San Francisco County
Biographies
DAVID
WOERNER
David Woerner, proprieter of the large
cooperage establishment on the corner of Main and Harrison streets, San
Francisco, is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born
in 1833. His boyhood was passed in his
native land, where he secured his education, and also learned the trade of
cooperage and brewing. At the age of
nineteen years he started out in life and came to the United States, landing at
New York: he then proceeded to Philadelphia where he worked at his trade until
1858, then returning to New York he took passage on the steamer “Moses Taylor”
for Chagres, crossed the Isthmus to Panama,
re-embarked on the steamer John L. Stephens, and arrived in San Francisco in
May of the same year.
As competent men
were in great demand in those early days, Mr. Woerner
soon found occupation with the Philadelphia Brewing Co., with whom he remained
for five years; then going to Mexico he became interested in mines and mining
securities and remained for several years.
Returning to California he was employed as foreman of the Santa Clara
brewery for about two years, and then came to San Francisco and in 1868 started
his cooperage business on the corner of Spear and Mission streets, having
purchased the property and erected a three-story building 40x100 feet. Enjoying a fine trade at the start, he
occupied the entire building and employed about sixty men in the manufacture of
barrels, casks and tanks for wineries, breweries and distilleries. With the passage of time, his business
increased and greater facilities were required.
He then purchased his present desirable location, on the corner of Main
and Harrison streets, and erected his present building 137 x 137 feet, two
stories high to which he removed in 1881, and has since employed a force of
about eighty-five hands. His factory is
fully equipped with light and heavy machinery adapted to his particular
purposes, altered and improved after his own ideas.
In 1885 he took
a trip East to look over similar manufactories to gather knowledge or any
desirable improvements which were then in use, but he discovered that his own
factory was far ahead of Eastern establishments in machinery adapted for heavy
work, which is a speciality with Mr. Woerner, as he manufactures tanks to contain thousands of
gallons, and from his factory were fitted up the leading wineries, distilleries
and breweries of the State, in tanks, tubs and casks; also manufacturing
extensively for the Mexican trade.
He was married
in Sonora, Mexico, in 1864 to Miss Carmal Benitz, a native of Mazatlan, but
of German descent. To the union has been
added twelve children, nine boys and three girls, all living. Mr. Woerner is a
member of I. O. O. F., the F. & A. M., and the A. O. U. W. He is Republican in politics, though in local
matters voting for men and not party.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1,
page 702-703, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Donna
L. Becker.