John Balbach
German-born American settler, civic leader (1820–1896)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Balbach (February 13, 1820 – August 4, 1896) was a German-born American pioneering settler and prominent citizen of San Jose, California. As a blacksmith, he made the first commercially available metal plow on the West Coast, in 1852. Balbach was a founder of the San Jose Volunteer Fire Department, he served on the San Jose City Council, and was a member of the Board of School Trustees.
The Downtown "Balbach Street", that adjuncts Woz Way named for Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, is named in his honor.[1] Balbach has two commemorative plaques in the city, one installed by the Germania Verein (Club) on its 150th anniversary in 2006; and one by the larger German-American community, on Market South Street where his blacksmith shop was once located.[2][3]
Biography
Balbach was born on February 13, 1820, in Mergentheim, Baden-Württemberg, Kingdom of Württemberg (now Germany), a few miles south of the village of Unterbalbach.[4]
He arrived in New York in 1848, part of the wave of immigrants caught up in the California Gold Rush.[4] He went to Harrisburg, Owen County, Kentucky, where he obtained employment in a carriage factory.[4][5] On March 28, 1849, he and nine others set out from Kentucky across the plains to California and the gold fields.[5] They encountered many hardships on the trail and finally reached Los Angeles August 10, 1849.[6] After recouping several months in Los Angeles, Balbach and two companions started northward following the coast.[5] They reached San Jose in the early part of December, and went into camp for a few days.[5] During the first night of their stay, Balbach's horse was stolen and he was compelled to abandon his trip and seek employment.[5] After working a short time, he opened a blacksmith shop. In the spring of 1852 Balbach manufactured the first plow made on the Pacific Coast, and the following year he made over fifty plows.[4] He established the Pioneer Carriage Manufactory, the first shop in San Jose where a carriage could be repaired or a new one built. It was on the corner of Second and Fountain Streets, and managed partly by three of his sons.[4]
Balbach, on November 15, 1854, married Wenna Benner (1826–1905), a native of Germany, with whom he had six sons and three daughters.[4] His children included John Theodore Balbach (1860–1899), George L. Balbach (1865–1929) and Louis Augusta Balbach (1868-1908). His grandson Louis James Balbach (1896–1943) was an American diver who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.[7]
Balbach served two years on the San Jose City Council and five years as a member of the Board of School Trustees.[4]
He died on August 4, 1896, at home at 523 South Market Street in San Jose. He had been ill for several months with heart affection and asthma.[5]
