Placer
County
Biographies
HENRY BERNHARD
Henry Bernhard, a prominent merchant
and native of Auburn, Placer County, California, was born on the 11th
day of October, 1856, and is a son of the pioneer, Benjamin Bernhard. Benjamin Bernhard is a native of
Germany. He was born in 1832 and in 1852
at the age of twenty, immigrated to this country, stopping first at St.
Louis. From that city he came, via the
Isthmus route, to California. Upon his
arrival in this state he located at Sacramento, where he spent one year,
removing thence to Auburn and from this point carrying on a freighting
business, which was then very profitable.
He freighted from Sacramento to most of the mining camps, and continued
the business successfully until the building of the railroad, which put an end
to the freighter’s profits. After this
he purchased a ranch, on which he engaged in fruit culture, in connection with
which he built a distillery and manufactured both wine and brandy, being as
successful in this as in his other ventures.
There sailed in the same vessel from Germany with Mr. Bernhard a young
lady by the name of Teressa Howe. On the
voyage they became fast friends and after their arrival in this country were
happily married. To them were born seven
children, only two of whom are now living, Henry and Annie.
Henry Bernhard was reared and
received his education in his native town.
His first business venture was in the mercantile line in Carson City,
where he remained three years, and also spent three years in Bodie in the same
business. From the latter place he
returned to Auburn, opened a large stock of general merchandise in a store
building owned by himself in the center of the town,
and here he has since conducted a successful business and enjoys the confidence
and esteem of the people among whom he was reared.
Mr. Bernhard was married in 1883 to
Miss Annie Grennan, a native of Vallejo, and they
have four children: Fred, Mabel, Joseph
and Alton. Their home is one of the
handsome residences of Auburn and their friends are many.
Mr. Bernhard is a member of the I.
O. O. F. and in politics is a Democrat, active and influential in the councils
of his party. He holds to the Catholic
faith, in which he was reared.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 423-424. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.