USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume II > Part 10
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General Auer held membership in Milwaukee Lodge, No. 46, B. P. O. E., and was a member of the Milwaukee Press Club and the Diana Club of Horicon. He was one of the original incorporators of the Milwaukee Real Estate Board. His life was an exempli- fication of the Emersonian philosophy that "the way to win a friend is to he one." He always recognized sterling qualities in others and worth and not wealth determined his friendships. He was kindly, genial, generous, and he went about doing good, so that his life was of signal service and benefit to his fellowmen and the world is better tor his having lived. He was in the fifty-third year of his age when called to his final rest on the 15th of February, 1910.
STUART F. AUER.
Stuart F. Auer, president of Auer, Incorporated, carries on a real estate and insur- ance business, maintaining the high policy and standards of service that have ever heen associated with the name of Auer since his grandfather entered the real estate field in Milwaukee. Mr. Auer was born in this city, June 7, 1898, his father heing Louis Auer, whose sketch is given ahove. He received his education in St. Thomas Military Academy of St. Paul, Minnesota, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin. On the 8th of April, 1917, he enlisted for service in the Aviation Corps of the United States army and was sent to Kelly Field at San Antonio, Texas. Later he was transferred to Scott Field in Illinois and sailed for France, making the trip across in a small lake steamer. They left the United States on the 12th of December, 1917, and were twenty-seven days on the ocean, arriving in France on the 7th of January, 1918. After further intensive training near Paris, Mr. Auer received his commission
STUART F. AUER
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on the 7th of June, 1918, and for a time was assistant officer in charge of acrobatic instruction at Issoudun, France. Later he was in charge of the testing of pilots and planes and finally on the 19th of March, 1919, he sailed again for the United States, receiving his discharge on the 2d of June following.
In September, 1921, Mr. Auer organized the Stuart F. Auer Company, a real estate, loan and mortgage company, thus following in the footsteps of his father. In October the business was reorganized and incorporated under the style of Auer, Incorporated, with Stuart F. Auer as president, C. C. Cross as vice president and treasurer, and John S. Bartlett as secretary.
On the 7th of June, 1921, Mr. Aner was married to Miss Ruth Valentine Bartlett, a daughter of G. D. Bartlett, secretary of the Wisconsin Bankers Association. Mr. Auer belongs to the Wisconsin Club, the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Milwaukee Yacht Club, the Association of Commerce, and the Milwaukee Real Estate Board. He is a young man of high character, anxious to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious and honored father, and the course that he is now pursuing points to a successful future.
RICHARD PAUL TELL.
To seize an opportunity when it is presented and to make the best possible use of one's time and talents constitutes the secret of success. This course has been characteristic of the life of Richard Paul Tell, president of the National Brake & Electric Company of Milwaukee, who step by step has progressed in his business career until he occupies a commanding position in commercial and manufacturing circles. He was born in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany, August 23, 1869, a son of Richard Carl and Ida Tell, who are also natives of that country, whence they came to America in 1882 with their only child, Richard P. Landing in Texas, where they had relatives, they remained in the Lone Star state for only a brief period and then removed to St. Louis, where the father worked at his trade-that of a machinist, having been manager of a machine shop in his native town ere he came to the new world. In 1885 he arrived in Milwaukee, where he and his wife are still living, having for thirty-six years been residents of this city.
Richard Paul Tell was partially educated in Germany and . attended the famous Thomas Gymnasium at Leipzig after previously spending some time in a preparatory school. When the family home was established in St. Louis he worked in a brewery supply business for two years and after the arrival in Milwaukee he attended night sessions of a business college. After six months he was recommended for a position as bookkeeper to C. Niss & Son, furniture dealers, with whom he remained for three years. He next became timekeeper with the Northwestern Carriage & Sleigh Com- pany, filling numerous positions until finally he was sent out on the road as a traveling salesman. Subsequently he was with the C. J. Smith & Sons Company, one of the largest bicycle parts manufacturing concerns in the country at that time, Mr. Tell having charge of the credit, accounts and costs systems. After this company became absorhed by the trusts he resigned and was employed as bookkeeper by the Christensen Engineering Company, of which he became vice president and general manager. In 1903 the name of the company was changed to the National Electric Company and in 1905, on account of the failure of Frank G. Bigelow, the company went into bankruptcy and Mr. Tell then operated the plant under the trustee, John I. Beggs, and assisted in bringing about the purchase of the plant by the Westinghouse Air- brake Company in March, 1906. The business has since been carried on under the name of the National Brake & Electric Company. The plant has been more than trebled in size since 1906 and Mr. Tell was vice president and general manager from that date until 1916, when he was elected to the presidency of the company. The plant covers fifteen acres and the floor space occupied is five hundred and forty- four thousand square feet, while fourteen hundred men are employed. During the war they built for the French government four-wheel drive and steer tractors. They also built a great number of lathes, which were principally used for munition work in the allied countries. After the United States entered the war they manufactured principally for the shipping board and also kept their steel foundry busy in making gun mount castings. The National Brake & Electric Company also sent nearly two hundred boys from their plant into the service and in every possible way aided in the promotion of the war by supplying the government demands for men and material. In addition to his connection with the National Brake & Electric Company as its president, Mr. Tell has become president of the National Steel Foundries, also of the Milwaukee Locomotive Manufacturing Company and the National Utilities Corporation. He is likewise a director of the Milwaukee Association of Commerce and chairman of the safety division. He has been one of the directors, since 1910, of the Milwaukee Metal Trades and Founders Association and served as its president from 1917 until 1920. He is likewise the president of the Milwaukee Employers
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Council, which was recently organized, being the first incumbent in this position. Through these varous connections he is closely studying trade conditions and every- thing that has to do with business life, and especially with manufacturing and com- mercial interests at the present time.
On the 30th of April, 1895, Mr. Tell was married to Miss Margaret J. Lavin, a native of Milwaukee, and of Irish descent. They have one son, Carl John, who was attending the Union College at Schenectady, New York, when America entered the World war. He went into the service as a member of the Sixth Division, A. E. F., and was at division headquarters. He saw service in France for one year, after which he returned to Union College and was graduated in 1919. He is now secretary and assistant manager of Nuzum Electrotype Company of Milwaukee.
During the war period Mr. Tell was chairman of the Wisconsin regional board, for the war industries hoard, industrial resource and conversion section. He was likewise a member of the executive committee of the Milwaukee County Council of Defense. During all the campaigns he was chairman of the metal trades section of Milwaukee county, which contributed and subscribed nearly twenty-five per cent of all contributions and subscriptions made to the war drives. The funds raised by this section exceeded twenty-eight million dollars. Mr. Tell enjoys a most enviable reputation among the business men of Milwaukee. He has ever given much of his time and money to the cause of making Milwaukee a greater and hetter city and is identified with every public movement that tends to promote civic progress and improve- ment. Moreover, his judgment is sound, his discrimination keen and his enterprise unfaltering and his efforts have at all times been attended with excellent and far- reaching results.
JAMES A. SHERIDAN.
James A. Sheridan, who in professional circles made a most creditable name and place for himself, devoting his attention to teaching and to the practice of law through- out an active and useful life, was born November 12, 1859, in Waterloo, Jefferson county, Wisconsin. His parents were John and Bridget (Burns) Sheridan, who were natives of Ireland but came to Wisconsin at an early period in the development of this state, the father taking up land from the government in the vicinity of Waterloo, where he spent his remaining days.
James A. Sheridan acquired his early education in the schools of Waterloo and afterward attended the University of Wisconsin, from which he was gradnated in 1882. Several years later he returned to the University of Wisconsin for the study of law, completing the course in 1893. At that time he was serving as high school inspector of the state and occupied the position for two years. In the interim, however, he was engaged in teaching school and was principal of the schools at Chilton, Wisconsin, for a year, while in 1884 he accepted the principalship of the schools of his native city. Later in that year he was elected county superintendent of the schools of Jefferson county and made a most creditable record in the office, promot- ing the standards of education there maintained. In 1893 he was made state inspector of schools of Wisconsin and rendered most efficient service in that connection. In the latter part of 1894 he came to Milwaukee, where he opened a law office hut continued to act as inspector until the 1st of January, 1895, when he resigned the position. He then concentrated his efforts and attention upon his law practice, in which he con- tinued to the time of his death on the 13th of October, 1912. While thus engaged he lectured in the law school of the city on corporation law and he also contributed to the benefit of the school system by serving as president of the school board for one term and member of the board for six years or until forced to resign on account of the growth of his law practice, which had assumed extensive proportions. He was con- nected with much important litigation tried in the courts of this district 'and his masterly handling of cases showed a thorough familiarity with the principles of jurisprudence and marked ability in applying these principles to the points in litigation. His presentation was always full and comprehensive, his reasoning logical and his deductions sound. While his law practice constantly increased in volume and importance, he nevertheless always found time to meet his public obligations and duties and in addition to his service on the school board he served as a member of the museum hoard.
On the 11th of January, 1888. Mr. Sheridan was married to Miss Harriet Hoag, of Waterloo, a daughter of William L. and Caroline Lee ( Bickford) Hoag, the former a native of Medina, Orleans county, New York, and the latter of Middleport, Niagara county, New York. Both her father and mother were teachers in early life. They came to Wisconsin in the early '50s and here many years later their daughter, Mrs. Sheridan, took up the profession of teaching, giving instruction in piano and elocution in Madison from 1890 until 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan traveled extensively in the
JAMES A. SHERIDAN
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United States and Canada and made several tours through Europe. While abroad Mrs. Sheridan greatly enjoyed the visits to the most noted art galleries of the old world and to many points of historic and modern interest, and following her return she began lecturing, her lectures being the outgrowth of her travels. There was a rare companionship between Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan, and journeying through Europe they found the keenest interest in matters of history and of art, Mr. Sheridan specializing more in the former and his wife in the latter. She brought back a most interesting message concerning her travels and thus became well known to the lecture platform. On the 29th of June, 1907, she was enrolled as a life member of the National Art Society and is entitled to all its benefits and privileges, her certificate of membership being signed by M. Wheat, secretary. Her success on the lecture platform led to the extension of her efforts in this connection. She has always been prominent in women's suffrage movement and has been a factor in its success. Becoming widely known through her earnest and eloquent addresses, she was requested to assist in the last presidential campaign and spoke in favor of the League of Nations under the auspices of the democratic headquarters. Her success upon the lecture platform has been tremendous and her services are in great demand. While speaking she never uses notes and has her subjects so well in hand that she requires not even a memorandum and at all times carries the audience with her. A clear thinker, a cogent reasoner, ner public addresses are characterized by logic and brightened by the play of fancy, of wit and of humor. Mrs. Sheridan belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution and is in hearty sympathy with its purposes. She acted as chairman of the Biblical department of the College Endowment Association through a period of four years. She also assisted in organizing the Tuesday Musical Society, which now has a very large membership. Her aid and influence have always been on the side of progress and improvement and have been especially helpful toward those projects which are looking to the intellectual, cultural and moral advancement of the city. She always shared with her husband in the many benevolent projects which interested him and together they did many helpful things for the young people of the country, always encouraging and assisting them toward higher development.
Mr. Sheridan was a Mason, belonging to Ivanhoe Commandery, having attained the Knights Templar degree. He was a lifelong democrat and took a deep interest in politics but never aspired to public office. He belonged to the Old Settlers Club and for many years his memory formed a connecting link between the primitive past and . the progressive present. He compiled a history of Waterloo from its earliest inception to the time of his death and this was published in the papers and is now on file in the library at Madison. Thus it was that he lent permanent aid and value to his state in many ways, his forceful character and marked ability leaving their impress upon the records of Milwaukee and the commonwealth.
VALENTINE NORTMANN.
Valentine Nortmann, who for many years was actively connected with foundry interests in Milwaukee and was a prominent figure in the upbuilding of the southern section of the city, was here horn on the 3d of February, 1857, and had passed the sixtieth milestone on life's journey when he was called to his final rest on the 9th of July, 1917. In the acquirement of his education Mr. Nortmann attended the parochial schools of Milwaukee and after leaving school learned the machine molder's trade, completing a full term of apprenticeship. He subsequently followed his trade for several years and in 1888 he engaged in business on his own account as a member of the firm of Stamm & Nortmann. He thus operated a foundry for several years, at the end of which time the business was reorganized by the admission of Mr. Duffke to the firm and the name of the Stamm, Nortmann & Duffke Foundry Com- pany was assumed. At a later period Mr. Stamm sold his interest, after which the business was conducted under the style of the Nortmann-Duffke Foundry Company. They developed one of the largest and best foundries of the south side and their business became one of very gratifying proportions, owing to the enterprise, diligence and energy displayed by the partners, who surrounded themselves with a corps of capable workmen.
On the 5th of June, 1884, Mr. Nortmann was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Link, daughter of Boniface and Catherine (Zecherle) Link, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father came to the new world in 1842, and the mother crossed the Atlantic in 1848. She took up her abode at Dousman, Waukesha county, .Wis- consin, and Mr. Link also went direct to Dousman. Mrs. Nortmann was born at Dousman and by her marriage she became the mother of a son. Albert V., who is now engaged in the real estate business with the Richter-Schroeder Company. He acquired a high school education and is regarded as an expert bookkeeper.
Mr. Nortmann was always interested in public affairs and served as side super-
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visor of the town of Lake. He was not an aspirant for office, however, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon business and other affairs. He served as a member of the school board, the cause of education finding in him a stalwart champion. In early life he gave his political endorsement to the democratic party but later hecame a supporter of republican principles. This change in his political affiliation was indicative of the character of the man. He never hesitated to express his honest convictions nor to stand loyally by the principles in which he believed. He was also a member of St. Joseph's Society. Those who knew him, and he had a wide acquaintance, testify to the many sterling traits of character which he dis- played, while his business associates accorded him a prominent position in industrial circles, for steadily in that connection he worked his way upward and was known as one of the leading foundrymen of the city.
WALTER H. NEILSON, M. D.
Dr. Walter H. Neilson, a physician and surgeon of Milwaukee, largely specializing in internal medicine, came to this country from Canada, his birth having occurred at Val Cartier, Quebec, September 4, 1857. He is a son of Cornelius and Margaret (Ireland) Neilson. The former, a farmer by occupation, was also a native of Val Cartier, Quebec, and was of Scotch, Irish and French descent, while his wife was of Scotch and English lineage. In 1860 they crossed the border to the United States, settling on a farm in Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, about five miles from the present city limits of Milwaukee but at that time ten miles distant.
Dr. Neilson traces his ancestry from the Neilsons of Corsock, near Castle Donglas, Scotland, one of the most famous of the family being John Neilson, who married Lady Mary McLellan, Kirkcudbright. Near them lived the minister of Kirkpatrick Durham, who was so outspoken against the government that he was ejected from his parish and took refuge with the Neilsons, in whose home he preached until his congregation became so large that he was obliged to take to the fields, being the first field preacher in Scotland. This gave such offense that John Neilson was arrested, lodged in jail and heavily fined. With other gentlemen in the neighborhood a rebellion was started which ended disastrously at the battle fought at Rullion Green. Being arrested, John Neilson freely confessed his part in the uprising but would not incriminate his friends. Al- though put to torture of the Boot, he steadily refused and on the 14th of December, 1666, was hanged at the cross of Edinburgh and huried in Greyfriar cemetery. One of his descendants John Neilson, removed to Quebec, Canada, in 1787 and there engaged in the newspaper and publishing business, editing the Quebec Gazette for many years. Entering politics, he became a member of parliament and was a member of the privy council. He received many honors from the people, representing them on a mission to the court of St. James.
Walter H. Neilson was reared on the old home farm in Milwaukee county and when eighteen years of age took up the profession of teaching, thus earning a portion of the funds for a college education. After studying for two years in the academic department of the University of Wisconsin he matriculated in Rush Medical College of Chicago, which institution conferred upon him the degree of M. D. at his graduation with the class of 1881. He served for some time as an interne in the Milwaukee County Hospital and has pursued postgraduate work in the New York Postgraduate School, in the New York Polyclinic and also abroad. It was in the year of his gradua- tion from Rush Medical College that he opened an office in Milwaukee, where he has remained throughout the intervening period of more than four decades and where he formerly devoted his attention to general practice but for the past twelve years has specialized in internal medicine. Associated with Dr. William H. Earles and B. G. Maercklein he was instrumental in founding the Milwaukee Medical College, of which school he was professor of internal medicine until that institution was merged with the Wisconsin Medical College to form the Marquette School of Medicine, in which he is associate professor of internal medicine. He is identified with the Milwaukee Medical Society, the Milwaukee County Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society, the Tri-State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. His high professional standing is indicated in the fact that he has been honored with the presidency of the Wisconsin State Medical Society and for nineteen years he was the editor of the Milwaukee Medical Journal, which he owned during that period.
Dr. Neilson has been married twice. In 1881 he wedded Miss Clara Thomas, who died in May, 1906, leaving two sons, Dr. George W. Neilson and Walter R. Neilson, the latter engaged in the insurance business. The former, Dr. George W. Neilson, is a well known physician of Milwaukee, who is associated in practice with his father. His degree of Bachelor of Arts was received at the University of Wisconsin and that of Doctor of Medicine from Marquette University. In November, 1907, Dr. Walter H. Neilson was again married, at which time Miss Bessie B. Jeffers became his wife.
DR. WALTER H. NEILSON
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They have four living children: John M. C., Robert A., Mary L. and Charles Gordon. They lost one daughter, Elizabeth Margaret.
Dr. Neilson has ever possessed a social, genial nature which has found expression in his membership in the Milwaukee City Club, as well as in many other ways. He is also a member of St. Andrews Society, Academy of Arts, Sciences and Letters of Wisconsin, and the Archaeological Society of Wisconsin. He has long been a consistent member of the Presbyterian church and for twelve years served as one of its elders. His interest in the church has never been of a lukewarm character but on the contrary has expressed itself in active service in the upbuilding of the church and in the ad- vancement of the moral welfare of the community.
REV. GUSTAV STEARNS.
Rev. Gustav Stearns, pastor of the English Lutheran Church of the Ascension of Milwaukee, was born in New Richland, Minnesota, and is a son of Halvor and Bergette (Sevats) Stearns. The father came to America from Norway at the age of sixteen years and the mother was a little maiden of but six summers when she crossed the Atlantic. They were married near Beloit, Wisconsin, and afterward made the trip to Minnesota in a prairie schooner, casting in their lot with the pioneer settlers of that locality, where the father conducted a general merchandise store.
Rev. Gustav Stearns acquired his early education in the public schools and after- ward went to Northfield, Minnesota, where he was graduated from the preparatory department of St. Olaf College in 1892, while in 1896 he completed the collegiate course in the same institution, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Going to Minneapolis, he there completed a three years' theoretical course in the Lutheran Theological Seminary, receiving the degree of Candidatus Theologiae. He was presi- dent of the class, numbering eighteen members, and was one of three in the class, having "exceptionally competent" written on his diploma. He completed his studies in the summer of 1899 and was ordained to the ministry soon afterward.
Rev. Stearns came to Milwaukee in the same year, arriving on the 16th of July, 1899, accepting his first call from the English Lutheran Church of the Ascension, of which he has since remained as the pastor. The church is located at Scott and Reed streets at the present time. The congregation, however, has purchased a site on Layton boulevard, hetween Scott street and Greenfield avenue, and has decided to erect a new church edifice thereon soon.
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