One of the finest men who has ever
honored Sacramento by his residence was the late Louis B. Mohr, who took an
active and important part in the development of industries which have had a
bearing on the commercial prosperity of this city, and whose citizenship was of
a type which might well serve as an example. He was born in Giessen,
Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, on the 7th of March, 1833, and was reared
and educated in his native land. In 1852, when nineteen years of age, he came
to the United States, settling in St. Louis, Missouri, where he ran a meat
market for a while, but later went to Davenport, Iowa. Eventually he came to
Sacramento, arriving here prior to the great flood. However, the flood
completely wiped out his plant and, there being no work to be found here, Mr.
Mohr went to San Francisco. His stay there was short. Soon afterward he opened
a meat market at 1029 J Street, which he carried on for a number of years
alone, finally admitting to a partnership with Mr. Yoerk, who had but recently
arrived here from Philadelphia. The firm of Mohr & Yoerk prospered, the
business growing rapidly, and they established a packing plant, in which hams,
bacon and lard were prepared for the trade, being sold under the “Our Taste”
brand. These products were distributed through the firm of Hall, Luhra &
Company, of which Mohr & Yoerk were the senior partners. After twenty years
of active participation in the packing business, Mr. Mohr withdrew from the
firm of Mohr & Yoerk, and lived retired thereafter until his death, which
occurred February 11, 1919, at the age of eighty-five years.
While a resident of St. Louis,
Missouri, Mr. Mohr was married to Miss Elizabeth Weisel, and they became the
parents of eight children, all of whom were born in the old home of the family
at 1116 Twelfth Street, Sacramento, except their oldest daughter, who was born
in Davenport, Iowa. The children were Mrs. Emily Brune and Mrs. Eda Mohr
Brune, having married brothers, Mr.
Richard Mohr, Louise Mohr, Augusta Mohr Breuner, Louis B. Mohr, Evely Mohr
Bockrath and Henry A. Mohr. Louise Mohr, Emily Mohr Brune, Richard Mohr and
Louis B. Mohr died several years ago, and Henry A. Mohr died a few months ago.
The grandchildren of Mr. Mohr are Ernest L. and Minna Brune and Mrs. Adele Brune
Munger, Paul and Victor Brune, John Breuner, Jr., and Mildred Breuner Gibbings,
Louis B. Mohr, Morh Henry Bockrath, Lucille and Louis Walter Bockrath, and
Myverl Mohr. The great-grandchildren are John Breuner III, Jean Breuner, and
Diana Scott Gibbings.
Further reference to the late Henry
A. Mohr is made on other pages of this work.
Mr. Mohr was a member of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the
Turnverein and the Sutter Club. He was essentially humanitarian, being noted
for his philanthropic spirit and his good works. He seemed to realize that as
he had been blessed with material wealth, there had been laid upon his a
corresponding responsibility for the welfare and comfort of his fellowmen and
he never hesitated when the opportunity came to be of real service. His name
appeared at the head of many subscription lists for benevolent objects and at
one period of financial distress he opened soup kitchens for the relief of the
destitute and hungry, and even permitted persons to carry away soup for members
of their families who could not come for it personally. In his later life Mr.
Mohr made a number of trips to Europe, sometimes spending a year there, and
greatly enjoyed traveling. He was gifted with a splendid singing voice and was
a lover of music. He was kindly and generous in all of his relations with his
fellow beings, among whom he uniformly admired and respected, and by many his
death was regarded with a keen sense of personal loss.
Transcribed
by Debbie Walke Gramlick.
Source: Wooldridge, J.W. Major History of the
Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2 pgs. 199-200. The Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2005 Debbie Walke Gramlick.