Santa Clara County
Biographies
HERMAN BRETTHAUER
As the name indicates, Mr. Bretthauer is a native of Germany, his birth occurring in Brunswick, November 7, 1840. In tracing his ancestry we find him to be the youngest son of Frederick and Caroline (Hesse) Bretthauer, and both of his parents spent their entire lives in the land of their nativity, principally in the vicinity of Brunswick, the father following farming pursuits for a livelihood. He and his wife reared four sons and two daughters. The boyhood days of Herman Bretthauer were spent in attending school in his home locality, and when of sufficient age he began to assist his father in farm work remaining at home until he attained the age of seventeen.
It was in 1857 that he left home and friends and sailed for America, of which he had heard such wonderful stories. Touching upon the southern shore of the United States he spent some little time in the city of New Orleans, but subsequently proceeded up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, Mo. There he secured work as a teamster in a lumber and coal yard, and for several years applied himself diligently to that occupation. When the Civil war broke out he obtained more lucrative employment in the government service as teamster, and worked in this capacity for four months, when he was compelled to give up the work on account of being kicked by a mule, the result of which proved serious.
Recovering from his injury, Mr. Bretthauer left that part of the country, going north to Grant county, Wis., and at Montfort was employed for some time. In 1869 he went to Boone county, Iowa, and bought land, and after farming for one season, went to Kansas City, Kans., and hired out as farm hand, in the meantime looking out for a good investment. In 1871 he took up a homestead claim in Butler county, that state, and succeeded in proving up on his claim, which he later improved and cultivated. It was in 1877 that Mr. Bretthauer came to California, attracted by the outlook in the vicinity of Menlo Park. For the ensuing five years he was employed on the Lathan ranch, in that vicinity. In 1882 he went to Calaveras county and followed mining pursuits for one year, and the next year was spent at Belmont. The farm upon which Mr. Bretthauer now lives on Story road, five miles east of San Jose, he purchased in 1889. His original purchase was ten acres, but by an additional purchase he added five acres to this and at another time ten acres more, now having a tract of about thirty acres, all in Mr. Pleasant school district. As a citizen, Mr. Bretthauer is one of the valued members of his community, and he is held in high esteem by all his acquaintances. In his political views he is entirely independent. He is unmarried, but his niece, Mrs. Katharine (Foley) Stites keeps house for him.
Transcribed by Joyce Rugeroni.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1167-1168. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2016 Joyce Rugeroni.