Sacramento County Archives - California Genealogy

Biography of John Davidson Powell, D. D. S. of Sacramento

Dr. John Davidson Powell, D.D.S., stands out in Sacramento’s dental profession due to his exceptional skills, extensive training, and unwavering commitment to his work. Born in Healdsburg in 1862, he graduated from the Philadelphia Dental College in 1890. After practicing in San Francisco and Calistoga, he established a successful dental practice in Sacramento in 1899. Known for his scientific knowledge and mechanical skill, Dr. Powell built a large clientele. He was also active in Republican politics and maintained a respected position in his community, alongside his family life with his wife, Mamie, and their son, Loring.

Biography of William McLaughlin of Sacramento

William McLaughlin, a prominent Sacramento county supervisor, has served the public since 1880, significantly contributing to California’s progress. Born in Ireland in 1842, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1859 and eventually settled in Sacramento in 1865, where he pioneered the trucking business and engaged in various entrepreneurial ventures, including mining and insurance. Married to Mary Ferrell, they have four children. A dedicated Democrat, McLaughlin has held numerous political positions and actively influenced county affairs, earning recognition as a self-made man of notable prestige in his community.

Biography of James T. Martin, M. D. of Sacramento

Dr. James T. Martin, born on November 26, 1850, in Yamhill County, Oregon, achieved considerable success as a physician in Sacramento. His early years were marked by significant hardships, including working in harvest fields and on fishing boats to fund his education at Pacific University and later the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a medical degree in 1883. Initially teaching in Washington state, he transitioned to medicine, serving at the Skokomish Indian Reservation before establishing a successful practice in Woodland, California, and later in Sacramento. Married to Mary M. Huntington, Dr. Martin was known for his contributions to medical journals and his involvement in various business enterprises and fraternal organizations.

Biography of Frederick William Mahl of Sacramento

Frederick William Mahl, born on July 21, 1866, in Louisville, Kentucky, served as a mechanical engineer for the Southern Pacific Company from February 15, 1895, with headquarters in Sacramento. His father, William Mahl, originally from Karlsruhe, Germany, was a prominent railroad comptroller based in New York. Frederick Mahl received his education in Louisville and Hoboken, New Jersey, later completing his studies at Cornell University in 1889. He held positions at the Schenectady Locomotive Works before joining the Southern Pacific Company. Mahl married Virginia Elizabeth Stoddard in 1888, and they had three children. He was an active member of the Masonic fraternity and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Biography of Olaf A. Lovdal of Sacramento

Olaf A. Lovdal, born in 1856 in St. Joseph, Missouri, was the president of Lovdal Brothers Company, the world’s largest hop-growing firm with extensive hop farms and drying facilities in Sacramento and New York City. The company owned over 3,000 acres of rich alluvial land in Yolo County, California, and operated one of the largest Bartlett pear orchards globally. Lovdal, a pioneer in land reclamation, innovatively enhanced the productivity of the Sacramento River Valley’s lands. The firm, which included several family members, was renowned for its integrity and public-spiritedness in the agricultural industry.

Biography of Hallock Hart Look, M. D.

Dr. Hallock Hart Look, a distinguished oculist, aurist, and general practitioner, was born on August 9, 1862, in Hocking County, Ohio. Of English Puritan lineage, his family settled in Massachusetts during early American colonization. His grandfather served in the War of 1812. Dr. Look’s medical education includes Kansas City Medical College and Columbia College’s medical department. Practicing in Chicago and later Sacramento, he served as a surgeon with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and held official health positions in California. He was also involved in local politics, fraternal organizations, and the California National Guard.

Biography of William H. Leeman of Sacramento

William H. Leeman, born June 24, 1857, in Dubuque, Iowa, was a prominent Sacramento businessman known for his work in the hop industry. After becoming an orphan at a young age, he moved to Sacramento and began working on a hop ranch at seventeen. By twenty-two, he started his own hop-raising business, eventually expanding to two hundred acres of hops and four hundred acres of alfalfa and vegetables in Yolo County. Leeman co-founded the firm W. H. Leeman and Company, engaging in buying and selling hops. A dedicated public servant, he served as trustee of reclamation district No. 537 for thirteen years, contributing significantly to local agricultural development. A Republican and active in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, he married Kate Farley in 1884, and they had three children: W. W., Gertrude, and Muretta.

Biography of Robert James Laws

Robert James Laws, born in 1847 in Albany County, New York, and died October 20, 1904, was a superintendent of the Sacramento division of the Southern Pacific Railroad. His ancestors settled in Virginia in the early 17th century and were active in the Revolutionary War. Laws began his education in New York and worked for the American Telegraph Company and W. & L. E. Gurley before moving to California in 1868. He joined the Central Pacific Railroad and later supervised the construction of the Carson & Colorado Railroad. Married to Anna Louise Church in 1874, he had four children. Laws was a dedicated railroad professional, respected Mason, and committed Republican.

Biography of Frederick William Kiesel of Sacramento

Frederick William Kiesel, born February 11, 1874, in Corinne, Utah, is the general manager of the California Winery and cashier of the California State Bank of Sacramento. Son of Frederick J. and Julia Kiesel, who emigrated from Germany, Frederick was educated in Germany, at Greylock Institute in Massachusetts, and at Harvard College, graduating in 1896. He moved to Sacramento, founding the California Winery and later joining the California State Bank, where he became cashier. In 1901, he married Jane Birdsall of Sacramento. Kiesel is a member of the Masons and Elks, and an active Republican.

Biography of George B. Katzenstein of Sacramento

George B. Katzenstein, born on November 28, 1848, in New Orleans, Louisiana, significantly contributed to California’s business and agricultural development. His family relocated to California in 1853, where his father ran a hotel in Marysville. Educated in Marysville, George later moved to Sacramento, working in insurance and fraternal organizations. He co-founded the Orange Vale Colonization Company, promoting fruit cultivation in northern California. Katzenstein also managed the Sacramento and northern California business for the Earl Fruit Company and became a key figure in the California Fruit Distributors. Married to Ida M. Richards in 1869, he was active in various fraternal organizations and the Republican Party.