San Joaquin County
Biographies
RICHARD ROBERT REIBENSTEIN
R. R. REIBENSTEIN, Mayor of
the city of Stockton, is a native of Statten, Prussia, born December 10, 1850,
his parents being Frank and Amelia (Fisher) Reibenstein. The family came to
America in 1852 and in 1854 to California, via Panama, locating in Stockton.
The father afterward went into business here, and was so engaged until his death,
in 1857.
The subject of this sketch was reared and
educated in Stockton. When he was sixteen years of age he commenced the
carpenter’s trade with Carl Sturke and James Brown, and at the early age of
twenty years he embarked in contracting in the building line, on his own
account. He has been very successful in his chosen line, and has constructed
many buildings, large and small, in the city and surrounding country, mostly
private residences. He was married in this city to Miss Amanda Swartz, a native
of Indiana. They have one child--Elsa Elizabeth.
Mr. Reibenstein has always taken a very
active interest in public affairs, and his sound judgment and excellent
business ability have more than once received recognition at the hands of his
fellow citizens, who have called him to fill important offices within their
gift. In 1873 he was the Democratic candidate for Public Administrator of San
Joaquin County, but was defeated. He was elected, however, in 1877, and
re-elected at the expiration of his term, retiring from office in 1884. During
his last year in that office, he also served as school trustee in Stockton.
After this, he was for two terms a member of the city council. In 1889 he was
nominated by the Democratic city convention as the candidate of that party for
Mayor of Stockton, and was elected on the 22nd of May, being the
second Democratic Mayor of this city in thirty years. In his administration of
the duties of his important office, he gives his personal interest to matters
in general and detail, and is a thorough and efficient executive officer. He is
a member of Truth Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of Willow Lodge, K. of P.
When the Volunteer Fire Department was in
vogue, he was identified with Weber Engineer Company, and was for two years its
secretary. He was also secretary of the Board of Delegates, and held the office
of president of the fire department. He has been a member of the First Baptist
Church since his sixteenth year. He is an able business man and an exceedingly
popular official. His administration bids fair, at this writing, to be a
red-letter one in the history of improvements for this city, well planned
projects for sewering the city and furnishing an inexhaustible supply of water
for future growth being brought forward, while street improvements, such as new
pavements and sidewalks have been undertaken on a large scale. While so much of
a progressive nature has been undertaken, there is no element of extravagance
in carrying out the plans, so that the welfare of the city is alone taken into
account in these improvements.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Page 241. Lewis Pub. Co.
Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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