ALBERT WALTER

Sacramento County

Biographies

ALBERT WALTER

ALBERT WALTER. Now retired from the active cares of life, Albert Walter is enjoying the evening of his days as a resident of Sacramento, where he has made his home for thirty-five years. He was born in France, February 6, 1831, a son of Albert and Mary (Chretien) Walter, both natives of the same country, whence they removed in 1854 to Algiers, and there ended their days. Albert Walter received his education in the schools of his native country, which he attended until he was about fourteen years old. He clerked in a hardware manufactory for eighteen months, after which he was apprenticed to learn the trade of candymaker and confectioner, his father paying $200 for the three years in which he was learning the work. In 1851 he embarked upon a sailing vessel bound for the port of New York, which he reached after a voyage of sixty-two days. After spending four months in New York City he went to Norfolk, Va., and from there to Philadelphia, in the last-named city, working in a wholesale confectionery establishment. After a few months he located in Circleville, Ohio, where he started in business on his own account, in the manufacture of candy, but as he did not meet with the desired success, after a short time went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he found employment with Joseph Myers, a candy manufacturer, remaining with him for about one year. Following this he located in Dubuque, Iowa, and was engaged for ten years in various lines of business, from 1860 to 1864, engaging in steamboating, his father-in-law being the owner of the steamer Minnehaha, which plied upon the Mississippi river.

Deciding to come to California Mr. Walter outfitted with horse teams and with a company left Dubuque in 1864. At Omaha they were joined by other parties and from the latter place they journeyed to Salt Lake, Ogden, Utah, Virginia City and Carson City, Nevada. Mr. Walter and his brother-in-law stopping for a time in Washoe valley, where they found good pastures for their stock. From that point with his wife Mr. Walter came to Sacramento in 1870. Here he was employed by Henry Fisher, a candy manufacturer, with whom he remained from 1870 to 1881, when he established an independent business on J street, near ninth, continuing successfully until 1892, when he sold out and retired from active cares.

In 1855 Mr. Walter was united in marriage with Charlotte Bourgeous, born in Indiana, in 1836, of French parents. The two sons of this union, Alfred and Albert, are both deceased, which the mother also died in August, 1902 at the age of sixty-six years. Mr. Walter is the owner of his home property, and also owns a fruit ranch at Ione, in Amador county, and another in Placer county. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Although he is in his seventy-fourth year he is a member of a gun club and one of his chief pleasures is duck-shooting, a fine outfit of decoy ducks, two very handsome boats and other equipment, adding very materially to the delights of the sport. He is a man of temperate habits and enjoys good health in his old age. In politics he is a Republican, casting his first vote for Abraham

Lincoln. Personally he is kind hearted and generous and has always been charitable to those less fortunate than himself.

Transcribed 11-2-07 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: “History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley, California” by J. M. Guinn. Pages 1039-1040. Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.