California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno 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 (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

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


HENRY RUDOLPH HALEMEIER.� An energetic native son, a pa- 
triotic citizen, and a good manager is Henry R. Halemeier, the son of Au- 
gust Halemeier, a native of Steinbeck, Westphalia, Germany, where he was 
reared on a farm. In 1886 he came to the United States and for eight months 
settled in Nebraska; after which, stirred by the reports of greater prospects 
in the Golden State, he came to California. On January 10, 1887, he arrived 
in Fresno County and joined the Eggers Colony; and there he worked as 
wine maker in the Eggers winery. He was later wine maker in the Fresno, 
the Margherita and Barton wineries, and rounded out a record of seventeen 
years in that responsible position. In the meantime he bought twenty acres 
of land in the Eggers Colony, and set out a vineyard with Muscat vines, and 
built a residence. 

In 1897 Mr. Halemeier purchased his present place of eighty acres of raw 
land, which he improved and set out with Muscat and wine grapes, adding 
Thompson seedless ; afterward he reset the vineyard and changed it to its 
present form. With characteristic enterprise, he also secured valuable land 
in Merced County, to which from time to time he gave his personal attention. 

In 1900 Mr. Halemeier quit making wine and devoted all his energies to 
his property in this section. He sold twenty acres and located on the balance 
of eighty acres, and there, in 1905, built a substantial residence. In 1916 he 
rented the place and now resides, with his wife, in Los Angeles. Mrs. Hale- 
meier was born in Germany, where she was christened Marie Seckmann. 
Three children were born to this worthy couple: August H., the viticulturist 
on Locan Avenue ; Henny, now Mrs. Haeuser, of Whittier ; and Henry Ru- 
dolph, the subject of our sketch. 

Born on December 28, 1891, at Eggers Colony, nine miles east of Fresno, 
Henry R. attended the Temperance public school, and when thirteen came 
to this place, where he continued his schooling. He also went to Heald's 
Business College in Fresno, from which he graduated with honors in 1911. 
Then he returned home and assisted his father in the vineyard, having learned 
that business from the time he was a lad. 

In 1916, Mr. Halemeier leased his father's ranch of eighty acres and en- 
gaged in viticulture and general ranching, with his brother he became in- 
terested in the management of a twenty-acre tract on Locan Avenue ; and 
as both growers are rated among the enterprising vineyard proprietors in 
the county they are making a success of this undertaking. H. R. Halemeier 
is a member of the California Associated Raisin Company. 

At Oakland, in 1916, Mr. Halemeier was married to Miss Bertha Stein- 
beck, a native of that city, her father being the well-known business man, 
H. C. W. Steinbeck. One child, Marion Elizabeth, has blessed the union. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Halemeier take a live interest in anything making for 
the betterment of local society, being especially active in the German Lu- 
theran Church, as were Mr. and Mrs. Halemeier, Sr. In politics Hr. Hale- 
meier is a Republican.