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JOHN CHARLES MEUSSDORFFER
John
Charles Meussdorffer earned high place among the pioneer business men at San
Francisco, where he established perhaps the first hat factory, and some of his sons
continued this business, so that the name is still actively identified with the
manufacture and sale of hats in San Francisco.
The late John C. Meussdorffer was born at
Kulmback, Germany, April 9 1823. He was educated in Germany, and served
his apprenticeship as a hat maker at Paris. In 1847 he came to America
and located at St. Louis, following his trade. Early in 1849 he joined an
ox train bound for California across the plains, and he walked practically the
entire distance reaching San Francisco September 19, 1849. He immediately
went to the mines, but after a brief experience there returned to San Francisco
and established his hat factory. His business was continued for many
years as the J.C. Meussdorffer Hat Manufacturing Company, and with increasing
trade he established branch stores in Sacramento, Marysville and Portland,
Oregon. The finest hats in California were manufactured by this firm, and
in the early days the regular price for a piece of Meussdorffer headgear was
from twenty to thirty dollars., J.C. Meussdorffer interested himself in
other lines of business also, buying and selling real estate, and built some of
the early apartment houses of the city one of them located on Third
Street. He personally landscaped the beautiful grounds around his own
home. He was at one time president of the German Hospital and a member of
various charitable organizations and his public spirit and generosity were
expressed in many ways for the benefit of this community. He was a member
of the Society of California pioneers. In the early affairs of San
Francisco he served on the Vigilantes Committee and a member of a
volunteer fire company. In his prosperous early career he induced some of
his brothers to come from Germany, and he established them as managers of his
branch stores.
John Charles Meussdorffer, who died
December 3, 1894, at the age of seventy-one, by his first marriage had one son,
Harry C., a retired resident of San Francisco. He went back to Germany
for his second wife, Caroline Pflueger, who was born in that country.
They were married in May, 1868, and he arrived with his bride at San Francisco
December 24 of the same year. To this union were born eight children:
John C., who was in the insurance business at San Francisco and passed away May
2, 1923; Oscar E. and Arthur H., who still continue to represent the family in
the hat business at 824 Market Street, under the name of J.C. Meussdorffer
Sons; Waldemar, manager of a business concern at Redwood City; George, who was
in the hat business and died in 1921, at the age of thirty-five; and Ottilie,
Alice and Irene, all residents of San Francisco. Miss Ottilie’s home is
at 487 Hanover Street. The son Oscar is a member of the California
Pioneers Society and of Stanford Parlors of the Native Sons of the Golden
West. He is also affiliated with the Elks and is a member of the Olympic
Club. Miss Ottili and Miss Irene are members of the Daughters of the
California Pioneers. Mrs. Meussdorffer is a member of the Woman’s Auxiliary
of California of the California Pioneers.
Louise E. Shoemaker, Transcriber February 22, 2004
Source: "The San
Francisco Bay Region" by Bailey Millard Vol. 3 page 92-95. Published by The
American Historical Society, Inc. 1924.
© 2004 Louise Shoemaker
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library