CHARLES VOGEL

Sacramento County

Biographies

CHARLES VOGEL

CHARLES VOGEL, proprietor of the Washington Bakery, Sacramento, is a native of Germany, born at Tuebingen, Wurtemburg, on the 17th of August, 1837, his parents being Gottlieb and Frederika (Hagemann) Vogel, the father a portrait painter by profession. Charles Vogel was reared at his native place, and there attended the Government schools to the age of fourteen years, also receiving instructions from private tutors, including French, etc. He then learned the baker’s trade. In 1854 he came to the United States, sailing from Havre to New York, where he arrived in May, after a voyage of twenty-eight days. He obtained employment at Yoerk’s bakery, on Greenwich avenue, New York, and worked there three years. He then went thirty miles up the Hudson, near Tarrytown, and worked for Heiler about eight months. He then came to California, leaving New York on an opposition steamer, crossing the Isthmus of Panama, and proceeding by steamer to San Francisco, where he arrived in May, 1858. He remained there about four weeks, but not obtaining employment came to Sacramento and went to work for Matt Karcher, who kept the City Bakery, on Sixth street, between I and J. One month later the place was closed up, and Mr. Vogel went to work for Adam Neubauer and Frederick Sinkauer, on Third street, next door to where he himself is now in business. Six months later he bought into the business with Neubauer, and they, with J. F. W. Meyer, carried on the business until Mr. Neubauer died, in 1880. Messrs. Vogel and Meyer remained in partnership until July, 1887, when Mr. Meyer died. Since that time Mr. Vogel has been sole proprietor. Mr. Vogel was married in Berlin, while on a visit to the old country in 1868, to Miss Teresa Wilsek, a native of Berlin. Eight children have been born to them, of whom five are living, viz: Charles, William, Adolph, Harry and Alice. Mr. Vogel is a member of Sacramento Stamm, Red Men. He has almost made his start in this city, and has become one of the substantial men of Sacramento. He erected his business building in 1859, and his handsome and substantial residence in 1872. During the floods of 1861-’62 he had his share of experiences. He was on the corner of Tenth and M streets with his wagon when he heard that the water was coming, and he went to the store to prepare for the flood. The water came with a rush and a roar, and in less than ten minutes the whole basement was flooded, and the water still rising, though the building was on the highest grade. He baked bread for two months in two feet of water, and boats would come right up to the door for bread. Mr. Vogel is an active, pushing man, and withal has a host of friends in the city and elsewhere.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 732-733. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.