San Joaquin County
Biographies
HENRY RAAB
H. RAAB, of the firm of H.
Raab & Co., proprietors of the Russ House, Stockton, is a native of
Bavaria, Germany, born near the town of Kriegsfeld, Rheinpfatz, on the 29th
of July, 1835, his parents being William and Elizabeth (Horneker) Raab, the
father a farmer.
He was reared at his native place, and
attended the public schools between the ages of six and fourteen years. When he
was sixteen years of age, he left home, and emigrated to America, sailing from
Havre on the 10th of March in the old ship “St. Nicholas,” and
landing at New York the day before Easter Sunday. He learned the shoemaker’s
trade on what is now Canal street, and remained in New York city until 1858. In
March of the latter year he left New York on the steamer Moses Taylor for
California, via Panama, and landed at San Francisco from the steamer John L.
Stephens, March 28, 1858. A few days later he came to Stockton, and was soon at
work at his trade here. In the spring of 1863 he went to the mines of Aurora
district, Nevada, and was there engaged in mining and other occupations until
the spring of 1871, when he returned to Stockton, and resumed work at his trade
here. He was thus employed until 1875, when he embarked in the hotel business,
in the east portion of the present Russ House. He prospered, and in 1878
acquired the building west to Center street. The hotel now occupies that entire
space, and a large patronage has grown up under the present management. There
are now fifty-four sleeping rooms at the disposal of the guests, arranged in a
convenient manner. Improvements have been made from time to time, and are yet
made as occasion requires.
Mr. H. Raab, who has done so much towards
building up the business of the Russ House, is at home as a hotel man. He is a
member of Stockton Lodge, No. 11, I. O. O. F., and has passed the chairs in
Esmeralda Lodge, No. 6, of the same order, at Aurora, Nevada. He is also a
member of the Stockton Turn-Verein.
Mr. Raab was married in this city, October
9, 1883, to Miss Kate Fisher, a native of Calaveras County, California. They
have two children living, viz: Melville F., and an unnamed infant.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Page 606. 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
Genealogy Databases