THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:ENGISCH

A first-class citizen, generous and enterprising, is found in Ferdinand Luscher, the senior member of the automobile painters Luscher & Huber, pioneers in their line.  He was born at Muhen, Canton Argau, Switzerland, August 1, 1874, the only child of his parents, Fritz and Louise Luscher, and he and his mother made their home with his grandmother, Mary Magdaline (Engisch) Luscher.  He attended the public schools, and when sixteen years of age went to Aarau to learn the painter's trade.  He showed great aptness in his work and was soon selected to do the finest kind of painting.  After serving a three years' apprenticeship he became a journey man painter, working in all the large cities of Switzerland,  In his travels he picked up considerable French and Italian, as well as German; he then went to France and worked at Nice, Cannes, Monaco and Marseillees, then returned to Switzerland and spent one year, then went back to  France and worked in many of the leading carriage shope in Paris and was head painter in the shop where all the de luxe carriages were made.  He then went to London and for three years worked in the leading painting shops there, for Hooper & Company then the coach builders to royalty.  Here he met Charles H. Huber, his present partner, and in 1898 they young men decided to try their fortunes in America and landed in New york in April, 1898.  Mr. Luscher worked for the Studebaker people at first, but Mr. Huber could ot find work there, so the two young men started for Philadelphia afoot and walked al the way.  In Philadelphia he worked for the Swartz Wheel Works for one year; then the two young men went back to New york and sailed for Buenos Ayres.  He worked for the Parisian Coach building works at Buenos Ayres for nine months; then went back to London and worked there for one year at their trade.  Mr. Huber returned to Switzerland on a visit to this folks, but Mr. Luscher returned to New York City in 1900; there he worked for a year for Healy & Company, coach builders.  In the meantime Mr. Huber had joined him and in the fall the two young men took a vessel for Galveston, Texas, reaching there just after the great flood.  Arriving i San francisco about the first of October, 1901, they soon came to Palo Alto and within a week purchased the first carriage painting shop in Palo Alto.  Their business grew and prospered until they were forced to build larger and more commodious quarters at 251 High Street.  In 1920 Mr. Luscher bought a beautiful bungalow at 258 High Street and there the family reside in comfort.

Mr. Luscher's marriage, which occurred in Palo Alto  in 1911, united him with Miss Marie M Kapeler, born in Canton Zurich in the village of Dielsdorf.  They are the parents of two children, Ferdinand and Marie.  Mr. Luscher belongs to the Fraternal Aid Union of Palo Alto and is a naturalized citizen of the United States.