Santa
Clara County
Biographies
JACOB LENZEN
No art or trade is more useful or important in the upbuilding and beautifying of a city or town than that employed by the architect; and the special work of this building artist should be to combine the utmost of beauty and usefulness with the greatest economy of material and of money. That Jacob Lenzen, one of the oldest-established architects of San Jose, has this gift, the many beautiful and artistic buildings erected by him in this and other cities bear strong testimony. A native of Germany, he was born August 2, 1838, in the Rhine province. His parents, Nicholas and Maria Gertrude (Moersch) Lenzen were both born in the same province. They immigrated to America in 1857, came to San Jose in 1862, and here spent their remaining years. Further parental history may be found elsewhere in this volume, in connection with the sketch of Theodore Lenzen, a brother of Jacob Lenzen.
Brought up on the home farm, Jacob Lenzen attended the common schools until fourteen years old, and then assisted his father in his agricultural labors for four years. Wishing then for better opportunities for advancing his material prosperity, he determined to immigrate to America, which has been termed the poor man's paradise. After a voyage of eight weeks on a sailing vessel he landed in New York City early in 1856. Continuing westward to Chicago, Ill. He was there employed as a carpenter for six years. Coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama to California in 1862, Mr. Lenzen at once located in San Jose, where he has since resided. Establishing himself as a contractor and builder, he was soon busily employed, his first position being that of foreman in the building of the Auzerais hotel. Feeling the need of a better knowledge of practical architecture, he began the study of drawing and designing by himself, and by close application and observation perfected himself in the necessary art, being self-educated in every sense of the word. He met with great success in his trade, continuing his work alone until 1884, when he admitted into partnership his son Theodore, and until 1900 was head of the firm of Jacob Lenzen & Son. The son then retired from the firm, and is now an architect in San Francisco. Many of the most noted buildings in this section of the county have been erected under his supervision as architect and contractor, among others being the following: Agnew State Insane Asylum; Hotel Del Paso Robles; Letitia building; Vendome Hotel; Hotel Columbus; Hall of Records; Alice building; the Rucker; Louisa and High School buildings; Mina building; St. Joseph's College; the Dougherty, Archer, Rea, Swigert, Theatre, Doer and O'Brien buildings; the Salina Court House; Bank of Hollister; Park Hotel, at Alameda; the Flood residence, at Menlo Park; and also erected the first public bath house at Alum Rock, drawing the plans, and supervising its construction, donating his services in order to help the cause along. He donated his services to build the Rose Carnival pavilion. He likewise built the Jacob Lenzen building, which is 17½ x 137½ feet, and two stories in height. During the forty and more years that he has been in San Jose, Mr. Lenzen has been eminently successful, and has been prominently identified with the advancement of the city's prosperity and welfare.
Mr. Lenzen married first, in San Francisco, Katherine Heckenroth, who was born in Germany, and died in San Jose, leaving two children, Theodore, an architect, residing in San Francisco; and Nettie, at home. For his second wife Mr. Lenzen married, in San Jose, Mina Dohm, who was born in New York, and died from the effects of a surgical operation, in San Francisco. Mr. Lenzen married for his third wife, in San Jose, Mrs. Frederika (Havenmeyer) Dohm, a native of Germany. Mr. Lenzen is a straightforward Republican in his political affiliations, and is now serving as city building inspector. For the past thirty-four years he has been a member of Garden City Lodge, I.O.O.F. He is a musician of ability and for thirty-two years sang baritone in St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
Transcribed
9-26-15 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source:
History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Page 795. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marilyn R.
Pankey.