Sacramento County
Biographies
JOHN GRUHLER
JOHN GRUHLER, --In 1847 three brothers, Elias, Christian and
Jacob Gruhler, came to this country from Germany, and
settled in Cincinnati, where they built up a business of some
magnitude. In 1852 the two first named came out to California,
located in Sacramento, and
established what was among the first breweries in the city, and in fact, in
this portion of the State. It was situated on the corner of Second and L
streets. Later they established the well-known and extensive Columbus
Brewery, at Sixteenth and K streets, building up a large
business. Christian died in 1878, and Elias about two years later, being
counted at the time among our representative men. In 1856, the third
brother, Jacob, came also to Sacramento. Jacob
was a remarkable man, and a man of wonderful enterprise. He made during
his life-time more than one fortune, the first being in the tobacco business in
Cincinnati, and the last in the
mines here. He opened a saloon on Sixth street, between J and K, which
became at once the habitual resort of the best element in the city, and only
them, for he, like his successor, Mr. John Gruhler,
seemed to have the faculty of attracting about him only gentlemanly and
congenial spirits. Later he opened the present popular place at No.
522 J street. Here
he died suddenly, in November, 1877, wearing still at the last the smile that
always wreathed his features. Upon his death the
business devolved upon the present popular proprietor. John Gruhler was born July 22, 1850, in Wurtemberg, Germany. His
father’s name is Frederick. He
is still alive in Germany,
at the good old age of sixty-seven years. He was not related to the three
brothers already mentioned, although, strangely enough, he married their
sister, who is the mother of the subject of this sketch, and is still
alive. She has had fourteen children, of whom ten are still
living. Mr. John Gruhler came to America
from Germany in 1870, going first to Cincinnati. From
there he came to California in 1873, proceeding at once
to Sacramento. For the first
nine months he worked in a candy store and dining-room combined on J
street. Finally in
April, 1874, he started in with his uncle Jacob at No.
522 J street, and upon
his death in the November following, assumed the business, and has, if
possible, still further increased its popularity. He was married July 22,
1878, to his cousin, Miss Pauline Gruhler, the
daughter of Jacob. They have no children. Mr. Gruhler
has three brothers and three sisters residing in the city. The brothers,
E., F. and Jacob, are in business here. The
sisters are married, and their names are as follows: Mrs. Katie Shaunloffel, Mrs. Annie Bernhardt, and Mrs. Gertie Hauser. Mr. Gruhler
is a republican, and a gentleman.
Transcribed
by Karen Pratt.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An
Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 567-568. Lewis Publishing
Company. 1890.
© 2006 Karen Pratt.