San Francisco County
Biographies
Mark Strouse, a successful business man of San Francisco and
proprietor of the Bay City Meat Market, 1136-1140 Market street, and also doing
a large meat-packing business, came to the Pacific coast in 1861, when sixteen
years of age. He is a native of Germany, born in 1845, received his
education and spent the first sixteen years of his life in his native
country. His first business in California was mining at Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras county.
He obtained a mining claim, for which he was offered $10,000; this he declined,
and at the end of six months left it as worthless. He turned his attention
to butchering, and in the spring of 1863 went to Virginia City, Nevada, helped
take 5,000 head of stock there and for six months worked in the meat
market. Mr. Strouse and a brother then
purchased the market and began a career of prosperity, which was continued in
that city till 1880 - seventeen years. While Mr. Strouse
resided there he took an active part in political and other affairs of the
city. In 1868 he was elected by his party (the Democratic) Marshal of the
city, and filled the position in a most business-like and creditable manner;
and at the expiration of his term of office he was elected Treasurer of the
city, and in this, as in his former office, his management of the financial
affairs of the city gave the highest satisfaction. While Marshal of the
city he had the satisfaction of arresting three notorious robbers, who had
committed several crimes and were a menace to the country. They were
found guilty and sent to State's prison. When Mr. Strouse
came to San Francisco in 1880 he purchased his present market and engaged in
business in this city, and met with success from the start, soon attaining a
leading position in the business, as he has acquired the good will of a large
patronage, and has in his employ seventy-five men and twelve boys. He has
in his market the largest cooler on the coast, which enables him to keep his
immense stock of meats in choice condition. He is a man of push, energy
and large business experience, and what he undertakes succeeds. He has a
valuable ranch at Honey Lake, Nevada, where he raises a part of the stock for
his large business. He usually packs about thirty hogs per day, and also
packs beef extensively. He cures the Emlie ham,
which has acquired a wide reputation; his lard has the same brand. Mr. Strouse has belonged to many of
the fraternal societies, but the pressure of business has caused him to drop
most of them.
He was married in 1874 to Miss Lillie Edgeryton, a
native of Virginia City, and they had three children, two of whom died; the
surviving one is named Berdhea. Mr. Strouse lost his wife, and was married again in 1883, to
Miss Amelia Emlie Bulhert,
a native of Mokelumne Hill, California. They
have two sons, born in San Francisco: Mark and Albert A. Mr. Strouse is what may be styled a self-made man, as it has
been wholly by his own efforts that he has acquired his well-earned success.
Transcribed
1-25-05 Marilyn R. Pankey
Source:
"The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, pages 693-694, Lewis Publishing Co,
1892.
© 2005 Marilyn R. Pankey.