Joseph S. Manasse - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Joseph S. Manasse was an early settler of San Diego, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

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Manasse was born 1831 in Filehne

Kreis Filehne

Kreis Filehne was one of several Kreise in the northern administrative district of Bromberg, in the Prussian province of Posen.-Table of Standesämter:...

, Prussia

Prussia

Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...

and came to San Diego in 1853 with his brother Heyman and cousin Moses.
He opened a store in Old Town San Diego with little money, but soon prospered.
In 1856, he formed a long-time partnership with Marcus Schiller, who was called a "Jewish Horatio Alger" by a biographer.
They ran a large general store J. S. Manasse and Company.
They bought a lumberyard at the foot of E Street in 1868, and were the first to bring lumber ships into San Diego Bay.
Shortly after they bought Rancho Encinitas and raised cattle there.
They also owned a 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm
In 1868 they started a lumber yard at the foot of Atlantic and E Streets.
Soon after they bought Rancho Los Encinitos, in present Encinitas

Encinitas, California

Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...

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They built up a large business, but suffered severely in the drought, hard times, the early 1870s, and the great fire at Old Town in April 1872.
They laid out and sold Manasse & Schiller's Addition, one of the earliest additions to Alonzo Horton

Alonzo Horton

Alonzo Erastus Horton was an American real estate developer in the nineteenth century. The Horton Plaza mall in downtown San Diego is named for him.-Early life:...

's New San Diego.
In later years, Manasse was a broker and collector.

Manasse, Schiller, and Louis Rose

Louis Rose

Louis Rose was a pioneer developer of San Diego, California. The neighborhood of Roseville in Point Loma is named for him, as are Rose Creek and Rose Canyon.-History:...

were among the first Jewish settlers in San Diego.
Manasse would provide his Torah for early services.
The congregation eventually organized as Congregation Beth Israel

Congregation Beth Israel (San Diego, California)

Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform synagogue located at 9001 Towne Centre Drive in San Diego, California. Formally incorporated in 1887, Beth Israel traces it roots back to 1861. It is San Diego's largest and oldest Jewish congregation.-History:...

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Manasse was a public spirited citizen. During 1865–1867 he was Treasurer, and during 1867–1869 he was
president of the San Diego's Board of Trustees, when San Diego didn't have a Mayoral form of government.
While on the board he voted for Ephraim Morse

Ephraim Morse

Ephraim W. Morse was an early settler of the city of San Diego, and was partially responsible for many of its expansions as a city, such as attracting the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and proposing Balboa Park.-Early life:Morse was born in 1823 in West Amesbury, Massachusetts...

's proposal in 1868 to set aside a large track of land for a public park, which eventually became Balboa Park

Balboa Park (San Diego)

Balboa Park is a urban cultural park in San Diego, California. The park is named after the Spanish maritime explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa...

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Manassee took little interest in park matters though.
In fact, in 1889 Manasse proposed leasing 300 acres (1.2 km²) of the park for "gardening purposes" (actually growing barley for his own profit), which was soundly rejected by the City Council.

On account of his small stature he was sometimes called in jest "Manasse Chico", or "Manasito". His friends called him "Joe".

Manasse married Hannah Schiller, a sister of his partner.
They had one daughter, Cilita Manasse.

Manasse died 1897 and is buried at Home of Peace Cemetery on Imperial Avenue.
His wife and daughter were later buried next to him.

See also