Wilhelm Heeser (1822 - 1906)

Born 28 Aug 1822 in Coblenz, Rhineland, Prussia, Germany

Husband of Nancy A. (Nelson) Heeser — married 18 Dec 1865 in Mendocino, Mendocino, California, United States

Died 8 Apr 1906 at age 83 in Mendocino, California, United States

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Biography

William Heeser was a German-American newspaper publisher and banker in Mendocino County, California.

He was born in 1822 and immigrated to America with his brother, Augustus, in 1843, after the death of their father, on the ship Bohl Bohlen. They landed in Baltimore, Maryland, Nov. 9, 1843. He changed his first name from Wilhelm to William, on immigrating. They moved to Providence, Kentucky around 1844, where he and his brother had a general store. He supposedly went back to Germany for a visit in 1847, supposedly moving to Wisconsin when he returned to the states. He and his brother ran a general store there, then supposedly moved on to Illinois in 1848, then on, definitely, to California, by horse and wagon, in 1850. William had become a Freemason in 1850, and joined the California Lodge in San Francisco in 1852. He was one of the founders of the Mendocino Lodge in 1865.

William was naturalized Jan. 4, 1853, in San Francisco, 4th J District, CA, and moved to Mendocino shortly thereafter. He bought much of what is now the town of Mendocino from William Kelley in 1858. There is a record from 1861, which was incorrectly transcribed to state that he married Mary McLaughlin. He was actually the Justice of the Peace, who preformed the marriage between her and J. F. Hills, Esq. William Heeser, himself, married Laura A. Nelson, Dec. 18, 1865. They were married by Rev. G. P. Whiting. They had at least 3 children, William, who died at age 2, Henry M., who is only heard of in the 1870 census at age 8, and August, locally known of as Auggie, who survived to adulthood, and took over his father's businesses.

William served as county supervisor in 1864 to '67, and from 1877-'80. He was also a surveyor, and surveyed for construction of Little Lake Rd. from Mendocino to Willits, and the Comptche-Ukiah Rd., from Mendocino to Ukiah. He founded two banks in Mendocino, and founded and published newspapers in Mendocino (The Beacon), Fort Bragg (The Advocate), Kibesilla, Rockport and Westport. In 1892, he bought the Point Arena Record.

The 1866 California Great Register and the 1870 and 1880 censuses list his occupation as farmer. The 1871 to '73 Pacific Coast Directory lists William Heeser of Mendocino as a Justice of the Peace. The 1874 directory of Napa, Lake, Sonoma and Mendocino counties lists the Heeser brothers as merchants, William specifically as a merchant, and his brother, Augustus as a notary public. Their business and home were both on Ukiah St. The 1878 commercial agency register lists him as the owner of a general store. The 1880 census lists his brother, who lives with them, as secretary of a bank. A 1885/86 city and business directory lists William as secretary of a bank, and his brother as banker. The 1888 California Great Register lists his occupation as banker. The 1892 California Great Register lists his height as 5'6 3/4", his complexion as light, his eyes blue, and hair grey. He had a scar on his left cheek, and was a banker.

He passed away in 1906.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Heeser
• https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/william-and-laura-heeser-house/
• https://www.mendorailhistory.org/1_towns/mendocino/heeser.htm

• Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists Index, 1820-1897, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9F-CY65 : 16 March 2018), Wm Heeser, 1843; citing NARA microfilm publication M327 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 417,262.
• "Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists, 1820-1948," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6L-38DS : 19 February 2021), Wilh Heeser, 1843; citing Immigration, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, NARA microfilm publications M255, M596, and T844 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL film 821,572.

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDKV-FRG : Thu Aug 10 01:16:22 UTC 2023), Entry for William Huser and A Huser, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN6J-12P : 28 May 2021), William Heeser, 1870.
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6G1-YC7 : 13 January 2022), William Heeser, Mendocino, Mendocino, California, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:682C-4NPD : 15 February 2022), William Heeser, 1884-1886.
• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:682C-9NQP : 15 February 2022), William Heeser, 1886.
• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68Q1-6BPR : 15 February 2022), William Heeser, 1871-1873.
• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6Z5K-YHBW : 2 February 2022), William Heeser, 1878.
• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6822-GVKT : 15 February 2022), Wm Heeser, 1874.

• "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZY-GL1R : 22 July 2021), W Heeser and Mary Mc Laughlin, 1861.

• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNN9-JPQ : 25 July 2019), William Heeser, 13 Aug 1866; citing Voter Registration, Big River, Mendocino, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,935.
• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNNS-LQ4 : 25 July 2019), William Heeser, 26 Sep 1879; citing Voter Registration, Big River, Mendocino, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,935.
• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNNS-1C8 : 25 July 2019), William Heeser, 12 Sep 1888; citing Voter Registration, Big River, Mendocino, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,935.
• "California Great Registers, 1850-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNNQ-PWK : 25 July 2019), William Heeser, 25 Jul 1892; citing Voter Registration, Mendocino, Mendocino, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,936.

• "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:41W4-DC2M : 9 December 2020), Wm Heeser in entry for Willie Heeser, 1875.

• "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HM6Q-T8ZM : 9 December 2020), William Heeser, 1906.
• "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:416F-GXT2 : 9 December 2020), William Heeser, 1906.
• "California Death Index, 1905-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK91-G4TL : 23 February 2021), William Heeser, 08 Apr 1906; citing 14400, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento; FHL microfilm 1,686,045.
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28775200/william-heeser