Résumé

Ship's Captain, New York, NY, c. 1850.

Partner, [Reuben S.] Clark and Kenitzer, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1856-1861. The San Francisco City Directory, 1861, indicated that the Clark and Kenitzer office was at 428 California Street. (See the San Francisco City Directory, 1861, p. 371.) Clark and Kenitzer definitely worked together by 1857, when they won a prize for their architectural drawings in a competition sponsored by the Mechanics Institute.

Partner, Kenitzer and [David] Farquharson, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1862-1872. They had their office at 428 California Street between 1862 and 1867. (See San Francisco City Directory, 1863, p. 399 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1867, p. 280.) By 1868, the firm had its office on the southwest corner of Kearny and California Streets, possibly at the same address, although this is unclear. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1868, p. 318.) In 1869, Henry's brother, Charles William Kenitzer (1836-1919), had joined as a draftsman for Kenitzer and Farquharson. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1869, p. 351.)

Partner, Kenitzer and [Edward T.] Raun, San Francisco, CA, 1873-1886. From at least 1875 until 1883, Kenitzer and Raun operated an office at 601 California Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 420and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1883, p. 1106.) Henry and Charles William Kenitzer worked in this partnership with Edward T. Raun. It appears that Charles worked as a draftsman for the firm until at least 1877. (See

Henry Kenitzer had retired from architectural practice by at least 1892, when the voter register did not list an occupation for him. The 1896 register listed his occupation as "none."

Professional Awards

The firm of Clark and Kenitzer won a second place award in an exhibition held at San Francisco's Mechanic's Institute in 1857 in Section (See "Awards pf the Mechanics' Institute," Daily Alta California, vol. 9, n0. 165, 10/03/1857, p. 1.) This was a very early awards program for craftsmen in San Francisco, and may have been where Kenitzer made connections with the lithographers Kuchel and Dressel. He owned a large number of lithographs rendered by this German duo, which were collected and published years later in the book, California in the Fifties.(See Douglas S. Watson, California in the Fifties, [San Francisco: J. Howell, 1936].)

College

According to the book, The Bay of San Francisco, Henry Kenitzer "...received his education in his native country, and studied architecture, both theoretical and practical." (See The Bay of San Francisco: The Metropolis of the Pacific Coast, and Its Suburban Cities. A History, [Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892], vol. 2, pp. 341-342.)

Relocation

Heinrich Kenitzer was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1827, although various dates have been proposed as his exact birthdate. The website Find a Grave.com has listed 03/08/1827 while others set the date as 02/14/1827. (The 1900 US Census listed his birthdate to have been in 02/1827, for example.)

He immigrated to New York, NY, in 05/1849, following the tumult in Germany and across Europe in 1848. Large protests occurred in Saxony's capitol, Dresden, during 05/03-09/1849, resulting in some violence and government retaliation, causing many to flee, mostly to North America. The architect's date of arrival in the US was noted in the 1900 US Census. Kenitzer settled in New York for an unknown period of time, likely between four and seven years. (See The Bay of San Francisco: The Metropolis of the Pacific Coast, and Its Suburban Cities. A History, [Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892], vol. 2, pp. 341-342.)

Prior to being an architect, Henry Kenitzer worked as a ship's captain. Sometime in the mid-1850s, he set sail from New York for San Francisco. The entry on Kenitzer in the Bay of San Francisco indicated that he sailed for CA in 1853-1854. (See The Bay of San Francisco: The Metropolis of the Pacific Coast, and Its Suburban Cities. A History, [Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892], vol. 2, pp. 341-342.) An article in the San Francisco Call of 1910 stated: "With Captain H.H. Watson, now surveyor for the British corporations of San Francisco, Captain Kenitzer came around the Horn in 1856 in the old ship Polynesia." (See "Sleeps by Side of Wife under Wave of Ocean," San Francisco Call, 03/29/1910, p. 1.)

He quickly formed his firm partnership in San Francisco, with Reuben Clark (d. 1866) that lasted from the mid-1850s until c. 1861. In 1861-1862, he resided at 430 Greenwich Street in San Francisco, CA, while the Clark and Kenitzer office was located at 428 California Street, according to an 1863 tax assessment list. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Internal Revenue Assessment Lists for California, 1862-1866; Series: M756; Roll: 1; Description: District 1; Annual and Special Lists; 1863; Record Group: 58, Records of the Internal Revenue Service, 1791 - 2006, accessed 05/28/2022 and San Francisco Directory, 1862, p. 224.)

He had an income of $1,682 in that year, and paid $50.46 in tax. Three years later, he earned $3,637 and paid 5% tax for a total of $181.85. San Francisco's 1866 Voter Register listed Kenitzer as dwelling at 436 Greenwich Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 41; FHL Roll Number: 977097, accessed 05/28/2022.)

He was naturalized in the 4th District Court of San Francisco on 05/01/1865. By 1867, he had moved to a residence on Sutter Street, listed as 1132 Sutter and the directory of the following year listed the same address. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1867, p. 280 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1868, p. 318.) The directory of the following year had the architect residing at 1123 Sutter Street, likely a misprint. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1869, p. 351.)

Six years later, he resided at 1023 Powell Street in 1875 and worked at the Kenitzer and Raun architectural office at 601 California Street. An Alameda County Voter Register of 1875 also listed Henry Kenitzer, Architect, as living in Oakland's Ward #2, where he registered to vote in 07/1875. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 1; FHL Roll Number: 976446, accessed 05/28/2022.) He did not reside in Oakland too long. By 1876, he had moved in with his brother C.W., at 108 Ellis Street. (See San Francisco Directory, 1876, p. 458.) The following year, Charles moved out to a place of his own, and Henry remained at 108 Ellis. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877, p. 487.)

Kenitzer resided at Lick House, a hotel, in 1883. (See the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1883, p. 616.)

The 1892 San Francisco Voter Register recorded that Kenitzer resided at 207 Larkin Street in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1892; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 86; FHL Roll Number: 977604, accessed 05/27/2022.)

At around the time of his wife Jeannette's death in 1896, Henry moved to live next door to his brother Charles William on Bush Street. By that time, Henry Kenitzer had moved from 207 Larkin and obtained real estate at 2804 Bush Street in San Francisco. He resided in the whole house at 2804, and his brother, Charles and his wife Mathilde (born 12/20/1853 in Germany-d. 12/21/1941 in CA), inhabited the second floor of 2802. The 1900 US Census corroborated this living arrangement. The 1900 US Census listed Henry as a "landlord," but it is not clear if he owned both 2802 and 2804. It is certain that he owned the latter. In 1900, he retained a housekeeper, Minnie Weiss (born 12/1873 in Germany), a woman to whom the architect would leave money to in his will. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 105; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0217; FHL microfilm: 1240105, accessed 05/27/2022.) Henry's address was given as 2804 Bush in a 1904 San Francisco voter register. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1904, accessed 05/28/2022.)

Paired urns containing the cremated remains of Henry and Jeannette Kenitzer were buried at sea by a sea captain friend of his in 03/1910. A front-page story in the San Francisco Callrelated the tale: "Two urns, one containing the ashes of Captain Henry Kenitzer and the other those of his wife, Jeanetta, lashed together and sealed, were cast overboard from the steamship Asuncion Good Friday morning. The funeral ritual was read by Captain George E. Bridgett, master of the Asuncion. Both were consigned to the deep in latitude 40 degrees 51 minutes north, longitude 124 degrees 32 minutes west. In obedianece to a promise made to Captain Kenitzer eight years ago, Captain Bridgett took the ashes of his departed friend and those of Mrs. Kenitzer and 'buried them in deep water.'" (See "Sleeps by Side of Wife under Wave of Ocean," San Francisco Call, 03/29/1910, p. 1.)

His last will of 06/10/1909 listed his executors as his brother C.W. Kenitzer, Achille Roos and H.B. Hosmer. This document divided Kenitzer's estate in fourteen parts, most of to be given to the children of his deceased sisters. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Wills; Author: California. Superior Court [San Francisco County], accessed 05/28/2022.)

Parents

He had a younger brother, Charles William Kenitzer (born 11/04/1836 in Germany-d. 03/23/1919 in CA), with whom he worked. He also had sisters (who all died before 1910) Henrietta Kenitzer Simon, Wilhelmine Kenitzer Peterlein, Caroline Kenitzer Schulz, Pauline Kenitzer Winger and Amalie Kenitzer Wolfram.

Spouse

He wed Jeannettte Kenitzer (d. 1896). They married before 06/26/1865, when Kenitzer applied to receive a US Passport. He had been naturalized the previous year. According to the passport application, Jeannette would accompany him on his trip back to Germany in 1865. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 132; Volume #: Roll 132 - 15 Jun 1865-18 Jul 1865, accessed 05/28/2022.)

Biographical Notes

Thirty-nine-year-old Kenitzer traveled to Germany sometime in 1865. He returned aboard the Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft's S.S. Bavaria leaving Hamburg on 10/28/1865. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 019; Page: 1062; Microfilm No.: K_1711, accessed 05/27/2022.)

An "H. Kenitzer" was listed among the passengers arriving in San Francisco, CA, aboard the steamer Sacramento on 12/15/1865. (See Sacramento Daily Union, vol. 30, no. 4598, 12/16/1865, p. 3.)

He and his wife vacationed at Grant's Hotel, Donner Lake, CA, as of 08/01/1869. (See Daily Alta California, vol. 21, no. 7077, 08/05/1869, p. 2.)

Kenitzer and his wife arrived in Oakland, CA, via overland train on the evening of 10/07/1874. (See "Overland Arrivals To-night," Oakland Tribune, 10/07/1874, p. 3.)

Henry Kenitzer was a member of the Liberal Reform Party Convention in San Francisco in 1873. (See "Liberal Reform Party," San Francisco Examiner, 07/15/1873, p. 3.) Historian Earle Dudley Ross wrote in his 1915 Cornell doctoral study of the Liberal Reform Party: "The California Liberal Republican organization, apparently never strong, became the 'Liberal Reform Party,' in 1873. This and other independent, anti-monopoly organizations acted with the Democrats in the main in the local elections and the combination was able to organize the legislature, and control the election of the United States senators, an independent and a Democrat." (See Earle Dudley Ross, The Liberal Republican Movement, [New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1919], pp. 204-205.)

During 1885 and 1886, Kenitzer became embroiled in a dispute over the will of Thomas Fallon, a wealthy miner and real estate owner. Children of Fallon challenged a late will presented to a probate court by Kenitzer and others indicating new beneficiaries to the $300,000 Fallon Estate as well as the introduction of Kenitzer as executor. This case was reported on throughout CA and became a staple of legal news coverage during the 1885-1886 time period. During Kenitzer's own testimony at this trial, the architect indicated that he had designed several houses for Thomas Fallon: "The witness stated that he had built many houses for Fallon, as an architect, since 1868." (See "The Fallon Case," San Francisco Examiner, 04/27/1886, p. 3.)

According to the 1892 San Francisco Voter Register, Kenitzer, at age 65, stood 6-feet tall, and was Caucasian with a dark complexion, gray hair and eyes. It also noted that he had a scar on his forehead. This register noted that he was naturalized an American citizen on 05/01/1865 in the Fourth District Court of San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1892; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 86; FHL Roll Number: 977604, accessed 05/27/2022.)

Following the death of his wife in 1894, Kenitzer vacationed three times at Bourden's Strawberry Ranch near Healdsburg, CA, in 1897, 1899 and 1900. (See "Visitors at the Strawberry Ranch," Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, vol. XX, no. 6, 11/04/1897, p. 1; "Visitors at the Strawberry Ranch," Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, vol. XXIII, no. 26, 09/28/1899, p. 7.; "Visitors at Strawberry Ranch," Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, vol. XXV, no. 7, 05/24/1900, p. 2.)

At age 65, the voter's register for the third precinct of the 39th Assembly District in San Francisco County described Kenitzer as standing six feet tall with gray hair and gray eyes. It indicated that he had a noticeable scar on his forehead.

Member, Masonic Hall Association, Board of Trustees, San Francisco, CA, c. 1885, 1886. A note in the Daily Alta California said: "The following were re-elected yesterday as the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Hall Association: Alexander D. Abell, president; Edmund B. Hathaway, Isaac E. Davis, Thomas E. Caswell, Franklin H. Day, Henry Kenitzer, Hiram T. Graves, William S. Bowne and Henry L. Davis." (See Masonic Hall Association," Daily Alta California, vol. 41, no. 13613, 12/07/1886, p. 2.)

Member, Knights Templar, San Francisco, CA, 1886. Kenitzer was added to the Knights Templar Committee on Decorations on 02/19/1886. (See "Knights Templar, Daily Alta California, vol. 40, no. 13329, 02/23/1886, p. 2.)

Kenitzer had some interest in history and preserving views, lithographic and photographic, of San Francisco and the West. It was noted that he was on a ship in San Francisco Bay carrying members of the city's Camera Club as it documented the port facilities and Chinatown of the day. Kenitzer may have been part of the Camera Club or had the responsiblity of piloting the tugboat Governor Irwin on which the club sailed. (See "Camera Club Completes Task and Has Whole City on Plates," San Francisco Call, 10/21/1901, p. 7.) A book review in the Oakland Tribune of 1936 related this story: "All but fantastic is the tale behind the publication of 'California in the Fifties,' a book of fifty view of cities and mining towns of the West. The pictures were originally drawn on stone by Kuchel and Dresel and other early San Francisco lithographers, and the introduction and explanatory text is by Douglas S. Watson. Story has it the artists became friends of Henry Kenitzer, noted architect, who acquired a large collection of their work. When he died the collection could not be found. He did possess, however, an old-fashioned combination desk and bookcase which was moved and handed about and finally came into possession of a friend of the family. Children in the home of this friend, playing about the desk, touched a secret spring, and prints and noted spilled out. There were fifty lithographs and among the finest of the period." (See "Books and Writers," Oakland Tribune, 05/31/1936, p. 16. See also Douglas S. Watson, California in the Fifties, [San Francisco: J. Howell, 1936].)

The architect was also an expert marksman, even late in his life. (See "The Field of Sport: The Rifle," San Francisco Call, vol. 79, no. 161, 05/09/1896, p. 8.)

The CA Death Index stated Henry Kenitzer's death date to have been 01/08/1910.