Kings County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


D. BROWNSTONE
 
            A leading merchant of the town of Lemoore, was born in the Province 
of Posen, Prussia, in 1839.  In boyhood he entered the store of his father, and 
when but sixteen years of age he came to the United States and began peddling 
through the eastern part of the State of Massachusetts.  In 1859 he came to 
California by steamer and the Isthmus of Panama, to join his brothers already in 
this State.  After a short term of clerkship he entered into partnership with 
his brothers, I. & J. Brownstone, of Santa Cruz, with a branch store at Soquel, 
same county, where subject passed his time.  After the flood of 1862, the town 
was so badly damaged, that they moved the stock to Watsonville, same County, and 
there remained until 1873, when the firm dissolved and subject retained the 
Watsonville interest.  He then opened a store at Grangeville, and after a few 
months he closed out the store at Watsonville and took in Mr. B. Schwartz as 
partner at Grangeville, and in 1878 the firm opened a store at Lemoore, with Mr. 
Brownstone as manager.  In 1880 the firm built the present fine structure 32 x 
150 feet of brick, for store purposes, and the firm continued until 1886, when 
they dissolved and Mr. Brownstone retained the Lemoore interest.  He then 
entered into partnership with his brother, H. Brownstone, and they started 
branch stores at Traver, Hanford and Grangeville, and conducted a very large 
business, until the fire of Traver in 1888.  This, in addition to heavy losses 
in wheat speculations, so crippled the firm, that they dissolved, but subject 
has now overcome his reverses, and he is again doing a prosperous business, 
carrying a general stock of merchandise, agricultural implements and farm 
machinery.  He also deals extensively in grain, and has two warehouses 50 x 75  
and 60 x 100, for the proper storage.  He is still interested with Mr. Schwartz 
in ranch property, and individually owns town property improved and unimproved.  
Mr. Brownstone was married at San Jose, in 1864, to Miss Adeline Cohn, a native 
of Prussia, and to this union have been added seven children, Alfred, Caria, now 
Mrs. M. I. Haber, of San Francisco, Lily, Mabel, Louis, Minnie and Samuel.
 
Memorial and Biographical History of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, 
California
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892  p. 774
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler