San Joaquin County
Biographies
LOUIS HANSEL
LOUIS HANSEL, a merchant of
Stockton, whose “pioneer grocery store,” on the southwest corner of Hunter and
Channel streets, has been occupied as such since 1850, was born in Buffalo, New
York, 1837, a son of Michael and Mary (Reileng)
Hansel, both natives of Baden, Germany, who came to America in 1832. His father
was born in 1796, and his mother in 1800. His father was in business in Buffalo
for some years and at other points in the East. Both came to Stockton in 1875,
and his father died in 1878, but his mother lived to 1880.
The subject of this sketch received a fair education, helped in his father’s store in his youth and afterward learned the trade of carpenter. He came to California in 1855 and first worked at his trade a little, then in a hotel, and lastly tried mining, near Murphy’s, all in 1855. The mining experience was very encouraging on the outset, as he happened to scoop up $50 in a few hours, only to learn very soon that such “finds” were very exceptional. Two and one half miles further on, or four miles from Murphy’s, he and three partners dug in what they thought a promising place, dug and piled up dirt for a month, built a dam and bought sluice-boxes, only to find as net result $2 or $3 in gold dust. Disgusted, Mr. Hansel sold his interest in the sluice-boxes for a few dollars and struck out for Stockton. He went to work as a teamster until the Fraser river excitement reached this city, when he started for that region. Arriving in Victoria, whence there had been a stampede of workingmen for the new “diggings,” he worked at his trade for a few days at $8.50 a day. He then went forward with some comrades as far as Fort Hope, when he concluded to return to Victoria while his companions should go ahead and ascertain what the prospect was on Fraser river. He was again at work in Victoria and everybody was hastening back to Victoria, and wages soon fell to a minimum. He then returned to Stockton and resumed teaming to the mines about 1860. In 1861 he bought a team and outfit and did a good business. In 1862 he bought his present place, which is thought to have been run as a grocery store since 1850 at least. It is certain from the records that Captain C. M. Weber deeded the lot, 50 x 50 feet, on half of which it stands, to Ellen Murphy, apparently before his marriage to that lady, and that she sold it, still as Ellen Murphy, to Guillanme Bouillon, for $2,500. The latter sold it to C. C. Crellet, December 22, 1855, and he to Deftot & Chevalier in 1857, and they to Lottman & Meyer in 1860 In 1861 Lottman bought out his partner and Mr. Hansel bought out Mr. Lottman in 1862 and has held it ever since. In those first years he loaded many teams every day for the mining regions, but on the completion of the railroads in 1869 and 1870, his trade with freighters was cut off to a great extent. He, however, continues to ship goods in considerable quantities to different parts of the State, besides has city and county trade. He is a member of Truth Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Willow Lodge, K. of P., and of the Stockton Turn-Verein.
Mr. Hansel was married in this city in 1863, to Miss Katrina Pforr, a native of Hesse Cassel, Germany, who had come to California in 1860. They have six children living: Henry C., born May 26, 1864; Emma L., November 23, 1868; Kate M., May 12, 1872; Louis John, July 6, 1873; Fredrica C., October 17, 1875; and Gertrude May, August 23, 1878.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 421-422. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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