WILLIAM MOCKER
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: GROSS, KAISER, TWEED, BROWN, SCHROEDER,
This gentleman, who is one of the best representatives of our citizens of foreign birth, and who has long been intimately associated with prominent business interests in this part of the State, was born in Saxony, September 20, 1827. He is the son of William and Emelia (Gross) Mocker, who came to this country with their family in 1856. William had preceded them, however, landing at New Orleans in 1846. On account of the slackness of labor he enlisted in the United States army in July of that year, and went to Mexico under General Scott, acting as teamster in the Commissary and Quartermaster's Department, serving there for fourteen months. He received his discharge at New Orleans, and then worked at his trade as a butcher, and carried on that business there until 1851, in which year he came to California, settling in San Francisco. Here he established himself in the butchers' business, carrying on shops at the following points: In 1852 he had a shop at the corner of Waverly Place and Clay Street, where Chinatown now is; in 1853 he had a shop on California Street, and in 1854 worked for Henry Miller and A. Wester as foreman in charge of a shop on Jackson Street, near Drumm. He afterward bought this shop and run it himself until 1856, when he bought the Occidental Market, on East Street, and at the same time was the owner of the Ocean Market. In 1861 Mr. Mocker went to Europe on a visit, spending an enjoyable time in the old country. In 1862 he engaged in the wholesale business for two years, being in the California Market, and later in partnership with Abe Neumann, in the Clay Street Market. In 1875 he came to San Jose, and purchased property with a view to establishing a brick yard. This he did, locating on the Berryessa road, and successfully conducting the business until April, 1887, when he sold out to the San Jose Brick Company.
No one is more
generally or more favorably known in San Jose than William Mocker. He is a
member, in accredited standing, of the Free Masons and Odd Fellows, and a man
held in high esteem in all circles. In politics he is strongly Republican. He
was born in the village of Plauen, Germany, where his father had a butcher shop,
and was brought up to his father's business. His father died at the age of
eighty-five, in 1884. His mother is still alive and hearty, at the ripe old age
of eighty-four, living at his home in San Francisco. He was married, in 1849, to
Miss Marie Kaiser, a native of Darmstadt, Germany. They have five children, as
follows: Mary, married to Aretus J. Tweed, and living in Arizona; William, who
married Miss Mamie Brown; Andrew, who married Miss Annie Schroeder, and is
living in San Francisco; and Louise, Lillie, and Eddie, still at home in San
Francisco. Mr. Mocker has now retired from business, and is devoting his time to
looking after his property interests and private affairs. In addition to three
fine fifty-vara lots on San Carlos Street, San Jose, he is the owner of a
beautiful twelve-acre orchard tract on the McKee road, where he has a fine
cottage home. His family lives in San Francisco, on account of the greater
schooling and other advantages, but his many interests in Santa Clara County
have kept him engaged in San Jose for years past, and he is closely identified
with its best progress. He is a retired capitalist of leisure and culture, and
comfortably enjoying a fortune won by characteristic energy, enterprise, and the
exercise of sound business qualities.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 630
SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight