Henry Weinreich

 

Henry Weinreich, one of the well known and long time residents of Sacramento, is a native of Bavaria, now in the empire of Germany, born near Kaiserslautern, on the 10^th day of December, 1823, his parents being Charles and Henrietta (Silverman) Weinreich, the father a comb manufacturer by occupation. Henry Weinreich spent his boyhood days at the place of his birth, receiving his education in the Government schools, between the ages of six and fourteen years, receiving considerable knowledge of business also, while engaged with an uncle, a wholesale merchant. He was but a boy when he determined to come to America, and in January, 1839, he sailed from Havre in the American sailing vessel Creole, bound for New Orleans, which port he reached on the 14^th of April, having worked his passage across the Atlantic. He remained in New Orleans for some time, and there met some people with whom he was acquainted. He went up the rivers to Cincinnati, and thence into the country in Hamilton County, Ohio, where he worked for some time. He next went to Columbus, and there worked for a firm named Comstock & Clark, who were extensively engaged in the patent-medicine business. In May, 1842, he went to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he obtained employment with a man named Phillips, agent for the Sac and Fox Indians, who were then being moved to the Raccoon Forks, and Mr. Weinreich went there on that business, afterward returning to Van Buren County. He made several trips between the two localities, being engaged with his employer in all five or six months. His next employment was cutting walnut logs on Fox Island, and running them down the river to St. Louis, this being the commencement of that enterprise. He next went to the pineries of Wisconsin, and had an extended experience. He was the first man to strike an axe into the timber at the present site of Eau Claire. Chippewa Falls and other localities well known now in the lumber industry were visited by him when in their infancy. In connection with another man he built a sawmill, and did a large business in the manufacture of lumber. That region, however, was not well suited to his health, and in 1850 he went to St. Augustine, Texas, where he kept a restaurant. In the latter part of 1851, in company with thirteen others, he started for California. They went to New Orleans, thence to the city of Mexico (by team and on horseback) and from there to Acapulco. They there took passage on the schooner Guadaloupe No. 1 for San Francisco, paying their fares to the captain before the vessel started, that official saying he would take on provisions at Mazatlan.  When they touched there it was found that the captain had got rid of the passage money, and the representatives of the company owning the boat held her, and would furnish no supplies. The American consul was applied to by the passengers, but could not help them out of their dilemma.  They then concluded to take the matter in their own hands, and, running the vessel out of the harbor without a clearance, they put into Cape St.  Lucas, where they bought and killed cattle and dried the meat in the sun, also taking some live animals on board. They obtained other supplies at San Jose, Mexico, and then proceeded to San Francisco, which port they reached after a voyage of sixty-four days, and there turned the vessel over to the captain. Mr. Weinreich went to Tuolumne County, where he engaged in manufacturing shingles, and also took a contract for making 100,000 shingles. In the fall of 1852 he went out of that business, and putting up a building in Sonora went into the mercantile trade. In the fall of 1854 he came to Sacramento, and engaged in the cigar and patent medicine business, which engaged his attention until the fall of 1856, three wagons being employed by him at that time, as his trade was wide-spread throughout the mining camps. His next occupation was keeping a billiard hall, and in 1858 he embarked in cattle-ranching on a tract of land adjoining the Haggin grant, and shortly afterward drove up here from Los Angeles County 220 head of horses. He traveled nearly eight years for a San Francisco firm and also carried on business at Markleeville for a time. In 1868 he established his present business next door to the number now occupied by him, into which he moved in 1878, though he is the owner also of buildings adjoining. Mr. Weinreich was married in Sonora, in February, 1853, to Miss Anna Weber, a native of Hanover. They have four children, viz: Laura, Addie, wife of H. C. Chipman, member of the Board of Education; Charles and Katie. Mr. Weinreich is one of the old-time members of Tehama Lodge, A. F. & A. M., having joined in 1856. He is also a member of the Red Men, and of the Sacramento Turn-Verein.