San Joaquin County
Biographies
JACOB SIMON
JACOB SIMON, proprietor of
the Columbia House, Stockton, is a native of Germany, born at Bosenbach,
Rheinpfalz, Bavaria, on the 12th day of December, 1852, his parents
being Jacob and Kathrina (Rothenbusch) Simon. He received his schooling in his
native country, but was left an orphan by the death of both his parents when he
was fourteen years of age. In 1868 he came to America, landing at New York, and
from there proceeded to California via Panama. On the Atlantic side he took the
steamer Arizona, and landed at San Francisco July 25, 1868, from the steamer
Golden Gate. After a week or so in the city, he came to Stockton and entered the
employ of the Pacific Tannery, where he served an apprenticeship and worked in
all five years. The work there did not agree with him, however, and his health
failing he changed his place of employment to the El Dorado Brewery, where he
was engaged between four and five years. He then went into the saloon business
at Turn-Verein Hall, with J. A. Grasberger. Afterward they sold out, and Mr.
Simon engaged in the grocery business on the corner of Main and Grant streets,
as a member of the firm of Schmidt & Simon. Mr. Simon was engaged in that
business about four years, and then became proprietor of the Columbia House.
This is one of the old-time hotels, having been started by J. A. Grasberger in
1859. He was succeeded ten or eleven years later by a man named Lutz, and he by
J. A. Grasberger, and after a year by the present proprietor. Under the
management of Mr. Simon the Columbia House enjoys a reputation for home-like
treatment that keeps it always filled with a desirable class of boarders. There
are thirty-nine rooms in the house, and they are well arranged for the purpose
of a hotel.
Mr. Simon was married November 23, 1876,
to Miss Emma Grasberger. They have five children, viz: Emma, Elsie, Ruby,
Verona and Hilda.
Mr. Simon is a member of the Stockton
Turn-Verein, and has been cashier of the organization for the past nine years.
He has passed the chairs of San Joaquin Grove, No. 9, U. A. O. D., and is now a
Trustee and District Deputy. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Simon is a genial, courteous gentleman,
and well suited by nature for the arduous duties of landlord.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 444-445. 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