USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 38
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Ilis son, Charles T. Kimball, Jr., received his early education in his native city and was graduated from the high school in 1897. Immediately after this he entered his father's store. He started in a humble position and worked his way up through the various branches of the enterprise until he bought out his father in 1908. His success since that time has been remarkably rapid and is based upon his thorough knowledge of the quality and details of manufacture of his goods.
On August 6. 1902, Charles T. Kimball, Jr., was united in marriage to Miss Florence Jones, of De Pere, Wisconsin, a daughter of Mrs. Helen C. Jones, of that city, and they are the parents of one son, Weston, who lives with his parents at the family residence, 526 East Mason avenue, Green Bay.
Mr. Kimball votes the republican ticket and is a firm supporter of party policies. He is prominent in the Knights of Pythias and a devoted adherent of the First Congregational church. He is sole owner at the present time of the oldest retail hardware business in Wisconsin. His career has been eminently successful. The enterprise, of which he is the head, was founded two generations ago by his grandfather on the basis of honorable business methods, strict integrity and fair dealing in every particular. It was car- ried on by his father along the same lines with energy, industry and intelli- gence and is now, in the hands of the son, one of the most important busi- ness houses in Green Bay. The worthy traditions upon which the business was founded in 1854 are in active force at the present time. Charles Theodore Kimball, Jr., has never deviated in any respect from the strict line of integrity which is his heritage through three generations of trust- worthy men.
JOSEPH LANNOYE.
Joseph Lannoye, superintendent of the Fort Howard cemetery at Green Bay, has occupied this position since April 1, 1909, and resides in a pleasant little home near the scene of his labors. He is a native of Green Bay, born October 21, 1884. His parents are Seraphine and Mary Lannoye, both natives of Brown county. The family, however, is of Belgian origin
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and was founded in America by Francis Lannoye, the grandfather of our subject, who emigrated to the new world in 1850, locating in Brown county, this state, where his son, Seraphine Lannoye, was born. The latter followed farming until his death, January 24, 1902, at the age of forty years, and his grave is in Fort Howard cemetery. His wife still survives and makes her home in Green Bay.
Joseph Lannoye was educated in the public schools of Green Bay but laid aside his books at the early age of fifteen years to assist his father in the work of the farm. He became a practical and expert agriculturist and gave his entire time and attention to the improvement and develop- ment of the home farm until he received his appointment as superintend- ent of the Fort Howard cemetery in 1909. He has charge of one of the largest burial grounds in Green Bay and is responsible for its beautiful appearance. He has under his supervision five assistants and has shown himself ideally fitted for his position in every respect.
Mr. Lannoye is a republican in politics and although he never has sought public office or taken any very active part in local affairs, he dis- plays a commendable interest in public matters. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Roman Catholic church, in which faith he was reared. He is one of the most prominent of the younger generation in Green Bay.
ADOLPH ALFRED BEHRENDT.
Adolph A. Behrendt is warden of the Green Bay Turn Verein and in this relation is well known and popular. He is a cigar maker by trade and was born in Green Bay, October 13, 1877, and his entire life has been spent in the city. His father, Carl Behrendt, is a native of West Prussia and lived in that section of Germany until 1871. Crossing the Atlantic in that year, he settled in Green Bay, and there followed the machinist's trade in the employ of the Green Bay & Western Railroad. For twenty years he gave his energy and attention to this occupation, working ably and efficiently in the interests of his employers. At the present time he is engaged in the manufacture of compressed yeast and in ten years has built up a flourishing business along this line. He married Miss Minnie Wohlfeil, a daughter of John Wohl- feil. She passed away in Green Bay in 1906, when she was sixty-two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Behrendt became the parents of eight children, four of whom are living: Adolph Alfred, of this review; Herman, a machinist, of Kaukauna; Otto, who is employed as a boilermaker in Green Bay ; and Antonia, the wife of Charles Robinson, of Green Bay.
Adolph Behrendt began his active career when he was still a boy, becom- ing identified with cigar manufacturing in the capacity of stripper. He later learned all of the details of cigar making and has been connected with this industry since that time. For two years he followed his trade in Sparta, but returned to Green Bay at the end of that time where he follows his business. He is well known in the local cigar makers' union.
Mr. Behrendt married Miss Ellen Castonia, a daughter of Charles and
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Catherina (Keliher) Castonia, of Chilton. Her father was previous to his death, one of the prominent farmers in that section of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Behrendt have three children: Norbert, Florence, and Hazel. The family belong to the Lutheran church. He is a member of the Royal Arca- num, and since his boyhood has been connected with the Green Bay Turn Verein, of which he has been recently elected custodian.
JACOB BUSCH.
Jacob Busch is now serving as registrar of deeds of Brown county and is filling the office so capably and conscientiously as to insure for himself a place among efficient public officials. He is well known in local democratic politics and prosperous in various business enterprises, having standards of honor and integrity which are forceful in both phases of his activity. Mr. Busch was born in the city, in which he now resides, on the 12th of October, 1857, and is a son of Herman J. and Theodora (Coener) Busch, natives of Germany. The father was born in Prussia and came to America with his parents. He settled in Green Bay where he opened a general mer- cantile business on the present site of the Sherwood Hotel. He retained his identification with this line of work for ten years when his health failed and he was obliged to retire from active life. He was an invalid during his remaining years, dying in 1880 at the age of sixty-one. His wife was a daughter of John G. Coener, who came to America as a member of a colony from Germany to Little Chute at an early date. The mother of our subject died in January, 1881, when she was forty-six years of age. She and her husband had eight children, five of whom are living: Jacob, of this review ; Angelina, who is married and resides in Minnesota ; Rose, who mar- ried P. A. Romson, who resides at No. 915 South Jackson street, Green Bay; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Engels of Winona; and Joseph, who lives in Green Bay.
Jacob Busch was educated in the public schools of his native city and after laying aside his books followed the occupation of tinsmith for several years. He later clerked in the clothing establishment of the Delaporte Clothier, being employed in this capacity for eleven years. He spent five years in connection with the Cole Clothing Company and a similar period as an independent tinsmith. For ten years he was prominent and successful in the retail shoe business but was obliged to abandon this occupation on account of ill health. He is now giving most of his time to politics serv- ing with ability and efficiency as registrar of deeds to which office he was elected in 1910.
Mr. Busch was married to Miss Mary Van De Zande, who was born in Humboldt township and who is a daughter of John Van De Zande of that section. Mr. and Mrs. Busch had five children, four of whom are living: John M., who married Miss Mildred Barret; and Walter, Winifred and Robert, all of whom live at home.
Mr. Busch is a member of the Roman Catholic church of Green Bay and is serving on the board of trustees of that institution. He
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belongs to Green Bay Lodge, No. 259, B. P. O. E., and is also affili- ated with the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a democrat in his political beliefs and an active worker in the interests of his party. He is well known as an able public official, having served two terms as city treas- urer and one term as a member of the city council before he was elected to his present position as registrar of deeds in 1910. He is now giving his attention to fulfilling ably the duties of his office, working conscientiously and progressively to improve the conditions of the particular department with which he is connected, influenced by ideas of broader and more effec- tive public service.
HENRY L. INDRA.
Henry L. Indra, superintendent of the Willow Grass Rug Company, has during the course of his active life been a prominent figure in business circles of Green Bay. Other interests have at various times claimed his attention, he having been at one time senior partner in the Green Bay Foundry & Machine Company, while with the invention of the pulp wood barker machine he was also connected. His birth occurred May 31, 1875, in the city which is still his place of residence, his parents being Anton and Emily (Jantz ) Indra. His father, a native of Austria, left that country in 1856 and came to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he engaged in the butcher business for many years. He died in 1895, at the age of fifty-four years, and was laid to rest in Woodlawn cemetery. His wife survives him. In their family were six children: Theresa, living at home; Emily, who is a school teacher in South Dakota; Clara, the wife of Frank Huber, master mechanic for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at Channing, Michigan ; Henry L., of this review ; Louis, who is part owner of the West Side Garage in Green Bay; and Lydia, who holds the position of book- keeper in a local business and resides at home.
Henry L. Indra acquired his early education in the public schools of Green Bay and afterward attended the high school for a short period, but at the age of sixteen years laid aside his text-books to become an apprentice to the blacksmith's trade. Following his preliminary training for that work he was employed for eighteen months as a machinist in Green Bay and afterward accepted a position in the Duncan foundry, where he remained for twelve years. His increasing ability made him an expert moulder and through his close application and energy he became thoroughly acquainted with all the details of the foundry business, so that he worked his way up rapidly, serving as foreman during the last nine years of his connection with the Duncan plant. In 1906 he resigned to enter into partnership with Iver Miller and John Arvey and they purchased the Duncan foundry. Mr. Indra, however, retained his stock for only a short time. he and Mr. Arvey selling out to Mr. Miller. Mr. Indra then retired from active business and for two years was connected with no trade interests. In the meantime he had aided in perfecting the invention of the pulp wood barker machine and
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HENRY L. INDRA
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LINAX AND TILDEA POLADATONO
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was interested in its manufacture for about a year and a half. The house which now controls that invention has developed an extensive business, manufacturing hundreds of machines yearly. After a two years' retire- ment he entered into active connections with the Willow Grass Rug Com- pany as superintendent on the ist of August, 1912.
Politically Mr. Indra has always remained independent, casting his bal- lot as his judgment dictates without regard to party affiliation. While he has never been an office seeker, he has always taken an intelligent interest in public affairs and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He holds membership in the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and is a devout adherent of the German Lutheran church. In his business career his activity and enterprise have brought him a gratifying measure of success, his expert ability has made him prominent among the representatives of mechanical and industrial interests at Green Bay and the course which he has ever followed has commended him to the confidence and good-will of his associates. He has a large circle of warm friends in this city, where his entire life has been passed, and that his record is a commendable one is indicated in the fact that his stanchest friends are those who have known him longest.
ALBERT L. GREILING.
No man in New Franken has won a greater measure of success in business at an early age than Albert L. Greiling, who is connected with various important enterprises that have not only contributed to his individ- ual prosperity but also to the public welfare. At thirty-five years he is recognized as one of the most energetic and prominent men of his village, perceiving and utilizing opportunities that others have passed heedlessly by and gaining through capable management and keen discrimination a prominent place among the successful business men of this part of the state. He was born in Preble, July 13, 1877, and is a son of August W. and Amelia Greiling, who were natives of Schwarzburg-Rudollstadt, one of the smaller German states, the former born August 5, 1836, and the latter on the 12th of September, 1838. They came to the United States in early life and spent their last years on their Wisconsin farm, the father passing away November 14, 1909, and the mother in January, 1911.
In the public schools of Preble, Albert L. Greiling obtained his early education, which was supplemented by a two years' course at the Oshkosh State Normal School, and when he had laid aside his text-books he taught in the district schools of Brown county for a period of five years. He was planning to return to school in the further pursuit of education but events claimed his attention in another direction. It was on a Monday morning in the year 1898 that he stepped from the train at New Franken. There were no buildings at all near the depot and Mr. Greiling, looking over the ground and realizing something of the possibilities before him, began ques- tioning himself as to why it would not be advisable to purchase property
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near the depot and create a market for hay, grain and butter, which at that time was all being taken to markets at Green Bay or Kewaunee. He could not rid himself of the thought, which recurred to him again and again for two months until he finally decided that he would buy the land. His pres- ent holdings consisted of a wild tract of five and a half acres belonging to the manager of the Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western Railroad Company. At that time there was but a single by-path, called a road, leading to the depot, and the development of this section of the country at that time was being retarded rather than encouraged. To get proper highways to the depot and his prospective place of business meant a general road agita- tion, which Mr. Greiling instituted. A year and a half was largely spent in awakening public sentiment in favor of the project but he finally won out. During all that period he was engaged in teaching school. During the summer of 1900, however, his plans saw their consummation in the build- ing of a store. About July, 1900, however, he became suddenly ill and was removed to a hospital at Green Bay for an operation, the results of which incapacitated him for further business for about six months. At length, however, he opened a store late in the fall of 1900 for the handling of groceries, shoes and dry goods. He was soon accorded a liberal patron- age from among the acquaintances whom he had made while teaching school and from that time forward his business has gradually developed along substantial lines. No sooner had he placed one project upon a stable basis than he undertook the task of developing another. In order to create a butter market he organized a cooperative creamery in the early spring of 1901. On the first day of its existence he handled thirty-five hundred pounds of milk, but this business also grew until forty-three thousand pounds of milk is cared for daily and the establishment is by far the largest creamery in Brown county and one of the largest in Wisconsin. It has saved thousands of dollars to the farmers of New Franken and has created better dairy interests at this place than ever seen here in a period of more than fifty years. Mr. Greiling remained general manager and secretary of the creamery for eleven years, resigning his position in the spring of 1912.
On the 17th of July, 1901, Mr. Greiling was united in marriage to Miss Emma M. Benecke, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. Benecke, of Fontenoy, Brown county. Following their marriage Mrs. Greiling took active part in conducting the store, thus allowing her husband to spend his time in handling baled hay, buying grain and attending to the duties in connection with the warehouse. In this he was assisted by one man, while his wife had a lady assistant in the store. In 1902 he reconstructed his business building, the upper floor of which was used as a residence, and he added an elevator. grain storage and feed mill to his interests. He also employed another man to aid him in the outside work and another saleslady for the store. The next expansion to his trade came in the opening of a general line of farm machinery and the erection of an addition of thirty-six by sixty feet to the side of his store to serve as store room and warehouse for farm imple- ments. Two years passed and he employed still another man and another woman to assist in the conduct of the various branches of the business. Ile
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likewise added another general addition to his store, twenty-eight by sixty feet, and opened a good line of notions, hardware and general merchan- dise. Still he increased the scope of his trade by handling lumber and coal and further housed his interests by the building of another addition. thirty-six by sixty feet, added to the elevator building. His stock was increased in the winter of 1909 to include shelf hardware and in this department he has since enjoyed a good trade. Thus year by year the business has grown and developed until his commercial undertakings con- stitute a strong and potent force in the business activity of Brown county. In the fall of 1911 he organized the New Franken State Bank with a cap- ital of twelve thousand dollars and as its president has so controlled and directed its interests that a profitable business is already being conducted, although the bank has been in existence for only about a year. There seems no limit to Mr. Greiling's enterprise. He never regards any posi- tion to which he has attained as final but rather as a starting point for suc- cessful acomplishment in still other directions. He has not only met but has anticipated the needs of the community and has thus been able to supply them when the demand has arisen. In the spring of 1912 he organized a telephone company capitalized for ten thousand dollars and developed a rural telephone system which is of great value to both business men and to the surrounding farming community. Mr. Greiling has acted as general manager and secretary of this company and its development thus far has exceeded the most sanguine expectations. Today he employs in the con- duct of his general business interests five men and four ladies. It has always been his policy to retain in his employ those who have served him long and to pay them well, giving monthly salaries which are larger than is usually paid for such labor in competing lines. He now handles general merchandise, hardware and tinware, coal and lumber, hay, grain and produce, and farm machinery.
Mrs. Greiling has always been of the greatest assistance to her hius- band, for while she aided him in the store for only a year, being preemi- nently a home woman devoted to the interests of her household and her children, she has always assisted him by her kindly counsel and encourage- ment. She possesses a most cheerful and agreeable disposition and by her good-will has aided him in solving many perplexing problems that naturally arise in connection with a business of the magnitude owned and controlled by Mr. Greiling. To them have been born five children, Ethel, Grace, Leslie, Pearl and Grant. In 1909 Mr. Greiling erected an attractive resi- dence in the village, having up to that time lived above the store.
Mr. Greiling gives his political allegiance to the republican party and in 1903 was appointed postmaster of the village. Since that time the post- office has been developed from practically no cancellation to an office with several rural routes, reaching practically five hundred families. Mr. Greil- ing, however, has never been active politically in the sense of office seeking, but no man has done more in a private capacity to promote growth and advancement in this section. During the short period of his residence in New Franken he has been one of the greatest individual forces in its busi-
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ness expansion and progress. His administrative ability has directed and influenced the organization and establishment of important enterprises and his energies have controlled their growth and advancement. He has always adhered to the highest standards of commercial ethics and all with whom he has had business dealings know that his word is one to be relied upon under any circumstance. He possesses the power of making his varied interests separately effective and he has the keen discernment, courage and initiative which are factors in the highest type of the modern business man. His ability has commanded many opportunities which he has developed as features in public welfare as well as in individual suc- cess.
JOHN C. MILLER.
John C. Miller, president of the Miller & Rassmussen Ice Company of Green Bay, has occupied this important position since the incorporation of the company in 1906. His business life began when he was twenty-one years old and his rise since that time has been phenomenally rapid and well deserved. He is today one of the most important factors in the commer- cial life of the city and the organizer and leading influence in some of its most prominent enterprises. He is a native of Ohio, having been born at Cleveland, September 9, 1874. His parents were Jacob and Mary Miller, the former a prominent farmer at Luxembourg, Kewaunee county, Wisconsin.
At the usual age John C. Miller entered the public schools of his native city but when he was twelve years old he was obliged to lay aside his books, driven by the stern necessity of making his own way in the world. He obtained a position in a planing mill, where he worked at firing a boiler for four months. He spent the next year and a half in a minor capacity in the employ of the Globe Iron Works. This concern also operated a department of shipbuilding and John C. Miller became acquainted with the details of this business also. When his parents removed to the section of the country surrounding Green Bay, John C. Miller worked in the woods in the winter time and spent the summer months assisting his father in the labor of the farm. This manner of life continued for five years, after the expiration of which time Mr. Miller spent one year in the west. When he returned to Green Bay he obtained a position as driver of an ice wagon for L. P. Lar- son and the time which he spent in this capacity gave a definite bent to his ambition. By dint of strict economy he was able to save up a little money of his own, and in 1906 he formed a partnership with Mr. Rassmussen and bought out the ice business of his employer, Mr. Larson. The combined capital of the two partners amounted only to five hundred dollars but their ambition and desire for success more than made up for what they lacked in material resources. They carried on the business with great success. increas- ing their market every year until, at the time of its incorporation. the enter- prise was the largest ice company in the city of Green Bay.
JOHN C. MILLER
THE NEW YORY PUBLIC LIERA!
ASICA, LENOX IN"
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On November 2, 1898, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Chris- tine Damer, a native of Germany, and they have two children, Myron and Irma. The family reside at 904 North Chestnut street, in the pleasant home which Mr. Miller erected for himself some years ago.
Mr. Miller never allows political party lines to influence his vote. He keeps himself entirely independent in this respect and votes for the man and the principle without thought of the party. Ile is a prominent mem- ber of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and he also holds membership in the Green Bay Turn Verein. He takes an active interest in the public affairs of Green Bay and is prominent in any movement which has for its object the city's future prosperity. He is essentially a business man, having been active in commercial circles when he was still a boy. The qualities which earned him promotion when he was firing a boiler have made him president of one of the largest concerns of its kind in the city, where his dominating personality makes itself felt in in- creased development and rapid progress.
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