Biographies
ALPHONSE ARNOLD
In the German province of Alsace-Lorraine,
Alphonse Arnold was born December 11, 1858, a descendant of many
generations of European ancestors of high character and worthy achievement. He
was educated in public schools in his native land and in 1884 came across the
Atlantic to America, landing in New York in August. From the eastern metropolis
he went to the Southwest, locating at San Antonio, Texas, where he remained
till in 1887, working as a cooper, he having acquired a
knowledge of that trade in the old country. From San Antonio he came
west to San Francisco, where he was employed in a cooperage about fifteen
months, and thence he came to Napa county, in June,
1888. There he worked for wages till, eventually, he established a cooper's
shop at St. Helena, which he managed with success during the ensuing eight
years. Disposing of the St. Helena interests of A. Arnold & Company, he
came to Sacramento and took charge of the cooperage shop operated by John Ochsner. In April, 1903, he bought the shop, then located at No. 816 Second street. May 1, 1904, he moved
the enterprise to the site at No. 320 R street, which
it has since occupied and where he has made one of the latter-day business
successes of that part of the city.
While he was living in Texas, Mr. Arnold
married, January 17, 1885, Pelagia Burgunder, who died April 25, 1905, leaving a son, Louis,
born March 25, 1892, who is now acquiring a knowledge
of the cooper's trade under his father's careful instruction. Self-made in the
best sense of the term, Mr. Arnold is in all things thoroughly up to date. His
cooperage establishment is perhaps the best plant of its kind in Northern
California. He is a member of the Druids, helpful to all the interests of the
order, and is a devoted and generous adherent to the Catholic Church. In many
ways he has demonstrated his characteristic public spirit.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Page 962. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.