grades, while there are now more than sixty-six employed. He is a Past
Grand in the local lodge of Odd Fellows, and was made a Mason in Chico Lodge,
No. 111, F. & A. M., where he served as secretary for years. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Neubarth belong to Josephine Chapter, No. 104,
O. E. S.
Mr.
Neubarth is a musician and has served as bandmaster
for many years, in charge of the Eighth Regiment Band. He was formerly
bandmaster of the Second Regiment Band; and when the regiment was called out in
1916, he went to Sacramento, but
was discharged on account of physical disability. Both of his sons were members
of the band, but the younger being discharged because he was under age. Mr. Neubarth plays the cornet and flute, and was the leader of
the Chico Band, as well as of the Neubarth Band,
composed principally of members of the Neubarth
family. For years, his was the only band in this section, and furnished much of
the good music on state occasions, so that he and his associates became more
than locally famous.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 724-727, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Sande Beach.
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