Researching Abraham Klauber

The store in Volcano did very well during the Gold Rush, and soon Abraham opened another group of stores over the Sierra in Genoa Nevada Territory. The Genoa store was to play a key role in the history of Nevada. During his years in Nevada (1859–1868) he opened branch stores in Dayton, Carson City and Virginia City Nevada. Abraham provided his stores with goods by trucking supplies via mule train and wagon across the Sierra Mountains. Abraham's store in Genoa was used by Wells Fargo to conduct its business. The company's agents, Abraham and Henry Epstein, also became local agents for the Pony Express. The Pony Express was an important link with the outside world. It was a lifeline of information for the local papers that brought in the latest news and reports on the festering slave question in the East. The communications were even more important during this period since the country was leading up to the start of the Civil War.

Abraham became a U.S. Citizen on March 12, 1859, using money he had earned from his business enterprises, he soon sent for both his mother and sister in Bohemia. After having three children, Abraham began to tire of the hard mountain life, the Comstock mines had begun to slow production and the establishment of the transcontinental railroad began to negatively affect his Nevada Business. Abraham soon began to look for another place to live. In 1869, he chose San Diego as the place where he would move his enterprises. It was in San Diego where he created his new business in an area called "New Town," purchasing a lot from the "Father of San Diego" Alonzo Horton. For the next 40 years he would grow both his family & business enterprises starting with Steiner & Klauber, Klauber & Levi and then finally the very successful wholesale food distribution firm of Klauber Wangenheim Co. Abraham and Theresa would raise 9 of their 12 children to adults. Abraham's youngest son Laurence Monroe Klauber (1883 in San Diego, California – 1968), was an American herpetologist, and was considered to be the foremost authority on rattlesnakes. In 1877, Abraham ran for and was elected with 756 votes to serve with D.R. Foss and E. Ormsby on San Diego's Board of Supervisors, serving as its chairman 1878–80. The much revered 80-year-old pioneer and adventurer passed to his final rest on July 23, 1911. Acquaintances declared that his death marked the passing of one of the gentlest and most loved characters the southland had ever known.

There is still a Klauber Avenue to the southeast of City Heights, the neighborhood Klauber was instrumental in founding. In City Heights itself, Klauber Street was renamed to Wightman, but the old name can still be seen engraved in the sidewalk in some places, as it is a custom in San Diego to preserve the original markings when repaving the sidewalks. Klauber/Wightman St. is one block south of University Ave, which was originally named after Klauber's partner Steiner.