San
Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE W. DOHRMANN
For over a half century the name of
Dohrmann has figured conspicuously in insurance circles of Stockton and George
W. Dohrmann is ably sustaining the reputation of the family in this connection,
being president of the Dohrmann-Wolf Agency, which is conducting one of the
leading insurance agencies in Central California. He is one of Stockton’s native sons and was
born September 10, 1878, of the union of Charles W. and Pauline (Wetzler)
Dohrmann, both natives of Germany. The
father was born in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, June 21, 1846, and his
parents were William and Frederika (Behred) Dohrmann, the former of
whom was born in 1805 and died at San Francisco, California, in 1886, while the
latter passed away in Germany in 1856.
As a young man Charles W. Dohrmann came to the United States and from
New York City he made his way to California, going by the Isthmus route. On January 6, 1864, he arrived at San
Francisco and then came to Stockton to join his brother Adolph, who had
preceded him to this country and was engaged in the grocery business in this
city. For a time Charles W. Dohrmann
worked for his brother and in 1868 purchased the business, which he conducted
until 1871. In May, 1868, he embarked in
the insurance business in Stockton, his being the second agency established in
the city, and he was very successful in this field. He originated the plan of insuring growing
grain crops, being the first man in California to adopt that policy, and with
the passing years his business steadily grew until it extended all over the San
Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. He
organized the Alta Insurance Company of Stockton, of which he acted as manager
for many years, and he also engaged in farming, being the first man to break
ground on the upper portion of Roberts Island.
At one time he owned about 1,000 acres of land which is now the site of
the State Hospital Farm on the Lower Sacramento Road, all of which was planted
to grain, and he was one of the first to subdivide ranch property, opening the
Meyers tract northeast of Stockton. His
initiative spirit and notable business ability led him into important
connections and he was numbered among the foremost citizens of Stockton. In 1884 he joined the California National
Guard and in 1888 served as a major in the Third Brigade. He was a member of the Turnverein, the
Ancient Order of Druids, the Knights of Pythias,
Stockton Lodge, No. 218, B. P. O. E., and San Joaquin Lodge, No. 7, of the
Masonic order. On June 23, 1870, he
married Pauline Wetzler, who was born in Saxony, Germany, and came to Stockton
from Dixon, Illinois, during her childhood.
She was an instructor in the Sacramento schools and later both she and
her sister became teachers in a young ladies’ seminary at Stockton. She served as grand matron of the Grand
Chapter of California, Order of the Eastern Star and visited more lodges during
her term of office than any other incumbent in the position. After her husband’s death, which occurred on
October 26, 1893, she carried on his insurance business successfully and later
was joined by her son, George W., at which time the firm style of P. W.
Dohrmann & Son was assumed. She is a
most capable businesswoman and became an active member of the Stockton Chamber
of Commerce. To Mr. and Mrs. Dohrmann
were born six children, four living:
Augusta E., the wife of William Clayton; Louise B., now Mrs. A. Weiss
Berger; Marie J., now Mrs. E. C. Warner; and George W. One of the daughters, Louise, was the first
woman in this part of the state to be employed as a special agent representing
insurance companies as traveling representative.
George W. Dohrmann, the only son in
the family, was educated in the Stockton public schools and as a young man went
to San Francisco, completing an apprenticeship to the machinist’s trade in the
Union Iron Works. Following the outbreak
of the Spanish-American War he enlisted in the transport service, starting as
an oiler and being advanced to the position of third assistant engineer. In 1900 he returned to Stockton and joined
his mother in the insurance business, with which he has since been
identified. In 1914 the Peters-Wolf
Dohrmann Insurance Company was formed and since the withdrawal of Mr. Peters
their interests have been conducted as the Dohrmann-Wolf Agency, of which the
subject of this review is the president.
Their offices are located at 406 East Market Street and they have
established a prestige for protection and reliability that is far-reaching and
effective. They write every form of
insurance, representing the strongest and most reliable companies in the field,
and their business is one of large proportions.
Mr. Dohrmann married Miss Bertha Waldenmeier, a native of San Francisco, and they have five
children: George W., Jr., Ida W., Alinde Pauline, and Virginia and Barbara (twins). His public service finds expression in his
membership in the Chamber of Commerce, while he is also connected with the
Elks, belonging to Stockton Lodge, No. 218.
He is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of
Stockton and the spirit of the father has descended to the son, who displays
the same enterprising spirit, and marked business acumen that characterized the
latter and placed him at the head of extensive business interests.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
412. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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