H. B. Nielsen

 

H. B. Nielsen, one of the prominent citizens of Sacramento, was born at Sonderburg, Schleswig-Holstein, August 27, 1828. His father, who was a merchant, died when the subject of this sketch was only fourteen years of age, about the time he had completed his course in public schools.  H. B. Nielsen entered upon a seafaring life in 1844, making his first voyage to the West Indies on the ship Australia. During the next two years he made a trip around the world on the Skiold. Twice she went from Valparaiso to Mexican ports, thence to China, thence via the Cape of Good Hope to New York, where she arrived in 1848. He then shipped as a sailor on the American ship “Express,” and with her made several trips to the West Indies. At Buenos Ayres he shipped on the German brig “Henry von Gagern,” and went around Cape Horn to San Francisco, where he arrived on the 14^th of August, 1850. He proceeded to San Diego, where he was for a time engaged as a boatman, and, going out in a boat to meet the steamer Oregon, he was the first person in California to receive the news of her admission as a State into the Union. In January, 1851, he returned to San Francisco, and was for several months in the revenue service on the brig Lawrence. He then started for the mines, and on the 5^th of July, 1851, reached Sacramento. As one of a party of seven he went to El Dorado County, mined that summer at Long Bar, and toward winter went over below Auburn, where he was located for some time. In 1852 he took a trip East for pleasure, returning in 1853 to Auburn, where he learned that his old companions were up on the Yuba, at Washington, Nevada County, and went up there. He remained there and at Missouri Bar, engaged in river and surface mining until 1857, then went to Coloma, where he and some of his friends again engaged in mining. In the spring of 1858 he and two of his companions, John Stahl and Tennis Scholl, embarked in general mercantile trade at Louisville. In 1859, Mr. Nielsen sold out to his partners, and took another trip East, returning in the spring of 1860. He resumed business with his old partners and Theodore Maass, at the Half-Way House between Greenwood and Georgetown, and there remained until 1865, when he came to Sacramento. Mr. Nielsen, in partnership with Mr. Maass, engaged in business at the corner of Seventh and N streets.  The latter died in 1879 and Mr. Nielsen carried on the business until 1881, when he removed to Eighteenth and I, and there went out of business in 1884, on account of his health. He was married in this city in 1885.  His wife’s maiden name was Sarah C. Atterbury, and she is a native of Missouri. He has two children, viz.: Henry Harrold and George Washington. His wife’s children by her first husband are: Ellis and Louisa. Mr.  Nielsen is a Democrat politically. He was elected second trustee in 1883, and served one term in that capacity and was ex officio street commissioner. Mr. Nielsen has been an officer in the Odd Fellows for about thirty years. He joined in Spanish Flat, and passed the chairs of the Georgetown Lodge. He is a trustee of the El Dorado Lodge, Sacramento, and is a director and treasurer of the Odd Fellows’ Temple. He is a member of the Encampment, Canton, and Rebekah Lodge, and a member of the General Relief Committee. Mr. Nielsen is an active, influential man, and enjoys, in high degree, the confidence of the community.