Martin Kestler

 

Martin Kestler.  Among the manufacturers of the Capital City is the above named gentleman. Mr. Kestler was born at Hartsville, Loraine, in April, 1832, his parents being Martin, Sr., and Mary (Momber) Kestler, the father a looking-glass manufacturer. The subject of this sketch was but one year old when his father died, and in 1845 the family took passage on the sailship Swansdown, at Havre, for America. They landed at New Orleans in the fall, and in the spring of 1846 went to St. Louis, all except the brother, who remained in New Orleans. At St. Louis our subject engaged first at the occupation of peddling vegetables, and when he became strong enough went to Stendaman’s shop to learn the wagon-maker’s trade. He worked at several other shops, among them that of Jacob Bersch. In 1852 a party of four was formed to go to California, composed as follows: Mr. Kestler, subject of this sketch, Henry Fisher, who afterward died at Marysville; John Tsa, who in after years ran a ferry on Sacramento River; and a blacksmith, whose given name was Henry, and who was afterward killed by the caving in of a mine near Diamond Spring. They bought a wagon and five yoke of cattle, laid in a stock of provisions, and started on the 28^th of February. Going to St. Joseph, they crossed the Missouri River there on the 1^st of May. Their routes were by Forts Kearney and Laramie, thence by Sublette’s cut-off, Truckee and the Sierra Valley into California. Part of the journey was made with one of the trains crossing that year, but the latter part of the way they had as company only one wagon and its owners, who were from St. Charles, Missouri. They sold their team at Sierra Villa, and traveled afoot thirty miles to Downieville, where they arrived about the 23^rd of September. The next day Mr. Kestler packed out with a mule, got down to Foster’s Bar, and then he took the stage to Marysville, and from there proceeded in the same manner to Sacramento. He went to work for Gouge & Bauman, who had a shop on Sixth street, between J and K, where the Belvidere Hotel now stands. He was with them until they were burned out in the fire of November, 1852, then to work as a carpenter for contractor Fidler, who erected a number of substantial buildings. The flood, later in the year, stopped that work, and Mr. Kestler went to work on a farm opposite the Sacramento brewery. A couple of months later he obtained employment in the brewery, and in September, 1853, he started a blacksmith and wagon-making shop on Ninth street, between I and J, in partnership with Henry Geisel, now deceased. The latter retired from the firm in about three years, and Mr. Kestler continued the business at that place until 1859, when he built at his present location on Ninth street, between J and K.  He now has large and well equipped buildings with a frontage of eighty feet on Ninth street, eighty feet on an alley, and an L extending to J street, where he also has twenty feet frontage. The flood of 1862 did little damage to him on account of his building being substantially constructed of brick, though but little work was done for a couple of months. He has built up a large trade, employs a number of skilled workman, and manufactures anything that runs on wheels. Being a highly skilled workman himself, he knows how to set his work correctly, and thereby receives the work of some firms who will not employ anyone else. Mr.  Kestler was married in Sacramento June 7, 1855, to Miss Phillipina Darber, a native of Nassau, Germany, who came here in an early day from Galena, Illinois, with her mother, her father having previously died. Mr. and Mrs. Kestler have four children living, viz.: Gustav Adolph, who resides at Willows; Amelia, Kittie, Elnora and Frederick Henry. Mr. Kestler has passed the chairs of Schiller Lodge, I. O. O. F., and is now a trustee of the lodge. He is also an officer of the Sacramento Turn-Verein, which he joined shortly after its organization. He became a member of Protection Engine Company, No. 2, in 1854, and was connected with it most of the time until the paid fire department came into vogue. He is now an exempt fireman. Mr. Kestler has made his start in Sacramento, having lost even all his extra clothing at Marysville. He ranks among the best citizens of this city, and enjoys the respect and esteem of the community.