Solano County Biographies

E. H. VON PFISTER

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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

  
among the California pioneers Benicia claims several who still reside here and 
were of the most important citizens of the State in the days of �48, �49, and 
�50, and some were her citizens who have long since passed away, whose names 
will forever grace the pages of history of this part of the United States.  Of 
the former, we propose to give herewith a brief biographical sketch of one who 
has been a resident of Benicia for over thirty years:  we allude to E. H. Von 
Pfister.  �Von,� as he is familiarly called, first came to the coast of 
California in 1846; being so well pleased with the climate, he determined to 
settle in the State.  With this object in view, he went down to the Sandwich 
Islands and purchased a stock of general merchandise and returned to this State 
in March, 1847.  He had intended to open a store at San Jose, but, while yet at 
Yerba Buena (San Francisco), Dr. Semple, the founder of the city of Benicia, had 
heard of the advent of the enterprising Von Pfister, and he determined that the 
new stock of goods and its owner should be brought to Benicia.  So he went to 
San Francisco in a whale-boat, and succeeded in getting Mr. Von P. to at least 
consent to visit Benicia.  Embarking in the whale-boat with the Doctor, they 
occupied four days in making the voyage.  They made soundings all the way up to 
verify the claims made by the Doctor that Benicia�s location was unsurpassed for 
commercial purposes.  Von Pfister says, being a sea-faring man, and finding a 
fine, ample channel for deep-sea vessels, and the result of his observations 
being that almost all large commercial cities were situated near the head of 
navigation, concluded this was the place for him to locate.  He purchased an 
unfinished adobe building, and, after putting it in condition, opened out his 
stock of goods in August, 1847.  The building is standing and is still his 
property; it is situated in the rear of Jos. Ewing�s store, on First street.  
His trade was of a very satisfactory character.  The prices obtained for goods 
were much the same as those of the present day.  There was very little cash.  
The standard currency of those days was hides, valued at $1.50 each, which were 
frequently styled �California bank-bills.�  Corn, barley and other articles of 
produce were readily taken in lieu of coin.  Early in May, 1848, one evening 
while a number of persons were assembled in Von�s store talking over the 
prospects of the State, a gentleman present said a good coal prospect had been 
found near Mount Diablo.  Another said if that was true and coal should be found 
to exist in quantity, a great future was in store for California; but without 
coal he did not think much of the State�s prospects.  A stranger, who had been a 
quiet listener to the conversation, said:  �Gentlemen, I have something here 
which, if it is what I think it is, will beat a coal mine and make this the 
greatest country in the world.�  He then produced a little buckskin bag holding 
about $100 worth of gold-dust.  The dust varied in size from a flax-seed to a 
good-sized pea.  This he handed around for the inspection of those present.  He 
said his name was Bennett, and that the �stuff� had been found in Coloma while 
digging the race for the Sutter mill.  Thinking it might be gold, he had brought 
it down to Sutter�s Fort to find out; but as there were no chemicals there, he 
was on his way to Monterey to submit the metal to Governor Mason.  If it was 
gold, there was a quantity of it.  The Beniciaites were quite incredulous.  A 
few days after this there was a great rush down the river and by land of people 
who possessed samples of the new discovery.  Some carried it in old stockings, 
old boots, and anything that would hold the yellow dust.  Some of those who came 
down the river had old rattletraps of boats which required constant bailing to 
keep afloat; pieces of blankets were utilized for sails, and all were greatly 
excited.  About this time Samuel Brannan, Esq., who had been a shipmate of the 
subject of this sketch, came along, and said gold had really been discovered and 
that the mines were good.  He advised Von to pack up his goods and go to the 
mines with them.  This he did.  He chartered Dr. Semple�s flat-boat, and in six 
days reached Coloma with his goods.  At Sacramento he was joined by Brannan with 
an equal quantity of goods, and the firm of Von Pfister & Brannan did a thriving 
business until October, when the former sold and left the mines.  In the spring 
of 1849 he returned to Benicia and rented the adobe building where stands the 
present Benicia Brewery, and opened a hotel.  He paid $500 a month rent, and 
$150 per month for a cook; $125 each for two stewards; $100 each for a  
housekeeper and barkeeper.  Notwithstanding these heavy expenses, Mr. Von 
Pfister cleared $12,000 in eleven months.  During his long residence in Benicia 
he has been three different times the proprietor of the Solano Hotel.  The first 
deed on the records of the county is in the handwriting of Mr. Von P.  He has 
filled official positions of honor, trust and importance.  Von  has always had 
great faith that the future of Benicia was that of no ordinary town, and 
acquired considerable real estate in the place with this belief.  In �48 or �49 
he sold a lot on the corner of Pine and Dupont streets, San Francisco, for 
$2,500, and immediately invested the money in Benicia property, which he still 
holds; and there are none here who are not pleased to congratulate the old 
gentleman that the time is near at hand when there will be a full realization of 
his fondest hopes of Benicia�s prosperity.
 
History of Solano County � San Francisco, Cal. - Wood, Alley  & Co., East 
Oakland, pub 1879, pp 450-452