Santa Clara County
Biographies
MICHAEL LENZEN
One of the leading contractors and merchants of San Jose is Michael Lenzen, who is conspicuously identified with the leading industrial and business interests of this section of Santa Clara county as a painter and decorator, and a dealer in paints, oils and wall-papers. Energetic and keen-witted, possessing great executive ability and business acumen, he has met with well-deserved success in his chosen career, and has gained a position of importance among the foremost citizens of this vicinity. He was born January 22, 1840, in Prussia, which was likewise the birthplace of his father, Nicholas Lenzen. For further parental and ancestral history, see the sketches of Theodore and Jacob Lenzen, which may be found on another page of this volume.
Reared in the Fatherland, and educated in the public schools, Michael Lenzen emigrated from Germany when seventeen years old, coming across the ocean to New York in a sailing vessel in the spring of 1857. Locating in Chicago, Ill., he at once began learning the painter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years, and afterwards working in that city as a journeyman until 1862. Starting for the Pacific coast in November of that year, he sailed from New York City to Aspinwall on the Champion, and from Panama to San Francisco sailed on the Constitution. Proceeding to Santa Clara, Mr. Lenzen worked at his trade on the buildings connected with the Santa Clara College until May, 1863. Returning then to San Francisco, he continued as a contractor and painter until December, that year. Coming thence to San Jose, Mr. Lenzen erected his present residence, at No. 279 Park avenue, and has since been numbered among the influential citizens of the place. As a fine painter and decorator he has gained an enviable reputation, his taste and skill being unquestioned. In the filling of contracts he has worked on many of the more important buildings of this city and its suburbs, including the following: the Auzerais, Spring, San Jose Bank and Knox buildings, the City Hall, the Hall of Records, the Sanitarium and the Agnew Asylum. Embarking in mercantile pursuits in 1893, Mr. Lenzen opened a store on San Fernando street, near the postoffice, where he has built up an extensive and lucrative trade in wall papers, paints and oils, his business being one of the largest of the kind in this section of the county. His building on San Fernando street is 28 x 130 feet, and its extension, fronting on Market street, is 25 x 100 feet. In 1901 he incorporated his business under its present name of M. Lenzen & Son Company, of which he is president, while his oldest son is general manager.
In San Francisco Mr. Lenzen married Maria F. Humble, a native of Switzerland, and into their household thus established five children have been born, namely: W. F., a man of unusual business ability, manager of the M. Lenzen & Son Company's affairs; Mrs. Lena Pfau, deceased; Gretchen M., wife of H. Jendrout; Mrs. Henrietta Ruh, of San Jose; and George E., in partnership with his father. Mr. Lenzen is a stanch Republican in politics, and is a member of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and of the Merchants' Association. Fraternally he belongs to the Red Men; Ancient Order of United Workmen, and to the Druids.
Transcribed
1-15-16 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Page 944. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2016 Marilyn R.
Pankey.