Aaron Fleishhacker (February 4, 1820 – February 19, 1898) was a German-born American businessman who founded paper box manufacturer, A. Fleishhacker & Co. He had been active during the
Gold Rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...
with the formation of Comstock silver mines.
Biography
Aaron Fleishhacker was born on February 4, 1820, to a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family in
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
.
In 1845, he immigrated to the United States, first settling in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
before moving to
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
in 1853. He moved around the region selling his wares to miners traveling to
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
,
Grass Valley, Oregon
Grass Valley is a city in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. The population was 164 at the 2010 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
Demographics
2010 census
As ...
,
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Virginia City developed as a boomt ...
, and
Carson City, Nevada
Carson City is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the sixth largest city in Nevada. The majority of the city's population lives in Eagle Valley, on th ...
.
He then returned to San Francisco, where he started a paper wholesale business and then either founded or purchased the Golden Gate Paper Box Company which then was renamed A. Fleishhacker & Co. The company was nicknamed the "Paper Bag House" and the company became the largest box manufacturer in the West. His sons, Mortimer and Herbert, who had both started working in the business while teens, took over the company upon his death.
Death and legacy
He died on February 19, 1898, in San Francisco, California.
The Fleishhacker Pool, the Fleishhacker Playfield, and the Mother’s Building (or Delia Fleishhacker Memorial Building) was a complex that included a large public saltwater swimming pool in San Francisco, as well as public wading pool for children, and a sports field; which was dedicated to the family. Fleishhacker was a founding member of
Congregation Emanu-El Emanu-El (also spelled Emanuel) ( he, עִמָּנוּאֵל ''imanuél'', " God swith us", from עִמָּנוּ ''imánu'', "with us" + אֵל ''el'', "God"), or Temple Emanuel, may refer to the following Jewish synagogues:
Australia
* Emanuel ...
in San Francisco.
Personal life
In 1857, he married Deliah Stern of
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Ci ...
; they had eight children, six of whom survived to adulthood: Carrie Fleishhacker Schwabacher (married to Ludwig Schwabacher), Emma Fleishhacker Rosenbaum (married to S. D. Rosenbaum), Mortimer Fleishhacker (1866–1953), Herbert Fleishhacker (1872–1957), Belle Fleishhacker Scheeline (married to S. C. Scheeline), and Blanche Fleishhacker Wolf (married to Frank Wolf).