San Francisco County
Biographies
CHARLES A. KLINKNER
CHARLES A. KLINKNER, real-estate
and general insurance agent, of Klinknerville, is one of the progressive and
influential citizens of Alameda County.
In 1878 he located between the prosperous cities of Oakland
and Berkeley, and since that time
has been prominently identified with the growth and prosperity of that section.
He began building in the beautiful suburb now known as Klinknerville,
purchasing a residence lot for $100. And borrowing the capital
with which to do his building. He has since erected fifty-two buildings,
dwellings and business places, and owns 2,000 front feet on San
Pablo avenue, one of the
main thourghfares of Oakland. Among
the buildings put up by Mr. Klinkner are some of the most expensive of the
place. Klinkner’s Block, which covers a
frontage of 120 feet, is a two story frame structure of good style and finish;
it is occupied by the post office, and a drug store and general stock of dry
goods; the upper story is used for a public hall, and there are besides forty
two offices. The large hotel building is also the property of Mr. Klinkner. In
all Public enterprises he has been among the first to respond with his money
and influence. He has been a liberal contributor to the churches and
educational enterprises. From his private funds he gave $500, and raised $2,000
by subscription, as an inducement to the railroad company to extend a horse-car
line to Klinknerville from Emery Station. To him also is due the credit of
getting a branch Post Office located at Klinknerville. The advent of the
electric and cable roads has given rapid transit between Oakland
and Berkeley, greatly increasing
the value of the property in the neighborhood of Klinknerville.
Mr. Klinkner is also
conducting a large and lucrative business at 320
Sansome Street, San Francisco,
manufacturing rubber and metallic stamps and badges of all descriptions. He
employs a considerable force of men, and has agencies throughout the State.
Mr. Klinkner is
a native of Germany, and dates his
birth at Surbruechen on the Rhine, June 24, 1852. He was
reared in the southeastern part of Iowa,
his parents having immigrated to the State when he was a child. He is the
second of a family of fourteen children born to John and Katherine Klinkner,
natives of Germany.
The father died in 1884, but the mother still survives and resides in Iowa.
Charles A. attended school until he was eleven years of age, and from that time
he has relied upon his own resources. In 1872 he came to California
and settled in San Francisco, where
he secured employment in the general merchandise and novelty store of Van
Schaack & Co. Thirteen months later he took his blankets and followed a
threshing-machine in the interior for six months. He next engaged as traveling
salesman to a “peddler”, and six weeks later he bought out his employer for
$142. He continued the business three months, when he found he had cleared the
neat little sum of $960. He then returned to San Francisco,
and made a specialty of peddling novelties for a short time. He next sold
rubber stamps, finding that very profitable business, he traveled several
months throughout the central and northern portion of the State, finely
locating in San Francisco.
Mr. Klinkner was
married in Solano County,
November 3, 1875, to Miss. Katharine V. Parke a pioneer of the days of ’49. Mr.
and Mrs. Klinkner are the parents of seven children: Charles A., Frederick S.,
Hattie V., Cora, Harry and Elma. Politically Mr. Klinkner is a stance Democrat,
and takes an active interest in local politics. He is a member of the Rising
Star Lodge, No 152, Knights of Pythias, and has filled some of the important
offices of that society. He is also identified with Harbor View Council, Chosen
Friends. He has always been a man of indomitable zeal and energy, and one whom
any community may be proud to acknowledge.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 525-526,
Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California
Biography Project
San
Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library