San Francisco County
Biographies
ANDREW KOHLER
ANDREW
KOHLER, deceased, was for more than a third of a century one of San Francisco’s
honored and successful merchants.
Mr.
Kohler was a native of Obendorf, Wittenberg, Germany,
born January 2, 1819. He attended school and learned
the trade of clock-making in Germany, and at the age of sixteen years came with
his mother and family to New York. In that city he found employment with Haas
& Gates, the first importers of toys in the United States, with whom he
remained three years. He then engaged in the jewelry business on Catharine street, and continued there several years; went to Troy, New
York, and was engaged in the dry-goods business there and at Albany until 1848,
and next went to Boston. In the latter city he was married to Cordelia A. Coffin, a native of Freeport, Maine. Her
ancestors were early settlers of New England, and descendants of Tristam Coffin.
After
their marriage Mr. And Mrs. Kohler came to the Pacific coast to seek their
fortune in the land of gold and sunshine. Sailing from Boston, March 4, 1850,
on a California packet ship, Captain Kimball, they rounded Cape Horn, and after
a voyage of five months and twenty days, arrived in San Francisco August 20.
They brought with them a stock of accordions and violins, and, besides keeping
musical instruments, also opened a small grocery. In assisting her husband to
establish and conduct their store, Mrs. Kohler proved herself a help-mate in
the true sense of the word. She made and sold pies, receiving for them a dollar
each, and soon established a reputation for her home-made pies. Ere long the
demand for them taxed both her strength and the limited capacity of her rooms.
Mrs. Kohler speaks of getting her little parlor furnished. Her time was almost
wholly taken with her household work and baking and duties in the store, so
that she had little time for beautifying her home; but finally the pleasant
task was completed late one Saturday night, and she sat down to rest in her
upholstered rocking-chair. The next day their little
store and house were destroyed by fire, and they lost everything except their
clothing! They had little time for regrets, and they at once set about
rebuilding. A two-store house, erected for both store and residence, soon took
the place of the old one, and they opened a grocery and notion store. In 1853
they closed out the stock of groceries, and turned their attention exclusively
to the sale of musical instruments and toys, Mrs. Kohler all the time aiding
her husband by her wisdom and counsel, and sharing with him the management of
the business. In 1853 Mr. Quincy, the present managing partner, became
connected with the business, and the firm became Kohler & Chase. The
business rapidly increased, and, as it outgrew their store on Washington street, they removed to Sansome
street, where they occupied the whole of the second floor from Commercial to
Clay street. From there they moved to Clay street, and
thence to 137 and 139 Post street. They had an immense trade that extended not
only over the State but all along the coast, and had the leading business in
the city in their line. Mr. Kohler continued thus actively engaged up to the
time of his death, which occurred in 1884.
He was
a man thoroughly identified with the progress and development of this city, was
public-spirited, generous and charitable; had a successful business career, and
died leaving a large estate. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. In Boston, of
the Sons of Hermann in New York, and also fo
the Masonic order. Ever interested in good government, he affiliated with the
Republican party; was repeatedly urged to become a
candidate for office, but always declined.
Mr.and Mrs. Kohler
had one child, Louise Georgiana, who died at the age of five years, seven
months and twenty-eight days. Mrs. Kohler is still living.
Transcribed
by Elaine Sturdevant.
Source: "The
© 2006 Elaine Sturdevant.