Bernard Schwartz (1827 - 1912)

Born 23 Dec 1827 in Germany?

Descendants

Died 26 Sep 1912 at age 84 in San Francisco, California, USA

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Biography

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Death

Death:

Date: 26 SEP 1912

Place: San Francisco, California, USA^[2]

Cause: "senility"--old age

Event

Event:

Type: Occupation(s

Place: Dry goods merchant/

Religion

Religion:

Place: Jewish/

Note

Note: #N8

Sources

1. ↑ Schwartz-1578 was created by Susan Caulfield through the import of stc_9_09_2015-05-02.ged on May 2, 2015. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.
2. ↑ Source: #S80 Page: San Francisco Call, Volume 112, Number 119, 27 September 1912 Data: Text: SCHWARTZ—In this city. September 26, 1912. Bernard, husband of the late Flora Schwartz. and beloved father of Mrs. W. B. Greenberg, Mrs. H. Klrschbaum and Mrs. M. Greenberg, and brother of M. Schwartz, a native of Germany, aged 84 years.

• Source: S80 Title: San Francisco Call

Notes

Note N8Obit says he was a native of Germany.

Al Greenberg always heard that he "walked across Panama" to get to California, which implies he took the Panama route crossing (which required mule ride or walking to cover the last leg of the journey). He came to California a few years before his wife Flora, so we don't know if they knew each other in Germany before they came. They may have settled initially in San Francisco;

1860 census records list a Barmar and Ferry Schwartz in San Francisco (birth dates match). Later they lived in Grass Valley and Rough & Ready (and maybe Grass Valley and/or Nevada City),then settled in San Francisco.

1861 City Directory for SF lists a B. Schwartz, merchant, at 118 Jessie

1862 City Directory lists him as Benjamin Schwartz, merchant, 118 Jessie

1863 & 1964 City directory--B. Schwartz not listed

1870 Census: They are in Rough and Ready, occupation retail dry goods. Value of home 00, personal property 00.

1877 and 1878 SF Directory shows him living at 720 Hayes St., with an office (merchant) at 511 Market St.

1880 SF Directory lists him as a merchant with office at 13 Battery

1880 Census shows him living at 720 Hayes next to David Brownstone, with an occupation of "Country merchant."

1882-83 SF City Directory lists him as a merchant with an office at 13-15 Battery, and offices also in Grangeville and Lemoore, CA. He was living at 720 Hayes St.

1886 SF City Directory: Same--with B. Schwartz & Co. and Schwartz and Brownstone

Flora Nathan suffered from severe arthritis, and Bernard spent much time taking care of her (they had a live-in nurse for her). He decided to turn his business over to his nephews, Herman and Louis Nathan, and they came over from Germany around 1885. He owned oil land and vineyard acreage in San Joaquin Valley. According to Alvin Greenberg, his nephews got all the money from the business.

1889 SF City Directory shows him living at 806 Hayes, with an office (Schwartz and Nathan, merchants of Grangeville, CA) at 13-15 Battery.

Lived at 518 Baker St. in 1900 (census).

Lived at 1313 Page St. in 1909 (moved there in 1903-4). According to Al and Adrian Greenberg's oral history of the earthquake, he and Flora lived at 1313 Page in 1906, with Wolf & Esther Greenberg and their daughters (Lottie and Nita).

1910 census: Living with Hyman & Katie Kirschbraun, and his sister-in-law Sarah Morris (widow) at 609 Ashbury.

Then moved to 662 Clayton, where he lived until his death in 1912.

1911 Crocker-Langley SF City Directory: listed as "Benj.," residence 662 Clayton.

Cause of death in SF mortuary records is listed as senility, and address of 662 Clayton.

Obituary in SF Call says he left a brother M. Schwartz.