Samuel Braunhart

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Samuel Braunhart
Braunhart c. 1899
Member of the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
In office
June 29, 1900 – January 8, 1906
Preceded byA. B. Maguire
Succeeded bySam Davis
Member of the California Senate
from the 17th district
In office
January 4, 1897 – June 28, 1900
Preceded byWilliam J. Dunn
Succeeded byJoseph M. Plunkett
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 11th district
In office
January 5, 1880 – January 3, 1881
Preceded byMulti-member district
Succeeded byMulti-member district
Personal details
Born(1848-01-01)January 1, 1848
Schubin, Province of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia
DiedMay 28, 1906(1906-05-28) (aged 58)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Political partyWorkingmen's (before 1881)
Democratic (after 1881)
OccupationCigar salesman
Signature

Samuel Braunhart (January 1, 1848 – May 28, 1906) was a German-born Jewish American cigar salesman and politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1880 to 1881, the California State Senate from 1897 to 1900, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1900 to 1906.[1]

Life

[edit]
1880 sketch by Carl Browne

Born to a Prussian Jewish family in Schubin, Braunhart immigrated to America in 1862[2] and settled in San Francisco in 1871. Establishing himself as a cigar salesman, he was first elected to the State Assembly in 1879 on the Workingmen's ticket. After serving a single term, he left office and became active in the oil business. In 1895, he was appointed San Francisco Port Warden.[3] He made his return to the State Legislature in 1896, when he was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat. He held that office until 1900, when San Francisco Mayor James D. Phelan appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of A. B. Maguire.[4] He won re-election in 1901 and 1903, but was defeated in the Union Labor landslide in 1905. He died the next year, his health made worse from the stress of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.[5]

During his career in politics, Braunhart became known for his support of working-class causes, such as Chinese exclusion, anti-monopolism, and public ownership.[2][4] In 1873, while working in Los Angeles, he was challenged to a duel over a personal dispute, withdrawing at the last minute after he discovered his pistol hadn't been loaded.[6]

[edit]
  • The Open Letter Legislative Sketch Book, 23d Session, California Assembly of 1880
    The Open Letter Legislative Sketch Book, 23d Session, California Assembly of 1880
  • "The Jack in the Box"
    "The Jack in the Box"
  • "Considering the Source"
    "Considering the Source"
  • "THE DUNCE—A Scene from the 'Little Duke'"
    "THE DUNCE—A Scene from the 'Little Duke'"
  • "Scene From L'assommoir—An Assembly of Washerwomen"
    "Scene From L'assommoir—An Assembly of Washerwomen"
  • "The Kangaroo Sweepstake"
    "The Kangaroo Sweepstake"
  • "Sam B-R-U-N-A-R-T"
    "Sam B-R-U-N-A-R-T"
  • "Tammany at the Fair"
    "Tammany at the Fair"
  • "The Local Democratic Leadership"
    "The Local Democratic Leadership"
  • "A Discouraging Search"
    "A Discouraging Search"
  • "AVE CÆSAR MAXIMUS POPPER"
    "AVE CÆSAR MAXIMUS POPPER"
  • "Peace in the Democratic Corral"
    "Peace in the Democratic Corral"
  • "Saddling Up"
    "Saddling Up"
  • "Abou Ben Popper's Dream"
    "Abou Ben Popper's Dream"
  • "Mythology Up to Date"
    "Mythology Up to Date"
  • "The Quarrel"
    "The Quarrel"
  • "Putting Up the Bars"
    "Putting Up the Bars"
  • "Snapshots at Statesmen"
    "Snapshots at Statesmen"
  • "Sammy's Straddle"
    "Sammy's Straddle"
  • "Harbingers of Evil Omen"
    "Harbingers of Evil Omen"
  • "Things We Will Not See"
    "Things We Will Not See"
  • "The Tables Turned"
    "The Tables Turned"
  • "In Union There is Sometimes Family Trouble"
    "In Union There is Sometimes Family Trouble"
  • "The Democratic Board of Strategy"
    "The Democratic Board of Strategy"
  • "The Same Old Battle Cry"
    "The Same Old Battle Cry"
  • "The Honorable Sammy Brownhard"
    "The Honorable Sammy Brownhard"
  • "The Cold Snap at the City Hall"
    "The Cold Snap at the City Hall"
  • "Guess the Name of the August City Father"
    "Guess the Name of the August City Father"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Samuel Braunhart". JoinCalifornia. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kellar, Liz (August 20, 2018). "Sargent statue debate highlights complexity of history". The Union. Grass Valley. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Brown, L. H. (1896). Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of California For the Two Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 1896. Sacramento: California State Printing Office. p. 24. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Evarts, Blake (1902). San Francisco; a brief biographical sketch of some of the most prominent men who will preside over her destiny for at least two year. San Francisco: Pacific Publishing Company. Retrieved September 17, 2024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  5. ^ "Former Supervisor Samuel Braunhart claimed by death". The San Francisco Call. San Francisco. May 15, 1906. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "NO NOVICE ON THE FIELD OF HONOR". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco. April 8, 1896. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
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