.

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:  MYERS, PAUL, FISCHER
An enterprising business man of San Jose, whose success and prosperity are evidenced in a modern and very attractive garage with every desirable equipment, is Fred H. Brinkman, who was born in Du Page County, Ill., at York Center, August 16, 1883, the son of Henry H. and Louisa (Myers) Brinkman. Mr. Brinkman's grandfather, Henry Brinkman, came from Germany and went to Chicago when there were only six buildings in the place, and was known as Fort Dearborn; he was at that time an engineer; then he returned to Hanover, Germany, and there Henry H. Brinkman. our subject's father, was born. After some years the grandfather brought his family to the United States and settled at Elmhurst, Ill. He then engaged in farming and bought up considerable government land, paying twenty-five cents per acre for it, and here he reared his family and passed away in 1905. Henry H. Brinkman inherited some of this property from his father. He did not have the opportunity of attending school, and started to make his own way when he was but a lad; for some time he was with the Lathrop Steel Works of Melrose Park, near Chicago, working in the engineering department. After some years he returned to country life, and has since made his home on his farm of 178 acres, at Elmhurst, Ill.

Fred H. was the eldest of a family of ten children, eight of whom are living, four boys and four girls. When fifteen years of age, he started out to make his own way, and taking up mechanical engineering at Highland Park College, Des Moines, Iowa, he attended two and a half years. He finally had to quit school at the end of that period, and in 1910 came to California, located at San Jose, where he took a position at the Vendome Hotel, where for five months he was clerk. He then bought a car and went into the taxi business and within two years was the owner of eight cars, when he sold out for $6000. He then opened a garage at First and Julian streets and operated this place for the next two years. In September, 1918, he entered the. U. S. service as a mechanic in the aviation corps and was for seven months at Rockwell Field, then for four months was at East Field and in June, 1919, was sent to the Presidio to be discharged. Returning to San Jose he opened a garage at 66 North Market Street, which is known as the Market Street garage, and here he has since been engaged. For a time, Mr. Brinkman had the agency for the Stearns car, and the Signal truck. He has the agency for the G. & J. tires and specializes in lubrication, installing the Alemite system, which is considered superior by many. He does a general garage and repairing business, employing four capable workmen.

Mr. Brinkman's marriage, which occurred April 24, 1917, united him with Miss Hazel Fischer, who was born in San Francisco, Cal., and is the daughter of Albert H. and Martha (Paul) Fischer. When Mrs. Brinkman was only a year old, her father moved to Elmhurst, Ill., where he engaged in farming, then organized and put in running order the electric power plant of Elmhurst, later sold to the Edison Electric Company. It was here she grew up, she and her husband being school children together.

About ten years ago, Mr. Fischer returned to San Francisco, and two years later, about 1913, took up his residence at San Jose. Grandfather John Fischer was a pioneer of Illinois and his sons are among the most prominent attorneys of Chicago today. Mr. and Mrs. Brinkman are the parents of one child, Ruth Lucille. Mr. Brinkman is a member of the Masons, the Maccabees and San Jose Lodge No. 522 B. P. 0. Elks. He and his family are members of the Christian Church, and in national politics, he is a Republican.

Transcribed by Joseph Kral, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1243 cdf

 RETURN TO SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAMILY CHRONICLES

SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight