Résumé

Carl Werner had an active practice headquartered in San Francisco. He occasionally partnered with others, but worked much of the time on his own. During the 1920s, he developed a specialty designing Masonic halls as well as Christian Science churches.

Draftsman, Martens and Coffey, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1895. (See Langley’s San Francisco Directory, 1895, p. 1529.)

Draftsman, San Francisco, CA, 1900. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 104; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0160, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Partner, O'Brien and Werner, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c .1905-1907.

Principal, Carl Werner, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1922.

Partner, Coffey and Werner, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1922.

High School / College

Secondary schooling, Philadelphia, PA, 1880s.

Coursework, Massachusette Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, c. 1899.

Relocation

Friedrich Carl Werner was born in Philadelphia, PA, on 09/01/1874, slightly less than two years before the US Centennial. His parents were of German descent, and he grew up in an environment influenced by his German heritage. (The 1880 and 1940 US Censuses listed his birthplace as Philadelphia. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1174; Page: 433c; Enumeration District: 231, accessed 07/24/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Alameda, Alameda, California; Roll: m-t0627-00183; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 1-33, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Carl was baptized at the Salem United Church of Christ in Philadelphia (where his parents married) on 12/26/1874. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, accessed 07/23/2024.)

It is not clear if his name was "Friedrich Carl" or "Carl Friedrich," although his father was also named Carl Friedrich Werner. His baptismal record listed the former, while the 1880 US Census listed him as "C.F." Carl grew up in a workingclass neighborhood nearby to his house at 1230 White Hall Street filled primarily with native-born, Irish-born and German-born people. His household in 1880 consisted of his father Carl Friedrich, his mother Dora Meyer Werner, an uncle Theodore Werner (born c. 1854 in Germany) and another uncle, A. Werner (born c. 1856 in PA). His uncles worked as an upholsterer and salesman, respectively. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1174; Page: 433c; Enumeration District: 231, accessed 07/24/2024.)

The architect moved to CA in either 1894 or 1895, his name first appearing in Langley's San Francisco City Directory, 1895. (See Langley's San Francisco Directory, 1895, p. 1529.) The next year, Alameda County records indicated that Werner registered to vote on 08/06/1896 in Oakland, CA. He resided at 1112 8th Avenue, in Oakland's Clinton neighborhood and remained living in Oakland in 1898. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 4; FHL Roll Number: 976450, accessed 07/23/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, 1795-1905; Roll #: 508; Volume #: Roll 508 - 01 Jun 1898-10 Jun 1898, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Carl likely attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during the 1897-1899 period. He probably traveled abroad for about one year, 1899-1900, before returning to San Francisco, CA.

He traveled in Europe during 1898 and 1899, and on his return, he made his home in San Francisco for a brief period. In 1900, Werner lived with his mother, Dora, in an apartment building at 860 Haight Street in San Francisco, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 104; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0160, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Werner, in 1910, resided with his first wife Louise at 1303 Bay Street in Alameda, CA, where he would reside, on and off, until at least 1940. The Werners, in 1910, employed a domestic worker, Queenie Cullen (born c. 1885 outside the US), who immigrated to the US in 1909. His mother lived at 1317 Bay Street, about three doors down from him. She lived with her widowed elder sister Annie Ney (born c. 1849 in PA) and a boarder, Louise Sokolowsky (born c. 1870 in Germany), who worked as a governess. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Alameda Ward 5, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_69; Page: 6b; Enumeration District: 0012; FHL microfilm: 1374082, accessed 07/23/2024)

Carl had divorced Louise by 1920, and moved back in with his mother at 1317 Bay Street.

He returned to the 1303 Bay Street House in 1930, residing here with his second wife, Grace. This house had a value of about $15,000, in an immediate neighborhood where prices ranged from $4,500 to $20,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Alameda, Alameda, California; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0228; FHL microfilm: 2339835, accessed 07/23/2024.) Ten years later, he and Grace remained at 1303 Bay Street in Alameda, CA. This house had an estimated value of $13,500 in 1940, a slight drop caused by the Depression. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Alameda, Alameda, California; Roll: m-t0627-00183; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 1-33, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Werner passed away at the age of 68 in Alameda County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Place: Alameda; Date: 2 May 1943 Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Parents

Little is known of Carl Werner's father, Carl Friedrich Werner (born c. 1848 in Frankfurt, Germany). The 1920 US Census indicated that he had been born in Frankfurt, Germany. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Alameda, Alameda, California; Roll: T625_87; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 16, accessed 07/23/2024.) The US Census of 1880, listed his father as being an engraver, an artistic and painstaking profession.

His mother was Dorres "Dora" Dötger (routinely written without the umlaut in the US or as "Doetger," born c. 01/1857 in PA). She wed Carl on 09/18/1873 at the Salem Zion United Church of Christ in Philadelphia. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records Source Information: Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 07/24/2024.)

According to the 1900 US Census, Carl was Dora's only child, although the 1910 US Census indicated that she had had three children, only Carl being alive at that time. Dora Werner worked as a nurse in 1910, but did not work by 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 104; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0160, accessed 07/23/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Alameda Ward 5, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_69; Page: 6b; Enumeration District: 0012; FHL microfilm: 1374082, accessed 07/23/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Alameda, Alameda, California; Roll: T625_87; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 16, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Dora grew up in a prosperous working class family of German descent in Philadelphia, PA. Her parents lived in Philadelphia's Spring Garden District by at least 1850. It was the site of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, what would become a major employer. The neighborhood the Dotgers lived in was filled with native-born and German-born workers, including cordwainers (shoemakers who produce shoes from new leeather), a confectioner, cigar-maker, tailor, whip maker, chair-maker, and other steady trades. Dora's father Casper Dotger (born c. 1817 in Kassel, Hessen, Germany-d. -d. 12/26/1875 in Philadelphia, PA), was listed in the 1850 US Census as a bootmaker. Her mother Dorres Meyer (or "Meier," born c. 1821-d. 04/11/1876 in Philadelphia, PA) was from Bremen, Germany, and had three children by this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Spring Garden Ward 3 Precinct 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 818; Page: 519b, accessed 07/24/2024.)

In 1860, Dora's parents continued to live in Philadelphia. Casper laboring as a master boot and shoe maker, and likely employing several men. Casper and Dorres owned $10,000 worth of real estate and had $2,000 in other assets, as per the 1860 US Census. Dorres had had six children by 1860. All children had been born in the US, the eldest of whom was 18 in 1860, meaning that Dorres had immigrated to the US on or before 1842. The large household also included five boarders, German-born men who worked in bootmaking, and a German-born domestic worker. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Philadelphia Ward 20 Division 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1171; Page: 100; Family History Library Film: 805171, accessed 07/24/2024.)

Spouse

Werner married at least twice. He wed his first wife Louise Gertrude Heeseman (born 04/20/1876 in Greenville, SC-d. 02/24/1947 in Alameda County, CA) on 10/29/1901 in Alameda County, CA. Louise also was of German descent. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 07/23/2024.) They divorced before 1920.

By 1920, Louise lived at 34 Manor Drive in Piedmont, CA, with her younger sister Charlotte Elftman (born c. 1882 in SC), her nephew Arthur Elftman (born c. 1913 in CA) and Eleanor Elftman (born c. 1915 in CA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Piedmont, Alameda, California; Roll: T625_92; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 203, accessed 07/23/2024.) Louise would lived the next 20 years with her sister and her children in either Piedmont or Oakland.

He wed Grace Ann MacMillan (born c. 1892 in CA), who was about eighteen years younger than her husband.

Biographical Notes

At age 21, Werner was described by Alameda County voter records as Caucasian, with a fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stood 5-feet, 8-inches tall. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 4; FHL Roll Number: 976450, accessed 07/23/2024.)

Werner applied for a US passport on 06/12/1898 to enable him to travel for one year abroad, presumably in Europe. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, 1795-1905; Roll #: 508; Volume #: Roll 508 - 01 Jun 1898-10 Jun 1898, accessed 07/23/2024.)