My Genealogy Hound

Louis C. Lohman, hardware and groceryman, and native of Jefferson City, Mo., was born on the 31st of October, 1850, and received excellent educational advantages in the schools of his native city, in the Wyman City University, at St. Louis, and the Bryant & Stratton’s Commercial College. At the age of seventeen years he returned home, and spent about a year and a half in his father’s store, after which he became clerk on the steamer “Viola Belle,” owned by his father and others, which occupation he followed for two years. He then clerked for his father until January, 1871, when he became a partner in the business, and continued such until the spring of 1874, when he purchased the entire stock of goods, and has successfully conducted affairs up to the present time. He was married in Jefferson City to Miss Amelia Staats, a daughter of C. Staats, a native of Germany. By her he is the father of one son, Ira H. Mr. Lohman has represented the Second Ward as city alderman, and has been one of the directors of the First National Bank for several years. He has owned and conducted steamboat stock, and was also a stockholder in the Jefferson City Foundry, and built (in 1886), owns and operates Lohman’s Opera House. He is a member of the German Evangelical Church. His parents, Charles F. and Henrietta Lohman, were born in Prussia, the father being a merchant by occupation. He was born about 1818, and was apprenticed to the tinner’s trade, and served the required time in the Regular Army of Germany. About 1842 he immigrated to the United States, and located in St. Louis, where he met and married his wife. After remaining in this city for about six years he came to Jefferson City, and entered upon various extensive speculations, and being a man of sound judgment, untiring energy and fine business qualifications, he amassed a large amount of property. Upon the completion of the railroad to Syracuse, in 1858, Mr. Lohman entered into a general merchandise and commission business, in partnership with C. B. Maus, Jacob Nussberger and Henry Vitt, under the firm name of C. F. Lohman & Co., and after the road was extended to Otterville they established a store there, also at Sedalia. In 1861 and 1862 they suspended business, but when the war was ended they resumed, under the firm name of C. F. Lohman & Co., at Sedalia; the firm was composed of himself, F. J. Ott and Henry Vitt. Some years later A. J. Baurdick was taken in, and the firm name was Lohman, Hall & Co., they continuing until about 1869 or 1870. Mr. Lohman had unbounded faith in the brilliant future of Sedalia, and in one day purchased personal and real property to the amount of $47,000; and in one season built four handsome brick business houses in the town. He also owned valuable property in other localities, but after engaging in steam-boating his bad luck set in, and he lost over $20,000 by one of his vessels, the “Viola Belle,” which sunk in the Missouri River. Disaster followed disaster until his large fortune was lost; but nothing daunted, he continued to battle against his misfortunes until the last. At one time his check in Jefferson City would have been honored for any amount, but after misfortunes overtook him he left this place and settled at Stringtown, fifteen miles west of Jefferson City, where he spent the remainder of his days; he died July 29, 1879, aged sixty-one, leaving, besides his widow and four children, a host of friends to mourn his loss. He was the pioneer merchant of the county, and no man was better known or more universally respected.