Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Hart, Leopold 1829 - 1904
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 2, 2007, 3:30 am

Author: Eugene T. Sawyer (1922)

  LEOPOLD HART.—Not every city in the United States of the size of San Jose may
boast of such an extensive, well organized and well conducted mercantile
establishment as that of L. Hart & Son Company, whose founder and first
president, Leopold Hart, may well be called the merchant pioneer of the town. A
man of great honesty and integrity, he was esteemed by all who made his
acquaintance, and at his passing on April 12, 1904, a void was left in the ranks
of the pioneers that would be impossible to fill. He was born at Forsbach,
Alsace Lorraine, February 7, 1829, and received a good education in the schools
of his locality that admirably fitted him for a business career in later years.
He had a natural bent for business and when he was twenty-one years old made up
his mind to come to the New World and in 1850 he arrived in the United States.
He remained in the East until in 1856, when he arrived in Santa Clara County,
where for a short time he was a clerk in a store situated on the present site of
the Growers Bank building. In 1862 he made a trip back to his native land for a
visit and upon his return here established a dry goods and clothing store in
Santa Clara, continuing there for a number of years. While a resident of that
town, Mr. Hart was elected town treasurer and so managed the financial affairs
of the place that it was placed on a very substantial footing. In many ways he
showed his public spirit by joining in all movements for the public good.

  Having made a success in Santa Clara, Mr. Hart thought the city of San Jose
held better inducements and he bought the Corner Cash store from Mr. Steinbach,
located at the corner of Market and West Santa Clara streets. This building
faced Market street and as the city grew apace the store grew with it and
gradually grew into a busy center. It was Mr. Hart who gave to San Jose its
first brick store building and from that small beginning he saw one of the
largest emporiums from San Francisco to Los Angeles, along the coast, develop.
In 1902 the firm became L. Hart & Son Company, when A. J. Hart was taken into
the firm, his father gradually retiring from the management. This later growth
will be found chronicled in the sketch of A. J. Hart on another page of this
history. However, credit must be given the intrepid pioneer who builded better
than he knew and all honor paid to Leopold Hart, the founder. All during his
busy career, Mr. Hart was alert to aid all projects for the advancement of
business, social and educational conditions of city, county and state. He was no
politician in the sense of seeking office, but he was interested in putting the
best man in the office, regardless of party lines. He was a member of the Odd
Fellows and of B'nai B'rith, and generously contributed to the religious work of
the local synagogue.

  In 1863 occurred the marriage of Leopold Hart and Miss Hortense Cahen, and
they became parents of one son and five daughters: Alexander J; Mrs. Charles
Becker; Mrs. G. W. Alexander; Mrs. I. Cahen; Mrs. Harry Morris and Mrs. Louis
Isaacs. Mrs. Hart died several years before her husband, who answered the final
summons on April 12, 1904. if you may so characterize the passing on of a man
who left behind him an undying influence for good.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
EUGENE T. SAWYER

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 
1922


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/santaclara/bios/hart1214nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 4.2 Kb