San Francisco County
Biographies
EDWARD H.
HELLER
Edward H. Heller, who is a member of the well known firm of Schwabacher & Company, investment bankers in San Francisco, is of the third generation of his family to be identified with the history of the city. He is one of the younger group of citizens, but during the years he has been in active business he has upheld in most capable manner the proud traditions and sound reputation established by his forbears.
Mr. Heller was born in San Francisco, March 15, 1900, and is a son of the late Emanuel S. Heller and his wife, Clara (Hellman) Heller. The grandfather of Edward H. was Moses Heller, a native of Bavaria, who emigrated to the United States in 1848, and first settled in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1850, he came to San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and here became one of the pioneer wholesale merchants. He was also a member of the famous vigilance committee, one of the most effective law-enforcement bodies in America pioneer history, and he was very active in all civic movements and in Masonic work. His wife, who was Amelia Nickelsburg prior to their marriage, was also born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United States about 1860. They were married in San Francisco, and became the parents of three sons and two daughters. Their son, Emanuel S. Heller, was born in San Francisco in 1865, and was here reared and educated. He attended the public schools, and later studied at the University of California with the class of 1886. He was one of the most able lawyers of San Francisco, and was a member of the firm of Heller, Powers & Ehrman until his death on January 1, 1926, when he was sixty-one years old. He was a member of the War Memorial Board, and a director in the Wells Fargo Bank and the Mount Zion Hospital. His wife was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1878, a daughter of Isaias W. Hellman, of a pioneer Los Angeles family of German descent.
Mrs. Heller is now residing in San Francisco.
Edward H. Heller, who was the only child born to his parents, attended the grade and high schools of San Francisco and continued his studies in the University of California, which institution conferred upon him the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1921. He then took up the study of law at Harvard College, but in 1923 returned to San Francisco and accepted a position with the Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Company, which he held for one year. Since 1925, he has been a member of the investment banking firm of Schwabacher & Company, the offices of which are at 665 Market street, and in this association he has amply proved his wisdom in selecting this particular work as his life’s vocation. His activities have produced confidence and good fellowship in the attitude of his fellow citizens toward him, and he is well worthy of the name which he bears. He remains a director of the Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Company, also of the Bankers Investment Company, of Roos Brothers, of the Pig’n Whistle Corporation, and of the Mount Zion Hospital.
In San Francisco, on the 16th of August, 1925, Mr. Heller was married to Miss Elinor Raas, a native of this city, and a daughter of Alfred and Ida (Fisher) Raas, who were also born in San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Heller have two sons and a daughter: Emanuel Clarence, born August 16, 1926; Alfred Edward, born April 14, 1929; and Elizabeth, born August 1, 1931. The family residence is situated at Menlo Park.
During the latter part of the World war period, 1917-1918, Mr. Heller enlisted in the United States Army, and was assigned to the infantry officers’ training school at Camp McArthur. He remained here until the close of hostilities. He belongs to Temple Emau-El of San Francisco; the Federation of Jewish Charities; the San Francisco Historical Society; the Argonaut Club; the Beresford Country Club; the Los Altos Country Club; the Lakeside Golf and Country Club; and the Olympic Club. He has given his support to the democratic party, and his favorite hobbies are tennis, golf and walking. Mr. Heller has a responsibility in upholding the family name which has been representative in San Francisco since the turbulent days of the ‘50s, when the vigilantes forced respect for the law, but the initial years of his career have given undisputed evidence that he holds a true appreciation of this fact.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 2 Pages 404-406.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
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