San Francisco County
Biographies
J. HENRY
MOHR
J. Henry Mohr is prominently identified with the business interests of San Francisco as the manager of the firm of J. A. Mohr & Son, Incorporated, at 433 Eleventh street, which is one of the largest painting and decorating organizations on the Pacific coast. Mr. Mohr is a native of San Francisco, his birth having occurred here March 20, 1894, and he is a son of Jacob A. and Rose (Scherwin) Mohr.
Jacob A. Mohr came to San Francisco in the early ‘80s, when he was a youth of fourteen years, and here he learned the painting and decorating trade. He established his own business, which is that of the present, in 1888, and from the beginning a fine degree of success attended his efforts. The quality of his work became widely known, and every contract he filled enhanced his reputation. The enterprise was incorporated in 1921. Jacob A. Mohr has practically retired from the active management of his business, the responsibility now being in the hands of his capable son, who has proceeded along the lines proved successful by his honored sire. Rose (Scherwin) Mohr is a native daughter of San Francisco, and her parents were among the very first settlers in San Francisco, her father having come here in 1849 and her mother in 1850. Mr. Scherwin constructed the first frame house in this community, using for the purpose timbers from an old sailing vessel, and this old home withstood the earthquake and fire of 1906.
J. Henry Mohr attended the grade schools and the High School of Commerce, from which he received a diploma. During his school years, he participated in his father’s painting and decorating business, learned all the technique of the work, and then gradually relieved his father of the responsibility of management. He took complete charge of the business in 1921, which was the year of incorporation. This company did much of the work on the important buildings in the district destroyed by the fire in 1906, and has likewise given services to many of the largest and most expensive structures of the present day. Among these latter may be mentioned the Russ building, the Shell Oil building, the Commercial Union building, the Taylor Hotel, the Mills building, the O’Connor-Moffatt store building, the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph building on Bush street, and many of the more pretentious residences in the city, also numerous structures in various other parts of California. The annual pay-roll of Mr. Mohr’s company is about two hundred thousand dollars.
Mr. Mohr was married to Miss Lucille Granicher, who was born in San Francisco. To their union have been born three sons: Junior Henry, Warren David, and Russell Edward. Mr. Mohr is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is active in all municipal affairs of interest to public-spirited citizens of his rank. Hunting and fishing are his favorite diversions.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 181-182.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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