Jacob Schueler

Jacob Schueler (November 20, 1835 - April 15, 1918) was a German-American businessman and confectionary owner, best known for co-founding the Golden Brewery, today known as Coors Brewing Company in 1873.

Early life and education

Jacob Schueler was born ''Jakob Schüler'' on November 20, 1835 in Kiedrich, Hesse, Prussia to Peter and Maria Anna (née Roos) Schüler. He was raised in a Catholic family and emigrated to America aged 15 in 1850 with the trade of baker.

Career

He arrived in Denver, Colorado as one of the Pikes Peakers in 1861. He soon went to serve in the American Civil War and returned.''Colorado Transcript'', April 18, 1918. During his war service, as a Bugler with the 3rd Colorado Volunteers, Schueler was present at the Sand Creek Massacre where he personally witnessed one of its atrocities of two very small children being killed simultaneously, which traumatized him the rest of his life. Janet Jewell, "Returned From Oblivion: The Story of Jacob Schueler," Colorado Paper Trails, 2013. In 1862, he partnered with Adolph Schinner, a fellow German immigrant, establishing one of Denver's oldest confectionary/bakery. He continued to run this business until 1875.

In 1873, he teamed with fellow German immigrant Adolph Coors, investing $18,000 to Coors $2000, to start the Golden Brewery (initially operating as ''Schueler & Coors''), now known as Coors Brewery, at Golden, Colorado. In 1880, Coors had made enough money to repay his partner's interest, and Schueler sold out to him. Schueler then went into business making soda under his own name, remaining well connected with and popular in Golden in supplying (and cornering with the willing community) its soda market there. In 1887-1888 Schueler reconnected with Coors in having Coors' Colorado Glass Works in Golden manufacture his bottles, after which the glass plant ceased operation and Schueler left the soda business. In 1889, Schueler went into business with Morris Stackder in Aspen, building the ''Schueler-Stackder Concentrating mill''. In 1897, Schueler became famous for Rocky Mountain spring water in his own right, running the ''Ute Chief Mineral Springs bottling works'' at Manitou Springs, Colorado by the early 20th Century.''Colorado Transcript'', 1904. After a great fire that burnt the bottling plant, the business was never the same. He continued to work for this company until his death.

Family

Schueler married Stephanie ''Fannie'' Vinot (1845-1926), who was born in Villafans in the Franche-Comté region of France, and emigrated to the US with her parents as a child, in 1867. They had five children;

* Augustine (1870 - February 10, 1951)
* Rudolph (1872 - December 26, 1952)
* William (1875 - June 23, 1959)
* Frederick ''Fred'' (1886 - August 1960)

Jacob Schueler died in Colorado Springs in 1918, and is buried at Denver's Riverside Cemetery. Most of the Schueler family was laid to rest in a Denver cemetery, however Fred is buried with his wife Else (Wright) Schueler in Colorado Springs. There is only one descendant from the family, David Haskin (b. 1949), who resides in Denver, Colorado and is the Chief of ''Rampart Research & Rescue'' in Adams County, Colorado.

Literature

* Janet Jewell; Returned From Oblivion - The Story of Jacob Schueler; 2013

See also

* Manitou Mineral Springs

References

1835 births
People from Colorado Territory
Emigrants from the German Confederation to the United States
Businesspeople from Denver
1918 deaths
People from Manitou Springs, Colorado
19th-century American businesspeople
Burials at Riverside Cemetery (Denver, Colorado)

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