San Joaquin County
Biographies
LEWIS LAUMEISTER
LEWIS LAUMEISTER, of
Stockton, is a native of Germany, born at Himmelthal, Bavaria, May 12, 1822,
his parents being John Anthony and Mary Anna (Hartmann) Laumeister. The father
had a mill there, and his father had also been a miller. Lewis Laumeister attended
school between the ages of six and thirteen years, and then went into his
father’s establishment and served a thorough apprenticeship as miller, which
ended when he was seventeen years old. He then traveled throughout Germany to
polish off his trade, according to the custom, taking in Bavaria, Nassau,
Wurtemburg, Hessen and part of Prussia, and in 1843 went home for conscription.
He was not drawn, however, and continued at his trade. In 1845 he emigrated to
America, sailing from Rotterdam on the old ship Utica and landing at New York
in the latter part of August. He remained in the city about two months, working
a portion of the time at button-making, and about two weeks as a barber. He
then went to Syracuse, where he obtained employment, at first packing and
cooking salt, and afterward at grinding in a mill. About the first of January
the mill burnt down, and he obtained employment in the manufacture of
furniture.
In the spring of 1846 he went to New
Hampshire and worked for a time on a railroad. Then a strike broke out on the
road, and he went to Boston, where he obtained employment in the hotel of Peter
Biebricken, as a waiter. He next got a chance to work in a flour-mill, which he
gladly accepted, and worked there until 1849. He then went to New York again
and obtained a situation as foreman in a factory on Twelfth street, Manhattanville,
making mills for grinding paint, the proprietor being Daniel F. Diemann. Mr.
Laumeister held that position until 1852, when he was compelled to give it up
on account of his health.
In 1853 he came to California via
Nicaragua, on the steamers Star of the West and Samuel S. Lewis. The last-named
vessel was wrecked at Bolinas Bay on the 9th of April, and they lay
a couple of weeks ashore, at last being taken off and carried to San Francisco
on a little schooner. He met a cousin (Frank Laumeister) at San Francisco. He
went to work at the Union foundry, preparing millstones for a mill at San Jose,
and remained there about two months at $8 a day. He was then taken sick with Panama
fever, and, as it became evident that he would never get well in San Francisco,
the doctors advised him to go to the mountains. He accordingly located his
family in Stockton, while he went to Tuolumne County, and engaged in
prospecting and mining. He recovered his health and came to Stockton to live,
in 1855.
He at first went to work for Moses Severy
and Pearsall in their slaughter house, and afterward engaged as a carpenter on
the construction of a large building for the State Insane Asylum, and he
followed the carpenter trade for some time. In 1858 he and his brother Leonard
(now deceased) built a flour-mill at Linden for ex-Sheriff Rynerson. He then
engaged by letter to go to Brown’s Valley and run a mill there for Squire
Brown, which he did until 1860. Then in connection with his brother Leonard he
rented the mill of Sebastian Visher and Jabez Daggett, at Stockton. They were
successful in operating it, and took all the prizes for flour, farina and pearl
barley at the first agricultural fair held in Stockton. In 1862, however, they
were washed out by the flood, and lost all. They had intended to buy the mill,
that privilege having been given them.
Mr. Laumeister next engaged in teaming
between California and such localities in Nevada as Virginia City, Reese River,
Fort Churchill, etc. He was engaged in teaming until 1866, and then engaged in
millwrighting again. In that year he bought the lots where he now resides, and
built improvements. For a time he worked altogether for mills here, next at Merced
Falls, then at Sonora for a couple of seasons. After that he went to Linden,
and operated the mill there until the company stopped running. He next went to
King’s River and built a mill for E. Jacobs and J. Morrow. When it was
completed he ran it for a while, but was taken sick with chills and fever, and
returned to Stockton. Here he followed contracting and building windmills until
about 1877, and then started in the grocery business, which he carried on until
February, 1889, when he was succeeded by his son S. H. He is now retired from
business, except that he has a ranch of 160 acres in Calaveras County.
He was married in Boston, in 1848, to Miss
Mary Elizabeth Zang, a native of Gladbach, Bavaria. They have five children,
viz: Louis Lorenzo, in Butte County; Anna, wife of William H. White (engineer
of the Oakdale train); Mary Josephina (now Mrs. Ahearn), of San Francisco; and
Simon H., merchant, Stockton.
Mr. Laumeister is a member of the Catholic
Church. He is an old-time citizen of Stockton and a man universally respected.
S. H. Laumeister, merchant, youngest son
of L. Laumeister, was born in Stockton, May 13, 1862. He was educated in
Stockton, then followed clerking here, at Modesto and San Jose, when he
returned and clerked for his father four years. He became proprietor of the
store in February, 1889. His wife’s maiden name was Miss Mary Smith. He has
been financial secretary of Y. M. I. for two years.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 608-609. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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