Paul Wilhelm Oesting (abt. 1823 - 1889)

Born about 15 Feb 1823 in Minden, Westfalen, Preußen

Husband of Ariane Catharina Sieveking — married 5 Oct 1845 in Minden, Westphalia, Prussia

Descendants

Died 8 Sep 1889 at about age 66 in San Francisco, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bethany Oesting [send private message]

Paul Oesting migrated from Prussia to the United States.

This profile is part of the Oesting Name Study.

Biography

Paul Oesting was born 15 February 1823 in Minden, Westphalia, Prussia, son of Georg Heinrich Oesting and Johanne Louise Brueggemann.^[1]

Before coming to the United States, while still in Prussia, he married Ariane Catharina Sieveking, who was two years older than he was.^[2] They married in 1845 in his home town of Minden, and had a daughter, Louise Wilhelmine Oesting, eight months and 19 days after the wedding on 24 June 1846.^[3]

He came to the United States sometime before 1860, and settled in San Francisco, California. It is not known whether Ariane and daughter Louise came with him; they are not recorded with him on the 1860 Census in California, as he was in a boarding house, but he appears to have stayed in Massachusetts for a while before coming to California. He had several siblings and nephews who settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and his son William C Oesting was consistently recorded as having been born in 1852 in Massachusetts. Son Paul, on the other hand, was consistently recorded as having been born September 1856 in California. Sadly, no 1870 census has been found for this family, or there would be some hint as to whether Ariane was the mother of William and Paul Jr. It is consistently recorded that William and Paul Jr's mother was also born in Germany/Prussia.

He died on Sunday, September 8, 1889, and his obituary stated that he was 66 years old.

Census and Voter Records

The 1860 Census shows Paul Oesting as a 37 year old white male living in the 4th Dist San Francisco City, San Francisco, California, United States, and his birthplace as Prussia. There are three other men at that address on the census: S Levingston, male, 20 years old, born in Germany; [blank] Ludwig, male, 38 years old, born in Germany; and William Cather, male, 41 years old, born in Hanover. Levingston and Ludwig were shoemakers; Oesting and Cather were cigar dealers.^[4]

The 1880 Census shows Paul Oesting as a 58 year old white male living with his son William and William's wife and children, and a boarder from Prussia, all at 1421 Mason Street, San Francisco. In this census he and his son are identified as being born in Massachusetts. ^[5]

Paul Oesting also appears on California voter registrations in 1868^[6], 1877^[7], 1882^[8], and 1886^[9]. In each registration his address is 1421 Mason Street, San Francisco.

San Francisco Directory

The San Francisco Directory, 1874 lists three Oestings at the address of 1421 Mason.^[10]

Oesting Paul, cigars and tobacco, NE cor Clay and Kearny, and cigar manufacturer 1421 Mason

Oesting Paul Jr. (Hohlweg & O.), dwl 1421 Mason

Oesting William, clerk with Paul Oesting, dwl 1421 Mason

Note: this directory also has the following listing:

HOHLWEG & OESTING (Frederick Hohlweg & Paul Oesting), druggists & apothecaries, NE cor Broadway and Powell

The San Francisco Directory, 1877 lists two Oestings at the address of 1421 Mason.^[11]

Oesting Paul (Oesting & Son) dwl 1421 Mason

Oesting William (Oesting & Son) dwl 1421 Mason

Oesting and Son (Paul and William), cigar manufs, dwl 1421 Mason

Newspaper Mentions of son Paul

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 78, Number 49, 19 July 1895:^[12]

I HAVE PURCHASED THE ENTIRE INTER
est of MR. PAUL OESTING, in the former firm
of JOY & OESTING, Mr. Oesting retiring. The firm
name hereafter will be EDWIN W. JOY.
E. W. JOY. BALDWIN PHARMACY,
Corner Market and Powell Sts.,
SAN FRANCISCO.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 86, Number 129, 7 October 1899:^[13]

CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK

NEW YORK, Oct. 6.— Paul Oesting of San Francisco Is at the Netherland; James E. Tucker of San Francisco is at the Vendome; E. F. Nover of San Francisco is at the Cosmopolitan.

From the Daily Alta California, Volume 83, Number 168, 15 December 1890: ^[14]

New Incorporations.

William H. Fuller. George L. Carroll, Paul Oesting, Max Echelbaum and Emil Woenne have incorporated the San Francisco Pasteur Germ-Proof Filter Company, with a capital stock of $50,000, of which $45,000 has been subscribed.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 175, 22 November 1892:^[15]

All Over a Lease.

Tbe premises at 852 Market street were owned by the late Dr. Washington Ryer. He leased them to Paul Oesting and George Carroll for $400, but before the lease expired in 1890 intimated that he would not renew it. Then Oesting & Carroll took counsel and got hold of Fletcher Ryer, Dr. Ryer's son. To him they made a proposition whereby if he obtained a renewal of the lease he was to have $400 a month. Fletcher Ryer obtained the lease from his father and then had Oesting & Carroll sign an agreement in accordance with their offer. The lease was prematurely canceled, and yesterday Fletcher Ryan was suing for his little commission. He testified that it was in reality a share in the business to the amount named which had been promised, and that his late father did not know that Oesting & Carroll considered the premises worth $900 a month or that his son was going to receive the difference between that sum and the monthly sum named in the new lease. Judge Hunt and a jury tried the case, and a verdict was rendered in favor of young Ryer for $1600 on the contract.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 75, Number 133, 2 May 1894:^[16]

WANTS HIS COMMISSION.

How Fletcher Ryer Obtained a Lease of a Drugstore.

Fletcher F. Ryer has filed suit in the Superior Court to recover $5200 from George L. Carroll and Paul Oesting.

The complaint states that in July, 1890, the defendants contracted with the plaintiff for a lease of the drugstore at 852 Market street. The property belonged to the estate of Washington M. Ryer, whose son the plaintiff is, and, although not his property, Ryer says that he used his influence to obtain the desired lease. The defendants promised him a commission of $400 a month, and the suit is brought to recover thirteen months' commission, which Ryer says he has been hitherto unable to collect.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 83, Number 40, 9 January 1898:^[17]

Fletcher J. Ryer Wins.

Several years ago Fletcher J. Ryer began an action against Paul Oesting, druggist, and others to recover certain installments alleged to be due the plaintiff under a contract. According to the complaint Oesting and his partners were the owners of a drugstore in this city on property leased from Dr. Ryer, the father of the party to the suit. The lease ran out and tho druggist offered Mr. Ryer a large compensation if he would induce the old gentleman to renew the lease. Ryer did so, but the term was for three instead of ten years, as the druggists wanted. However, they signed the contract to pay the son $400 per month. Later they repudiated the contract, and in the action that followed Ryer won. On the appeal to the Supreme Court the latter body found that no error had been committed by the Judge of the lower court.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 86, Number 132, 10 October 1899:^[18]

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.

...
Alfred K. and Clara Durbrow to Emma F. Oesting. lot on E line of Leavenworth street, 20 N of Washington, N 20, E 57:6, N 20, E 10, S 60, W 10. N 20, W 57:6; $10. William C. Oesting to same, same; gift.

From the San Francisco Call, Volume 68, Number 59, 29 July 1890:^[19]

DRUGGISTS.
Paul Oesting, being duly sworn, says that ho Is the senior member of Oesting & Co., druggists, 852 Market street, San Francisco. That said firm from June 1, 1889, to June 1, 1890, sold 3208 bottles of Joy's Vegetable Sarsaparilla, being an average of 207 bottles per month. That they were bona fide cash sales, sold ln single bottle and half-dozen tots over the counter only, to rash customers who asked for it and paid for It. That In twenty-two years experience he never handled or knew of a remedy that gave such satisfaction or that attained such an enormous sale through one store. That he sells from a half to a dozen bottles each per month of the other sarsaparillias. [Signed] ; PAUL OESTING, Subscribed and sworn to before me thls 21st day of July, 1890. ' H. L.. WARDEN, Notary Public. San Francisco.
The sales above mentioned were month by month as follows:
June, 1889..676 bottles.... Dec., 1889. .144 bottles
July, 1889. 140 bottles.. .Jan., 1890. .147 bottles
Aug., 1889. .292 bottles. .. .Feb., 1890. .141 bottles
Sept., 1889. .288 bottles.. ..Mch., 1890.. 328 bottles
Oct. 1889. .303 bottles.... April, 1890.. 346 bottles
Nov., 1889.. 273 bottles. ... May. 1890. .230 bottles
Making a yearly total of 3208 bottles. As indigestion, sick headaches, constipation and pimply skins are now known to be stomach and bowel troubles and as Joy's Vegetable Sarsaparslla is the only bowel regulating preparation of sarsaparilla, its enormous sale is explained.

Obituary

Paul Oesting's obituary appeared in the Sausalito News, Volume 5, Number 32, 13 September 1889.^[20]

Paul Oesting the father of Paul Oesting the well-known druggist, at Stockton and Market, San Francisco, died in that city last Sunday at the age of 66 years. Mr. Oesting was an old pioneer, who will be deeply missed by many, and we here otter our sympathy to his sons Paul and Will at the loss of a loving father and an upright man. Thus steps out the goodly pioneer, after battling with this stormy life to go the plains of brightness on the other shore.

Sources

1. ↑ "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NZRX-8V8 : 10 February 2018), Paul Wilhelm Osting, 23 Feb 1823; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,051,925.
2. ↑ "Deutschland Heiraten, 1558-1929," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JH7Y-P4M : 11 February 2018), Paul Wilhelm Oesting and Arrianne Cathar. Sieweking, 05 Oct 1845; citing Evangelische, Minden Stadt, Westfalen, Prussia; FHL microfilm 1,051,925.
3. ↑ "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NZRX-6XZ : 10 February 2018), Louise Wilhelmine Oesting, 05 Jul 1846; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,051,925.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDKK-BCB : accessed 7 May 2015), Paul Oesting in household of S Levingston, 4th Dist San Francisco City, San Francisco, California, United States; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing p. 285, household ID 2273, NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 803,068.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6P4-GZD : 24 December 2015), William Oesting, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States; citing enumeration district ED 39, sheet 509A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0073; FHL microfilm 1,254,073.
6. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VT6J-3VR : accessed 7 May 2015), Paul Oesting, 10 Aug 1868; citing Voter Registration, 1421 Mason Ward 4, San Francisco, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 977,097.
7. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYD4-G6N : accessed 7 May 2015), Paul Oesting, 20 Aug 1877; citing Voter Registration, 1421 Mason, San Francisco, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 977,100.
8. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTX9-JLG : accessed 7 May 2015), Paul Oesting, 1882; citing Voter Registration, 1421 Mason, San Francisco, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 977,202.
9. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTXS-N7D : accessed 7 May 2015), Paul Oesting, 12 Oct 1886; citing Voter Registration, 1421 Mason, San Francisco, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 977,210.
10. ↑ San Francisco Directory, 1874 http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sanfranciscodirectory/1874/1874_453.pdf
11. ↑ San Francisco Directory, 1877 http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sanfranciscodirectory/1877/1877_761.pdf
12. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 78, Number 49, 19 July 1895
13. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 86, Number 129, 7 October 1899
14. ↑ Daily Alta California, Volume 83, Number 168, 15 December 1890
15. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 175, 22 November 1892
16. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 75, Number 133, 2 May 1894
17. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 83, Number 40, 9 January 1898
18. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 86, Number 132, 10 October 1899
19. ↑ San Francisco Call, Volume 68, Number 59, 29 July 1890
20. ↑ Sausalito News, Volume 5, Number 32, 13 September 1889.