San
Joaquin County
Biographies
HENRY J. ARMBRUST
A representative of an old pioneer
family who is an enterprising and progressive citizen of Stockton, Henry J.
Armbrust was born near Stockton February 21, 1865, the eldest son of Henry and
Mary Armbrust, natives of Germany and Switzerland respectively. Henry Armbrust, the father of our subject,
left Germany for America in 1863 on a small sailing vessel, the journey taking
sixty-five days to New York; from that port in company with his brother Louis,
he came via Panama to California, arriving in San Francisco late in 1863 and
the same year settled in Stockton, where he found work on the Potter ranch on
the French Camp Road. In 1864 he entered
the employ of Jacob Wagner and for four years was foreman in the tannery. He was first married in 1864 and two children
were born of the union, Henry J., our subject, and Emma, wife of Charles
Fritsch, who now has four children and resides in Portland, Oregon. In 1867 Mrs. Armbrust passed away and the
following year Mr. Armbrust resigned from the tannery and bought ten acres near
Stockton on West Lane, which he developed to a high state of cultivation. In 1869 he was married to Miss Christina
Christenson, a native of Denmark, and to them there were born three sons and
two daughters, all of whom reside in and near Stockton. Henry Armbrust was among the pioneer fruit
men of California and a successful viticulturist. In 1914 he retired from ranch work and in
1920 he sold his property and settled in Stockton, where he passed away on
October 25, 1921.
Henry J. Armbrust attended the Old
North School and from an early age was associated with his father in the fruit
business, having charge of the local marketing of the ranch products. His first marriage was blessed by two
daughters, Lola, the wife of G. Cinato, residing in
Oakland; and Mary, the wife of Percy Van Pelt, residing in San Francisco. Mr. Armbrust later married Miss Mary Steinbacher, born in Woodland, a daughter of John Steinbacher, pioneer merchant of that city. Six children have been born to this
union: William, Carmelita, Elenor, Marguerite, Henry, Jr., and Francis. In 1924, retiring from ranch work, Mr.
Armbrust entered the employ of the street department of the city of Stockton,
where he has since been a trusted employee.
In 1908 Mr. Armbrust built his residence at 1345 East Park Street, where
he has since resided. Politically he is
a Democrat. Fraternally he is a member
of the Stockton Lodge 218, B. P. O. E., and for the past thirty-five years has
been a member of the Knights of Pythias, of which he is a past president.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1052. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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