George
Neumann, one of the best posted of the old-time residents of Sacramento, is a
native of Baltimore, Maryland, born May 27, 1837, his parents being Andrew and
Elizabeth (Straw) Neumann. His parents were natives of Germany. His father was
born about thirty-five miles from Bremen, and reared there. He came to the
United States, locating at Baltimore. In
1839 the family removed to Van Buren County, Iowa, and there the father
purchased about 200 acres of land and afterward purchased Missouri school-land.
In 1853 the senior Neumann and two partners purchased cattle and drove them
across the plains to California, the subject of this sketch accompanying them.
Their route took them by Fort Kearney and Laramie and on to Sweetwater, which
they ferried, constructing their own ferry for the purpose. They were
successful in getting their stock through safely, though they saw a great many
cattle which had been shot by the Indians. They came into California by the
Beckwith route, and brought up in American Valley on the 28th of
July. That being a good stock country they stopped there to let their cattle
recruit, remaining until about the middle of November. They then proceeded to
the Buttes, back of Marysville, where they sold out and the father then went
back to Iowa. George Neumann, the
subject of this sketch, did not return to Iowa with his father but decided to
remain in California. He went from Marysville to Grass Valley, and mined there
and at Nevada City until 1856, when he sold out his interests there. He then
came to Sacramento, from here proceeded to San Francisco, and from here took a
steamer for home, going by way of Panama and New Orleans. In 1858 his father
made another trip across the plains with about 100 head of cows, and he again
accompanied him. There was considerable talk of emigrants being killed who came
by the old emigrant route that year, so they came by way of Salt Lake, and camped
adjoining them during the height of the Mormon troubles. When they reached
Carson Valley, the great Washoe mining excitement was on. They remained there three or four months,
until the cows had reached a marketable condition, then proceeded to Hangtown,
and from there to Clarksbury, El Dorado County, where the remainder of the cows
were sold out. They then returned to
Iowa, where the elder Neumann died in 1865, aged sixty-four years. George
Neumann again crossed the plains to Pike’s Peak in 1859. He was in the mines
there, and on Blue River, and in Utah Territory during that trip. In October he
left Denver for the East, going to St. Joseph, thence to Plattsmouth, from
there to St. Louis and thence to New York. There he took passage on a steamer
for Panama, crossed the Isthmus and proceeded to San Francisco, where he landed
from the steamer Sonora. He came to Sacramento on the 6th of
November 1859, and engaged with his brother, at the What Cheer House, on Front
and K streets. About a year and a half
later he secured for himself the cigar department of the business, and on his
brother’s death, March 8, 1868, he succeeded to the entire business. He was
there when the water came through the levees at Rable’s tannery, December 9,
1861, and remembers that three-quarters of an hour after the alarm was given
the cellars commenced filling up. It was soon up even with the tops of the
counters. It was the same during the flood commencing January 9, 1862, and on
both occasions they did business on the second floor, customers coming up in boats.
Mr Neumann was married in Sacramento, May 29, 1873, to Miss Mollie E. Crump, a native of Virginia. They have four
children, viz.: Harry, Walter, Edith and Emma. In the days of the old volunteer
fire department, Mr. Neumann was a member of No. 3 company for twelve or
thirteen years. He belongs to the K. of
P. (was a charter member), and to Cosumnes Tribe, Red Men. He was formerly a
member of the Sarsfield Guards. In politics Mr. Neumann is a Republican. He has
a splendid memory on matters of historic interest, and is one of the most
entertaining conversationalists on those subjects to be met with in the city.
An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California.
By Hon. Win. J. Davis. Lewis Publishing Company 1890. Page 319-320.
© 2004 Marla Fitzsimmons.