Strauss, Levi

1829 – The German-born American clothing manufacturer was born on the 26th day of February this year in Buttenheim in Franconia, he was Lob Strauss in real life.

1847 – He, his mother and two sisters moved to New York City to join his brothers Jonas and Louis Lob in their dry goods business.

1850 – He had adopted the name "Levi Strauss".

1853 – He moved to bustling San Francisco, California, where the California Gold Rush was still in high gear.

1872 – He received a letter from Jacob Davis, a Reno, Nevada tailor. Davis was one of Levi Strauss' regular customers, who purchased bolts of cloth from the company to use for his own business.

1873 – on the 20th day of May 1873, He and Jacob 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, using fabric from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire.

1902 – He died on the 26th day of September this year at the age of 73. He left his thriving manufacturing and dry goods business to his four nephews—Jacob, Louis, Abraham and Sigmund Stern—who helped rebuild the company after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. The following year, Jacob Davis sold back his share of the company. Peter Haas and his family are the primary heirs to the Levi Strauss fortune.