Immigrant of the Day: Levi Strauss (Germany)

Levi Strauss (1829-1902) founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans. He founded Levi Strauss & Company in 1853 in San Francisco.

Levi’s name at birth was Loeb, but when he immigrated to the U.S., it was changed to Levi. He was born in Buttenheim in Bavaria, Germany. Young Levi sailed from Bremerhaven to New York where his two older brothers had already established a textile and tailoring business.

In 1853, Strauss became an American citizen and moved to San Francisco, California, where the California Gold Rush was still in high gear. Strauss opened a dry goods wholesale business called Levi Strauss & Co.

The story goes that miners, often complaining about the easily torn cotton “britches” and pockets that “split right out,” gave Levi the idea to make a rugged overall trouser for the miners to wear.

On May 20, 1873, Strauss and Davis received United States patent #139121 for using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim work pants. Levi Strauss & Co. began manufacturing the first of the famous Levi’s brand of jeans in San Francisco.

Levi Strauss died on September 26, 1902 and was buried in Colma.

Levi Strauss & Co. continues to operate as a denim and clothing company.

KJ