From collection Member List
Jellis Clute Wilmerding was born in April 1833, in Livingston County, New York, to a wealthy New York merchant. When he was 15, Wilmerding went to New York City to start a merchandising business, but the discovery of gold in California changed his plans.
Wilmerding set sail for California with a boatload of merchandise. Although he was not a great success at first, he eventually managed to save enough to buy the initial equipment needed to be a prospector. In the summer months, he went to prospect for gold. In the winter, he returned to San Francisco to sell merchandise.
Jellis Wilmerding was politically and socially involved in San Francisco and California. He was a member of the famous Second Vigilante Committee of 1856 and a life member of the Society of California Pioneers. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Society in 1871 and 1872. In 1880, he was elected a delegate from California to the Republican Convention that nominated James A. Garfield for President of the United States.
Wilmerding took an interest in the youth of the city and helped them extensively. Some biographers speculate that, because he received a superior education but never learned to work with tools, he founded the Wilmerding of School of Industrial Arts in order to give the boys of California an opportunity to learn a trade.
Wilmerding set sail for California with a boatload of merchandise. Although he was not a great success at first, he eventually managed to save enough to buy the initial equipment needed to be a prospector. In the summer months, he went to prospect for gold. In the winter, he returned to San Francisco to sell merchandise.
Jellis Wilmerding was politically and socially involved in San Francisco and California. He was a member of the famous Second Vigilante Committee of 1856 and a life member of the Society of California Pioneers. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Society in 1871 and 1872. In 1880, he was elected a delegate from California to the Republican Convention that nominated James A. Garfield for President of the United States.
Wilmerding took an interest in the youth of the city and helped them extensively. Some biographers speculate that, because he received a superior education but never learned to work with tools, he founded the Wilmerding of School of Industrial Arts in order to give the boys of California an opportunity to learn a trade.
Related Items
Wilmerding School of Industrial Arts Endowed
Jellis Clute Wilmerding leaves $400,000 to establish and administer the Wilmerding School of Industrial Arts.
