The Hildermann Family
Hildermann Brothers
Alexander Hildermann first arrived in Portland on May 8, 1919, and was soon joined by his brother, David. Alexander and David had previously operated stores under the Hildermann Brothers banner in Tangier, Oklahoma, and Calgary, Canada. Alexander learned the trade in the town of Kamyshin, Russia, on the Volga after leaving the family home in the colony of Holstein once he completed his schooling. He came to America in 1900 at twenty years of age.
Alex and David bought the John H. Sinner store on Union Avenue near Fremont Street on December 1, 1919. They had a horse and wagon to deliver their groceries and had a man go from house to house to take orders. Many of Alexander and David’s children worked in the store once they were old enough. They worked hard and, in a few years, built up a good business.
It was more than a store, more like a community meeting place. Alex helped many German immigrants from Russia get settled in their new community and would often help write letters and translate documents for his customers. He helped others get their American citizenship. Even though Alexander and David were brothers, they didn’t look alike. They were called “Hildermann, Weiss” and “Hildermann, Schwarz,” which means white and black in German, as Alexander had light hair and David dark.
Alexander sold his interest to David in May of 1928 and retired for the first time.
David operated the store until his death in 1941. His children continued to own it, and sons, Dave and Lee, ran it and moved to Union and Failing until 1946 when David’s daughter, Tillie, and her husband, Nate Zusman, bought out Dave and Lee’s interest. Nate operated the store for another nine years.
H and W Food Market
Alexander Hildermann decided to come out of retirement and, on April 1, 1933, bought the John Shaller store at Alberta Street and Fifteenth Avenue. He opened it on April 3 with his brother-in-law, John Wensrich, as a partner. Alexander and John soon also bought out the next-door butcher and incorporated that operation into their store.
This building soon proved too small, and Alexander and John bought the store at Ninth and Mason Streets from Mr. Annas. Alexander ran the grocery side and John the butcher side. John made his own sausage and soon developed a good reputation. Alexander already had a reputation for his outstanding pickles and sauerkraut.
Alexander Hildermann’s
Alexander Hildermann bought out John Wensrich’s interest in the H and W Food Market in 1935 and renamed the store Alexander Hildermann’s. He continued to operate the store with his son, Roy, until 1944. Roy was a recognizance tank driver in Patten’s Army during the war, and Alexander was left to run the store without help. Alexander sold the store in January 1944 to Mr. Flaig, who operated it for ten years until it was sold again.
Ebel’s Market and Grocery
Alexander Ebel, from the Volga village of Stephan, worked at Hildermann Brothers until he bought his own store, which he operated as Ebel’s Market and Grocery at Northeast Fifteenth and Prescott Street until his retirement in 1956. Ebel’s was noted for their sausage, which they made in their own smokehouse in the back of the store. He would come in at 3:00 in the morning to make red beef sausage and would often be stopped by the police with flashlights and guns drawn, who wanted to know why he was there that time of night.
Alexander's son, Fred Ebel, married Alex Hildermann’s daughter, Stella. Fred started his own practice immediately after graduating from dental school on June 7, 1932. His first practice was on Union and Failing, where he remained for seventeen years. He then built his own clinic on the corner of Killingsworth and Commercial.
Doctor Fred, as friends and family as well as patients knew him, quickly developed a good reputation. He continued to practice for sixty-two years. Even in his nineties, he worked a two-days-a-week schedule.
Alexander Hildermann first arrived in Portland on May 8, 1919, and was soon joined by his brother, David. Alexander and David had previously operated stores under the Hildermann Brothers banner in Tangier, Oklahoma, and Calgary, Canada. Alexander learned the trade in the town of Kamyshin, Russia, on the Volga after leaving the family home in the colony of Holstein once he completed his schooling. He came to America in 1900 at twenty years of age.
Alex and David bought the John H. Sinner store on Union Avenue near Fremont Street on December 1, 1919. They had a horse and wagon to deliver their groceries and had a man go from house to house to take orders. Many of Alexander and David’s children worked in the store once they were old enough. They worked hard and, in a few years, built up a good business.
It was more than a store, more like a community meeting place. Alex helped many German immigrants from Russia get settled in their new community and would often help write letters and translate documents for his customers. He helped others get their American citizenship. Even though Alexander and David were brothers, they didn’t look alike. They were called “Hildermann, Weiss” and “Hildermann, Schwarz,” which means white and black in German, as Alexander had light hair and David dark.
Alexander sold his interest to David in May of 1928 and retired for the first time.
David operated the store until his death in 1941. His children continued to own it, and sons, Dave and Lee, ran it and moved to Union and Failing until 1946 when David’s daughter, Tillie, and her husband, Nate Zusman, bought out Dave and Lee’s interest. Nate operated the store for another nine years.
H and W Food Market
Alexander Hildermann decided to come out of retirement and, on April 1, 1933, bought the John Shaller store at Alberta Street and Fifteenth Avenue. He opened it on April 3 with his brother-in-law, John Wensrich, as a partner. Alexander and John soon also bought out the next-door butcher and incorporated that operation into their store.
This building soon proved too small, and Alexander and John bought the store at Ninth and Mason Streets from Mr. Annas. Alexander ran the grocery side and John the butcher side. John made his own sausage and soon developed a good reputation. Alexander already had a reputation for his outstanding pickles and sauerkraut.
Alexander Hildermann’s
Alexander Hildermann bought out John Wensrich’s interest in the H and W Food Market in 1935 and renamed the store Alexander Hildermann’s. He continued to operate the store with his son, Roy, until 1944. Roy was a recognizance tank driver in Patten’s Army during the war, and Alexander was left to run the store without help. Alexander sold the store in January 1944 to Mr. Flaig, who operated it for ten years until it was sold again.
Ebel’s Market and Grocery
Alexander Ebel, from the Volga village of Stephan, worked at Hildermann Brothers until he bought his own store, which he operated as Ebel’s Market and Grocery at Northeast Fifteenth and Prescott Street until his retirement in 1956. Ebel’s was noted for their sausage, which they made in their own smokehouse in the back of the store. He would come in at 3:00 in the morning to make red beef sausage and would often be stopped by the police with flashlights and guns drawn, who wanted to know why he was there that time of night.
Alexander's son, Fred Ebel, married Alex Hildermann’s daughter, Stella. Fred started his own practice immediately after graduating from dental school on June 7, 1932. His first practice was on Union and Failing, where he remained for seventeen years. He then built his own clinic on the corner of Killingsworth and Commercial.
Doctor Fred, as friends and family as well as patients knew him, quickly developed a good reputation. He continued to practice for sixty-two years. Even in his nineties, he worked a two-days-a-week schedule.
Source
Story contributed by Ed Hoak and used with his permission.
Last updated October 25, 2023