Daniel M. Oppenheimer

Daniel and Anton Oppenheimer were another set of brothers who branched out beyond the dry goods counter. They came to Texas from Bavaria in the 1850s. After fighting for the Confederacy, the brothers moved to San Antonio and opened a general store. According to the San Antonio Express in 1880, their store, D. & A. Oppenheimer “is one of our best known dry goods houses. They transact an enormous business and are known in mostly every household in Western Texas.” In the late 19th century, Texas law banned state banks, and so many of the Oppenheimers’ customers asked to keep their money in the store’s safe. Ranchers also used such merchants to front them credit for their endeavors. This banking service to their store customers soon grew into a side business. Around the turn of the century, the brothers closed their store to focus on their banking business. D. & A. Oppenheimer remained a private bank; it did not belong to the Federal Reserve and did not have FDIC protection. Such private banks were later banned in Texas, but the D & A Oppenheimer bank was allowed to continue since it predated the law. The bank remained a family business, with Dan’s son Jesse later running it. Dan’s grandson Herbert Oppenheimer, its last president, decided to liquidate the bank in 1988 when there was no longer anyone in the family who wanted to run the business.

=

   Memorial

   Photos 4

   Flowers 6

Son of Joseph Oppenheimer & Henrietta Hoenigsberger

San Antonio Light December 8, 1915

Daniel Oppenheimer, formerly head of the D. & A. Oppenheimer Bank, and who for many years had been an influential citizen of San Antonio, died suddenly at 6 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at his home, 220 Jefferson street. He was a veteran of the civil war and had just passed his seventy-sixth year.

On account of his advanced age, Mr. Oppenheimer had not followed an active business life for about three years, but nevertheless he visited his office every morning. He went to the office Tuesday morning as usual and remained there until noon. Late in the afternoon he was taken violently ill and died shortly afterward. His wife, his son, Henry, his daughter, Mrs. D. J. Straus and his son-in-law, Mr. Straus, were at his bedside.

Mr. Oppenheimer was a native of Burgkunstadt, Bavaria, having been born there November 22, 1839, and he received his early education in Germany. Coming to Texas when a young man he settled at Rusk. At the outbreak of the civil war he joined the Confederate ranks and served throughout the conflict. At the close of the war he came to San Antonio and entered into a partnership with his brother, A. Oppenheimer founding the firm of D. & A. Oppenheimer. This was a first a dry goods store and it soon became recognized as one of the most prosperous business houses in the state.

A banking department was established and as it increased in importance the dry goods department decreased until finally the firm abandoned the latter section.

Mr. Oppenheimer was a large stockholder in the American Shoe & Hat Company of this city and was secretary and treasurer of this company. Since the death of A. Oppenheimer about ten years ago and the increasing age of Daniel Oppenheimer, Jesse D. Oppenheimer and Henry Oppenheimer, have conducted the business.

Mr. Oppenheimer married Miss Louisa Goldstein of New York City in August, 1869, and seven children were born to them, one of the daughters, Mrs. Max Stiefel, dying about fifteen years ago.

He is survived by his widow, six children, Jesse D. Oppenheimer, Henry Oppenheimer, Mrs. D. J. (Ida) Straus and Mrs. A. H. (Alma) Halff of San Antonio; Dr. Frederick G. Oppenheimer, New York, and Mrs. Joseph (Edna) Meyer of Hoboken, N. J.; a brother, Julius Oppenheimer, a number of sisters in Germany and several grandchildren and nephews and nieces.

Mr. Oppenheimer was a member of the Masons, the Harmony Club and of Temple Beth-el. He was well known throughout Texas and had a wide circle of friends.

Funeral arrangements are being held pending the arrival of his son, Hesse D. Oppenheimer, who is in New York, Dr. Frederick Oppenheimer of New York and Mrs. Meyer of Hoboken. The funeral probably will be held Sunday. Rabbi Samuel Marks will conduct the ceremonies and interment will be made in Beth-El Cemetery.

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24ZY-8BY : 10 February 2018), Henry Goldstein in entry for Daniel Oppenheimer and Louise Goldstein, 29 Aug 1869; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,544,270.