Lazarus Dinkelspiel

Dinkelspiel was born in 1824 to a Jewish family in Michelfeld, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.[1][2][3] In 1833, his family immigrated to the United States first to New York and then New Hampshire.[1] In 1845, he moved to California and was successful selling goods to the gold miners.[1] In 1853, he moved to San Francisco where he opened a wholesale dry goods business with Ulrich Simon, a fellow German Jewish immigrant; the business was named Simon & Dinkelspiel.[4] In 1861, they added Jonas Adler as a partner and the company became Simon, Dinkelspiel, & Adler in New York City and Simon, Dinkenspiel & Co in San Francisco.[4] In 1867, Dinkelspiel bought his partners out and the company was then known as L. Dinkelspiel & Co.[4] His company became one of the largest dry goods businesses in the Western states.[1] In 1893, he retired.[1]

Dinkelspiel served as vice-president of Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco, was member of the International Order of B'nai B'rith, and the International Order of Odd Fellows.[1]

In 1861, he married Pauline Hess (died 1907); they had eight children: Henry Dinkelspiel, Samuel Dinkelspiel, Joseph Dinkelspiel, Leon Dinkelspiel, Melville Dinkelspiel, Edgar Dinkelspiel, Theresa Dinkelspiel Kalisher (married to Edward Kalisher), and Frieda Dinkelspiel Silverman.[1] Dinkelspiel died in 1900.[1]