Samuel Braunhart

Samuel Braunhart (January 1, 1848 – May 28, 1906) was a German-born Jewish American cigar salesman and politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1880 to 1881, the California State Senate from 1897 to 1900, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1900 to 1906.

Biography

Braunhart was born on January 1, 1848, in Szubin, to a Prussian Jewish family. He immigrated to America in 1862 and settled in San Francisco in 1871. Establishing himself as a cigar salesman, he was first elected to the State Assembly in 1879 on the Workingmen's ticket. After serving a single term, he left office and became active in the oil business. In 1895, he was appointed San Francisco Port Warden. He made his return to the State Legislature in 1896, when he was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat. He held that office until 1900, when San Francisco Mayor James D. Phelan appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of A. B. Maguire. He won re-election in 1901 and 1903, but was defeated in the Union Labor landslide in 1905. He died the next year, his health made worse from the stress of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

During his career in politics, Braunhart became known for his support of working-class causes, such as Chinese exclusion, anti-monopolism, and public ownership.

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