Yolo-Alameda-Solano County CA Archives Biographies.....Luft, John Christian 1863 - ************************************************ 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@gmail.com December 8, 2005, 12:39 pm Author: Tom Gregory JOHN CHRISTIAN LUFT Davis, Yolo county, boasts no more substantial and devoted citizen than John C. Luft, who, though not a native of the United States, ever since his immigration to the new world has taken the deepest interest in matters municipal as well as social. He was born at Husum, Sleswiek-Holstein, Germany, September 11, 1863, and upon finishing his education became an apprentice to a blacksmith, serving the customary four years. At the age of nineteen, alone and unaided, he came to America, where he gradually acquired the competency which is his today. For a year after his arrival in this country he worked in the shops of the John Deere Plow Company, Moline, Ill., and at the close of that period, having saved a sufficient sum with which to continue his journey west, he came to California. Arriving in 1883 in Livermore, Alameda county, he worked at his trade for a time, after which he removed to Dixon, Solano county, where for eight years he worked at his trade. In 1893 he came to Davis and purchased his present building and established the blacksmith shop which he now operates, the excellent training which he received in his native land enabling him to perform the most exacting and difficult work in his line. Besides doing a general shoeing and repair business he builds carriages and plows with a skill which is recognized and sought throughout the county. He owns not only his well-equipped shop, but a comfortable home and five lots as well, and it is to his credit that not once has he changed his location or failed in his work since his arrival at Davis, while many of his neighbors have started in business only to abandon their enterprises later. In 1893 Mr. Luft married Miss Etta Frittz, a native of Lake county, Cal., and into their home were born the following children: John E., Oliver F., Maud L. and Lawrence. Mr. Luft is a member of the Odd Fellows and since 1904 has occupied a place on the school board, which he also served as clerk two years, and at the last election was unanimously chosen to continue the office for the regular term of three years. 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] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/luft117bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 3.1 Kb