San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JACOB SIMON
A very interesting old resident who
has followed various occupations and who has contributed much to the progress
of the community in which he has resided since 1867, is Jacob Simon. He was born in Bosenbach,
Bavaria, Germany, on December 12, 1852.
Both of his parents died when he was quite young. Learning of the great opportunities of the
New World, he set out for America when only a lad of fifteen. Upon arriving in New York he soon left for
California via the Panama route, and after arriving in San Francisco, where he
spent a few days, he left for Stockton, arriving there with but twenty-five
dollars in his pocket and with no knowledge of the English language. His first employment was with the Pacific
Tannery, where he worked for twenty dollars per month. In order to save money, he bought a cot and
blanket and slept in the tannery; after five years he entered the employ of the
El Dorado Brewing Company and was with them for five years; then in 1876 he
became caretaker of Turner Hall and remained in that capacity for six
years. He next established a grocery
business at the corner of Main and Grant streets with
Mr. Smith as partner. At the end of five
years he disposed of his interest and purchased the old Columbia Hotel at the
corner of San Joaquin and Channel streets and for the next twenty-two years he
conducted the hotel with satisfaction to the public and profit to himself. His next venture was the purchase of a
320-acre tract of land in Whiskey Slough, Roberts Island, and was the first man
to put in a crop of any kind in that part of the island. One season he raised 28,000 sacks of potatoes
which he sold for thirty-five centers per sack; pink beans brought him seventy
cents per cental, and barley seventy-five cents per
sack. He passed through three
devastating floods which completely used up all his profits. He then gave up his ranching project and
became the city agent for the El Dorado Brewing Company, and continued with
them for five years. In May, 1908, he
had his first vacation and enjoyed a trip to Europe and his old home. Upon his return to this country, he wrecked
the old Columbia Hotel and erected a modern, three-story brick building on the
site, and is known as the Simon Building and was originally built for and
occupied by the Heald’s Business College.
It is now run as Simon’s Hotel.
He has dealt quite extensively in the buying and selling of real estate
and is the owner of much valuable property in Stockton. Mr. Simon has always taken an active part in
the affairs of the county and city and served as police and fire commissioner
of Stockton for six years, the longest period the office was ever held by one
man; then he served as park commissioner of Stockton under three different
mayors. For more than a quarter of a
century he has been connected with the San Joaquin Building & Loan
Association and is now vice-president of that organization and is its official
appraiser. In politics he has always
been a Republican and cast his first vote for Horace Greeley.
Mr. Simon was married to Miss Emma Grassberger, a native of Brooklyn, New York, who came with
her parents to Stockton in 1859. Her
father was J. A. Grassberger, who erected the old
Columbia Hotel and ran the same from 1861 to the time of his death. Mr. and Mrs. Simon are the parents of five
living children: Emma is the wife of
Thomas Gough, assistant cashier in the Bank of Italy, at Stockton; Elsie is the
wife of B. P. Foster of Modesto; Frona is the wife of
Joseph Susa, and they reside at San Francisco; Ruby and Eda are single. Fraternally Mr. Simon is a member of the Elks,
San Joaquin Grove of Druids, and Court Schiller, Foresters of America. For many years he has been a member of the
old Turnverein and served as its treasurer for twenty-seven years. Mr. Simon is living retired from active
business cares, but he finds his time well taken up with his personal affairs. He still takes the deepest interest in all
problems pertaining to the future of both city and county and has always taken
a very live interest in the San Joaquin County Fair. He has served as a director for many
terms. His last appointment is a
commission as a member of the Board of Managers of the San Joaquin Valley
Agricultural Association bearing the date of May 27, 1922, and he is at present
president of said board.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
423-424. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy
Databases