AUGUST HEILBRON

Sacramento County

Biographies

AUGUST HEILBRON

AUGUST HEILBRON. The late August Heilbron, of Sacramento, Cal., was one of the successful business men of this section, and in the accumulation of his property assisted also in the upbuilding and development of the city. He was a native of Hanover, Germany, born July 25, 1835, and in his native country received his education. When only seventeen years old he decided to emigrate and accordingly took passage on a sailing vessel plying between Bremen and New York City, landing in the latter city in the spring of 1852, thence going to St. Louis, Mo., via New Orleans, where he spent four years. Following the westward trend of civilization he came to California in 1856, making the journey by way of the Nicaragua route, and located in Sacramento, where he engaged in the butcher business. In this occupation he met with success and the same year formed a co-partnership with his brother, Adolph Heilbron, under the name of A. Heilbron & Brother, the two engaging in a general live-stock business. The firm became widely known throughout this section of the state, where they carried on one of the largest enterprises of its kind, buying and selling cattle and owning a large stock ranch. This association continued up to the time of Mr. Heilbron’s death, which occurred November 21, 1893. Besides the business first mentioned, he was interested in other properties and enterprises in various parts of the state, but chiefly in Sacramento, Siskiyou and Fresno counties, he with others owning the celebrated Rancho Leguna de Tache in the latter place, where they had vast herds of cattle. This property had been leased from 1874 to 1880, in which latter year they became the owners of same, continuing to add to their original purchase until they owned sixty-nine thousand acres. In the early ‘80s, Mr. Heilbron with his brother, under the firm name of A. & A. Heilbron, established the hardware business which is now known as the Shaw-Batcher Company, and in which Mrs. Heilbron still retains an interest. Until recently she also owned an interest in the Poly-Heilbron Company, wholesale butchers and commission merchants of San Francisco.

Mr. Heilbron was a man of pleasing manners and personality. Fraternally he was a member of the Knights of Honor, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Exempt Firemen’s Association, and other organizations, but was most deeply attached to the Turn-Verein, in the affairs of which he took a great interest. In 1866 while on a visit to Germany, Mr. Heilbron married Louis Schluer, also a native of Hanover, the homes of the two being but two blocks distant in their native town. He is survived by his wife and eight children, namely: August, Otto, George, Edwin, Mathilde, Marie, Louise and Edith. Only a few months previous to his death he had returned from a visit to the land of his birth, a trip made for the benefit of his health, and during his residence abroad traveled throughout Europe, journeying to Borkum, a summer resort, located on an island in the North sea.

Mr. Heilbron had been connected with the National Guard of this state since 1867, and was also a captain in the Sacramento Hussars, in which he was active as one of the organizers. He had for several years served as ordnance officer, ranking as major on the Fourth Brigade Staff and was placed on the retired list a few months before his death. He was buried with military honors, and followed to his last resting place by men who honored him for the qualities which had made him a loving father and husband, a loyal citizen and a soldier who had the respect and admiration of the rank and file as well as of his fellow citizens.

Transcribed by Joyce Rugeroni.

Source: “History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley, California” by J. M. Guinn. Page 1501. Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.