San Francisco County
Biographies
ROBERT LIDDLE
ROBERT LIDDLE, proprietor of the Sportsmen’s Emporium, 538
Washington street, is the leading manufacturer of
shot-guns on the Pacific coast. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, to which
city his parents brought him in his infancy. At the age of twelve years he was
apprenticed to learn the trade of a gun-smith, and after five years he followed
the trade as a journeyman until he came to California. He made the journey via
the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco in February, 1853. He went to
the mines on the south fork of the Salmon river, but
as fortune did not favor him he abandoned the occupation; when he had saved
sufficient money to pay his passage, he returned to San Francisco, and resumed
work at his trade in the small shop of Mr. Coomans on
Davis street. After a few months he secured employment with Mr. Bogart, where
he remained until the fall of 1854; in that year he returned to Baltimore and
brought his family back to the coast; he continued with Mr. Bogart until the
end of another year, and then purchased the business, forming a partnership at
the same time with Charles Kading, under the firm
name of Liddle & Kading.
The manufacturing facilities were increased, and in 1860 the business had grown
to such proportions that they removed to their present location, where they
have enlarged their stock and extended their connections; they keep a full line
of sportsmen’s supplies and are large importers of English goods. In March,
1889, Mr. Liddle purchased Mr. Kading’s
interest, and has since conducted the business alone. He imports many of his
rifles, guns and pistols, but manufactures a hammerless, breech-loading
shot-gun under his own patent; it is a very choice gun and ranges in price from
$125 to $ 250. He also does a large business in repairing.
Mr.
Liddle was married in Baltimore to Miss Clara Knight,
and nine children have been born to them, five of whom survive; William,
Thomas, Robert, George and John. George looks after the business at the store
while his father manages the factory. Mr. Liddle is
one of the early members of California Lodge, No. 1,
I. O.O. F.,
belongs to the Knights of Pythias, to Unity Lodge,
Chosen Friends, and Alcazar Council; he is a member of several shooting clubs,
and in his younger days was the crack shot of the State. He built his residence
at 329 Fell street, in 1870 and owns a ranch of 160
acres in Los Angeles county. He has been a man of industrious habits all his
life, and through his strict attention to his trade he has built up a business
that covers the entire coast States.
Transcribed
by Elaine Sturdevant.
Source: "The
© 2006 Elaine Sturdevant.