Calaveras
County
Biographies
JOHN RADDATZ
John Raddatz, the proprietor of the
Sutter Creek Brewery, is a native of Germany, born on the 23rd of
November, 1845. He was educated in that
country and in 1872 left home, taking passage on a westward-bound vessel for
New York. On reaching the new world he
made his home in Oxford, New Jersey, where he obtained work in an iron mine and
remained for five years. During that
time he married Miss Wilhelmina King, also a native of Germany, and before they
removed to New Jersey, their union was blessed with two children,--Lena and
Lizzie.
In 1878 Mr. Raddatz came with his
family to California, accepting a position in the Gwin mine, in Calaveras
County, where he continued for five years, after which he came to Sutter
Creek. Here he was employed in the
Mahoney mine and also worked for some time at Plymouth in the chlorination
works. In 1891 he returned to Sutter
Creek and purchased the brewery owned by L. Robolt. In this enterprise he was associated with A.
Ludwick, the partnership continuing for eight months, when Mr. Raddatz bought
out Mr. Ludwick’s interest, becoming the sole manager. He has since rebuilt and remodeled the
brewery and now has an excellent plant, brewing an article of beer from
California hops and barley. The high
grade of his product commands for it a ready sale on the market. After coming to California the family circle
was increased by the birth of five children, but two little sons died, one at
the age of a year and the other at the age of three months. The daughters were born in California are
Pauline, Minnie and Carrie. The eldest
daughter is her father’s clerk and is a bright, capable young lady. The other daughters are all at home. The parents are Lutherans in their religious
faith and Mr. Raddatz is a Democrat in his political faith, but is not strongly
partisan, voting for the man whom he thinks is best
fitted for the office. His home is a
very attractive residence situated in the midst of tasteful grounds, and the family
enjoys the high regard of many friends in the locality.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Page 277. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Calaveras County Biographies