Born in Buttenheim, Bavaria in 1829, he sailed to New York City with his mother and two sisters in 1847. There he joined his two half brothers in a dry goods store. In 1853 he sailed to San Francisco to set up a dry goods "house". which grew into a prosperous business for 20 years. In 1886, they moved to 14-16 Battery where they remained for 40 years. In 1873, he and tailor/inventor Jacob Davis received a patent for riveting men's pants. The rest, as they say, is history.