Résumé

Principal, Charles M. Rousseau, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1900. In 1900, Rousseau operated his architectural practice in Room #523 of the Spreckels Building at 927 Market Street in San Francisco. (See Crocker-Langley Directory of San Francisco, California, 1900, p. 1493.)

Partner, Rousseau and Son, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1901-1905. The name "Rousseau and Son" appears to have been a partnership between Charles M. Rousseau and his son, Arthur. Charles J. Rousseau was listed as having a separate office at 916 Market Street, while Rousseau and Son was located at 927 Market. Sons Arthur and Oliver continued to work in this office in 1910.

Partner, Rousseau and Rousseau, Incorporated, Architects, Engineers and Designers, San Francisco, 1914-1918.

Relocation

Born 09/23/1848 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Charles M. Rousseau migrated to the United States in either 1871 or 1876. Two US passport applications by Charles J. Rousseau, Charles M. Rousseau's son, one from 04/30/1921 and the other from 04/30/1923, related two different stories about the latter's immigration and settlement history. The 1921 application indicated that Charles M. Rousseau came to the US in 1871 and that he resided in CA between 1871 and 1919. (This was, in part, wrong, as Charles M. Rousseau died in late 1918.) According to this document, Charles M. Rousseau was naturalized in Saint Louis, MO, in 1876. The 1923 application indicated that Charles lived in the US from 1876 until 1921. This document erred on the dates of entry and death. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Volume #: Volume 001: Portugal, accessed 02/14/2019.)

It is clear that the Rousseau Family lived in Saint Louis, MO, from at least 1876 until at least 1885, before relocating to San Francisco. The 1880 US Census located them to be living on Florissant Avenue in Saint Louis. At this time, the household included Charles M, his wife, Fannie, children Minnie and Charles, his father Peter Rousseau, and two boarders, Stanislaus Lambotte (born c. 1843 in Belgium) and John Mueller, a newspaper reporter, (born c. 1836 in Bohemia). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Saint Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: 735; Page: 267A; Enumeration District: 415, accessed 02/15/2019.)

Charles, Frances and four of their seven children lived in the family residence at 1903 Webster Street in 1900. This census document noted that Charles M. Rousseau entered the US in 1871. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 40, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_101; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0253; FHL microfilm: 1374114, accessed 02/15/2019.)

In 1908, he resided at 1903 Webster Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 02/14/2019.) The San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1917, (p. 1742) located the family residence at 1901 Webster Street. Son Arthur also shared this address.

He passed away just after the Armistice on 11/15/1918, and was buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Colma, CA.

Parents

Both of Charles M. Rousseau's parents were born in Belgium. His father, Peter Rousseau, (born c. 1811), worked as a florist in Saint Louis, according to the 1880 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Saint Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: 735; Page: 267A; Enumeration District: 415, accessed 02/15/2019.)

Spouse

Charles M. Rousseau married Frances R. "Fannie" Scheibli (born 02/15/1866 in Frankfort, KY-d. 04/28/1933 in San Francisco, CA) in c. 1878. (See Frances Rousseau obituary, San Francisco Chronicle, 04/29/1933, p. 9.)

Children

He and Frances had seven children, four girls and three boys. Their daughters included: Wilhelmina O. Rousseau Drossel (born 04/16/1877 in Saint Louis, MO-d. 01/25/1947 in Franklin, CA), Laura Marie Rousseau Ludolph (born 02/19/1883 in Saint Louis, MO-d. 09/23/1956 in San Francisco, CA), Frances Rose Rousseau Skelly (born 01/25/1884 in Saint Louis, MO-d. 10/20/1970 in San Francisco, CA), and Mabel Estelle Rousseau McCarthy (born 09/18/1887 in New York, NY-d. 04/21/1962 in Stanislaus County, CA).

His sons included Charles John Rousseau (born either 02/28/1879 or 03/01/1879 in Saint Louis, MO-d. 03/31/1944 in San Francisco, CA), Arthur Frank Rousseau (born 08/13/1885 in Saint Louis, MO-d. 08/05/1943 in San Francisco, CA), and Oliver Marion Rousseau (born 12/06/1891 in San Francisco, CA-d. 05/30/1977 in San Francisco, CA). who all became architects. Oliver Rousseau also worked as a home builder in San Francisco.

Biographical Notes

Voter registration records indicated that Rousseau was a registered Republican in 1908. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 02/15/2019.)