D. W. Eilers

 

D. W. Eilers is one of the well known business men of Sacramento. He was born in Hanover, Germany, May 2, 1826, his parent being Fred and Adelheit (Kattman) Eilers, the father a farmer. D. W. Eilers spent his boyhood days at his native place, and was educated from six to fourteen years of age. In 1845 he came to America, sailing from Bremen in August, and landing at New York after a voyage of six weeks. The same evening he took a steamer from Albany, thence by canal to Buffalo, and from there proceeded by steamer to Chicago. He worked three months on the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, then went to St. Louis, and, obtaining a job six miles below Carondolet, worked there for eighteen months. The next seven months he worked at Springfield, Illinois, then obtained employment at the survey of the Sangamon and Morgan Railroad, between Naples and Springfield. He worked with a team on the construction, and then on the repairs between Berlin and Jacksonville. After he had been there four years he determined to go to California. Proceeding to New Orleans, he took a sailing vessel for Chagres, crossed the Isthmus on foot, and came to San Francisco on the steamer Winfield Scot, landing April 29, 1852. He proceeded to Sacramento, and a few days later to Jackson, Amador County. Not being pleased with the prospects there, he went to the Trinity mines, and worked there three or four months. He then returned to Sacramento, and from there proceeded to Gooch’s Bar, below Downieville, where he mined until the snow drove him out. He then went to Lone Rancheria, on the other side of Drytown, worked there three or four months, then to Gooch’s Bar. He mined there, at Nevada City and at Gold Flat until August 10, 1854, when he came to Sacramento and engaged in trucking. He followed that business fifteen years, then opened a store at the corner of Fourth and O streets. After two years there he removed to his present location, 1501 Tenth street, where he has a large trade. He was married on the 5^th of December, 1854, to Miss Juliana Gabel, and they have five children, viz.: Theodore George, Paulina M., Sophia L., Freddie II., and Christian H. Mr. Eiler is a member of Sacramento Lodge, No. 2, I. O. O. F., which he joined in 1859, and of the Pacific Encampment. Mrs. Eiler was born in the village of Kaisten, Bavaria, her parents being Killian and Gertrude Gabel, her father being a farmer. She was reared there until eleven years of age, attending school, and there was taught English, which became of great value when the family came to America, as they did in 1848. They sailed from Havre on the 17^th of April, on the sailship Cheshire, and landed at New York. Two days later they went to Philadelphia by steamer. From there they went by rail and canal to Pittsburg, through the Alleghany Mountains. They had intended to locate there, but changed their purpose, and one week later took a steamer for Cincinnati, and they located there, and afterward at Newport. In 1854 Mrs. Eiler, then a young lady in her “teens,” came to California, where her sister, Mrs. Deickmann, lived. She went to Cleveland, thence by Buffalo and Albany, to New York, and there took passage on the steamer Illinois, which left New York July 5, 1854, for Aspinwall.  The Panama Railroad had got started for part of the distance, and she road ten miles on it, then proceeded on mule-back to Panama. Then she took the steamer Golden Gate, and landed at San Francisco on the 30^th of July. One week later her brother-in-law came for her, and she proceeded to Sacramento.