San Francisco County
Biographies
LOUIS
ZEISS
Louis
Zeiss, commission merchant and wholesale dealer in
grain, potatoes, beans, peas, etc., at the southwest corner of Clay and Drumm streets, San Francisco was born in Gambach, near Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, December 13,
1850, and at the age of seventeen years came to America, taking up his
residence in San Francisco. He is the
youngest of four children. His parents,
Martin and Wilhelmina Zeiss, were both natives of
Germany, and are now deceased.
Mr.
L. Zeiss landed in the city of San Francisco as a
young boy, and could speak no English; but by dint of hard work, close study and
economy he has accumulated a considerable amount of valuable city
property. He is the owner of the
southwest corner of Clay and Drumm streets, fifty
feet fronting on Clay and sixty on Drumm street, and
the building in which he conducts his business, besides valuable residence
property on the southwest corner of Laguna street and Olive avenue, 30 x 100
feet, also 25 x 90 feet, running through to Ellis street, with nice improved
flats thereon.
On
his first arrival in this city Mr. Zeiss’ business enteprise [sic] was that of butchering, which he carried on
successfully for four years, and in 1872 he established himself in the
commission business. His business
qualifications and shrewd management have rendered him very successful in all
his enterprises, and he now enjoys a good and growing trade which extends well
into the interior of the State. In
addition to this he is the general agent for the Pacific coast of “The Hilmer Chemical Works” at Petaluma, formerly in this
city. He has been identified with a
number of the growing industries of San Francisco, and is therefore well-known
in business circles.
He
was married in this city February 7, 1875, to Miss Catharine Zimmerman, a
native of Germany, and they have four children:
Louis F., Otto J., Walter P. and Katie M.
Socially
Mr. Zeiss affiliates with Ivy Lodge, No. 1716,
Knights of Honor, and has been of its trustees for the past eight years; also
he is a member of Court Zenith, No. 7474, A. O. F. of A.; of the German
Hospital Benevolent Association for the last eighteen years, and for the last
twenty years of the Turn-Verien—all of San Francisco.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2,
pages 96-97, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Donna L.
Becker.