USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 42
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
1865. He then removed to Watertown, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1868, after which he took up his abode at Fort Howard and purchased the old tank foundry. He then conducted a foundry and machine shop until it was burned in 1878, when he erected a better building fifty-five by one hun- dred and ninety feet. This was destroyed by fire in 1888 and he afterward erected a brick building of the same dimensions. At one time he made a specialty of sawmilling and in 1874-75 built a mill at Westboro, Wis- consin, of which three of his sons took charge, and in connection there- with conducted a store. While living in Green Bay he built two large steam vessels in 1890 and 1892, known as Maggie Duncan and John Duncan. These plicd on the Great Lakes and his navigation interests constituted an important feature in his business. He also built the largest tannery at Westboro, Wisconsin, and his business affairs were ever an important element in promoting industrial and com- mercial activity. Returning to Fort Howard, Mr. Duncan there spent his last days. He was a self-made man who started out in life in very lim- ited financial circumstances but amassed a comfortable fortune as the years passed on, so that he was enabled to spend his last days in retirement, enjoy- ing the fruits of his former toil. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith and long remained an active, faithful and helpful member of the church. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him and his life record indi- cates what can be accomplished when industry, energy, ability and determi- nation lead the way. His wife died in Green Bay on the 22d of June, 1905, at the age of eighty-one years. In their family were six sons, but only two are now living, the brother of our subject being John Duncan, who has also retired.
Archibald M. Duncan spent his youthful days under the parental roof and left the public schools at the age of eleven years to make his initial step in the business world as cash boy in a dry-goods store in Milwaukee. Two years later he removed with his father to Watertown, Wisconsin, and was there employed in the railroad shops. Subsequently he served an apprentice- ship to the machinist's trade under the direction of his father, with whom he remained until the latter's death, although in the meantime the father had turned over the foundry to his son in 1894. Archibald M. Duncan thus succeeded to the ownership of one of the important industrial enterprises of the city. He carefully directed his interests until 1905 and met with gratifying success in the conduct of his business, but in that year sold the foundry and has since lived retired. The excellent work which was done in his establishment, his reasonable prices and his straightforward dealing constituted the chief elements in his success.
In 1875 Mr. Duncan was married to Miss Catherine Eisman, who was born September 8, 1853. They became the parents of four children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being: Mina, the wife of L. E. Beers, a mail clerk of Green Bay, by whom she has one son, Duncan H. Beers, five years of age; and Jessie, who is at home.
Mr. Duncan is a member of the Elks lodge of Green Bay and its treas- urer. In politics he is a republican. He was president of the police board for three years and has been reappointed to the office for a second term.
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For about forty-five years the name of Duncan figured prominently in the business circles of the city, and the record made by Archibald M. Duncan is a creditable one, indicating how wisely he has used his time, talents and opportunities.
LOUIS A. STRAUBEL.
Louis A. Straubel is president of the Straubel Machine Company, of which he is the founder and now one of the principal stockholders. The company was incorporated in 1907 and is among the best equipped concerns of its kind in Green Bay. He was born August 1, 1865, and is a son of F. E. and Christina Straubel. The paternal grandfather was Frederick Straubel who, with his wife and family, emigrated to the United States in 1846. He was by trade a blacksmith and followed that occupation during his life in America. F. E. Straubel, the father, came with his parents to the United States in 1846 and during his first years of residence in America he was engaged in the blacksmith trade with his father, and in 1871 estab- lished himself in the brick-making business in which he continued until 1893. He then retired from active work and now maintains his residence in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Louis A. Straubel was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools of Green Bay. At the age of fourteen he engaged in work with his father in the brick business and continued to devote his attention to that work until 1888. For some time while en- gaged in the brick business with his father he occupied the position of fore- man of the yards. At the age of twenty-three he engaged as an appren- ticed machinist and acquired his knowledge of that trade during one year of service. He then took up work as a machinist with the East River Machine Shop where the firm of Hudson & Sharp is now located. Later he worked at his trade for two years in Oshkosh and for two and one-half years in Milwaukee. In 1893 he returned to Green Bay, and in company with his brother Charles, took charge of his father's brickyard for one year. He then took up work with the Thomas Machine Company and later with the Milwaukee Sander Company, dividing his time of employment between these two companies for a period of two years. He then pur- chased the Holbeck Machine Shops at Green Bay which he operated from 1896 until 1907. A portion of that time the business was conducted under the name of Louis A. Straubel. In 1905 the name was changed to The Straubel Machine Company and in 1907 was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin and has since continued as The Straubel Machine Company, of which Louis A. Straubel, of this review, was the first president, which position he has since held. In 1908 the firm purchased its present loca- tion and in that year built the present structure which consists of a plant sixty by one hundred and fifty-seven feet, one story high. The company employs seventeen skilled laborers and all the officers of the company take an active part in the conduct of the business.
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Mr. Straubel was united in marriage in Green Bay, March 27, 1900, to Miss Milda Mickelson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchel Mickelson. The father was a pioneer farmer of Fort Howard and died in 1907 and is buried at Woodlawn cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Straubel are the parents of two children, Clifford and James. The family reside at 518 Walnut street in a residence which was built by Mr. F. E. Straubel, the father of the subject of this sketch. Louis A. Straubel is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and is numbered among the enterprising business men of the community in which he lives.
DAVID W. HUDSON.
The future of a city depends largely on the qualities and abilities of the men who are dominating its commercial life. Green Bay has always been particularly fortunate in this respect and her commercial future is assured. Among the most prominent of the many men who are active factors in its development is David W. Hudson, president of the Hudson-Sharpe Machine Company, with offices and factory at 1207 Main street. Mr. Hudson has served in this capacity since the incorporation of the company in July, 1910, He was born at Fort Howard, which is now West Green Bay, on October II, 1865, and is a son of Samuel and Charlotte Hudson. His father was a ship carpenter and mason and came to Green Bay in 1848. He worked at his trade in this city until his death, in 1892, at the age of seventy-seven years. He was survived by his wife until the fall of 1903, in which year her death occurred when she was seventy-nine years and nine months old. They are buried side by side in the Fort Howard cemetery.
David W. Hudson received his primary education in the public schools of Green Bay and at Waupaca, Wisconsin, where he remained until he was fifteen years of age. He started in life for himself as a machinist's apprentice with the Green Bay. Western & St. Paul Railroad, which is now operating under the name of the Green Bay & Western Railroad Company. He remained in the employ of that corporation for sixteen years, gradually rising through various positions until upon his resignation he had gained a prominent place upon the staff. He was foreman of the machine shop for almost three years at the end of that time becoming a partner of A. Sharpe. The firm was organized on a small scale and did a general jobbing business combined with the manufacture of special machinery. Its progress has been rapid and its success is founded on its fair dealing and its well known business methods. Today the firm employs twenty machinists and occupies one of the largest manufacturing plants in the city. The factory is sixty by one hundred and fifty feet and part of it is two stories in height and the remainder one story. It is rapidly outgrowing its capacity and is doing one of the largest manufacturing businesses in Green Bay. Much of its success is due to the painstaking efforts of its president, Mr. Hudson, and to him it owes in a large degree its rapid development and its present prosperity.
On January 6, 1892, Mr. Hudson was united in marriage in Green Bay to
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Miss Carrie Meade, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Meade, the former a pioneer farmer in the township of Howard. Mr. Hudson and his wife are the parents of four children: Ruth, a graduate of the Green Bay high school, and now a student at Appleton University ; Merle, also a student of that institution ; and Alden and Esther, who are both attending the public school of Green Bay. The family is living in the old homestead at 112 Oneida street and is well known socially in this city. Mr. Hudson is a practical and hard working business man, greatly interested in the upbuilding of his great industrial concern and active in its management. He has a firm faith in the future of Green Bay and has done his utmost to promote its growth and development. His fraternal affiliations are with the Masonic Order.
ROBERT A. KAFTAN.
Advancement at the bar is proverbially slow and yet no dreary novitiate awaited Robert A. Kaftan, for it was not long after he entered upon prac- tice that he was well established with a large and growing clientage that through the years has connected him with much of the important litigation tried in the courts of this district. He came to Green Bay in June, 1902, and since the Ist of June, 1903, has been senior partner of the firm of Kaftan & Reynolds, with offices in the Minahan building. During four years of this period he has filled the office of assistant district attorney, making a most creditable record in that connection.
A native of Nebraska, Mr. Kaftan was born in Pawnee county, Febru- ary 13, 1878, his parents being Frank and Josephine Kaftan. On coming to the new world from Bohemia in 1865 the father settled upon a farm in Nebraska and was thereafter connected with agricultural pursuits in the west until his death, in March, 1901. He passed away at the age of seventy- three years and was laid to rest in Tyndall, South Dakota.
Robert A. Kaftan acquired his elementary education in the district schools and afterward became a school pupil in Tyndall, where he was graduated in June, 1897. He then spent a year in the Notre Dame (Ind.) University, but previous to this time engaged in teaching for a year in a country school near Tyndall. In the fall of 1899 he entered the law depart- ment of the University of Wisconsin and there won his LL.B. degree in June, 1902. The following October he took up his abode in Green Bay, where he has since remained and success has crowned his efforts since entering upon active connection with the bar in this city. The work that he has done in the courts proves him to be a strong trial lawyer and he is also known as a wise and safe counselor.
On the 3d of January. 1905, in Scotland, South Dakota, Mr. Kaftan was united in marriage to Miss Mary Coch, a daughter of Ferdinand and Elizabeth Coch, of that place. The two children of this marriage are: Joseph Robert, four years of age; and Elizabeth Josephine, two years old. The family residence is at No. 809 South Jackson street and the parents are
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members of St. John's Catholic church. Mr. Kaftan belongs to the county bar association and in his political connection is a democrat. Active in the work of the party, he has held some local offices, serving as alderman from his ward and as assistant district attorney from 1907 until 1911. In both positions he has made a creditable record and has won for himself an enviable reputation through his labors as a general practitioner at the bar of Brown county.
EDWARD T. BARCLAY.
Edward T. Barclay, proprietor of the Green Bay Ice Cream & Dairy Company, has been identified with this concern in his present capacity since May 15, 1909. The success of his enterprise rests upon the solid founda- tions of his integrity and his upright and honorable business methods, and its constantly growing prosperity is the natural result of his intelligent com- mercial policy. Mr. Barclay is a native of British Columbia, his birth having occurred at Sherbrook, Canada, April 23, 1876. He is a son of Thomas and Henrietta (Allen) Barclay. His father was a native of Ireland, who came from that country to Canada in 1843 with his people and resided there until 1880, when he removed to Green Bay whither his duties as engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad called him. Ile lived in Green Bay until his death in 1896 at the age of fifty-six years. His wife survived him until 1908, in which year her death occurred when she was sixty years old. She is buried beside her husband in Fort Howard cemetery.
Edward Barclay was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Green Bay but laid aside his books at the age of sixteen years to take a position as clerk and bookkeeper in a local grocery store, in which capacity he served for ten years. In 1902 he entered the employ of the Gillen Stone Company and acted as bookkeeper for that concern for some time. He later held a similar position with the Fox River Valley Telephone & Telegraph Company. He resigned this office in 1908 and for one year was employed as manager by the Green Bay Pure Milk Company and his work in this direction gave a definite trend to his ambi- tions. In 1909 he resigned his position as manager and went into business for himself along similar lines. He organized the Green Bay Ice Cream & Dairy Company on a small scale. He had very little capital and his business in the beginning was well taken care of by four employes and he operated at that time only two delivery wagons. In the four years of its existence the company has prospered and developed to a remarkable extent. Mr. Barclay at the present time employs sixteen people in the wholesale and retail branch of his business and keeps eight wagons in constant operation. The business has outgrown the capacity of the building in which it is located and Mr. Barclay now occupies a new building, which beside a working space of fifty by eighty feet leaves a whole floor for ware-room purposes. It is
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at the present time one of the most modernly equipped concerns of its kind in Green Bay and is supplied with the most efficient and improved machinery to be found on the market. Mr. Barclay gives special attention to cleanliness and sanitation and the purity of his products gives them a ready sale all over Brown county. Mr. Barclay is at the present time doing business within a radius of fifty miles and since his contemplated improvements have been made even this extensive market has been increased.
On November 28, 1900, Edward Barclay was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Frericks, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert Frericks. Mr. Frericks was a well known carpenter of Green Bay until his death which occurred in 1898 and he is buried in the Allouez cemetery. To Mr. and Mrs. Barclay two daughters have been born: Marguerite and Elizabeth, who reside with their parents in the beautiful family home at No. 149 North Maple avenue.
Mr. Barclay is a member of the National Fraternal League and the Equitable Fraternal Union, both of Green Bay. Ile is one of the well known business men of the city and in a comparatively short time of activity has built up a flourishing and prosperous business which has gone beyond the city limits into the markets of the county and state.
CARL A. JONES.
Carl A. Jones, junior partner of the company which is operating the West Side Garage located at 151 North Broadway, Green Bay, has been a master machinist during practically all of his business life and understands automobile construction in all of its details. He was born at Reedsville. Wisconsin, July 18, 1881, and is a son of Gustave and Bertha Jones. His father came to Green Bay from Reedsville, Wisconsin, in 1885, and fol- lowed the contracting and house-moving business until a few years ago, when he removed to Park Falls, Wisconsin, where he is now engaged in general agriculture. He is a native of Germany, having come to the United States in 1872.
Carl A. Jones received his early education in the primary schools of Green Bay and attended the local high school for a short time. He laid aside his books at the age of eighteen years to enter the machine shop of E. B. Hayes & Company, where he worked for four years. There he gained a thorough knowledge of the details of the machinist's trade and showed a decided mechanical ability. He then entered the employ of a gas engine factory, and worked as machinist there for three years, spend- ing the last eighteen months of this time as foreman of the machine shop. He worked at his trade in various parts of the country until 1905, when he took charge of the repair department of the Kruger Auto Company, which is now doing business under the name of the Auto Company of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. On September 1, 1909, Mr. Jones returned to Green Bay where he entered into business for himself as a partner in the company which is operating the West Side Garage. Here his mechanical ability
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
and his expert knowledge of every kind of machinery were valuable assets to him in the conduct of his business and during the three years in which his enterprise has existed it has grown and developed to a remarkable extent.
On June 20, 1901, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Raleigh, a daughter of James and Sarah Raleigh, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They are the parents of one son, Willard. The family residence is at 210 South Broadway. Politically Mr. Jones keeps himself independent of party affiliations, preferring to follow the dictates of his own judgment. He is a devoted member of the Roman Catholic church and is prominent in the affairs of the Knights of Columbus. Although he is still a young man, he has in the comparatively short time during which he has been active in business affairs gained a gratifying degree of success.
FELIX E. POELS.
Felix E. Poels, successfully engaged in business as a brick manufacturer of Howard township, is one of the worthy native sons and esteemed citi- zens of Brown county. His birth occurred in the town of Howard on the 29th of December, 1864, his parents being Frank and Jane ( Roscom ) Poels, both of whom were natives of Belgium, the former born in 1843 and the latter in 1840. Frank Poels came to Wisconsin and took up his abode in the town of Howard in 1857, cleared a tract of land, built a log cabin and continued to reside therein for ten years. Throughout his active business career he devoted his attention to general agricultural pur- suits with excellent results, enjoying an enviable reputation as a prosper- ous farmer and respected citizen. He resided in this county for almost a half century and was called to his final rest in 1906. His wife passed away two years later. Their children are as follows: Roselain; Peter ; Felix E., of this review; James, twin brother of Felix; Phillameine ; Lizzie ; Alphonso ; Phillapeine ; and John.
Felix E. Poels attended district school No. 5 at Duck Creek until four- teen years of age and subsequently worked for his father until a youth of sixteen. During the next twenty-six years he was employed in the Northwestern quarry and for twenty years of that time acted as fore- man. His duties in this connection, however, required his attention only in the summer season and during the winter months he worked in the woods. In 1889, while employed in the quarry, he purchased forty acres of land, and in 1900 he bought an interest in a brickyard, his partner being C. MI. Steeno. He has been very successful in his undertakings as a brick manufacturer, his yard covering fifty-six acres, and also owns a stone quarry covering twenty acres in the town of Howard, while he likewise has two farming properties. Ile is a stockholder in the creamery and has long been recognized as one of the leading and enterprising citizens of his com- munity.
On the 7th of August, 1893, at Duck Creek, Mr. Poels was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Lemrond, whose father was one of the earliest
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settlers in the town of Howard. They have one child, Laurence. Mr. Poles is a republican in politics and has served as supervisor for three years. He is a devout communicant of the Catholic church and acts as treasurer of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. That his life has at all times commanded the high respect which is uniformly tendered him is in- dicated in the fact that many of his stanchest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time.
AUGUST BODART.
August Bodart, who is engaged in the hotel business at Green Bay, was born on the site of his present place of business on the ioth of January. 1864. He is a son of William and Victoria Bodart, who were born, reared and married in Belgium. Together with his family and father-in-law, Mr. Bodart emigrated to the United States in 1854. He came direct to Green Bay, where he obtained employment in a brickyard. Later he established a small inn, known as the Coffee Bell, which was extensively patronized by the farmers of that period, who always carried their lunches and stopped here to obtain hot coffee. Through the practice of diligence and thrift Mr. Bodart ultimately acquired sufficient money to enable him to extend the scope of his business activities. He therefore came to the present location of his son, which at that time was swamp land, and established a hotel and general mercantile store. Later he added a private bank to his other inter- ests, being intrusted with the small savings of practically all of his patrons, who came to market in boats. He prospered in his business undertakings and continued to reside here until he passed away on January 1, 1906. He had long survived the mother, whose death occurred on the 9th of Novem- ber. 1888. To them were born six children, five of whom are living, as fol- lows: Henry, who is a resident of Green Bay: Justinian, who makes his home in Kansas City: Frank, also of Green Bay ; August, our subject ; and Fannie, the wife of Peter Robillard, of Green Bay.
The boyhood and youth of August Bodart were passed amid the scenes with which he is familiar. He was given a common-school education and upon terminating his student days began his business career as a clerk in his father's store. In order to acquire a broader and more extensive knowl- edge of commercial affairs, he subsequently left home and after clerking for various concerns in this section went to Chicago, where he was employed for two years. At the expiration of that period he returned to Green Bay and took over the management of his father's store. Two years later he went to Iron Mountain, this state, where he opened a general mercantile store and also engaged in the buying and selling of cattle and horses. He ยท conducted this enterprise for several years and then disposing of his inter- ests there went to work for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company. Withdrawing from their employ three years later he returned to Green Bay and established the hotel he is now conducting.
On the 6th of September, 1887, Mr. Bodart was united in marriage to
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Miss Clara Servais, whose birth occurred on the 15th of August, 1858, at old Fort Howard, this state. She is a daughter of Peter and Honora (Willi- guet ) Servais, natives of Belgium. The father, who was a shoemaker by trade, emigrated to the United States in his early manhood and located at Fort Howard. The maternal grandparents were Charles Joseph and Mary Theresa ( Mees) Williguet. To Mr. and Mrs. Bodart have been born the following children : Honora, who is a school teacher ; and Alice and George, both of whom are at home.
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