Wilhelm Benitz

Oakland, California

(1867-1874, ages 52-59 years)

(Last updated: Tuesday March 15, 2005)

    Wilhelm and Josephine moved from Fort Ross to Oakland in 1867 to provide their children with a better education.  They remained in Oakland, living at 320 Webster, until 1874 when they sold all their properties and emigrated to the Argentine.

    Wilhelm became a capitalist, investing in mines and real estate.  As yet, we have not investigated his investments in mining enterprises.  Most of them were likely in Nevada and it will require us to visit several county records offices to dig them out.  In his letter of 27 June, 1853, (while still at Fort Ross) Wilhelm claims to be earning $500 per month from $36,000 in investments - but does not describe what these investments were.

...pix coming

    During 1998, Robin Benitz and Frank Watt visited the historical section of the Oakland, California, main library. They were able to glean a fair amount of information about Wilhelm Otto Benitz's business activities during his stay in Oakland, which Robin summarizes as follows: 

    Wm. Benitz’s building is a massive two-storey fireproof building on S/E corner (Broadway between 10^th and 11^th St.) having frontage of 100 ft. on Broadway and worth $40,000 (1873 History of City of Oakland).  The building was torn down and today is replaced by a new large seven storey building (offices, with ground floor retail) that occupies the whole frontage of the block.  A block of similar type buildings to the Benitz block have been retained on 9^th Street between Broadway and Washington Streets.  It shows the Italianate, highly ornate features which would have been prominent on the Wm. Benitz building.  It is assumed W. B. had the building built for him.  As can be seen from the building’s façade the ground floor was occupied by a Bank and Real Estate offices. (The records show the names of the bank’s officials and those of the other tenants.)  The 10^th Street side had a wool and coal merchant.  No indication of when he sold the building and for the price sold.  It is today opposite the Oakland Convention Centre building, Broadway being the main street.

     William Benitz lists himself as a "farmer" in the 1867 Register of Voters.  Was a German Citizen but became a U.S. Citizen by virtue of the Treaty with Mexico. Prior to U.S. Citizenship he had Mexican Citizenship.

    The Oakland yearly registry lists him in 1872 as "real estate" being his occupation, shows his residence since 1867 as being on the north side of 8^th St. between Webster and Harrison.  About 6 blocks from his office building. A further register lists him as a "Capitalist"!

    W. O. B. was a member of a Grand Jury in 1871 for the murder trial of F. W. Clark in his killing of Zelotes Read, a farmer who was trying to protect his and neighbours’ lands from the larger owners like Clark.  The case was quite famous for its outcome of their not indicting Clark.  It elicited surprise and indignant comment in the press and was concluded that the jury were protecting one of their own!

    The residence as shown by the "fire records map" shown me occupied the whole block of 8^th (North side) between Webster and Harrison.   The house was torn down in 1901.  The area was becoming a desirable location for small Chinese businesses.  Today the site is occupied entirely by large Chinese American businesses and is in the Chinese town area.   Street signs are given in English and Chinese.   The Lincoln School was replaced by a new building.   Frank J. Benitz listed in 1873 as a clerk working at Hofeld & Benitz at the Benitz Block Street.   They sold stationary, music, cutlery, and fancy goods.