Santa
Clara County
Biographies
LOUIS
DOSSEE, JR.
LOUIS DOSSEE, JR. The life of Louis Dossee,
Jr., furnishes a fair example of one who started out in life at a very early
age with only a moderate education, but splendidly equipped with an ambitious
spirit and an exceptionally fine judgment, which needed only the school of
experience to adapt it to every need and to broaden its powers and
capabilities. He has been identified
with the San Jose Brick Company since his thirteenth year, having entered their
employ at that age, and for a time he was occupied in spreading coke on the
yards. One promotion followed another
until he became familiar with even the smallest details of the business. In 1893 he became superintendent of the
works, a position he has filled ever since in an admirable manner. By his wonderful executive power, thorough
knowledge and broad experience, he has aided materially in promoting the growth
of this industry and in making it what it is to-day, one of the largest and
best plants of its kind in California.
Of sturdy German parentage, Mr. Dossee was born in the city which has ever since been his
home, June 22, 1863. His father,
Louis Dossee, Sr., came from the vicinity of
Mecklenburg, Prussia, Germany, and immigrated to the United States as early as
1851. He has the distinction of being a
member of the surveying party who designated the boundary line of Alaska when
the latter was purchased by the United States.
For a number of years past he has lived in Mountainview,
Cal., where he is an orchardist of some note, having a thirty-six acre fruit
ranch there, devoted to the culture of prunes, apricots, etc. He was joined in marriage with Miss Lena Graffs, who was also born in Germany and who is still
living. Two children were born to them,
a son and daughter.
Louis Dossee
first attended the common schools of San Jose, after which for a short time he
was a student in the Pacific University.
He then began work in the brick yards, as previously mentioned. He was united in marriage with Miss Ella
Sullivan, a native of California.
Fraternally Mr. Dossee affiliates with
the Royal Eagles; Native Sons of the Golden West; Ancient Order of United
Workmen; and the Red Men. In his
political inclinations he is a firm Republican and is especially active in
municipal affairs and belongs to the Republican Union League.
Mr. Dossee
is a man of splendid physique, being six feet in height and weighs over two
hundred pounds. It has been
appropriately said of him that he was born to command, and if this be true, he
is certainly the right man for the place he fills, as more than two hundred men
are employed in and about the plant and are under his direct supervision. In addition to being one of the largest and
most important of its kind in the state, this plant has also the most extensive
yards, and turns out all kinds of ordinary brick, but makes a specialty of
manufacturing ornamental brick. After
thorough government testing the quality of their brick was pronounced the best
in the state and the plant has a capacity of one hundred and sixty-two thousand
per day. It is well fitted throughout
with the best machinery, Huffman’s continuous kilns, etc., and the work is
carried on on such a large scale as to necessitate
the use of steam shovels.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 933-934. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.