San
Joaquin County
Biographies
EDWIN H. HESS
One of the interesting men of
affairs of Stockton is Edwin H. Hess, who has grown up with the city and has
been closely identified with its development all his years. As manager of the Stockton Dyeing and
Cleaning Works, a pioneer plant enjoying a prestige of nearly fifty years under one ownership, Mr. Hess is one of the widely known
dyeing and cleaning specialists of the West.
The erection of the handsome new home for this plant in 1918 and 1919
adds another achievement to the credit of the Hess family, whose name has been
interwoven with that of the city of Stockton since 1874.
Edwin H. Hess was born at Stockton,
April 13, 1890, the son of Oswald H. and Martha (Wolf) Hess, both natives of
Germany and now deceased. Oswald H. Hess
was born in Beerfelden, Hesse,
and came to the United States when a young man in 1867 via Panama. Arriving in California, he herded cattle and
sheep in El Dorado County, and in 1874 he came to Stockton. For a time previous to this he had worked for
his brother in San Jose in a cleaning and dyeing works, and on coming to
Stockton he started in business in a small way at 515 East Main Street,
occupying a little building, the lumber for which was brought around the
Horn. As his business grew, in 1890 he
erected a brick block on the same site, which is still standing, and he
occupied the ground floor for his dye works.
In 1908 Mr. Hess took a trip to Europe and on his return he moved his
business to 520 East Lindsay Street. In
1909 he took in as partners his son Edwin H. Hess and his son-in-law, J. C. Billetter. This
partnership continued until the father’s death, July 1, 1918 when Edwin H.
became the sole owner of the business.
Mr. and Mrs. Oswald Hess were the parents of two children, Mrs. J. C. Billetter and Edwin H. Hess. One of Stockton’s substantial citizens, Oswald
H. Hess was one of the founders of the old Turnverein and a member of Truth
Lodge of the Odd Fellows.
Edwin H. Hess was educated in the
public and high schools of Stockton and in 1908 took an extended trip to Europe
with his parents. On his return he
became associated in his father’s business and since 1918 has
been its owner and proprietor. The new
structure occupied by the company occupies ground space 50 x 100 feet at 338
North California Street, on ground owned by the family for many years. It was designed under the personal direction
of the present owner and is the most modern establishment of its kind in
central California, featuring many novel ideas for the proper care of
clothes. In Mr. Hess’ office and the
display room the walls are of ivory enamel and mahogany panel effects, the
floor being of inlaid tile with marble base, everything denoting quiet elegance
of taste. In the rear are the operating
departments, the heavy pressing being done by the most modern machinery, while
all delicate fabrics are pressed by hand.
In the curtain cleaning department there is a patent Troy stretcher, no
pins or hooks being used. Another room
is devoted to cleansing blankets, each individual blanket being washed separately.
In the dry-cleaning room, after
coming from the extractor the clothes are placed in the Troy dry room tumbler,
where hot air sucked over steam-heated coils by a suction fan passes through
the clothes as they are revolving in wire baskets, removing all odor of
gasoline, also all lint. The gasoline is
pumped from underground tanks, thus eliminating all fire hazards, and as it
becomes cloudy it is pumped into another tank and distilled before being used
again, which insures perfect cleanliness for all garments. The dyeing department is in the rear of the
building and all the latest methods of operation are featured here. The patronage of this establishment extends
into all sections of the country surrounding Stockton, some families having
dealt with this firm for two generations.
Mr. Hess was married to Miss Bertha
Jeannelle on September 11, 1910. She is
a native of Indiana and came to California in 1907. One daughter, Jeannelle, has been born to
them. Mr. Hess is a member of the
Stockton Elks, the Native Sons of the Golden West, and takes an active part in
the affairs of the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1267. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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