The Marcus Goldbaum Family, Early Jewish Pioneers of Tucson, Arizona Territory

The Goldbaum Family

Values Codes I – E – L

 

Marcus Goldbaum was born in Prussia in 1835.

During the mid-1850s, the Goldbaum family came to America.

 

Arizona Territory

Marcus Goldbaum founded the Pioneer Butcher Shop in Tucson, Arizona.

In 1869, Marcus moved his butcher shop to Florence.

In 1870, he moved to Wickenburg.

Marcus Goldbaum Adv for Bottled Drinks & Restaurant, #WS1207

Marcus Goldbaum Adv for Bottled Drinks & Restaurant, #WS1207

Marcus Goldbaum and his family traveled throughout Arizona, working at the butcher shop, owning a market and bottling beer and other spirits.

In 1886, Marcus settled in a mining shed in the Whetstone Mountains (45 miles southeast of Tucson).

 

Civic

Marcus Goldbaum was elected Justice of the Peace in Wickenburg in 1870.

 

Family

Marcus and Sara Goldbaum had seven children:

David (b. 1858?), Julius (b. 1861), Victor Federico (b.1862), Emilio (b. 1863), Solomon (b.1871), Abraham (b.1874) and Florence “Fannie” (b.1876; married to Albert Miller, who worked for Julius.

 

Marcus Goldbaum died in 1886, scalped and murdered near Apache Spring in the Whetstone Mountains. His body was found and interred by Lt. John Bigelow, Jr.

Marcus Goldbaum’s demise is depicted in a famous illustration by Frederic Remington in the book On the Bloody Trail of Geronimo.

Remington Painting of Death of White Settler

Children

Emilio Goldbaum

Emilio Goldbaum became a miner. Only eleven days after his father’s death, Emilio rode out to inspect a mine at Owl’s Head, when he was pursued by four Indians. They chased and shot at him for 5 miles, until he approached the Rillito Station.

Emilio was so close to his pursuers that he described them for an Arizona Star article included such details as the color and size of their horses and the colored border of the handkerchief around one of their heads. He planned to lead a party to search for the attackers.

 

Julius Goldbaum

Julius Goldbaum (1861-1927) moved to Tucson in 1880, where he worked as a barkeeper, then as a clerk for Zeckendorf’s Department Store

In 1885, Julius Goldbaum married JennieThey had 3 children: Martha, Harold and Sara.

In 1886, Julius started “Jule’s Club,” a smoking club where he sold expensive tobacco products.

In the early 1890’s, he expanded his store to include specialty foods and liquor.

He renamed the store Julius Goldbaum, Inc. The store was located at 182 W. Congress.

In the late 1890’s, Julius bought the Café Richelieu.

In 1903, he became a part owner in the Tucson Grocery Co

In 1906, he ventured into real estate, purchasing buildings in Tucson.

Julius Goldbaum died in 1927 in Alameda, California.

 

Abraham Goldbaum

In 1902, Abraham Goldbaum, while dining at Hotel Cambuston in Sonora, Mexico, demanded an apology from General Charles P. Egan for uttering anti-Semitic remarks. General Egan threatened him with fists, then a revolver. Abraham disarmed the General and stood his ground.

 

Samantha Silver is curator of this Goldbaum Family exhibit.