A. J. Senatz

 

A. J. Senatz, proprietor of the Mississippi Kitchen, Sacramento, was born March 1, 1830, in Philadelphia, his parents being Frederick and Maria (Lingg) Senatz. His father, a native of Berlin, Prussia, was a soldier for the first Napoleon, being on that fateful invasion of Russia and at the burning of Moscow. At the age of fourteen years young Senatz started out in the world for himself and was first employed as third cook on an Ohio River steamboat, and then in a similar capacity on the Mississippi River, all the way from the Falls of St. Anthony to New Orleans.  His boat also made trips up the Yazoo and Arkansas Rivers. In 1849-‘50 he aided in the transportation of Indians to their territory for the United States Government. In 1852 he came with a party made up from the boat, the Banner State, overland to California, with ox teams. On the way they ascertained that they were in the middle of the great stream of immigration to this State that year, 15,000 wagons having gone ahead of them. The true cause of this great rush, not generally known or remembered at the present day, was the fact that Congress had extended into that year the privilege of every man and his wife entering a quarter-section of land in Oregon, besides eighty acres more for every child. They avoided coming by way of Salt Lake on account of their taking with them from Fort Laramie Colonel Deadman, who had been active in driving out the Mormons from Missouri; for if he should be found with a train he said the Mormons would kill every one of them! With shrewd and energetic management they got through with their journey with the loss of but one of the cattle. One of the party on the route slyly drank up their gallon of brandy, the only liquor they had for cases of sickness, and had substituted in the demijohn a pomade consisting of alchohol and coffee; and when they administered this to a sick man, thinking it was the brandy, it was the last drink that man ever took. On the way they picked up an abandoned cow with her calf and took good care of them as they brought them along; and when they reached the Sink of the Humboldt, they overtook parties who claimed them. The decision of the matter being left to other parties, it was determined that the claimant might have them if they would pay $50 for the care that had been taken of them; but it was doubtful whether they ever had been the owners, and even if they had been, it is certain they would have never seen them again had it not been for the energy of others. The experiences of Mr. Senatz and his party were exciting, and would be interesting to relate had we had space here.  At Bear Valley a man bought all their horses, cattle and wagons, to be delivered at Little York, fifteen miles further on; and there they saw the first house since leaving the Missouri River excepting those at Forts Kearney and Laramie. Each party had paid in $105 at St. Joseph for the expenses of the trip, and now, on the sale of their outfit, each drew $125. Putting up a shake house at Little York, they bought a $100 claim and began mining, but with poor results. Then they came on to Sacramento, arriving here October 14, 1852. Mr. Senatz was first employed as cook in the Golden Eagle Hotel by D. E. Callahan, at $300 a month. The great fire of November 2, 1852, destroyed the hotel, but Mr. Callahan hurried up a shanty and continued business. In the spring he put up a brick hotel. But Mr. Senatz, after making several attempts for an independent business here, went to Pin’s Grove, at Sears’ diggings, and opened a hotel which he named the Mountain Cottage. This proving a poor investment, he returned to Sacramento and re-engaged with Mr. Callahan. In May, 1855, he went back to Philadelphia, by way of Panama, and in January, 1856, returned to Sacramento and again entered Mr. Callahan’s employ.  In June, 1868, he went to Victoria during the gold excitement on Fraser River, leaving his family in San Francisco. He furnished a hotel there, on ground he had leased for a year, and made money; but the proprietors then offered for sale their lots on condition that the purchasers should become British subjects within three years; and this was the occasion of Mr. Senatz’s quitting that country. Going again to Philadelphia, in 1859, he commenced business there; but the next year he returned here to Sacramento and went to work for Tubbs & Patten, who had leased the Golden Eagle Hotel; and a few months later he bought a half interest in the City Hotel, and in partnership with James Schoonmaker, ran that establishment. The next year he purchased the latter’s interest. At the expiration of the lease he bought the What Cheer House, now the Grand Hotel, foot of Clay street. The raising of K street cost him so much that he had to quit the place in 1868. Then he kept a restaurant in San Francisco and then hotel at Gilroy. In 1878 he returned to Sacramento and again took the City Hotel, and conducted it until 1881; since the 12^th of March of that year he has had his present situation, where he is enjoying great success. September, 1856, he married Miss Annie L. Johnson, a native of Philadelphia, and they have one daughter, Mary E. Although Mr. Senatz has had a life so wonderfully varied, he yet appears young and is jovial and genial in his nature. He is one of the organizers of the Sacramento Light Artillery, is a Veteran Odd Fellow, joining El Dorado Lodge, No. 8, in 1862, and passing all the chairs; also a member of Council No. 65, O. C. F. He is a stanch Republican and is a member of the Board of Education.

 

Transcribed by Marla Fitzsimmons.