Santa Clara County Biographies


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



 
 GUSTAVE NELSON
San Jose Tannery Owner
 
SURNAMES: RESHOEFT, KREIG, LAWRY

A business man long established in San Jose, whose methods of dealing with 
others have always been such that his word is as good as his bond, is Gustave 
Nelson, of 333 Vine Street, once the proprietor of the San Jose Tannery, famed 
for the quality as well as the quantity of its products. He was born in Hamburg, 
Germany, on April 14, 1848, the only child of Gustavus Nelson, a native of 
Sweden, who had married Miss Christine Reshoeft, also of Hamburg, Germany. The 
father, a tanner by trade, was lured to join the rush for California, where he 
arrived in 1849, making the long trip by way of Cape Horn.

Shortly after his arrival in San Francisco he went to the placer mines, where he 
remained several years, but met with poor success, and later engaged in 
hydraulic operations until he broke down in health and suffered a paralytic 
stroke. When he had recovered sufficiently, he concluded to go back to his old 
trade of tanning, and obtained employment in a Santa Cruz tannery, where he 
worked several years and became acquainted with Mr. Simon Grozelier, engaged in 
the same business. Mr. Grozelier went to San Jose about 1862, where he 
established a tannery on a small scale on Park Avenue, where the Roman Catholic 
school is now located, and in 1864 was joined by Gustavus Nelson in partnership 
under the firm name of Grozelier & Nelson. Gustavus Nelson had left his wife and 
child in Germany, for it was his purpose to establish himself firmly in business 
before bringing them out. This had been accomplished, and in 1868 he returned to 
Germany for his wife and brought her to San Jose the same year. His son, Gustave 
Nelson, had left two years before the father's arrival for Manila, P. I., where 
he was employed from 1866 to 1870, when he left and came to San Jose to join his 
parents, and soon after became an employee of Grozelier & Nelson, in the 
tannery; and when in 1876 his father retired from business, he conveyed his 
interest to Gustave. In January, 1887, the latter bought out Simon Grozelier's 
share, and conducted the business alone successfully until 1904 under the name 
of the San Jose Tannery, when he also retired.

In 1877, Mr. Nelson erected his home at 333 Vine Street, and the following year, 
on March 10, was married to Miss Ida Krieg, a daughter of Julius Krieg, who had 
settled in San Jose in 1870, coming from New York City. Mrs. Nelson is a 
noble-hearted woman who has proved the best of helpmates; and two children 
blessed their union, Adolph and Laura. Adolph is a salesman, is married, and 
resides at Sacramento; and Laura has become the wife of A. H. Lawry, a mining 
engineer at Goldfield, Nev. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are both members of the Santa 
Clara County Pioneer Society; and Mr. Nelson is a well-known member of the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Transcribed by Marie Clayton, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara 
County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 468