Biographies
CHARLES W. DOHRMANN
CHARLES W. DOHRMANN.--Born in Schleswig-Holstein, on June 21, 1846,
Charles W. Dohrmann was the son of William and Frederika (Behrend) Dohrmann. Both
parents were natives of Germany, the father born in 1805 and passing away in
San Francisco in 1866, while the mother died in Germany in 1856. Immigrating to the United States in early
manhood, Charles W. Dohrmann left New York bound for
California by way of Panama and arrived in San Francisco, January 6, 1862. His elder brother, Adolph, had preceded him
to the New World and was engaged in the grocery business of Stockton, so he
readily found employment in his brother’s store. In this and other pursuits he was employed
until 1868, when he purchased his brother’s business and carried it on until
1871. Disposing of the grocery business
then, he established himself in the insurance business, his first interest in
this field dating from May, 1868. He
instituted the plan of insuring growing crops and this was the first instance
of crop insurance in the world. He
organized the Alta Insurance Company, which he served in the capacity of
general agent for many years. After his
death, October 26, 1893, the business was carried on under the supervision of
his wife and son as P. W. Dohrmann & Son until
1908, when it became the Dohrmann-Wolf Agency.
Mr. Dohrmann was married in Stockton, June 23, 1870, to Miss Pauline Wetzlar, who was also born in Germany, being a native of Leipsig, Saxony. She
came with her mother and her sisters via Panama to San Francisco in 1862, where
she was reared and educated. She was a
graduate of the San Francisco girls’ high school in the class of 1868 and has
been a member of its alumni association ever since. She also attended Miss Atkinson’s School at
Benicia, now Mills College of Oakland.
In 1906 she took up her residence in Sacramento. She was the founder and the first president
of the San Joaquin County Associated Charities, and also was interested in
kindergarten work from its start in California, and lectured before the Silver
Street Kindergarten training school association in San Francisco. She was president of the kindergarten
department of the California State Teachers’ Association and until 1908 she was
a member of the N. E. A., and the National Society of Charities and
Corrections. She is a charter member of
the Daughters of California Pioneers, a past matron of the O. E. S., and a
member of the Kingsley Art, Saturday and Tuesday Clubs, the Museum Association,
and Sacramento Orphanage, and attends the Grace Episcopal Church, at San
Francisco. Five children blessed the
union of Mr. and Mrs. Dohrmann, and four are living:
Augusta, now Mrs. William Clayton of San Diego; Louise B., Mrs. A. A. Weissberger of Honolulu; Marie J., the wife of E. C. Warner
of Santa Cruz; Ida W., died at eighteen years; and George W. Dohrmann, the only son, who as head of the Dohrmann-Wolf Agency has greatly expanded the business
inaugurated by his father. In 1864 Mr.
Charles W. Dohrmann joined the National Guard of California
and served on the staff of the Third Brigade with the rank of Major, a
commission he held until his death. He
also belonged to the Masons, the Knights of Pythias,
the Elks and the Druids.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker.
Source:
Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical
Sketches, Pages 475-476.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
©
2007 Donna L. Becker.