John Balbach

Biography

John Balbach (1820–1896) emigrated to California and became a pioneering brickmaker and builder, helping to give form to early San Jose through the sturdy buildings he produced and the skilled craftsmen he trained. His dedication to quality masonry played a quiet but essential role in the development of the town’s commercial heart.

He is interred at Oak Hill Memorial Park, where descendants of the families he served pause to celebrate the craft, entrepreneurship, and civic pride he brought to the growing region.