Editor’s Note: This is part 10 in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

Sacramento has been known as a political city, a city of trees and many other things during a large portion of its existence. And among its greatest achievements was becoming a city of breweries, which included the Buffalo Brewing Company.
In the previous article of this series, Philip Scheld, who was interred at East Lawn Cemetery (today’s East Lawn Memorial Park), was celebrated for his proprietorship of the Sacramento Brewery, which was established a short distance from Sutter’s Fort in 1849.
Many other breweries were opened in the capital city during the 19th century.
An example of the production of local breweries during the 19th century was recorded in the county assessment books for 1872.
This source notes that in that year, Sacramento had eight breweries that produced 252,000 gallons of beer.
Furthermore, according to the 1880 book, “The History of Sacramento County, California,” the area’s eight local breweries in 1878 “made, in aggregate, 530,200 gallons of beer, and in 1879, 560,000 (gallons of beer).”
With a walk around East Lawn Memorial Park, one can find the final resting places of several men who were associated with the Buffalo Brewing Company, which was also known as the Buffalo Brewery, and was for many years under the direction of Buffalo Brewery, Inc.
Certainly the most notable of these brewery men were the German-born Herman H. Grau (1846-1915) and William E. Gerber (1852-1928), who were both interred at East Lawn Cemetery.
Herman, a former East Coast brewer who came to Sacramento from Buffalo, N.Y. in about 1886, was the man who organized the Buffalo Brewery, which would eventually become the largest brewery west of the Mississippi.
At the age of 12, Herman came to America and settled in Buffalo, N.Y.
Along with his wife, New York native J.F. Bertha (Ziegele) Grau (1848-1915), who he married in Buffalo prior to coming to Sacramento, Herman had nine children.
Herman’s association with William became an important part of the city’s brewery history, as these men laid out the plans for the Buffalo Brewery.
In addition to his involvement with the Buffalo Brewery, William, a New York native who came to Sacramento in 1860 and was eventually the secretary of the Buffalo Brewery, served, at different times during his life, as president of the California National Bank and chairman of that bank’s board.
William, who studied in Sacramento schools and the St. Louis Academy and at a business school in Buffalo, was also, at a various times, a bookkeeper and co-owner of a grocery store, state fish and game commissioner, auditor of Sacramento County and the city treasurer of Sacramento.
Also interred at the cemetery was Hattie A. Gerber (1857-1928), who was the mother of his five children.
Construction on the Buffalo Brewery, which was located on the block bounded by 21st, 22nd, Q and R streets, began in 1888.
In being that this section of Sacramento was many years away from being built out at that time, upon its completion, the large brewery structure could be seen from a considerable distance within the city.
With the opening of the Buffalo Brewery in 1890, Herman became the company’s first general manager and Adolph Heilbron (1833-1913) served as the brewery’s first president. Heilbron’s final resting place is located at the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway.
Also interred at East Lawn were Henry Gerber (1851-1928), one of the brewery’s first stockholders, and Henry I. Seymour (1861-1913).
Seymour was among the prominent men of the brewery, as he replaced Grau as the company’s general manager in 1896 and continued to serve in that role for 17 years.
But Seymour was not new to the brewery when he became its general manager, as he had been working for the brewery since 1890.
Another well-known person in local brewery history was Sacramento native Frank J. Ruhstaller (1872-1943), whose father was Swiss native Frank Ruhstaller (1846-1907), who was an original officer of the Buffalo Brewery.
The brewery resume of Frank Ruhstaller, who was interred at today’s Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, also included serving as the proprietor of the City Brewery at the northeast corner of 12th and H streets and the superintendent of the Sacramento Brewing Co.
As for the resume of Frank J. Ruhstaller, he became the president of the Buffalo Brewery in 1913, following the death of Heilbron. He retired from that position in April 1939.
Additionally, the younger Ruhstaller served as the assistant manager of the City Brewery and superintendent of the Sacramento Brewing Co., and was a member of the city’s war rationing board during World War II.
In speaking about Frank J. Ruhstaller during his retirement dinner at the old Elks Temple at 11th and J streets, Superior Court Judge Peter J. Shields said, “Charities, kindnesses and justices have characterized his whole existence. The aroma of good deeds during his life has perfumed the entire community. He has been modest, never seeking the limelight nor the vanities of life.”
Frank J. Ruhstaller’s wife, Alice Marie (Root) Ruhstaller (1871-1969), was also interred at East Lawn. The couple, who was married in Sacramento on Nov. 22, 1899, was residents of East Sacramento, residing in the Fabulous Forties neighborhood at 1301 44th St.
Much has been said and written about the Buffalo Brewery, which created beer that was popular well beyond Sacramento.
During its pre-Prohibition days, the Buffalo Brewery distributed its beer great distances.
In addition to shipping this beverage to many parts of Northern California, including San Francisco, the brewery also sent its beer to the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, Central America, along the Mediterranean, Russia, Japan and China.
A summary about the brewery in the Feb. 2, 1907 edition of The Union included the following words: “Sacramento boasts of many large manufacturing enterprises, but none are more in keeping with the general progress of this section than (the Buffalo Brewery). It is known by the excellence of its product. New Brew and Bohemian, its special brands, are known throughout the Pacific Coast. Ask any dealer and he will tell you there are none superior to them.”
The brewery, which experienced much physical growth at its local plant, returned to full, post-Prohibition production in December 1933 and continued its operations at its historic site until 1949.
The brewery buildings were razed in 1949 and 1950 in preparation for the construction of the newspaper, radio and television operations of McClatchy Newspapers – publishers of The Sacramento Bee – which was then headed by its president, Eleanor McClatchy.

Lance@valcomnews.com

The Sacramento Brewery was located at 28th and M (now Capitol Avenue) streets.

Editor’s Note: This is part nine in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

Among Sacramento’s identity during its earlier years was undoubtedly its position as a brewery city. And with a recent review of the records of East Lawn Memorial Park, the remains of at least seven high level local brewery men are interred at this East Sacramento cemetery.
Among these men was Philip Scheld, former owner of the Sacramento Brewery, which was located at 28th and M (now Capitol Avenue) streets.
The brewery, according to the 1880 book, “History of Sacramento County, California,” was established in 1849 by a German immigrant named Peter Kadell, who during the following year began brewing beer at that site. Peter’s surname is also spelled “Cadel” in other historic references.
According to The Sacramento Union, in its June 15, 1872 edition, the brewery was rented by Philip Scheld in 1853 and purchased by him a year later.
The 1880 county history book indicates that Philip became involved in the brewery business in Sacramento in 1852.
Another version of this story, as described in the 1890 book, “An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California,” notes that Philip “rented the brewery on the East M Street, and a month later bought it.”
Prior to becoming a Sacramentan, Philip, who was born in the town of Giessen in the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt in Germany on Oct. 13, 1827, attended government schools and worked on his family’s farm.
He later immigrated to the United States with his brother, Henry. They arrived in Philadelphia after a five-week voyage on July 11, 1845.
While residing in Philadelphia, Philip worked in the bakery industry and Henry dedicated himself to the cabinet making trade.
Both brothers eventually made their way to California. Henry arrived in 1849 to become a miner.
A year later, Philip, who was then living in Baltimore, was inspired by a letter that he received from his brother to head to California immediately.
After arriving in San Francisco on March 24, 1850, Philip traveled to Sacramento aboard the steamer “Hartford” before heading to El Dorado County.
He reunited with his brother in Volcano (Amador County) several weeks later.
Philip and Henry eventually worked together teaming between the mines and Sacramento.
Both the 1880 and 1890 county history books recognize Philip as becoming involved in the hotel business outside of Sacramento.
According to the 1890 county history book, this venture began after Philip and his business partner, Daniel Troy, acquired a hotel as a default method of payment for their work baking for that hotel.
Philip and Daniel had a larger hotel built to replace the hotel they acquired, and they also had a second hotel built. They continued in this business until the fall of 1852.
After Philip became the proprietor of the Sacramento Brewery, the brewery underwent many changes, including the construction of new buildings, an increase in its property size, and the addition of Switzerland native John Oschwald as co-owner of the brewery in 1869. That partnership continued until 1876.
The aforementioned June 15, 1872 edition of The Union notes that in 1860, Philip had the old brewery moved to the rear portion of the property and had a 61-foot by 42-foot, brick building constructed on the site’s northeast corner.
The 1880 county history book described the building as having been expanded to a size of 120 feet by 100 feet. The “two-story, brick addition” was built at a cost of $4,000 by Martin Madden, who was described in the Jan. 1, 1883 edition of The Union as “the leading builder in this part of the state.”
On Oct. 2, 1873, a fire occurred at the brewery’s two-story, 24-square-foot, brick, malt house.
The fire began when the malt that was being burned in the kiln overheated. The damage, which was contained inside the building, was financially covered by the brewery’s insurance.
Another building at the brewery caught on fire on Oct. 11, 1877, resulting in $1,500 in damages.
In between these fire years, Philip, who married Germany native Margaret Fritz on April 7, 1858, was involved in a near fatal accident.
During the early afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 14, 1874, following a morning of hunting several miles east of Sacramento, Philip Scheld was driving his buggy with his son, Adolph.
As Philip was resting his arm against the muzzle of his rifle, one of the buggy’s wheels ran into a squirrel hole, causing the firearm to discharge. A shell passed through his left arm, just below his shoulder, and exited out the other side of the arm.

The Scheld family mausoleum is located on the Folsom Boulevard side of the cemetery. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Although the injury resulted in Philip losing his arm to amputation, it was believed that he would have bled to death had the powder of his rifle not severely burned his arm, thus slowing the bleeding.
Oddly, 20 years later, Adolph accidently shot and killed Frederick C. Glueck while he was target shooting with some of his military friends.
The Union, in its Jan. 1, 1877 edition, noted that the brewery included extensive sheds and outhouses and had utilized 200 tons of barley and three tons of hops and produced 3,000 barrels of beer in the past year.
At that time, the brewery also included a 40-foot by 100-foot malt kiln and a 40-foot by 100-foot storehouse.
In the 1880 county history book, the operation of the brewery, which was then located on nearly a whole block of land, was described as follows: “It has steam power for mechanical purposes, three steam pumps, and is complete in every particular, employing throughout the year six or seven men, and having a capacity of eighteen barrels per day.”
The Union, in its Jan. 1, 1880 edition, noted that the brewery’s advantages for the manufacture of beer and shipping throughout California were “unsurpassed by those of any competitor in business.”
The 1913 book, “History of Sacramento County, California,” recognizes the financial rewards that the brewery brought Philip, as follows: “Still in the pioneer period of the ‘50s, (Philip) identified himself with the brewery business that by his own industry and sagacity brought him a fortune.”
The same book also referred to the Sacramento Brewery as “one of the most profitable properties of the kind in the state.”
Evidence of the wealth of Philip, who was a millionaire, could be seen through his stately home, which he had built at 1105 L St. in 1880.
In February 1869, while still dedicating himself to the brewery as its proprietor, Philip became one of the original directors of the Capital Savings Bank of Sacramento at the southwest corner of 4th and J streets.
And from about 1878 to 1913, he was involved with Sacramento Savings Bank at the northwest corner of 5th and J streets.
In the final 12 years of that time, Philip served as president of this latter named bank.
Following his aforementioned accident, Philip continued his role in the brewery’s ownership for many years thereafter.
Beyond his brewery and banking activities, Philip also owned a considerable amount of property in Los Angeles County, served as a longtime local firefighter, president of the Sacramento Rifle Club and a director of the Sacramento Beet Sugar Company, and was a member of the Sacramento Turn Verein.
He died at his L Street home at the age of 85 during the early morning of July 30, 1913.
His funeral was a private affair held at his home two days after his passing and he was interred at East Lawn Cemetery during the same day.
Philip’s remains are located inside the Scheld family mausoleum on the Folsom Boulevard side of the cemetery.
This mausoleum is East Lawn’s only private, family mausoleum that contains both large and small crypts.
Also interred in this mausoleum are the remains of Margaret, who passed away at the age of 80 in 1916, Adolph, who died at the age of 84 in 1946, and three other members of the family – Adolph’s wife, Leila C. Scheld (1869-1936); Adolph and Leila’s daughter, Margaret Scheld Cook (1897-1961); and Philip’s niece, Ottilie Fritz (1865-1917).
Another Scheld family member, August C. Fritz, a Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany native who died at the age of 21 on Feb. 27, 1872, had his funeral services at the Sacramento Brewery during the afternoon of the following day. He was originally buried at the New Helvetia Cemetery at 31st Street (today’s Alhambra Boulevard), between H and J streets.

Louis Frederick Breuner once resided in this 45th Street, Fabulous Forties home. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Editor’s Note: This is part seven in a series about the rich history of and associated with East Sacramento’s award-winning East Lawn Memorial Park.

In the history of Sacramento, one of the most recognized surnames is Breuner. And had it not been for one member of that family, East Lawn Memorial Park might not exist today.
That member of the family was Louis Frederick “Lou” Breuner (1869-1947).
In 1904, Lou, who was born in Sacramento on Aug. 15, 1869, purchased 42 acres of the old Newton Booth place, which was previously known as the Twin Oaks Farm.
It was on this property that Lou, with the assistance of other local men, including Fred W. Kiesel and Chauncey H. Dunn, established East Lawn Cemetery, as East Lawn Memorial Park was then known. East Lawn Cemetery was dedicated on April 23, 1905.
Lou also had his home built on a portion of the same property in about 1911.
The Breuner family was best known for its involvement with the John Breuner Co.
John Breuner (1828-1890), who was Lou’s father, was born in Baden, which at that time was part of the German Confederation, which consisted of 39 German states in Central Europe.
John had arrived in California in the early 1850s with dreams of getting rich in gold. But he would instead begin acquiring his greatest wealth making furniture and tools for miners.
In 1856, John opened the first cabinet store in California in a single-story building near the corner of 6th and K streets.
Originally operating his Sacramento business as a one-man workshop where furniture was sold and repaired, John, who resided in a house behind the store, eventually expanded the operation to a much greater level as the business grew along with the city.
Early abstracts of titles of 6th and K streets properties show John’s ownership of a 20-foot parcel alongside the store in 1861, followed by the April 1866 purchase of the property where the store was located. Next, John purchased the corner of 6th and K streets in July 1868.
Despite setbacks from floods, fires and other obstacles, the store continued its development.
And during the progressing early years of this store, the business grew to a staff of two employees.
In 1869, arrangements were made for Breuner’s to manufacture desks and chairs for the Senate and Assembly chambers at the then-under construction state Capitol.
During its history, the company also sold furniture for other notable Sacramento places, including the Governor’s Mansion at 16th and H streets.
In 1884, the company expanded to a larger building at the 6th and K streets site.
With his health declining, John retired from his business while Lou and his older brother, John, Jr., were still in their youth. The two brothers then carried on the business, which by 1890 had a staff of a dozen employees.
Eventually, four generations of Breuner family members would head the operations of their furniture and home furnishing company.
An extensive enlargement of the 6th and K streets store occurred in 1900 with the construction of a three-story building that was built alongside the old Breuner’s building.
The old and new buildings were joined together as one structure and covered with red sandstone – the same material used about a decade earlier in the construction of the nearby post office building at the northeast corner of 7th and K streets.

Former East Sacramento resident Louis Frederick “Lou” Breuner served as president of the John Breuner Co. from 1890 to 1940. Photo courtesy of East Lawn Memorial Park

The company, which opened a store in Oakland in 1906 to accommodate those who had lost their homes in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, later grew to include 12 stores in Northern California and Nevada.
Several years after the opening of the red sandstone Breuner’s building, the L Street portion of the store was converted into a warehouse.
Furthermore an addition to the building along the same side of the building was constructed in 1922, and six years later, the main portion of the building was enlarged, remodeled and given a Spanish architecture-style appearance.
The building later experienced other changes during its history, including the devoting of the entire structure to merchandise.
Breuner’s, which became the oldest and largest furniture firm in Northern California, operated at 6th and K streets until Sept. 20, 1972, following a five-week, “Once in a Lifetime” store closing sale, in which prices were drastically reduced.
Lou, who served as the company’s president from 1890 to 1940, greatly contributed to the success of Breuner’s.
Much of the business’s growth and expansion occurred under Lou’s guidance.
In addition to his contributions to the company, Lou was the first westerner to serve as president of the National Retail Furniture Association, and he was the founder, chief organizer and three-term president of the Retail Furniture Association of California. He served two terms in the first of these named organizations.

Lou was also a charter member of the Sacramento Rotary Club and the Del Paso Country Club, a past president of the Sunset Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West and a member of the Sutter Club, the Woodmen of the World and the Union League and Olympia Clubs of San Francisco.
In 1900, Lou became the youngest man called to the presidency of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce. He was also a founder and advisor of the Sacramento Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Furthermore, Lou belonged to various fraternal organizations, including the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 6, the Washington Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Ben Ali Temple of the Shrine and local Scottish Rite bodies.
His leadership abilities also served him well as grand commander of the Knights Templar of the state of California and commander of the Sacramento Commandery of Knights Templar.

Lou and his wife, Clara F. Louisa Schmidt (1873-1928), who Lou married in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 14, 1893, moved into their new East Sacramento home at 1128 45th St. in about 1923. The house is located two houses to the north of the former home of Alden Anderson, who was featured in the last article of this series.
The couple’s sons, Louis John Breuner (1894-1974), Clarence Henry Breuner (1896-1960), Richard Weston Breuner (1899-1986), Wallace Emerson Breuner (1902-1975) and Robert Alvin Breuner (1909-1969), all held leading roles with the Breuner’s firm.
Following a nearly decade-long illness, Lou passed away at the age of 77 on Monday, May 12, 1947 while he was residing in Carmichael.
Private funeral services in his honor were held in the East Lawn chapel two days later and his remains were entombed inside the East Lawn mausoleum.

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part series regarding the history of East Sacramento’s former New Helvetia Cemetery.

It has been nearly 162 years since Captain John A. Sutter set aside 10 acres for his establishment’s first formal burial ground, the now nonexistent New Helvetia Cemetery.

The cemetery, which was eventually doubled in size, served the community for many years before evolving into a public park, which was known as Helvetia Park.

The old cemetery grounds, with the exception of a tombstone-like marker presenting information about the former cemetery, are no longer distinguishable. The land is presently the site of Sutter Middle School at 3150 I St.

In the process of creating Helvetia Park, the old cemetery, which actually adjoined East Park (today’s McKinley Park), had its headstones removed and replaced with flat gravesite identifying markers.

Unfortunately, various decisions and actions connected to the processes of creating the park and removing the cemetery in its entirety resulted in many missing tombstones and markers and even unidentified graves.

Other gravesites were presumably left unidentified in earlier times due to such possible causes as the deterioration of wooden markers and flooding that carried away wooden markers. Because of recurrent flooding in the area, there were no burials at the cemetery from 1850 to 1857.

A classic example related to the old cemetery’s missing markers was presented in the Aug. 11, 1989 edition of The Sacramento Bee, as a story was related in which a lecture about Sacramento cemeteries at California Middle School was interrupted by a boy who raised his hand and said, “We have some of those stones in our yard.”

In a meeting with the East Sacramento News last week, Dr. Bob LaPerriere, co-chair of the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission, discussed the topic of missing tombstones and other markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery.

“When they removed the bodies in the 1950s, we’re not sure exactly what happened, but some people recall that these concrete markers were kind of stacked up along the street,” LaPerriere said. “A couple years ago, we located – just between two homes behind Sutter Middle School – over 70 of these flat, concrete markers. They were used for stepping stones and kind of to widen the driveway.”

LaPerriere said that a unique event occurred following the discovery of these markers, as the stones were transported from Sutter Middle School to East Lawn Memorial Park at Folsom Boulevard and 43rd Street via a horse-drawn wagon.

The decision to deliver these markers to East Lawn Memorial Park was a simple one, considering that the city had purchased property at the cemetery for a mass, unmarked burial site, where 4,691 unidentified human remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were reinterred.

Unfortunately, this large number of “unknowns,” as these unidentified remains are often referred to, account for the majority of the remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery.

The Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway is the site of the remains of about 400 additional people who were once buried at the New Helvetia Cemetery.

However, these remains are individually identified and are located in three separate areas at the Broadway cemetery, west of Riverside Boulevard.

Other individually identified remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were reinterred at the following Sacramento city and county cemeteries: East Lawn, Masonic Lawn Cemetery at 2700 Riverside Blvd., Odd Fellows Lawn Cemetery at 2720 Riverside Blvd., St. Joseph’s Cemetery at 2615 21st^t St., St. Mary’s Cemetery at 6700 21st St., Sacramento Memorial Lawn at 6100 Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove Cemetery at 8540 Elk Grove Blvd. in Elk Grove and the Sylvan Cemetery at 7401 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights.

Despite this long list of other cemeteries, LaPerriere notes that a relatively low number of remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were relocated to these cemeteries.

LaPerriere provided the following numbers regarding the relocations of these remains: 410 sent to Broadway cemetery, 84 to East Lawn, 32 to Odd Fellows, six to Sacramento Memorial Lawn, three to St. Joseph’s, three to Elk Grove, two to St. Mary’s and one to Masonic.

In regard to the many flat markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery site that are still missing today, LaPerriere mentioned that he would not be surprised if some of these markers are presently located on residential properties within the nearby vicinity of this former East Sacramento cemetery.

Although the aforementioned mass burial at East Lawn Memorial Park is recognized as consisting of “unknowns” or unidentified remains, this does not mean that there are no records of any of the names of the deceased people from the New Helvetia Cemetery who were reburied there.

To the contrary, records exist for many people who were buried at the New Helvetia Cemetery and it is by deduction from the names of those who were reinterred in other local cemeteries that a list of assumed names was created for the mass burial site at East Lawn Memorial Park.

LaPerriere said that East Lawn Memorial Park, although it was not obligated to do so, greatly contributed to the cemetery’s mass burial site.

“The city never put up a marker or anything (at the mass burial site), absolutely nothing,” LaPerriere said. “It took John Bettencourt (the late cemetery historian and preservationist who was vital in the formation of the Old City Cemetery Committee) and I working with East Lawn, quite a few years ago, to get the area memorialized. East Lawn, of course, had no responsibility to do it. The city bought the area, buried the people and the city should have taken care of things. But East Lawn, being very community minded, worked with us and they put four (right angle) corner walls in around the area to demarcate the area and they put a nice monument in the center memorializing those who were moved from New Helvetia (Cemetery).”

In addition to this burial site’s corner markers, most of the perimeter of the site is outlined with the flat, concrete markers that had been retrieved from the residential yards near Sutter Middle School.

As of about two years ago, the whereabouts of only one verified original tombstone from the New Helvetia Cemetery was known.

But fortunately, it was discovered that another original New Helvetia Cemetery tombstone – that of members of the Asch family – was located in Auburn.

About a month ago, the stone was relocated to Sacramento and it will soon be placed in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery’s already existing Asch plot.

LaPerriere said that anyone with information regarding missing headstones or markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery is encouraged to call the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission at (916) 874-9103 or write to the e-mail address: cemeterycommission@saccounty.net.

Anyone with information regarding missing headstones or markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery is encouraged to call the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission at (916) 874-9103 or write to the e-mail address: cemeterycommission@sac

county.net

Gypsy King Mark Adams and his wife, Julia, are at rest in this tomb at East Sacramento’s famous East Lawn Cemetery. Gypsy tombs are often elaborate; note the Tiffany-style glass. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Ellen Cochrane

“May you wander over the face of the earth forever, never sleep twice in the same bed, never drink water twice from the same well and never cross the same river twice in a year.”

Fortunately, for Alex Adams (1861-1917), the Gypsy king, the curse held no sway during his life. This ruler lies in peace in East Sacramento’s East Lawn Cemetery. He is untroubled by malicious words or the evil eye. He is peacefully surrounded by scores of his relatives and ancestors, including his queen, Mary (1877-1934).

Unfortunately, though, there was one bump in the road. Early last century, his tomb was robbed. A large marble slab was pried off the tomb and valuables were taken. Police at the time believe the thieves were after items typically buried with gypsy leaders. His Queen Mary, had opened a purse and threw coins into the casket adding to the treasures.

East Lawn opened in 1904. The park has interred Sacramento notables and thousands of plain folk. The park occupies 40 acres in the heart of East Sacramento’s Fabulous Forties.

East Lawn has always welcomed all ethnicities, religions and cultural groups and the Gypsy presence is active and growing. Most Gypsies today are Christian, many are Orthodox, a nod to their East European roots.

Wives, cousins, husbands, adopted children, uncles and aunts – the family trees of the East Lawn Gypsies are intertwined and nearly impossible for an outsider to figure out.

The term “royalty” is applied by the Gypsies on merit more than heredity. Feats of familial support and service can lead to being called a chieftain, or king.

One thing is clear: the Gypsies embrace love during life and honor their dead in grand style, whether a king or peasant.

Gypsies are not shy and bury their dead with pomp and flourish. Funerals include feasting, music, laughter, crying and storytelling. Markers and mausoleums are substantial.

In the mid-20th century, one of the California Gypsy kings, Dushon John, was interred at East Lawn with style. The New York Times reported, “As the copper-lined coffin, blanketed in gardenias, carnations and sweet peas was lowered, token offerings of coins were deposited. Mr. John was buried also with such personal effects as a toothbrush, a mirror and hair oil for his journey into the future…a twelve piece band played dirges and the gypsies toasted with soft drinks and beer.”

Even today you can see a relic from the past. If you peek in the Millen Pavolovich mausoleum, another king, you will see a fashionable 1930s hat encased in a glass box. It was his favorite hat.

On a cool brisk day before Easter, this writer walked through the park admiring the granite work and trees.

A caravan of late model cars began a slow drive from the front gate.

Well-dressed, middle aged people stepped out of the vehicles carrying bouquets of yellow roses, tulips, Easter baskets, spring motif balloons, bags of McDonald’s hamburgers and hot apple pies, wineglasses, beers, soda and cups of coffee.

The banquet was laid at the tomb of John and Lulie Uwnawich in the heart of the park’s gypsy region. But only after the tomb was tidied and a mantel of aluminum foil was laid as a tablecloth.

These Gypsies came to celebrate the lives of their loved-ones.

A feast fit for a Gypsy king and his queen, laid out by Gypsy family members recently at East Lawn Cemetery. Gypsies are known for visiting the graves of loved ones in grand style. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Ellen Cochrane

Mary (no last name given) was happy to permit a photograph of the feast laid at the grave.

“We come to remember,” she said. “I don’t know if the next generation will do this, but we still celebrate the old ways.”

There was no grief in the faces of the family. Smiles and conversation filled the air. The group was happy to celebrate the memory of the dead.

Craig Peterson, park manager at East Lawn, admires the Gypsies’ practices.

“They celebrate lives,” he said. “The park is considering the removal of part of a roadway to accommodate more family members. For the most part, they are buried in a common area.”

When asked if this writer could take their picture, the Gypsies replied, “No, honey, we don’t do that…No please, that’s not our way, not here.”

Who the Gypsies are is often confused.

The Gypsy people are believed to have emigrated from Northern India more than 1,000 years ago.

They are not of European heritage and are not Romanian. However, the Diaspora did lead most of the group to Eastern Europe, with pockets of the population in France, Spain and England.

Intermarriage with locals and exposure to different cultures influenced the Gypsies over time, but they remain a distinct group with their own practices, language and unique view of the world.

Historically, Gypsies were heavily persecuted, at times with deadly consequences. They were often outside of the mainstream of society, living a nomadic life and relying on horsemanship skills, craftsmanship and fortune telling for income.

This independent living drew the suspicions of locals and the Gypsies were frequently attacked and used as scapegoats.

And some of the Gypsies did engage in criminal behavior.

During World War II, Gypsies suffered further attacks from Adolf Hitler and the Nazi racial extermination policies. Tens of thousands of gypsies perished in concentration camps, primarily in Auschwitz.

Emigration to the US began in earnest during the Eastern European waves of the early 1900s, primarily from south-eastern Europe.

On that spring day in East Sacramento, however, there was no fortune telling, no bangles nor jewels. There was love and honor, a proud people remembering their dead.

East Sacramento’s Rust Florist is located at the corner of Folsom Boulevard and Rodeo Way. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

The independent, family-owned business at 5215 Folsom Blvd. first opened at its original location of 5140 Folsom Blvd. on Nov. 1, 1970.

The business also held an open house on Saturday, Dec. 5, 1970. This event showcased the shop’s Christmas decorations, arrangements, cut flowers and blooming plants.

Although the Rust family is proud of its longtime operation of this popular florist shop, the story of the family’s involvement working in a florist shop has much deeper roots.

Dennis Rust, who owns Rust Florist with his brothers Greg and Marty Rust, said that his father Joe Rust was the first member of his family to work in the floral business.

“(Joe’s friend) Fred Fick ran the nursery at East Lawn (Cemetery) and he brought my dad (who was living in Arizona at the time) to Sacramento and told him that he thought it would be a good idea for him to work at the florist business (at the cemetery),” Dennis said. “My dad ended up working there (at East Lawn Florist) for 37 years and I’d say for the last 20 years over there, he was the boss.”

Back row, left to right, Greg, Dennis and Marty Rust and Julia Hamshar (holding yellow roses) of Rust Florist stand in front of this East Sacramento business, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

“My father started working at East Lawn (Florist) in 1933 and we moved over there (to the cemetery) in about 1948 when I was about 4 years old,” Dennis said. “We lived in a company home (at 1748 46th St.).”

In their two-story, stucco-covered house at the cemetery, Joe and his wife Katherine eventually raised nine children, George, Larry, Dennis, Loretta, Greg, Mary Rose, Marty, Dolores and Vickie.

Two other residential houses were also located on the cemetery grounds. These single-story houses, which have since been demolished, were the homes of East Lawn Florist employee Toschi Kiino at 1700 46th St. and Fred and Dru Fick and their daughter, Carol, at 1720 46th St.

Marty Rust prepares a blue iris arrangement at Rust Florist in East Sacramento. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

The Rusts’ house – which was also later demolished – at the cemetery was constructed by at least 1933 and was originally the home of Charles Bruner, who during this era served as the superintendent of the cemetery and the nursery’s manager.

Dennis said that the Rust children appreciated residing next to the cemetery’s undeveloped property.

“When we moved over there (to the cemetery grounds) when we were little kids, the back half of East Lawn (Cemetery) was an open field, so we used to play back there,” Dennis said. “So, that was our playground. We had a baseball diamond with a backstop, we used to fly kites back there and we had a basketball hoop on a gravel driveway that used to pop the ball all the time. We also used to play flag or touch football out there on a plowed field and when you fell down, you just fell in this soft dirt, so you didn’t get hurt.”

George Rust and his father Joe Rust (background) work at Rust Florist in this 1970 photograph. / Photo courtesy, Rust Florist

In addition to serving as a playground for children, the undeveloped East Lawn property also included the Rusts’ gardens and field flowers, which the family picked and sold at the florist shop.

Dennis said that the funds raised through the sales of the field flowers paid for his family’s vacations.

When asked to describe one of the more unique things that he remembers about living on the cemetery grounds, Dennis said that he recalls how the family would be locked inside the cemetery every night.

“At nights, when we wanted to go somewhere after 9 o’clock in the summer or 6 o’clock in the winter, we had to unlock the gate to go out,” Dennis said. “We were locked in there, because they didn’t want anybody coming into the cemetery at night.”

The original location of Rust Florist at 5140 Folsom Blvd. is shown in this 1970 photograph. The van parked in the parking lot was the business’s delivery vehicle. / Photo courtesy, Rust Florist

Unlike many businesses that completely changed their ownership and personnel, Rust Florist is still owned and operated by the Rust family with the assistance of several employees.

The original family members who operated the store were Joe, George and Dennis Rust.

Other Rust family members who have worked in the East Sacramento florist shop are: Katherine, Greg, Marty, Larry, Dolores and Vickie.

Dennis, who currently owns Rust Florist with his brothers, Greg and Marty, recalls that his father, who passed away in 1990, had a great reputation as a local florist.

“A lot of (the former East Lawn Florist) customers followed my dad over here to (Rust Florist),” said Dennis, who, like all of his brothers, attended Christian Brothers High School.

Dennis added that although Joe was not the only member of his family who worked at East Lawn Florist and the then new-Rust Florist, when Rust Florist first opened, many people who called the business specifically requested to speak to Joe.

The present site of Rust Florist is shown on its groundbreaking day, Feb. 28, 1990. / Photo courtesy, Rust Florist

But certainly times have changed, as Joe’s sons have now become the veterans of this popular business that has maintained its old-time florist shop traditions, which include creating many arrangements that are not available in modern-day florist shops.

With the exception of such things as a few new faces and a relocation across the street in 1990, very few things have changed around Rust Florist.

But it is this consistency and a reputation for friendly, professional service that has helped to maintain the business’s success throughout the years.

And although he admits that operating the business has not always been easy, Dennis said that he looks back on the past 40 years as an overall success.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’re still operating in these difficult economic times when a lot of other businesses have gone under,” Dennis said. “We know a lot of our customers and we are proud of the service that we’ve been able to provide for them. We’re not about just selling flowers, but we’re very interested in repeat business and helping our customers whether it’s a small order or a large order. We have pride that we’re doing a good job for people.”

Joe and Katherine Rust attend the open house of Rust Florist on Saturday, Dec. 5, 1970. / Photo courtesy, Rust Florist

Rust Florist is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For additional information about this business, call (916) 452-4527 or visit www.rustflorist.com.

lance@valcomnews.com