Sacramento County
Biographies
That mind possesses a mastery over
environment and that a determination of will often wrests victory from the most
adverse circumstances are proved by a recital of the experiences of Mr. Cohn,
who from a boy without means or backing has risen to success and
influence. Born in the city of New York July 6, 1854,
he was the son of Charles and Dora (Cosminski)
Cohn.
Philip C. Cohn was taken in his infancy
by his parents to Mobile, Ala., where he had relatives, and where his father took his
wife because of ill health, but the mother passed away in 1858, having been
taken with yellow fever there. Leaving the son with these relatives,
Charles Cohn with his daughter Fannie returned to New York City, intending to return for his son as soon as suitable
arrangements could be made. About this time he became interested in California, and leaving his little daughter with relatives in Springfield, Mass., in 1860 he came to California via the Isthmus
of Panama and arrived at San Francisco. Remaining there but a short time he then went to
Shasta county, and at the time of the Frazer river
excitement went to the Caribou mines. Subsequently he engaged in business
in Victoria, B. C., for a short time, then returning to California, and in Sacramento, embarked in the mercantile business in 1863. In
1872 his daughter Fannie joined him and was later married to Max Marense of Sacramento, her death occurring in San Francisco in 1883. Charles Cohn spent the last years of his
life under the care of his son and passed away in 1898 in San Francisco, at the age of seventy-four years and eight months.
The early life of P. C. Cohn was a hard
one for a child. His advantages for education were meager owing to the
Civil war troubles, and at a very tender age he was obliged to go to work as a
messenger in order to aid the family with whom he lived. In 1869 he
removed to West Point, Miss., where he learned the mercantile business. This
being the era of "Carpet-bag Government" he underwent the hardest
experiences of his life at that time, which led him to lose his faith in
mankind, and here his love for Democracy was born and broadened. In all
this time he had only two years' schooling, but notwithstanding this hardship
he learned the common-school branches and became qualified to carry on business
of any kind. This was due to his remarkable aptitude in learning from
observation and from reading. Few men surpass him in quickness of
comprehension. His keen mentality grasps facts with astonishing readiness
and retains them with accurate precision; to this quality and to his force of
will is due his present substantial degree of success.
During all these years he had lost all
trace of his father because of the war, but in 1873, through a Mrs. Kaiser,
formerly of Mobile, Ala., who had moved to California, he learned that his
father and sister were in Sacramento, and getting into correspondence with them
he made his way to that city, landing in May of 1874 with $1.15 as his total
capital in the world. However, though poor in purse, he was rich in hope
and energy. Securing employment at once with Ackerman, Block & Co.,
of Sacramento, he remained with them for six years, during which time he
formed close ties with social and business circles which he continued to hold
ever afterward. Removing then to San Francisco, he traveled from there as salesman for a wholesale
crockery company. Locating in Folsom in 1884, he bought an interest in
the business owned by Simon Cohn, his father-in-law, who in 1883 had introduced
him to his future wife. At the death of Simon Cohn in 1895 Mr. Cohn
bought the widow's interest, and since then has conducted the store with
intelligence, sagacity and discrimination. On October 29, 1885, he married Miss Alice Martha Cohn, a native daughter of
Folsom, who was educated at Perry's Seminary, Sacramento, and their union was blessed with seven children.
Dora F. is the wife of Julius Jacobs, who is associated with Mr. Cohn in
business, and they have two children Alice and Dorothy; the other
children are William M., of San Francisco; Mabel J., Selma, Charles
P., Simon A., and Henrietta, the last five being at home.
The Democratic party
has received the staunch support of Mr. Cohn ever since he attained his
majority and began to make a study of public questions. Concerning
national problems he keeps well posted and in local matters he also maintains
an intelligent interest, favoring measures for the common welfare and
contributing to enterprises of undoubted value to civic development. He
has been a member of the Democratic State Central Committee for about ten
years, and for a longer period a member of the Democratic County Central
Committee. In 1904 he served as delegate from the Third Congressional
district of California to the National Democratic convention in St. Louis, Mo., at the nomination of Alton B. Parker, and on his return was nominated
by acclamation as senator for Sacramento. Though running sixteen hundred votes ahead of his
ticket, he met with defeat, owing to the large Republican majority that
year. In 1912 he was nominated in the primary election for state senator
on the Democratic ticket, receiving a vote of five to one, and was elected by a
majority of two thousand one hundred and seventy for the session of 1913.
This majority in such a strong Republican county indicates the implicit
confidence placed in Mr. Cohn by the people, and he well merits this
honor.
Various fraternities have enjoyed the
benefit of his genuine helpful spirit. Included among these are the
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, B'nai B'rith, and in Masonry he is a member of Natoma Lodge No. 64, of which he is past master, and the
Scottish Rite, having risen to the Thirty-second degree; he is also a
member of Islam Temple, N. M. S., of San Francisco. He is past patron of Natoma Chapter No. 233, O. E. S.
As he has prospered through his
mercantile and other interests Mr. Cohn has proved his devotion to California by investing in property here. His holdings are
varied and important. Some time since he purchased sixty acres of bare
land in the Orangevale district, and this is now under cultivation to oranges,
olives, grapes and prunes. In addition he owns a farm of two hundred and
forty acres in Eldorado county,
also seven acres on the shores of Lake
Tahoe, which in the near future
will be improved with a fine modern hotel. His city properties are no
less important than those in the country and include San Francisco real estate, a business block in Sacramento, residence and business property at Folsom,
and other holdings in various localities. As a director in the Consumers’
Ice and Cold Storage Company he directs an important corporation, in which he
holds a large interest and which is proving to be a well-conducted and important
concern. He was one of the organizers of the Capital Fire Insurance Co.
of Sacramento, of which he is a member of the board of directors, also serving as its treasurer, this company being one of
large proportions and on a successful financial basis. A life member of
the Good Roads Association, he was a member of the commission that built the
road from Folsom to Sacramento. He was appointed by the board of supervisors as one
of five commissioners to attend the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915 from Sacramento county, being treasurer of the
commission. He is a member of the board of directors of the bank of
Folsom, and is also one of the directors in the Orangevale Water Company.
With all these varied interests, in the
midst of his triumphs Mr. Cohn never forgets the days of uphill work and the
difficulties that beset people who meet with misfortune and failure, and he has
always been found helpful to those who have been less fortunate, being ever
ready to devote his time and means to their assistance. In this he has a
ready helpmeet in his estimable wife. She is a member of the Natoma Chapter, O. E. S., and was made the first president
of Fern Parlor, Native Daughters of the Golden West. She is a refined,
cultured lady, whose excellent musical ability and many personal charms are
much appreciated by their many friends in the county.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 475-477. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2005 Sally Kaleta.