Tuolumne
County
Biographies
JOHN MUNDORF
Those who have opened the way for
civilization in our land, as the star of empire has taken its way towards the
sunset gates, have been men of strong character: courageous, hardy, tenacious of purpose and
willing to endure hardships and privations for the sake of making homes for
themselves and posterity. All honor has
been paid the pioneers who blazed their way through the sylvan wilderness of
the middle west in the past generations, while not less is homage due to those
whose fortitude led them to traverse the plains, invade the mountain fastness
and do battle with a dusky and treacherous foe in the great empire of the far
west. Among those who are to be
considered as genuine pioneers of California is John Mundorf,
who came to the state in 1852 and is now a prosperous and progressive merchant
of Sonora.
Mr. Mundorf
was born in Germany on the 21st of January, 1831, and is of German
lineage. His parents, Jacob and
Catherine (Ans) Mundorf,
had eleven children with whom in 1845 they crossed the Atlantic to America,
locating in New York City, where the father carried on a tailoring
establishment, conducting a successful enterprise until 1865, when his life’s
labors were ended in death, he having then attained the advanced age of
eighty-three years. His good wife had
departed this life six years previously, at the age of sixty-five years. They were people of true worth and instilled
into the minds of their children lessons of industry, economy and honesty. Three sons and three daughters of the family
are yet living, but the subject of this review is the only one in California.
John Mundorf
pursued his education in the fatherland and during his early boyhood attended
night school in New York City, while in the daytime he worked at the trade of
white-smith, making edged tools. He
served a three year apprenticeship in that way and then accepted a clerkship in
his brother’s grocery in the eastern metropolis. In 1852, attracted by the discovery of gold
in California, and the possibility of rapidly acquiring a fortune, he took
passage on the Northern Light, which sailed from New York City to the Isthmus
of Panama, whence he made his way to San Francisco, arriving on the 14th
of December, 1852. He at once continued
his journey to Jamestown, Tuolumne County, where he engaged in placer mining
for seven and one-half years, sometimes enjoying a period of high prosperity
and again meeting with ill fortune. On
the expiration of that period he opened a bakery and saloon in Sonora, next
door to his present location. He conducted
the bakery business for three years and then added a grocery stock, and as the years
have passed he extended the field of his labors by adding other departments to
his store until he now has the largest general mercantile business in his
county. He occupies three stores, side
by side, filled with all the various kinds of merchandise used in this portion
of California. His stock is carefully
selected, with a view to the needs of his patrons, and his earnest desire to
please, combined with careful management, indefatigable energy and honorable
principles have secured him a large and constantly growing trade, whereby his
bank account has been annually increased.
He also has a ranch of four hundred acres near the city.
Mr. Mundorf
was married in 1861 to Miss Elizabeth Kline, a native of Germany, and their
union was blessed with nine children, of whom seven are yet living, namely: Lizzie, now the wife of Richard Inch;
George, who is married and is engaged in business with his father; Kittie A., who married November 27, 1900, John Reid and
resides in Sonora; Maggie, Daisy M., Lottie and Luzie. His children were all born in Tuolumne County
and assist their father in conducting his very extensive business, while two
men are also employed in the store. The
family has a very commodious residence and Mr. Mundorf
is today the possessor of a handsome competence, well earned by honorable business
methods.
In 1861 he was made a Master Mason
in Tuolumne Lodge, No. 8, and since that time he has taken the Royal Arch,
council and commandery degrees, becoming thoroughly
familiar with the teachings and tenets of the fraternity and exemplifying in
his life its principles of mutual helpfulness, benevolence and brotherly
kindness. His Democracy has been a part
of his life since he gained the right of franchise, and his fellow townsmen,
recognizing his ability, have called him to public office. He has been treasurer of his county and is
now the mayor of the city. His
administration has been of practical benefit, and he has been the promoter of
needed reforms and improvements, exercising his official prerogatives in
support of all that he believes will prove of general good. His career has ever been upright and
honorable and his friendship is prized most by those who know him best.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 546-548. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.