Description

This is a reproduction photograph, that was damage, of Michael "Big Mike" Goldwater.  One of the founders and owners of the Goldwater's Stores in Arizona.  Father to well-known Prescott civic leader Morris Goldwater.

Michael “Big Mike” [Goldvasser] Goldwater (b. 1821 – d. 1903) was born in 1821 in Konin, Poland. Mike was one of twenty-two children. To avoid army service, he left Poland in 1837 and spent eleven years in Paris, France, before moving to London, England in 1848, where he anglicized his name from Goldvasser to Goldwater. While in London, he met and married Sarah Nathan in 1850. While in London, he met and married Sarah Nathan in 1850. Together they had eight children - Caroline (Mrs. P.N. Aronson), Morris, Baron, Henry “Harry,” Samuel “Sam,” Benjamin “Ben,” Elizabeth “Lizzy,” Leonora (Mrs. Ralph Prager), and Annie.

Mike was joined by his brother, Joseph “Little Joe,” in London, but in1852 they both left for the United States. In late 1852, Mike and Joe arrived in the California gold country settling in Sonora, California where they opened a saloon. During this time, Sarah, along with her daughter Caroline and son Morris joined Mike and Joe in 1854. Unfortunately, the saloon business failed, but both Sarah and Mike were trained tailors and they opened a tailor shop instead.

In 1857, the Goldwaters moved to Los Angeles, California to open a billiard parlor and a dry goods store. They then open a new mercantile store in La Paz, Arizona in 1862 and then another store in Ehrenberg, Arizona. In addition, they began a sideline business of hauling freight to Prescott, Arizona. In 1872, the first Phoenix, Arizona, Goldwater mercantile store opened with Mike’s son, Morris, as manager. Regrettably, this store closed in 1875; however, in 1879, they decided to open a new store in Prescott with its advertised motto, “The Best Always.”

In 1883, Mike retired to San Francisco, California where Sarah was living. Mike put his sons, Morris, Henry “Manny,” and Baron in charge of the Prescott Goldwater’s store. In 1903, Mike died San Francisco.  Mike is the grandfather to Arizona Senator, Barry M. Goldwater.