Lobner family left Europe to seek fortune in America

Among the pioneers to reach California in 1854 were Leopold and Josephine Lobner. They were seeking a share of the fortune in gold to be found in California. Leopold was born in Vienna, Austria, about 1825. Josephine was born in or near Prague, Bohemia in September 1823. They came as European immigrants to New York in 1842 where they acquired and operated a hotel. While living there, they became naturalized U.S. citizens and had their first two children, Morris in 1849 and Eliza in 1851. Their decision to pioneer California entailed not a trip across the plains, but a shorter and perilous voyage on a sailing ship through the Atlantic, through the Caribbean, across the Isthmus of Panama and again by sailing ship up the dangerous Pacific Coast to San Francisco. They were sailing safely until they arrived in the Caribbean where they encountered a terrific storm. Their ship ran aground in the middle of the night and the Lobners were forced to abandon ship. With other passengers crowded aboard a raft, they floated all night in gigantic waves. To make matters worse, Josephine was pregnant with their third child. The raft grounded on a tiny island where they were luckily rescued by a passing ship and carried to the Isthmus of Panama. The family continued up river by canoe and on the back of a mule over mountain trails. The crossing to the Pacific took five days. Then they waited many days to get passage on a ship to San Francisco, finally arriving in 1854. Shortly after their arrival, Josephine gave birth to their third child, Matilda. They finally set out for the gold country, stopping briefly at Rattlesnake Bar in 1860.The Lobners then moved to Georgetown where the stayed for 12 years operating a general merchandise store to supply the miners needs. During that time four more children were born: Samuel in 1856 who died in infancy; Charles in 1857; William (always called Barney) in 1862; and Henry (always called Heinie) in 1864.In 1865, there was news of the Central Pacific Railroad's completion and later that year, the Lobners were lured to the Colfax area.They settled first in Illinoistown, then business hub of the area, but bought property in the new town of Colfax (No.6 Main Street, now housing Pick-A-Flick) and opened a general merchandise store in 1867. They built their home next to the Central Hotel in Colfax (neither building still stands), which was handy to the store across the tracks on Main Street.The historic chain of title to the store property continued. When Leopold died in Colfax on April 28, 1892, title passed to Josephine. She died in Nevada on Oct. 27, 1904, leaving title to their youngest son Henry, who had worked the store with his father. When Henry died in Colfax on Aug. 8, 1921, title passed to his widow Mary Louise (nee Kuenzly, always called Lulu). Upon her death on Feb. 21, 1965, her daughter Alice Lorene (nee Lobner) Keena inherited the property.Upon her death on April 8, 1975, Lorene bequeathed title to Kneeland Harkness Lobner, who was born Feb. 2, 1919 in Sacramento. Kneeland is the great-grandson of Leopold and Josephine Lobner and the only great grandchild bearing the Lobner name.The Lobner building burnt down twice over the years — 1874 and 1879 – but was.quickly rebuilt. The building at the corner Main and Grass Valley (across the street from the store) is also owned by the Lobner family.For more information on this pioneer family, visit the Colfax Heritage Museum at 99 Railroad Street.