Ohio Genealogical Society
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Montgomery County Chapter Ohio Genealogical Society |
Personal Sketch
Philip Klopfer, Dayton CityThis gentleman, who is an enterprising and courteous clothing merchant of this city, is the son of David and Fanny Klopfer, and was born in dear old Funderland; the place, Buttenwiesen, five miles from Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany; the time, May 22, 1835. Until the age of thirteen years, Mr. Klopfer had the advantages of superior education; but at this era in his life he was apprenticed to the baker and confectionery business in Krumbach, Bavaria, for which privilege his father paid the sum of one hundred dollars; our subject pursued this avocation four years. After the expiration of that time he followed the business for one year. When eighteen years of age he was induced, by his brother Morris, of Cincinnati, to emigrate to American, indorsing this inducement by furnishing one hundred dollars. Consequently, on the 26th December, 1853, Mr. Klopfer bade adieu to his native land, and stated on his transatlantic pilgrimage. From the city of Antwerp, in Belgium, he took passage on an old-fashioned sailing vessel christened Vasco de Gama, and after a perilous voyage of one hundred and nineteen days, he landed at the dock in New York. He stayed half a day in the metropolis, and from there journeyed to Pittsburg; from there to Cincinnati by steamer, which was fourteen days making the passage. When arrived at his destination, Mr. Klopfer had seven cents in his pockets; this was on the 3d July, 1854. He remained in his impecunious state a few days, and then commenced peddling with a stock of notions, first coat, twenty-eight dollars; this amount the firm of Louis, Stix & Co., trusted him with. He was out three weeks, and realized ninety-seven dollars, and had a good portion of his goods left. He went back to Cincinnati, paid up all indebtedness, bought more goods, kept on peddling for six months afterwards, when he was independent enough to send twenty-five dollars to his father and mother in Germany,--a practice which he has exercised four times a year as long as the old folks lived. Fortune was favoring him, and he bought a horse, for which he gave thirdy-five dollars; but this horse was so very poor that he ws almost obliged to carry both horse and goods on his back. Six months passed away, and he bought a second and much better horse. Thus having two horses and a wagon, he continued peddling in the Counties of Warren, Greene, and Montgomery until the fall of 1858, when he opened a small clothing store in the Ohio Block on Third Street, Dayton City. In this place he remained eight months, and then removed to his present place of business, viz.: "The Original One-Price Clothing-House," No. 11 East Third Street, Dayton, Ohio. In 1866 Mr. Klopfer withdrew from business and sold out to J. P. Strauss & Brother, of Cincinnati. After four years' speculation in cotton, whisky, hots, and tobacco, in which he was not quite so successful as in the clothing business, in 1870 he bought one-half the interest in his former occupation, and he is at present prosecuting the wholesale and retail clothing business at the stand above mentioned.
On the 5th May, 1858, he married Miss Esther Weinstein, of Cincinnati; result of this union, six children, four of whom are still living. Messrs. Klopfer & Strauss keep a splendid assortment of ready-made clothing of their own manufacture; also a great variety of home and imported cloths for gentlemen's wear; in fact, anything in the line may be found at this popular "house," at the lowest living profit price. It is indeed the "Original one-price clothing-house" of the city.
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