California Genealogy and History Archives
Biographies
of
Sacramento County
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FRANK
J. RUHSTALLER The
present manager of the Sacramento Brewing Company rep- resents an old
and honored family of Switzerland. The ancestral home was in the
beautiful valley lying between the lake of Luzerne and Zurich lake, and
the thriving city of Einseideln remained the headquarters of several
successive generations of the family. In that town lived and labored
Frank and Josepha (Ochsner) Ruhstaller, the former a hat-maker during
early manhood, but later an industrious follower of the occupation of
dairying, which was a leading industry in the locality. Among their
children was a son who bore his father's name and whose birth occurred
at Einseideln November 8, 1847. After he had completed the studies of
the common schools he served an apprenticeship to the brewer's trade in
Canton Berne. During July of 1862 he boarded a steamer at Havre, and at
the close of an uneventful voyage landed in New York, whence he
proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where he worked in the Falls City brewery.
In a short time he crossed the Ohio river to New Albany, Ind., where he
was made foreman in the Reising brewery before he was eighteen years of
age. Resignation
from that position in Indiana was followed by a short period of
employment at Louisville, from which city, in 1865, Mr. Ruhstaller came
to California via New York and Panama. About the 24th of August he
landed at San Francisco, came thence to Sacramento and began to work in
the City brewery; six weeks later he was made foreman. After a year as
foreman he entered the employ of the Pacific brewery. Later he bought an
interest in the Sutterville brewery, where he carried on a partnership
with Joseph Bechler for seven months until the high water forced all
work to cease. Returning to the Pacific brewery, he resumed his
connection with George Ochs until the latter sold to Louis Knauer, and
he then worked for the new owner two years. For one-half year he
operated the St. Louis brewery with Fritz Futterer and Henry Altpeter.
Next he drove a wagon for the Pacific brewery for two years, after which
he was made foreman. Learning
in 1873 of the illness of his father, Mr. Ruhstaller went back to the
old Swiss home, but found that his aged parents had passed away during
his own homeward journey. August of 1873 found him starting back to
California. Soon after his arrival in Sacramento he opened a place of
business opposite the Metropolitan theater, and there he continued until
he bought the City brewery in November, 1881. This brewery had been
established about 1859 by Mr. Hilbert and William Borchers. When Hilbert
died, in March of 1865, his interest was bought by Charles Schwartz, and
he in turn retired from the firm in about 1887. When Mr. Ruhstaller
secured control the plant was operated by horse-power and had a capacity
of fifteen barrels a day, but he increased the daily capacity to
sixty-five barrels and at the same time maintained the reputation
previously acquired for fine quality of the product. In
1867 Mr. Ruhstaller became a member of the Sacramento Hussars and from
1878 to 1882 he held a commission as captain. At the April shoot of 1889
in the Foresters' Gun Club he won the gold medal. Elected an honorary
member of the Sacramento Rifle Club, he gave to the club the cannon
presented by General Sutter to the Swiss Rifle Club. While a salute was
being fired- with the cannon a serious accident occurred, A. Klebe's arm
being blown off. The cannon was thereupon buried and $1800 collected for
the victim of the unfortunate accident. A prized souvenir in the
possession of Captain Ruhstaller was the flag presented, with an address
by Governor Bigler, in 1854, to the Swiss Rifle Club by the members of
the Schutzen Club of Canton Zurich, Switzerland. The marriage of this pioneer of Sacramento occurred in this city on Christmas Day of 1870 and united him with Miss Charlotte Oeste, who was born in Germany, but crossed the ocean at an early age and grew to womanhood in Milwaukee. Of their children Otto, Wilhelmina and Charlotte died in childhood and six attained maturity, Anna, Frank J., Minnie, David, August, and Charlotte. During 1868 Captain Ruhstaller became a member of Schiller Lodge, No. 105, I. O. O. F.; later he identified himself with Tehama Lodge, F. & A. M., the Sacramento Turn-Verein, Sons of Herman and the Verein-Eintracht. His eldest son, Frank J., was born in Sacramento, November 5, 1872, and attended the city schools from the age of six until fifteen, after which he served an apprenticeship to the brewing business with his father. For seven months in the year 1891 he engaged as brewer with the Fredericksburg brewery of San Jose, after which he resumed work in Sacramento. During 1893 he at- tended the Chicago Brewing Institute and at the expiration of six months was graduated, whereupon he returned to Sacramento and became brewer in his father's plant. Since 1906 he has been manager of the Sacramento Brewing Company. By men competent to judge he is considered one of the most experienced and capable representatives of his trade in the city. When at leisure from the many duties connected with his responsible position he finds enjoyment in the society of his friends and in the companionship of his wife, who prior to their marriage, on November 22, 1899, was Miss Alice M. Root; he finds further pleasure as well as means of helpfulness through his identification with various leading fraternities and social organizations of the city, among them the Masons, Elks, Turn-Verein and the Sutter Club. |
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Source: Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011 |