San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WALTER P. ROTHENBUSH
A native son of California of more
than passing prominence in the affairs of the Native Sons of the Golden West is
Walter P. Rothenbush, having been a member of the Stockton lodge for a quarter
of a century. He was born in Stockton,
California, April 23, 1880, a son of Jacob and Philopena (Zimmer) Rothenbush. The father, Jacob Rothenbush, was born in one
of the Rhine provinces, Bavaria, Germany, November 18,
1838. The Rothenbush family is one of
the pioneer families of California and was represented by five brothers who came
to the state in early days: Fred, a
captain in the Civil War; and Daniel, Christian, Peter and Jacob. Peter Rothenbush went back to Germany and
brought his younger brother, Jacob, back in 1853 via the Isthmus of Panama.
Jacob Rothenbush spent his boyhood
days in Sonora, Tuolumne County, where he followed the butcher business and
cattle raising. In 1860 he settled in
Stockton and entered the employ of Gerlach & Wagner, butchers, and after
long years of service he was employed as meat cutter at Stockton State
Hospital, and in 1912 retired from active business cares. Being of a thrifty and economical turn of
mind, he saved his money and purchased one-half block of land on Oak Street,
between Stanislaus and Grant streets, and erected three houses; this was bought
from Captain Weber, and a portion of this property is still in the possession
of the family. Jacob Rothenbush joined
the Stockton Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 11, fifty-eight years ago; when he had
been a member fifty-five years, the lodge presented him with a jeweled pin in
token of the long years of service; he was also a charter member of Oak Lodge,
Knights of Pythias. He passed away in
Galt, California, on March 18, 1922, an honored and respected California
pioneer. The mother, Philopena (Zimmer)
Rothenbush, was born at Bozenbach, a Rhine province,
Germany, and came to California with her three sisters when she was sixteen
years of age, only one of the sisters now surviving, Mrs. Philip Schmidt. Mrs. Rothenbush passed away at the age of
sixty-nine, the mother of three children:
Mrs. F. W. Stroud; Fred C., of Galt, California; and Walter P., our
subject.
Walter P. Rothenbush was educated in
the public schools of Stockton and after finishing learned the machinist’s
trade. In 1905 he entered the employ of
the New Method Laundry, remaining with them until 1911; then for the next six
years was in the employ of the Home Laundry; then for a year and a half was
with the Sampson Motor Company, during the time of the World War; later with
the Exclusive Laundry. Mr. Rothenbush
then became the steward of Stockton Parlor No. 7, N. S. G. W., and has been one
of the leading members of this order for many years; he served as third
vice-president in 1913, and during the years 1914-15 was president. Besides being steward, he holds the office of
marshal of the lodge; he has also been a delegate to the meetings of the Grand
Parlor held in San Diego and Oakland.
Mr. Rothenbush is popular in business and social circles, and is a
strong believer in the future of Stockton, the metropolis of central
California.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1247-1248. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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