A pioneer of Alameda county, a man who by his own initiative, hard work and good judgment in real estate investments made a marked financial success was Frederick Delger. Born in Saxony, Germany, March 11, 1822, he spent his early manhood in his native land. In 1847 he came to America, remaining for a time in New York city, where in 1848 he was united in marriage with Miss Ernestine Blecher. In 1852, with his wife and one child, he started for California by way of Cape Horn, reaching San Francisco, January 7, 1853.
Being a hard worker and thrifty Mr. Delger accumulated enough money to enable him, in 1855, to open a retail shoe store for himself, and soon thereafter a second one and later a branch store in Sacramento. His business prospered and a few years later, selling out the retail stores, he opened, and for a while conducted, a wholesale shoe business. In the meantime he began the purchase of real estate in San Francisco and in 1860 made quite an extensive investment in real estate in Oakland. These several purchases proved to have been wisely selected and by the development of the two cities greatly increased in value. In 1860 he moved his residence to Oakland and thereafter until his decease that city was his home. He subdivided and improved his real-estate holdings and thus materially aided in the expansion of his home city, and business blocks of both San Francisco and Oakland still bear his name.
Possessed of benevolence of character, he gave to many worthy objects, among which may be mentioned the Fabiola Hospital and The Altenheim, to which he and his wife contributed liberally.
To Mr. and Mrs. Delger were born four children: Mrs. Matilda Brown and Mrs. Annie Moller, both of Oakland; Edward F. Delger, of San Francisco; and Mrs. Lillian D. Powers, now residing abroad. At the age of seventy-six, on April 25, 1898, Mr. Delger's life work ended. He was survived by his widow until January 5, 1908.
Past and Present of Alameda County California, Vol. II
Published in Chicago by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1914
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 8/9/2008, Pages 558-559
Alameda County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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