Albert Gallatin

I am Albert Gallatin. I arrived in Sacramento City early in 1861, from Michigan, where I pursued a successful career as a seller of hardware.

I was penniless after a long and expensive ocean voyage. The last of my money was spent for my fare here from San Francisco on the Olympic.

It took only one night on the waterfront to realize that this was the noisiest, dirtiest city in God's creation, but from the talk around me, that the goldfields would not be the adventure I had heard so much about.

The next day, feeling weak from hunger, I saw a sign that foretold my future. It was in the window of Huntington-Hopkins, the city's premier hardware concern. It read: "Porter For Hire". Mr. Hopkins was behind the counter. I applied, and when I told of my history in the hardware business I was immediately hired. I soon was promoted to salesman, and within a year, under the auspices of Huntington-Hopkins, I opened my own company in Nevada, near Virginia City, the hub of the Comstock Lode. The newly rich silver barons were wild to build monstrous castles, each outdoing the previous, and no man was better equipped to supply the hardware needed for these endeavors than myself. I was even able to supply silver crappers for these fools!

My enterprise was enormously successful. In 1863, at Christmastide, I sold my business to a minor share-holder, and I found myself, once again, in Sacramento, but this time I was RICH!

The year now is 1864. The War of Southern Succession continues to drag on in the east, and I am in need of something to build in the west. Mr. Huntington and Mr. Hopkins are madly involved in an incredible scheme to build a railroad to the east, and it is evident that they are neglecting their business.

In the daguerreotype shown here, I am seen proceeding to a meeting with Mssrs. Huntington and Hopkins. I will meet them as equals and will present to them my plan to assume the management of their concern. I predict that within a short period I will become a partner in this business.... perhaps even the president!

Albert Gallatin, was born in 1836 in New York and was the son of a shipping company owner. Mr. Gallatin came to Sacramento City in 1860 via ship at the request of family to avoid impending rebellion. Mr. Gallatin mined for 1 year and then returned to Sacramento City where he learned that the true "gold " could be found on the streets. He got a job with Huntington and Hopkins and by 1868 was President and managing partner of Huntington and Hopkins. Gallatin married a woman from Michigan on June 6, 1866 and was written about statewide as well as in New York. They had 4 children; 3 daughters and one son. Befitting of their wealth and stature, the Gallatin's bought 3 lots - side by side between 15th/16th and H Streets. Here they built what is now called the Governor's Mansion. In the late 1880's Huntington and Hopkins outlived it's usefulness and was closed. In 1892 Gallatin and partners began working in Folsom to construct a powerhouse that would bring electricity to Sacramento. This was finished in 1895 after which Mr. Gallatin retired to San Francisco and died there in 1905.
Mr. Gallatin is available by appointment.