Herman W. Hellman
Herman W. Hellman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Reckendorf, Bavaria |
| Died | October 19, 1906 (aged 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, financier, property investor |
| Known for | Vice president and general manager of The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles; president of Merchants National Bank; significant landholder in Los Angeles |
Herman W. Hellman (September 25, 1843 – October 19, 1906) was a prominent American entrepreneur, financier, and property investor.
Early life
Hellman was born in Reckendorf, Bavaria, and emigrated to the United States alongside his brother Isaias W. Hellman. They arrived in Los Angeles in 1859 when Herman was sixteen years old.
Career
Initially, Hellman worked as a messenger traveling between Wilmington, California and Los Angeles for Phineas Banning. By 1861, he was employed at his uncle Samuel Hellman's retail store in Los Angeles before establishing his own shop at Downey Block. Together with Jacob Haas, he launched the wholesale grocery firm Hellman, Haas & Co., which supplied goods across Southern California as well as Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This enterprise eventually evolved into Baruch, Haas, & Co. By the 1880s, Hellman had become one of the wealthiest figures in Los Angeles business circles.
In 1890, he assumed the roles of vice president and general manager at The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles, an institution founded by his brother. Following a demotion linked to his permissive credit policies, Hellman resigned in 1903 to take the presidency of Merchants National Bank. Additionally, he played a key role in establishing the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
Hellman Buildings
As a significant landholder in Los Angeles, Hellman owned several properties named after him, including various "Hellman Buildings" (also known as "H. W. Hellman Building" and "New Hellman Building"). Important sites included buildings on Third Street (1876), the intersection of Main and Commercial streets (1882), Third and Main streets (1892), and the northeast corner of Second Street and Broadway (1897).
In 1903, Hellman commissioned architect Alfred Rosenheim to create an eight-story structure known as the Hellman Building located at Fourth and Spring streets in Downtown Los Angeles. This building still stands today and has been converted for residential use.
He also held the position of president at Congregation B'nai B'rith, which later became the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.
Personal life
On July 26, 1874, Hellman married his cousin Ida Heimann in Italy. The couple resided on South Hill Street in Los Angeles and maintained a second residence in Alhambra, California. They had five children: Clothilde, Frieda, Marco, Irving, and Amy.
Death
Hellman passed away from diabetes on October 19, 1906, in Los Angeles. His final resting place is the Home of Peace Cemetery located in East Los Angeles.