Yolo-Sacramento County CA Archives Biographies.....Heinz, Lorenz 1828 - 1904
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com January 18, 2006, 7:37 pm

Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

LORENZ HEINZ

   An example of fortitude amid discouragements is afforded by the career of the
late Lorenz Heinz. The pathway of his early years was rugged and thorn-strewn.
Had he been easily depressed the weary obstacles between him and success would
have daunted his courage. With a youth's bright hope for the future he had come
to the new world, only to find little to encourage him in his early prospects.
Still optimistic of the future, he had sought the far west and here he found
employment difficult to secure, wages sometimes held back from him and
eventually, when he had accumulated a little capital by the most arduous
exertion, the bank failed in which he had deposited his precious earnings.
Notwithstanding these hardships and many other discouraging circumstances, he
exhibited a tireless patience and an unflagging perseverance and in the end he
worked his way out of difficulties, into independence.

    The life which this narrative presents had its beginning in the kingdom of
Wurtemberg, Germany, January 9, 1828, in the home of Franz and Margaret Heinz,
natives of Germany. The father was a blacksmith, and it was natural that the son
should learn the same occupation under the skilled training of the other. The
fact that he was the only son in the family and that the father was more than
sixty years of age exempted him from military service for his native land.
During 1849 he took passage on the vessel, Havre, which covered the route from
France to America in thirty-six days, a fast voyage for that period of history.
The ship cast anchor in the harbor of New York and the young immigrant in a
short time proceeded to Philadelphia, going from that city to Chester county,
Pa., where he entered the employ of Robert Brown, a farmer. His wages for one
year amounted to $87 and board. Next he was employed as a blacksmith and
boiler-maker in Philadelphia.

    During the autumn of 1852 Lorenz Heinz sailed from New York City on the
vessel Uncle Sam, bound for the Isthmus of Panama. After he had crossed to the
Pacific side of the isthmus he boarded the ship Cortez, which cast its anchor in
the harbor of San Francisco January 6, 1853. The western metropolis presented a
strange appearance to his inexperienced eyes. A motley throng of emigrants from
all parts of the world formed its leading inhabitants. Many lived in tents,
although the process of permanent building was well begun. The young German was
entirely friendless and none too familiar with the English language, so that he
worked under a great disadvantage in his efforts to secure employment. As he
paid $13 per week for board his scanty savings became reduced so rapidly that he
was practically penniless when at the expiration of a month he finally found
work. The new position, which paid $5 per day, took him into a factory where
iron doors and shutters were made, and he continued for a month, when he
resigned to accompany an expedition to Australia. Scarcely had he resigned the
position when the trip was abandoned and he was left again without employment.

    Seeing no favorable opening in the city, Mr. Heinz went to Sacramento and
from there started via steamer for the mines near Colusa, but in the course of
the voyage the vessel broke a shaft and a delay was occasioned. While awaiting
the completion of the repairs, Mr. Heinz became acquainted with a number of
miners returning from the mines and they gave such discouraging reports of
conditions there that he abandoned all thought of going farther. Returning to
Sacramento, he took up the weary search for work. Finally he was engaged by
Wallace Barnes, who agreed to pay him $50 per month, but after he had given his
best efforts for his employer for six months he was left without a penny of pay.
His next position did not result so disastrously, but was of brief duration,
being a temporary post with a concern that manufactured iron doors and shutters.
Next he worked in the Muldrow vegetable gardens and then entered the employ of
Radcliff & Co., of Sacramento.

    Having saved $400 by 1854, Mr. Heinz deposited the money in a Sacramento
bank and started for the mines at Iowa Hill. During the spring of 1855 he went
back to Sacramento, only to find the bank closed and his earnings lost. With
these discouragements to depress him, he looked for a new location, where he
might retrieve his losses. Coming to Yolo county, he hired to Alexander Manor
and worked for various ranchers until the fall of 1860, when he settled on a
half-section of land six miles northwest of Davis, having obtained the land of a
squatter for $800. Later he bought the land with school warrants of the state of
California. Starting with sheep, he afterward became interested in other lines
of agriculture. Little by little success came to him. The ranch was improved
with substantial barns and a neat house. Shade trees gave beauty to the
landscape and fruit trees proved a source of profit. From year to year
improvements were made as the means of the owner permitted. Gradually the ranch
took rank among the best-improved places of the community. This result was due
to the early pioneer efforts of the owner, seconded by the wise management of
the present proprietor, A. J. Heinz, youngest son of the original upbuilder of
the property.

   The first marriage of Mr. Heinz took place in December, 1862, and united him
with Caroline Weimer, by whom he had two sons, Charles and Theodore. On February
25, 1871, Mr. Heinz married Miss Lucia Elsobe Kuehnel, a native of Husum,
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, born September 28, 1839. In 1870 she came to
California and the following February she was married. Mrs. Heinz was a noble
woman and her exemplary life furnishes an example that no woman can study
without benefit to herself and help to those with whom she associates. She was
true in all of the relations of life, a good neighbor, a loyal friend, a devoted
wife and mother, an ardent and loyal Christian, and her death was profoundly
mourned by a wide circle of friends. She passed from earth March 29, 1901, after
a happy wedded life of thirty years. Just three years later, March 28, 1904, Mr.
Heinz also entered into eternal rest, mourned by a large circle of friends, who
united in bearing testimony to his courage in the midst of difficulties and his
perseverance in the routine of farm work. Mr. Heinz' honesty was joined with the
still nobler qualities and principles. He was not only honest, but just and
generous. It was known that at one time he paid out of his own pocket hundreds
of dollars given voluntarily and without other influence or obligation than his
recognition of the Golden Rule. What he was to his neighbors can be best stated
by the estimate one gave him when he said, "A better neighbor never lived."
Surviving Mr. Heinz are the three children of his second marriage, the son,
August J., previously mentioned as the present capable manager of the old
homestead, and the two daughters, one of whom, Julia, is the wife of L. J.
Cassel, while the other, Miss Lucia Heinz, an artist of prominence, has her
studio in San Francisco. The old Heinz ranch comprises three hundred and
thirty-seven acres and is given over particularly to grain, alfalfa and stock
raising. August J. Heinz was born on the place October 10, 1875, and was
educated in the public schools and Hesperian College.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO 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
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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