Sacramento County
Biographies
LOUIS F. BREUNER
The president of the John Breuner Co., Louis F. Breuner, of
Sacramento, Cal., was born in the city of Sacramento, state of California, on the 15th day of August, 1869. He is the son of
John and Katharine (Keuchler) Breuner,
both natives of the Fatherland. John Breuner
came to the United
States in 1849, and to California in 1852, locating at Sacramento, where he established the well-known furniture firm of
John Breuner Co. It is difficult to point to a
better instance of what may be accomplished by perseverance and principle than
is presented in the history of John Breuner, who, in
spite of the many serious and discouraging obstacles encountered in the way of
fire and floods, rebuilt his store which now stands as a commendable monument
to his undaunted and honest business methods. John Breuner
was a leader in his profession, and his genial disposition held the respect of
the entire community until his death in 1890.
It was in the public schools of Sacramento that Louis F. Breuner was
educated. He was compelled to leave school at the early age of eighteen
years on account of the impaired health of his father, which caused much
responsibility of the latter's extensive furniture interests to fall upon the
young shoulders of Louis and his brother John, Jr. When the father passed
away the sons continued the business under the name of John Breuner.
A few years later, through the untiring and energetic efforts of Louis and
John, Jr., a magnificent building was built, which now stands as an ornament to
the city of Sacramento. The business was greatly enlarged by the addition
of new departments, ranking the firm as a strictly house furnishing
establishment and one of the largest on the Pacific coast.
Louis F. Breuner
is a man of honorable and progressive character, numbering his friends by the
hundreds, not alone in his own town and state, but the eastern states as well,
where his business interests take him yearly. He has always taken a keen
interest in the development and prosperity of the city and is one of the
leaders in any movement proposed for the good of the community at large.
Being the incumbent of high positions of different kinds, Mr. Breuner has been in the public eye practically all his
life.
Mr. Breuner has
been closely affiliated with Masonic work for the past fifteen years, being a
Knight Templar and a life member of the Shrine. He has been a
member of the Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar
of the state of California, for ten years and over, having been elected in April,
1910, to the highest office of the Grand Commandery,
that of Grand Commander of the State, which he held for one year. He has
the distinction of being one of the youngest men to hold this position, such
honors in the past having fallen to the lot of men in older years.
Mr. Breuner was
the youngest man called to the presidency of the Chamber of Commerce, which
office he held with signal ability during the period of 1900-2. He is
past president of Sunset Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West, with
which order he has been identified since becoming of age. He is an Elk,
Woodman of the World, and a member of the Sutter Club of Sacramento and the
Union League and Olympia Clubs of San Francisco. On June 14, 1893, Mr. Breuner married in Cincinnati, Ohio, Clara F. L. Schmidt, a native of that city. They
have five sons.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 692-693. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.