Peter Baltz

Peter Baltz (1831–1903) was a French-born baker who was on the Los Angeles Common Council, the governing body of that city, in 1860[1] and then became a successful businessman and property owner in San Jose, California.[2]

Baltz was born in France on May 10, 1831, and in 1853 he came to the United States, where he "experienced many trials and hardships," working in "the principal Eastern cities." He crossed the continent to California in 1856 and settled in Los Angeles, where he opened a bakery. This successful business, however, was destroyed by fire in 1862, and so Baltz took up mining, but lost some five thousand dollars in the venture. He opened another bakery in San Francisco, saved "several thousand dollars," and returned to Europe for a time to visit his parents.[2]

In 1869 he settled in San Jose, where he opened the El Dorado Bakery on West El Dorado Street.[2]

Industry and enterprise have brought their regard to Mr. Baltz in the way of a handsome fortune. He owns [in 1888] over $75,00 [sic] worth of property in San Joe, [sic] has erected a large business and hotel building on West Santa Clara Street this year, costing many thousand dollars.[2]

In September 1894 a two-story building he owned in San Jose was destroyed by fire,[3] and in February 1902 a barn he owned was gutted by an "incendiary fire," two horses perishing.[4]

Baltz was variously reported as marrying at the age of 39 with Angeline Kuhn, a 46-year-old widow, like him from "Basreun (?) France,"[5] (on January 2, 1860)[6] and/or with "Miss Chrisinte [sic] Kesser, a lady of his own country, tho [sic] whom he was engaged before his emigration" (in 1888).[2]

He died on August 18, 1903, at the age of seventy-three, leaving "a considerable estate."[7]

References and notes

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  1. ↑ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, compiled under direction of Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, Los Angeles (March 1938, reprinted 1966). "Prepared ... as a report on Project No. SA 3123-5703-6077-8121-9900 conducted under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration."
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 H.S. Foote, editor, Pen Pictures From the Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company (1888), transcribed by Carolyn Feroben
  3. ↑ "Destroyed by Fire," San Francisco Chronicle, September 23, 1894, page 15
  4. ↑ "Barn and Horses Burn," San Francisco Chronicle, February 3, 1902, page 3
  5. ↑ Probably Bas-Rhin.
  6. ↑ "Los Angeles Marriages, 1851–1870"
  7. ↑ "Peter Baltz," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1903, page3