CHRIS WEISEL

Sacramento County

Biographies

CHRIS WEISEL

CHRIS WEISEL, one of the prominent figures in business circles of Sacramento, was born in the district of Solms Lauback, Hesse-Darmstadt, now in the empire of Germany, March 3, 1834. His father, John Henry Weisel, was a butcher by occupation, and for 300 years (as far back as the family tradition goes) that has been the family business. His mother’s maiden name was Annie Elizabeth Schoner. Chris Weisel was reared at his native place, a town of 2,000 inhabitants named Freienscen, whose citizens had always enjoyed the distinction of being all free, with no serfs. He attended school from the age of six to fourteen years and for five years of that time received instructions from a private tutor. After completing his schooling he commenced the butcher’s trade with his father. In 1852 he came to America, via Rotterdam and Liverpool, taking passage from the last named port May 9, on the sailship Cumberland for New York, where he arrived after a voyage of forty-nine days. They were glad to reach land, as water had run short, and but one quart per day was meted out to each person. After three days in New York city, Mr. Weisel went by steamer to Albany, thence to Buffalo by rail, from there to Sandusky, Ohio, by steamer, thence to Cincinnati by rail, and next to St. Louis by steamer. The cholera broke out on the vessel, and he helped to bury twenty-five persons. After lying in quarantine eight days, he landed at St. Louis, and met his brother, who had come to this country in 1846, and was in business there. In 1854 he left St. Louis, going to New Orleans by river steamer, then taking the steamer Pampero to Greytown, which had just been bombarded by the English. Proceeding up the St. John River to the falls of Castillon, and passing over a half mile by land, he took another steamer to Port St. Carlos, in Nicaragua Lake. He crossed the lake at night, witnessing the finest sight of his life - that of volcanoes in action at night. The remainder of the journey to San Juan del Coeur was made by mule back, and he then took the steamer Sierra Nevada for San Francisco, arriving there on the 2d of April, 1854. He remained there till June 29, then went by the steamer New World to Sacramento, and soon went to work at the city market for Haywood, Fratt & McNulty. On the 3d of November of the same year he started in business for himself at his present location, Nos. 726-728 l street. His present building was erected in 1857. During the floods of 1861-’62 he lost 1,500 head of sheep which he had on a ranch on Cache Slough, in Solano County, and he and L. B. Mohr lost about 1,000 hogs. The water-mark of that year is still visible inside his building - five feet eight inches above the floor. Mr. Weisel has built up a big trade, and does an extensive wholesale and packing business. Mr. Weisel was married, August 16, 1860, to Miss Minnie Jurgens, a native of the Island of Heligoland, a possession of England in the North Sea. She sailed to California from Hamburg via Cape Horn in 1852, on the brig Emma (Captain Robin), landing at San Francisco April 11, 1853. She came with her father, Jasper Jurgens, and her brothers, Jasper, Christian, Peter and Martin, and sisters, Dora and Gondola. She departed this life May 12, 1888, in her forty-ninth year, leaving five living children, two having preceded her in death. Those living are: Theodore Jasper, Martha, Minnie, Theresa and Christian. Mr. Weisel was one of the original members and officers of the Sacramento Sharpshooters, and he and Jacob Nathan were the originators of the Germania Building and Loan Association. He was its first vice-president, served the first term as acting president, and held the office of president for thirteen consecutive years. He is Grand Past Chief of the order of Red Men for the Pacific coast. He has been twice president of the Sacramento Turn-Verein, and served three successive terms in that capacity, from 1860 to 1862 inclusive. Mr. Weisel has taken an active part in the Democratic party organization, has been chairman of the city central committee, member of the county committee, and delegate to State and other conventions, having been a member of the Greeley convention at San Francisco in 1872. Mr. Weisel had $2.50 when he came to Sacramento; now he ranks among her solid men. He has two fine ranches in Sacramento County, and one in Colusa County. He has good mining interests at Coloma, the patent having been issued by President Grant, Mr. Weisel holding two-thirds interest, and J. Nicolausen the remainder. As high as $22,000 has been taken out of the mine in three months and in 1888 $12,000 was extracted in two months.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 755-756. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.