California Biographies

Source:
History of Napa and Lake Counties
San Francisco, Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1881

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011

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

G. A. STAMER.  The subject of this sketch was born in Hamburg, Germany, September 8, 1842, where 
he resided until he was fourteen years of age. He then went to sea, sailing first from Hamburg, going 
to China, where they were ship-wrecked and captured by the natives, and were detained for four 
months, when the Dutch Government bought back the subject of this sketch and one other, they 
being the only ones left out of the whole crew. Mr. Stamer still continued to follow a sea-faring life 
and sailed around the world some four times in different ships, first landing in America in 1860, on 
board a Hamburg ship bound for New York. At the latter place, not liking his quarters, he deserted his 
ship and shipped on board an American vessel, and made several voyages to Spain, and again returned 
to New York, where he shipped for California, starting around the Horn, but the vessel encountered 
severe weather, and most all the sailors were frozen. They changed their course and stood for Rio de 
Janeiro. Remaining there a few months he returned to Hamburg, where he concluded to settle down, 
being then about twenty-three years old; but his mind was changed on account of the Government 
wanting him for a soldier, and this not meeting his views, he again went to sea, and followed a sea-
faring life until the fall of 1867, when he arrived in San Francisco. He there engaged in the grocery 
business, and resided there for two years, and in the fall of 1869, he moved to Napa County, locating 
at St. Helena, and engaged in the saloon business, under the firm name of Townsend & Stamer. In 
1871 Mr. Stamer bought his partner out. In 1881 he bought a wine cellar and distillery in connection 
with his brother, located two miles south of St. Helena. He conducts the saloon business yet. Mr. 
Stamer was married December 20, 1873, to Miss Amelia Banten, a native of Germany, and by this 
union they have four children: Lillie, Emilia, Julius S. and Gustave.