Louis Meiss, the well known actogenarian rancher of Sacramento county, with his rich estate located on Lagoon creek, is one of the most prosperous and typical of the German-American citizens of this portion of the state. The eighty odd years of his life have been mainly spent in this country, and he has been an honored resident of Sacramento county for more than half a century. He began with the capital of his hands and his ambition and energy, and by gradual accumulations and business management that considered all the details he prospered until he now possesses an estate of some forty-five hundred acres, producing as fine hay and grain crops as are known in this county.

Mr. Meiss was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, February 17, 1823, being a son of Henry and Mary Meiss, his parents also natives of the same country. When Louis was seventeen years old, and after he had finished his education in the German schools and become well trained for the serious duties of life, the family came to the new world, in 1840. They took a sailing vessel at Havre, France, and thirty-six days later landed in New York city. Their first destination was Cole county, Missouri, where their home remained until transferred to California. The parents came out to this state in 1852, making the trip across the plains. They settled in Amador county, where both passed away after fulfilling long and useful missions on earth.

Mr. Louis Meiss preceded the rest of the family to California, crossing the plains in 1850. In 1852 he took up his residence in Sacramento county, and this proved his permanent place of abode. In that year he bought a hundred and sixty acres where his present place is, and from that as a nucleus his efforts and enterprise have built up a magnificent demesne of over four thousand acres.

February 23, 1854, Mr. Meiss married Miss Elizabeth Dorn, who was born in Germany. After a happy union of nearly half a century Mrs. Meiss passed away, December 9, 1900, having been the mother of ten childten, all of whom are living, as follows: John, Louis, Henry, William R., Elizabeth, Minnie, Frederick, Benjamin, Frank and Gerhard. Mr. Meiss is a member of the Presbyterian church, and for many years has constituted himself an important factor in community affairs.

Source: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Volume II

The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine