Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Wittenberg, Herman September 15, 1859 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com February 16, 2011, 2:33 am

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 973 - 975
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     HERMAN WITTENBERG.  The romance of modern business found expression in 
the life work of Herman Wittenberg, whose persistent effort led him forward to 
notable and successful achievement. Seldom in the history of trade and 
commerce does there appear one who in so short a time rises from obscurity to 
prominence, but the business record of Mr. Wittenberg proves again the old 
saying that truth is stranger than fiction. Kansas was proud to number him 
among her native sons and Oregon proud to claim him as a citizen. His birth 
occurred in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, September 15, 1859. His parents, David 
and Caroline (Blass) Wittenberg, were natives of Germany and in early life 
came to the new world, their marriage being celebrated in Detroit, Michigan. 
About 1854 they settled on a farm now included within the government 
reservation at Leavenworth, but again the pioneer spirit prevailed and in 1862 
the father, accompanied by his wife and three children, crossed the plains 
with ox teams and covered wagon, traveling for five months over the long, hot 
stretches of sand and across the mountains ere they reached The Dalles, from 
which point they proceeded by boat to Portland. In the wooded district on the 
east side of the Willamette river, at what is now the town of Woodlawn, David 
Wittenberg established his home and the property remained in possession of the 
family until 1880, when it was sold.

     Herman Wittenberg was but three years of age at the time the journey to 
the northwest was made. He pursued his early education in a little log school 
house near the homestead until he reached the age of twelve years, when it 
became necssary that he put aside his textbooks and provide for his own 
support. He was first employed as water boy in connection with the 
construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad between Portland and Tacoma and 
later he worked as a farm hand in Washington county. Eagerly embracing every 
opportunity to gain an honest living, he engaged in numerous undertakings, 
including steamboating, and for about three years he devoted his attention to 
mining in eastern Oregon, this covering the period of 1878 and 1879. While he 
was still at the mines the Bannock Indian war broke out and he served with a 
local company, being one of three who, drawing lots, made a trip to Baker City 
with two four-horse teams to secure supplies for the miners. All these pioneer 
experiences were fraught with hardships and ofttimes dangers, but with 
resolute purpose Mr. Wittenberg pressed on, using his time, his talents and 
his opportunities to the best possible advantage.

     The fall of 1879 found him again in Portland, where in connection with R. 
H. McMillen, a son of Captain J. H. McMillen, he opened a small grocery store 
in East Portland. Two years later he purchased the interest of his partner and 
continued the business alone for a year, after which he turned his attention 
to the retail bakery business, becoming half owner of what was known as the 
German Bakery at 145 Third street. There he was in partnership with A. A. 
Franklin for three years, at the end of which time he acquired full control of 
the business, carrying it on through the succeeding two years. It was a 
logical step, therefore, to the organization of the Portland Cracker Company, 
which he formed on the 8th of April, 1886, and which was capitalized for 
thirty thousand dollars. The manufacturing plant was established at the corner 
of Second and Davis streets and in the enterprise Mr. Wittenberg was a partner 
of Louis Nicolai and his sons. A year later he sold the German Bakery, for the 
new business required his undivided attention. He was made vice president and 
manager of the company and traveled for five years in the interest of the 
business, during which period he bought out the only other concern of a 
similar nature in Portland — the Oregon Steam Bakery. In 1891 the business was 
reorganized, at which time a merger was formed with the Tacoma Cracker Company 
of Tacoma, the Northwestern Cracker Company of Seattle and the Queen City 
Cracker Company of Seattle. At this time a factory was established in Spokane 
under the name of the Washington Cracker Company. Thus steadily the business 
was growing and Mr. Wittenberg was a potent force in the constant expansion of 
its trade relations. In 1892 the company bought out the Seattle Steam Candy 
Company and the Bernheim-Alisky Candy Company of Portland, the two largest 
manufacturers of confectionery in the northwest, and at this time the capital 
stock of the Portland Cracker Company was increased to five hundred thousand 
dollars and the plants enlarged. The business now covered every part of the 
Pacific coast and in 1894 branch houses were opened in San Francisco and Los 
Angeles, while the trade embraced every section between the Rocky Mountains 
and the coast and between Mexico and Alaska. Thus the business steadily 
developed and Mr. Wittenberg was a factor in the carefully devised and 
promptly executed plans which brought about this result. On the 15th of 
September, 1899, the Portland Cracker Cmpany sold to the Pacific Biscuit 
Company, which at that time was organized with Mr. Wittenberg as vice 
president and manager, a position which he continued to fill until his death. 
With the organization of the Pacific Biscuit Company the capital stock was 
increased to three million dollars and the new corporation took over the 
Portland Cracker Company, the Oregon Cracker Company and the Sweet Candy 
Company of Portland; the Seattle Cracker and Candy Company, the Queen City 
Candy Company, the Portland Cracker Company and the Western Superior Cracker 
and Candy Company, all of Seattle; the Portland Cracker Company of Tacoma and 
the Tacoma Biscuit-Candy Company; the Washington Cracker Company of Spokane; 
the Capital Candy Company of Sacramento; the Portland Cracker Company, L. 
Saroni & Company, the Western Baking Company, the Albon Candy Company and the 
American Biscuit Company of San Francisco; the Southern California Cracker 
Company, the Los Angeles Candy Company and the Portland Cracker Company of Los 
Angeles. Something of the volume and scope of the trade is indicated in the 
fact that offices and factories were established in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, 
Spokane, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Sacramento. About one 
hundred traveling salesmen were upon the road and the total number of employes 
was more than two thousand. The trade not only covered the western part of the 
United States but also Alaska, British Columbia, China, Japan, South America 
and various Pacific islands. Within a comparatively brief period the little 
enterprise capitalized for thirty thousand dollars had been developed to a 
gigantic concern with a capital stock of three million dollars. From the first 
Mr. Wittenberg was one of the executive officers and his well defined plans 
and broad vision found expression in tangible results that led to the 
establishment of one of the largest manufacturing interests of the west.

     On the 16th of November, 1880, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Wittenberg and Miss Mary Alice Shaver, a daughter of George W. and Sarah 
(Dixon) Shaver, her father having been a pioneer settler of Marion county, 
Oregon, and later president of the Shaver Transportation Company, which 
contributed largely to the development of transportation and commercial 
interests in the northwest. Mrs. Wittenberg was born at Waldo Hills, Marion 
County, and became a schoolmate of her future husband in Portland. Their 
marriage was blessed with two sons: Mason, of San Jose, California, who 
married Winnie Lewis of Portland and has five children; and Ralph, of Los 
Angeles, who wedded Bessie Tate, of Wasco, Oregon, and has two children.

     In Masonic circles Mr. Wittenberg was widely and prominently known. He 
became an entered apprentice in Washington Lodge No. 46, F. & A. M., in 1888 
and thereafter took the various degrees of the lodge, also becoming a member 
of Washington Chapter No. 18, R. A. M.; Oregon Commandery No. 1, K. T.; Oregon 
Consistory No. 1. A. A. S. R.; and Al Kader Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He 
was likewise a charter member of Fidelity Lodge No. 4, A. O. U. W. He stanchly 
advocated the Lewis and Clark exposition, making generous contribution to the 
original fund of three hundred thousand dollars raised for the purpose. He 
labored untiringly for street improvements and for progress along all 
beneficial lines in Portland. He took an active interest in politics but never 
accepted office. Advancement was his watchword and he never stopped short of 
the successful accomplishment of his purposes. No citizens of Portland has 
ever more definitely won the proud American title of a self-made man than 
Herman Wittenberg and no record more clearly demonstrates the force of 
industry intelligently directed. He saw the possibilities of combining the 
cracker and candy manufacturing interests of the northwest and he builded up 
an organization far-reaching in its scope and importance. His life should 
serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others, showing what can 
be accomplished when there is a will to dare and to do, and his labors were at 
all times of a character that contributed to public progress and prosperity as 
well as to individual success.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/wittenbe1518gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/

File size: 10.0 Kb