Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JOHN GASSNER
The Southern Pacific Hotel is by far the largest and best equipped hostelry in the city of Gilroy. Located on Central avenue, near the depot, it is three stories in height, has about fifty rooms, and is rated as one of the most comfortable and well managed two dollar hotels in the state of California. Its present prestige is due almost entirely to the tact and ability of Mrs. John Gassner, who, with her capable daughters is carrying on the work begun by her husband, at the time of his purchase of the hotel in 1891. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gassner gained their experience as entertainers of the traveling public by many years of effort, and their combined work in this direction has been appreciated not only in Gilroy, but in New York, and various mining and other towns in the state of California.
John Gassner was born in Langenzenn, Bavaria, in 1823, and at the customary age of fourteen apprenticed to a baker in his native town. Arriving in New York City in 1841, he left a lucrative bakery business to enlist in the Mexican war, and after serving as teamster through the entire campaign, conceived an ardent interest in the far west, then awakening to its fortune-making possibilities. Crossing the plains in an ox train during the summer of 1849, he succeeded fairly well in the mines until 1852, when he returned to Germany, visiting the places and friends of his youth. The same year found him again in New York, and in May, 1852, he married Babbetta Hemmeter, a native of Baiersdorf, Bavaria, and daughter of Hon and Margaret (Hartmann) Hemmeter, the former of whom was a merchant, but is long since deceased. There were six daughters and two sons in the Memmeter family, of whom four daughters and the two sons came to America, while two daughters and one son are living. Mrs. Gassner was reared in Bavaria, and became skilled in the household duties in which the typical housewife delights. She came to America with her aunt in 1852, being on the ocean seven weeks. Soon after the marriage of Mr. Gassner and Miss Hemmeter, the young people engaged in the hotel business on Fifth street, between B and C avenues, New York City, a venture which proved fairly successful, and would have been more so had Mr. Gassner not fully determined that the west was the only place to live in. Like all who visited the coast in the early days, he felt the promise in its climate and resources, and the inspiration of the rude characters whose courage was sufficient unto all needs. Mr. Gassner purchased tickets for himself and wife on a ship which as unfortunately taken for one of the Walker craft, at the time of the excitement incident to the Walker expedition, and was chased with the intention of capture by a fast-moving boat, and still more vigorous and persistent crew. The captain refusing to stop when ordered to do so, a volley was fired from the other boat which passed within four feet of where Mr. and Mrs. Gassner were standing on deck, killing a young woman and wounding a small boy. The mistake was then discovered by the pursuing ship, and it was allowed to proceed without further molestation. They crossed the Isthmus on horseback, making a safe journey to San Francisco. Soon afterward going to St. Joe Bar, and mining there and at Indian Hill. For a time Mr. Gassner engaged in a general merchandise business at Indian Hill, Sierra county, Cal., finally purchasing the Craft Hotel, in Woodland, Yolo county, of which he was proprietor four years, the majority of his customers being the farmers and commercial travelers. He next went to Auburn, Placer county, and ran a hotel for seven years, the Putnam House at that time being a well managed [sic.] hotel, well patronized, and within easy reach of coming and going travelers. He next located in Gilroy in 1891 bought the Southern Pacific Hotel, remodeled it at considerable expense and continued its manager until his death August 10 1894.
Since the death of Mr. Gassner his wife and children have conducted the hotel. Mrs. Gassner is a business woman of wide experience and through knowledge of her business having the faculty of making people feel comfortable and at home under her hospitable roof. She is a liberal patron of local enterprises, is broad-minded and well informed, and a typical representative of the wide-awake, large-hearted and thoroughly likable pioneer of the west. Her daughters are well educated and talented girls, and her pride in their development is a commendable and worthy one. The children are named as follows: Nannetta, now Mrs. Frank Jackson of Gilroy; Sarah, now Mrs. Chamberlain of Auburn; Barbara, Josephine and Sophia of Gilroy; and Henrietta, now Mrs. Key of San Jose. John, the only son in the family died in 1891. Mrs. Gassner is a member of the Woman’s Guild, and for years has been an active worker in the Episcopal Church.
Transcribed
by Louise E. Shoemaker, October 25, 2015.
Source: History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 807-808. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago,
1904.
© 2015 Louise E. Shoemaker.