Résumé

During his lifetime, Reimers had various occupations, including landscape artist, landscape gardener, and perhaps as an architectural designer. (Alameda County voter rolls from 1944 listed his occupation as "architect," which may have been either a mistake or a shortened version of "landscape architect.")

Landscape Gardener, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, c. 1900. Reimers worked for the Santa Fe Railway in Fresno, CA, before 1900. (See "Trees Growing in Fresno Are Unique," Fresno Bee, 02/07/1954, p. 30-D [consecutive number 81].)

Principal, Johannes Reimers, Landscape Gardener, Stockton, CA, 1909. In 1909, Reimers had a home office at 1430 North Commerce Street in Stockton. (See The Polk-Husted Company's Stockton, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 477.)

Reimers worked in Fresno, CA, c. 1910, on the design of Roeding Park. The Fresno Bee said in a retrospective note published in 1950: "A need for private contributions to carry on the beautification projects in Roeding Park was cited by Johannes Reimers, the landscape gardener in charge of the park development." (See "Fresno's Yesterdays," Fresno Bee, 01/10/1950, p. 26.)

Landscape Gardener, City of Fresno, Fresno, CA, c. 1918. A note in the Fresno Bee stated: "Johannes Reimers, the city's landscape gardener, was working with other city officials in preparing a new cemetery to be called the Lincoln Cemetery." (See "Forty Years Ago," Fresno Bee, 04/03/1958, p. 38.)

Landscape Gardener, Johannes Reimers, possibly Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, San Leandro, CA, 1930.

Principal, Johannes Reimers, Landscape Designer, Berkeley, CA, c. 1912-1916. (See Polk-Husted Company's Oakland, California, City Directory, 1916, p. 1113.)

Relocation

Johannes Reimers was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1858, although the exact date is not completely clear. The California Death Index listed his date of birth as 12/31/1856, while the Cultural Landscape Foundation set it at 1858. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Place: Alameda; Date: 22 Aug 1953 Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000, accessed 07/15/2022.) Norwegian birth records had it on 12/31/1857, with a christening date of 1858. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Norway, Births and Christenings, 1648-1903 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008, accessed 07/15/2022.)

He came to CA by the early 1880s, likely just after his marriage to Marie Arentz in 1882. Once in CA, he moved about frequently for work. The 1930 US Census recorded that Johannes had immigrated to the US from Norway in 1885. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: San Leandro, Alameda, California; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0240; FHL microfilm: 2339844, accessed 07/15/2022.)

The Reimers resided in Stockton in 1900, where Johannes worked as a landscape gardener.

He and his family lived in Stockton, CA, in 1909, where they lived at 1430 North Commerce Street. (See The Polk-Husted Company's Stockton, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 477.)

California voter records indicated Reimers lived in Berkeley, CA, in 1912. He lived at 2032 Bancroft Way in Berkeley, with his wife, Marie, and son, Frederick. Frederick, Sr., (1888-1961) would later become a notable architect in the Bay Area. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1912, accessed 07/14/2022.) In 1914, Alameda County voter rolls listed Johannes as residing at 1330 Spruce Street in Berkeley, where he listed his occupation as "artist." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1914, accessed 07/15/2022.) By 1916, The Reimers dwelled at 2637 Rose Street in Berkeley. (See Polk-Husted Company's Oakland, California, City Directory, 1916, p. 1113.)

By 1930, Johannes shared a dwelling at 299 Broadmoor Boulevard in San Leandro, CA, with Ruth L. Montgomery, who was listed in the US Census as his "servant." The house and land had a value of $10,000 in that year, a little more than surrounding residences. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: San Leandro, Alameda, California; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0240; FHL microfilm: 2339844, accessed 07/15/2022.) He and Ruth continued to live at 299 Broadmoor Boulevard in San Leandro, CA, between 1944 and 1948, at least. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1944, and Hayward, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 789.)

Reimers died on 08/22/1953 in Alameda County, CA.

Parents

His parents were Henrik Johansen Reimers (born 09/11/1828 in Bergen, Norway) and Alida Margrethe Helmers (born c. 1834 in Norway), who married on 03/11/1857 in Bergen, Norway. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Den Norske Kirke (Bergen, Hordaland, Norway), Marriages 1841 - 1874, Microfilm nr. 278102, accessed 07/15/2022.)

Spouse

Johannes Reimers married twice.

He first wed Marie Arentz (born 02/02/1859 in Bergen, Norway-d. 01/17/1946 in Alameda County, CA) in c. 1882. Her parents were Fredrik Christian Holberg Arentz (born c. 1811 in Norway) and likely his second wife Emma Eleonora Charlotte Constance Juel (born c. 1831 in Norway).

Marie was a free-thinking person who had many talents, including sewing and painting. She taught herself how to paint at the age of 69, and enjoyed some success exhibiting her works. In 1909, Marie identified as a Socialist in Alameda County voting rolls, while her husband, Johannes was a registered as a Republican. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1912, accessed 07/14/2022.)

Marie and Johannes divorced on or before 1927. The Oakland, California, City Directory, 1927, (p. 1547) listed Marie as having been the "widow" of Johannes, although he was still alive. She resided at 2630 Shasta Road in Berkeley.

By 1944, he had married Ruth L. Montgomery (born c. 1869 in TX).

Children

He and Marie had five children: Emma Reimers, Alida Reimers, Henry A. Reimers, Irwin H. Reimers and Frederick Holberg Reimers.

In 1961, Henry resided in Long Beach, CA, while Irwin made his home in Napa, CA. (See "Prominent Architect Reimers," San Francisco Examiner, 07/12/1961, p. 29.)

Biographical Notes

Reimers may have traveled to the Middle East before 1900, collecting plant specimens and seeds for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. (See "Gardening News: Trees Growing in Fresno Are Unique," Fresno Bee, 02/07/1954, p. 30-D [consecutively numbered 81].)

Reimers was listed as a registered Republican in 1912 and as a Progressive is 1914. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1912, and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1914, accessed 07/15/2022.)