(1867-1874, ages 52-59 years)
(Last updated: Sunday April 17, 2011)
In the table below we list Wilhelm's real estate transactions on file at the Alameda County Recorder's Office (Oakland, California). His real estate transactions in Sonoma County (i.e. Fort Ross and Herman ranchos) are in a separate table (see menu). We have yet to research his business transactions, of which we are certain there are many, in other counties, in particular in the California counties Tehama & Shasta (i.e. Rancho New Breisgau) and Nevada (mining), and in the state of Nevada in Washoe county (mining).
We must be careful when speculating about Wilhelm's net worth. We do not know how he managed his investments nor their full extent. Based upon the public records of his Oakland real estate transactions, he appears to have been an astute "capitalist", almost doubling his worth during the seven years he and Josephine lived in Oakland. He sold Fort Ross in 1867 for $64,000 (over $1,150,000 USD-2000). It is probably safe to assume that the capital he invested in Oakland real estate came solely from the sale of Fort Ross for by the end of 1869 he had invested only $52,000. The remaining $12,000 was likely spent on moving expenses (Fort Ross to Oakland), living expenses, construction of the Benitz Building, and other investments unknown to us. In 1874 he sold all his Oakland properties for $105,300 (over $2,200,000 USD-2000, see our page on Measures for conversion rates).
Benitz Building: Wilhelm bought the land in 1867 and 1869 for $12,000 (block 143, lots: 1-4, 27 & 28, corner of Broadway and 10th). Per the year on the building's façade, its construction was presumably completed in 1871. We have yet to determine how much it cost to build, but in 1873 the property was valued at $40,000.
The following maps show the locations of the real estate Wilhelm bought and sold in Oakland. The maps will open in a separate window so you can have them available while viewing the table. We have identified the Benitz office building, the family home, Lincoln Grammar School, and the Presbyterian Church we believe they attended (see Alfred's biography, Chapters III and IV).
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Oakland, 2004 (58k - fast loading) Individual block numbers are not identified. |
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Oakland, 1878 (195k - not fast) Shrunk to 40%, text & numbers may be hard read. |
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Oakland, 1878 (962k - slow) 100% size, fully legible. |
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Date |
Block |
Lots |
Out-$ |
In+$ |
Net=$ |
From/To |
Other Party |
|
Oakland |
44 |
Tract 406, Oakland Point |
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|
27-Oct-68 |
44 |
(1-4) |
2,100 |
|
|
Buy from: |
J.E. Freeman |
|
30-Jun-74 |
44 |
(1-4) |
|
0 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton (see below) |
|
|
|
Total: |
2,100 |
0 |
-2,100 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
48 |
|
|||||
|
20-Jan-68 |
48 |
10, |
300 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Edward Minturn |
|
08-Jan-68 |
48 |
11, |
400 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Otto Paschwitz |
|
09-Mar-70 |
48 |
(10-11) |
|
2,400 |
|
Sell to: |
WB Clement |
|
|
|
Total: |
700 |
2,400 |
1,700 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
53 |
on the San Pablo Road - "Tuttle Homestead Tract" |
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|
11-Jul-68 |
53 |
Lot |
415 |
|
|
Mortgage from: |
Ernst Mullër |
|
|
53 |
|
|
600 |
|
Sell to: |
** MISSING ** |
|
|
|
Total: |
415 |
600 |
185 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
86 |
|
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|
31-Jul-67 |
86 |
(5-8) |
1,200 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Warren Buck |
|
|
|
(9-11) |
1,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
** MISSING ** |
|
08-Aug-67 |
86 |
(12-25) east 1/2 |
2,400 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Mysron J. Dusinbury |
|
01-Sep-65 |
86 |
(1-4),(26-28) Dwelling |
675 |
|
|
Deed of Trust |
Warren Buck |
|
25-Aug-66 |
86 |
(1-4),(26-28) |
2,500 |
|
|
Deed of Trust |
James de Fr…. et al |
|
19-Apr-67 |
86 |
(1-4),(26-28) |
4,000 |
|
|
Mortgage: |
Warren Buck? |
|
12-Sep-67 |
86 |
(1-4),(26-28) |
1,250 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Warren Buck |
|
14-Apr-74 |
86 |
(9-11) |
|
3,500 |
|
Sell to: |
Adam Menges |
|
22-Jun-74 |
86 |
(12-13) |
|
1,800 |
|
Sell to: |
Adam Menges |
|
30-Jun-74 |
86 |
(1-8),(14-28) |
|
0 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton (see below) |
|
|
|
Total: |
13,025 |
5,300 |
-7,725 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
87 |
|
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|
01-Aug-68 |
87 |
(1-4) |
2,800 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Cornelius & Desire Koopmanschap |
|
04-Apr-72 |
87 |
(1-2) |
|
2,500 |
|
Sell to: |
F.W. Sohst |
|
07-Apr-73 |
87 |
(3-4) |
|
2,000 |
|
Sell to: |
Edward Hackett |
|
|
|
Total: |
2,800 |
4,500 |
1,700 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
89 |
|
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|
26-May-69 |
89 |
(3-4) |
3,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Order of Odd Fellows (trustees) |
|
30-Jun-74 |
89 |
(3-4) |
|
0 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton (see below) |
|
|
|
Total: |
3,000 |
0 |
-3,000 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
120 |
|
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|
11-Jan-68 |
120 |
(19-20) |
900 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Henry Jahn |
|
|
120 |
19, |
|
800 |
|
Sell to: |
** MISSING ** |
|
29-Jul-68 |
120 |
20, |
|
800 |
|
Sell to: |
C.M. Bennett |
|
27-Mar-68 |
120 |
(5-10) |
4,500 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Antoine Borel |
|
02-Nov-72 |
120 |
(5-10) |
|
6,000 |
|
Sell to: |
George H. Barrett |
|
|
|
Total: |
5,400 |
7,600 |
2,200 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
143 |
|
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|
01-Apr-68 |
143 |
(19-22) |
4,500 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Sarah Reynolds |
|
28-Sep-71 |
143 |
(19-22) |
1 |
|
|
Quit claim from: |
Pointry, J.W. Martin, A.C. Henry |
|
28-Sep-72 |
143 |
(19-22) |
|
0 |
|
Mortgage to: |
Note on Union Savings Bank (2%/month) |
|
07-Nov-73 |
143 |
(19-22) |
|
6,600 |
|
Sell to: |
Andrew J. Snyder |
|
|
|
Total: |
4,501 |
6,600 |
2,099 |
|
|
|
04-Nov-67 |
143 |
(1-2),(27-28) |
5,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Louis G. Braguire |
|
05-Feb-69 |
143 |
(3-4) |
7,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
John C. Hays |
|
30-Jun-74 |
143 |
(1-4), (27-28), 5 edge |
|
0 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton (see below) |
|
[1871] |
|
Office Bldg. |
0 |
|
|
Cost to build: |
Contractor unknown |
|
|
|
Total: |
12,000 |
0 |
-12,000 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
159 |
|
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|
10-Feb-68 |
159 |
21, 22, 23 part |
2,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
B.A. Caryl |
|
14-May-68 |
159 |
23 part |
750 |
|
|
Buy from: |
P.D. Wilcox & B.A. Caryl |
|
26-May-69 |
159 |
21, 22, 23 part |
|
3,300 |
|
Sell to: |
Order of Odd Fellows (trustees) |
|
29-Jul-69 |
159 |
23 part |
|
1,000 |
|
Sell to: |
Order of Odd Fellows (trustees) |
|
03-Dec-69 |
159 |
(21-23) |
|
1 |
|
Quick claim to: |
Order of Odd Fellows (trustees) |
|
|
|
Total: |
2,750 |
4,301 |
1,551 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
160 |
|
|||||
|
27-Mar-68 |
160 |
(1-3), 28 |
3,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Frederick C. Weber |
|
03-Nov-71 |
160 |
1, 2 S-part, 28 S-part |
|
3,000 |
|
Sell to: |
William Streit |
|
18-Sep-73 |
160 |
3, 2 N-part, 28 C-part |
|
3,200 |
|
Sell to: |
Myron M. Tinkham |
|
|
|
Total: |
3,000 |
6,200 |
3,200 |
|
|
|
01-Jan-68 |
160 |
(4-9), 28 N-part |
9,000 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Gustavus & Hermine Schulte |
|
30-Jun-74 |
160 |
(4-9), 28 N-part |
|
0 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton (see below) |
|
|
|
Total: |
9,000 |
0 |
-9,000 |
|
|
|
Oakland |
3 & 4 |
Mountain View Cemetery |
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|
11-Jan-69 |
3 |
Plot 11 & 12 |
60 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Mountain View Cemetery |
|
01-Dec-71 |
3 |
Plot 11 & 12 |
|
60 |
|
Sell to: |
Mountain View Cemetery |
|
21-Dec-71 |
4 |
Plot 260 & 261 |
73 |
|
|
Buy from: |
Mountain View Cemetery |
|
|
4 |
Plot 260 & 261 |
|
73 |
|
Sell to: |
** MISSING ** |
|
|
|
Total: |
133 |
133 |
0 |
|
|
|
Oakland: Final Sale to Miller & Heaton |
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|
30-Jun-74 |
44 |
(1-4) |
2,100 |
|
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
30-Jun-74 |
86 |
(1-8),(14-28) |
12,525 |
|
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
30-Jun-74 |
89 |
(3-4) |
3,000 |
|
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
30-Jun-74 |
143 |
(1-4), 28, 5 edge |
12,000 |
|
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
30-Jun-74 |
160 |
(4-9), 1/4 of 28 |
9,000 |
|
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
30-Jun-74 |
|
All above |
|
100,000 |
|
Sell to: |
Miller & Heaton |
|
|
|
Miller & Heaton: |
38,625 |
100,000 |
61,375 |
|
|
|
|
|
TOTALS= |
57,824 |
136,161 |
78,337 |
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1866: |
3,175 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1867: |
13,850 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1868: |
30,665 |
800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1869: |
10,060 |
4,301 |
|
|
Net invested: $52,649 |
|
|
|
Activity 1870: |
0 |
2,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1871: |
74 |
3,060 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1872: |
0 |
8,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activity 1873: |
0 |
11,800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Missing (estimated) |
1,000 |
1,473 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office Building |
?? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final sale 1874: |
|
105,300 |
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