Meyer family papers, 1850-2008

Daniel Meyer (1824-1911), Bavarian immigrant and San Francisco pioneer, established the Bank of Daniel Meyer with his brothers Jonas, Moritz, and Mathias in 1857. Meyer was a noted philanthropist. He married Clara Newhouse in 1852, and the couple had no chidren. Upon his death his fortune was distributed to charity and among his siblings, nieces, and nephews. The bank was kept up by his brothers for a period after his death but eventually dissolved.

The collection consists of materials on the family history of Daniel Meyer. Family lines documented include those associated with the following surnames: Rosenthal, Juda, Meyer, Blochman, Koenigswarter, Sheeline, and Hoexter. Included in the collection are newspaper clippings; interviews with relatives and acquaintances; family documents; diplomas; letters; multiple genealogies tracing the family from its origins in 1500s Germany and Central Europe; photo albums and photographs, travel diaries, recipe books; and a memory book. Among the photographs are images of Daniel Meyer and his immediate relatives in addition to images of family members into the 21st century. Special interest: copies of incorporation and business documents from the Bank of Daniel Meyer; correspondence with Western States Historical Jewish Quarterly regarding the articles “Daniel Meyer, San Francisco Banker” and “Lazar E. Blochman of San Francisco, Santa Maria, and Berkeley,” written by Mary and David Hoexter; family letters from mid to late 1800s, written in German.

Organization: Carton 1: family history, documents, genealogies, photo albums. Carton 2: travel diaries, photographs. Oversize folder 1A: matted photographs of Mary and Hank Hoexter, UC Berkeley diploma for Hank Hoexter.