Résumé

Eissler served in Company M of the 166th Indiana Infantry in the Spanish-American War. He was dismissed from service on 12/14/1898, four days after the official end of the conflict. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT. USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019, accessed 07/19/2021.)

Carpenter, Oakland, CA, c. 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Oakland Ward 1, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_69; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0076; FHL microfilm: 1374082, accessed 07/19/2021.)

Foreman, Robert E. Waugh, Bakersfield, CA, 1911. (See the Polk-Husted Directory Company's Bakersfield City Directory, 1911, p. 68.) In 1911, Waugh had his office at 801 20th Street in Bakersfield. (See the Polk-Husted Directory Company's Bakersfield City Directory, 1911, p. 68.)

Partner, Eissler and [W.J.] MacTavish, General Contractors, San Francisco, CA, 1913. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1913, p. 633.)

Principal, William Eissler, Carpenter, San Francsico, CA, 09/1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: San Francisco Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 07/19/2021.)

Principal, William Eissler, Carpenter, Bakersfield, CA, 1922.

Principal, William Eissler, Building Contractor, Bakersfield, CA. His brother, Henry, also worked as a building contractor in Bakersfield.

Relocation

Born in Evansville, IN, William Eissler lived on his parents' farm in Luce, IN, according to the US Censuses of 1880 and 1900. In 1880, he lived on the firm with his five siblings, and, twenty years later, he remained here with his siblings Henry and Ida, as well as a boarder, Walter Fortune (born c. 02/1875 in IN). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Luce, Spencer, Indiana; Roll: 312; Page: 167D; Enumeration District: 050, accessed 07/19/2021 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Luce, Spencer, Indiana; Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0070; FHL microfilm: 1240403, accessed 07/19/2021.)

Eissler may have passed through San Francisco, CA, during the Spanish-American War, if he served in the Philippines. He may have liked it here and decided to return. Voter records recorded that he dwelled at 631 3rd Street in San Francisco in 1902. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 07/19/2021.)

In 1910, Eissler resided in Oakland, CA, at 650 Aileen Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Oakland Ward 1, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_69; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0076; FHL microfilm: 1374082, accessed 07/19/2021.)

It is possible that he divorced his wife c. 1910 and moved back to San Francisco. Eissler lived at 19 Guy Place in San Francisco in 1911. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1911, p. 570) He was also listed as living in Bakersfield, CA, by 1911, where he boarded at 1616 California Street. (See the Polk-Husted Directory Company's Bakersfield City Directory, 1911, p. 68.)

He returned to the Bay Area by 1913, but likely on his own. He dwelled at 376 Grove Street in San Francisco, CA, between 1916 through 1922, at least. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1916, Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: San Francisco Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 07/19/2021, Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 29, San Francisco, California; Roll: T625_133; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 50, accessed 07/19/2021 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1922, accessed 07/22/2021.)

His brother, Henry, worked as a general contractor in Bakersfield in 1921, and William may have moved here to be closer to him. (See Bakersfield, California, City Directory, 1921, np.) William had an address of 1826 14th Street in Bakersfield by 1922. (See Bakersfield, California, City Directory, 1922, np.)

The US Census of 1930 found him living at 2300 East Niles Street, with a housekeeper, Irene Thomas (born c. 1895 in OH), and her daughter, Gloria, (born c. 1924 in CA). Both William and Irene had been divorced. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Township 3, Kern, California; Page: 26B; Enumeration District: 0030; FHL microfilm: 2339857, accessed 07/19/2021.)

He lived at 526 East 18th Street Bakersfield, two years before he died in 1944. (See Bakersfield, California, City Directory, 1942, p. 132.)

He passed away at the age of 67, and was buried in the Union Cemetery, Bakersfield, CA.

Parents

His father was John W. Eissler (born as "Johann Wilhelm Eissler" on 11/21/1838 in Germany-d. 12/19/1925 in IN), worked as a farmer. He immigrated to the US in 1839 with his family, according to the 1900 US Census. John Eissler served in Company G of the 1st Indiana Heavy Artillery Regiment in the Civil War.

His mother, Louisa Meinhart (born 03/26/1837 in Germany-d. 05/27/1933 in Luce, IN), worked alongside her husband on their farm, raising eleven children, nine of whom survived in 1900.

Some of his siblings included: Barbara Eissler Shelton (born 1866 in IN=d. 1944), Annie Eissler Hedderich (born 12/07/1869 in Evansville, IN-d. 10/23/1948 in Evansville, IN), Mary Eissler Meyers (born c. 1872 in IN), Emma EIssler McCoy (born 1876 in IN-d. 1964 in IN), and Henry Eissler (born 12/10/1878-d. 12/06/1966 in Bakersfield, CA).

Spouse

He wed Mary C. King on 03/04/1903 at Ebeneezer Lutheran Church in San Francisco. It appears that this marriage was relatively short-lived. The US Census of 1910, listed both WIlliam and Mary living together at 650 Aileen Street in Oakland, CA, but they may have broken up that year. William had another two other addresses by 1911, one in San Francisco and the other in Bakersfield. Mary was not listed as his next of kin on his 1918 World War I draft registration card, rather, he wrote in his mother in Evansville, IN.

Mary had wed once before, and had had one children during her previous marriage.