GUSTAVE NELSON
San Jose Tannery Owner
SURNAMES: RESHOEFT, KREIG, LAWRY
A business man long established in San Jose, whose metods 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 employe 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 salsman, 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
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PIONEER BIOGRAPHIES
SANTA CLARA COUNTY HISTORY