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Lost Grass Valley Gold Rush History of the Wilhelm & Binkleman Pioneer Families by Waldo C.F. Potter (2024) (374 pages)
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Page: of 374
BINKLEMAN
Sophia Mader Binkleman and David Binkleman were both born in Germany.
Sophia in Karlsruhe in 1840 and David in Wurtenburg in 1828. They were
married in New York City in 1852. That year their first child Rosa
was born.
In 1853 they left New York by ship for California. They disembarked
at the Isthmus of Panama and proceeded to cross by mule train and canoe.
To quote from Truman/Watkins "The Gold Rush County" -“On paper, the Panama route appeared the easiest and
quickest of all, land or sea. The overland journey
led through fetid jungle, infested with disease and
bandits. If they survived, travelers found Panama
City crawling with earlier arrivals. All of them
waiting and waiting for passage. When the journey
continued, the three month voyage was more often than
not, on a ship supremely overloaded with passengers
and underloaded with food and water."
On the trip across the Isthmus, Rosa became so'ill that the leader
of the group talked with Mrs. Binkleman about the possibility of leaving
the child, as it was certain to him she was at death's door. Fortunately,
for all of us, Rosa recovered her health.
They all arrived later that year in Grass Valley which at that
time was "only a shadow of a town". Grossvater tried mining first with
ordinary success and then giving up mining, he went to work for a baker.
Later, he bought a half interest in a brewing business. In 1856, the
brewery was burned out and was an entire loss -including horses, wagons,
and everything connected with the well equipped establishment.
Immediately after the fire the enterprising firm built a frame
building on North Auburn Street and the increase in business soon demanded
larger quarters and a fine brick building was erected in 1861. The front
of the building is still standing. The kiln and the vat were in the
10