San Diego County Biographies
 
GUSTAVUS WITFIELD

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

 
Gustavus Witfield, the pioneer druggist of San Diego, was born near Cologne, 
Prussia, January 27, 1825; was carefully educated and studied chemistry at the 
University of Bonn. He emigrated to America in 1848, first visiting Paris and 
Havre, and landing at New York in April of that year. He then went to New 
Orleans, where he was employed in a drug store for one year. In 1849, he started 
for California, induced by the gold excitement of that year, going by the 
Isthmus of Panama, and arriving at Monterey, by a sailing vessel from Panama in 
March, 1850. With great enthusiasm started for the mines, visiting Mariposa 
County, Calaveras County, Tuolomne County, and going as far north as the Fraser 
river, always led on by enthusiastic reports, but never realizing the great 
bonanzas which were ever reported to be awaiting the enterprising miners. After 
ten years of prospecting, he returned to San Francisco, to resume the profession 
which he had learned in his youth. He entered a large wholesale drug house, 
remaining until 1862, when he went to Panama and opened a large commission house 
in drugs and chemicals, for several English houses, trading very extensively in 
indigo. In 1866, he made a business trip to London, and in 1867 severed his 
connection to Panama and returned to San Francisco. He then journeyed south, 
stopping at Los Angeles two months and then going to Old Town, where he located 
and started in business. In 1869, he came to New Town, and as the present city 
was established he bought a lot on Fifth street between E and F. He then built 
and established the first drug store in San Diego. In 1878, he removed his 
entire stock of drugs to Tucson, Arizona, moving by three wagons across the 
desert. He stopped there six years, doing a good business. In 1884, he sold out 
his entire business and returned to Germany to see his family and friends. After 
an absence of six months he returned to San Diego, but has never resumed active 
business except in the care of his several interests. 
 
Dr. Witfield is a member of the San Diego Lodge of Masons, No. 35; also lodge of 
Perfection, Scottish rite thirty-second degree at Tucson, and of the society of 
San Diego pioneers.
 
An Illustrated History of Southern California: Embracing the Counties of San 
Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California, from the Earliest Period of Occupancy to the Present Time.... - 
Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890. pp 112-113