USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume II > Part 7
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satisfaction of all concerned. He is likewise a member of the board of directors of the Wisconsin Life Insurance Company, so serving for several years.
On the 11th of July, 1900, Mr. Dudgeon was married to Miss Mabel Cunningham, a daughter of Judge E. W. Cunningham of the supreme court of Kansas, and they have become parents of two children: Lucile, who is seventeen years of age; and Edith May, ten years of age. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and when in politics Mr. Dudgeon was a republican, hut of recent years has taken no active part in political work. He helongs to the Masonic fraternity, also to the Phi Delta Phi, a law fraternity, and the Delta Tau Delta. In club circles he is well known through his connections with the Milwaukee City Club and the Kiwanis Club. He has ever heen a student of the questions and issues of the day, keeping abreast with the best thinking men of the age and likewise upon the sociological and economic problems before the country, his influence and efforts being at all times on the side of progress, improvement and reform.
GENERAL OTTO H. FALK.
General Otto H. Falk, who since March, 1913, has heen the president of the Allis- Chalmers Company of Milwaukee, is one of the most prominent military figures of the state, having been identified with the National Guard for many years. He is also num- bered among the veterans of the Spanish-American war and at various times has been called upon for special duty in the enforcement of law and order in the state.
General Falk was born at Wauwatosa, Milwaukee county, on the 18th of June, 1865, a son of Franz and Louise (Wahl) Falk. He was a pupil in the German-English Acad- emy of Milwaukee during his boyhood days and afterward received collegiate training in the Northwestern College of Watertown. His taste directed him to the field of mili- tary action, however, and he hecame a pupil in the Allen Military Academy of Chicago, from which he was graduated as ranking captain. Then followed many years devoted largely to the military service of the state and nation. He became a member of the Light Horse Squadron Cadet Corps and on the 9th of March, 1886, was actively enrolled in the state military service as adjutant of the Fourth Infantry of the Wisconsin Na- tional Guard. Before two months had passed he had taken part in the suppression of riots which hroke out simultaneously in Chicago and Milwaukee and he bore himself with such dignity of honor and valor that Governor Rusk appointed him as an aide-de- camp on his personal staff. Promotion after promotion followed. On the 24th of August, 1887, he hecame major in the Fourth Battalion and on the 29th of October of the same year he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Following the initia- tion of George W. Peck to the office of governor, he appointed General Falk quarter- master of the Wisconsin National Guard, his commission bearing date of January 5, 1891. On the 5th of December, 1893, Governor Peck appointed him adjutant general of the Wisconsin state militia, and he was greatly honored in this, as no one of equal youth had been appointed to that important office in the history of the state up to that time. At his own application he was placed on the retired list January 10, 1895. In the meantime he had rendered very valuable public service on a number of occasions, par- ticularly in connection with the third ward fire in Milwaukee and the Camp Douglas fire, whereby he was commended in general orders from Wisconsin's chief executive. In August, 1893, the governor sent him to Ashland, Wisconsin, to investigate the dock riots and within two days he had settled the troubles to the satisfaction of both parties. It was at this time that Governor Peck received from the business men of Ashland the following message: "A resolution was adopted tendering your honor sincere thanks for the timely and efficient aid rendered in the past two days to the milling and business interests of this city through the personal efforts of General Falk, who readily grasped the situation." In July, 1892, General Falk was ordered to the scene of a strike at Merrill and his tactful course at that time led to allaying the difficulties between the contending parties without resort to the troops.
It was due in large measure to the watchful care of General Falk that Wisconsin escaped the trouble caused by the great Pullman and western railway strike of 1894, the only disturbance in the state occurring at Spooner. In the winter of 1893 he was in command of the relief expedition sent to northern Wisconsin and Michigan to give aid to the starving miners. While serving as adjutant general he revised the rules and regulations of the laws governing the National Guard of Wisconsin. In 1894 he served as president of the National Guard Association. When at his own request General Falk was retired by Governor Upham, the latter said: "Few officers in the state have held so many appointments or filled them so well. Whether as adjutant, hattalion com- mander, quartermaster or adjutant general, he brought to the discharge of his duties rare ability, sound judgment and enthusiastic devotion. In the equipment of the state force and in the system existing in this office, he has left a monument to his executive
GENERAL OTTO H. FALK
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skill. His unfailing courtesy and consideration will be long remembered, and he carries with him to his retirement the respect and esteem of the Wisconsin National Guard."
With the outbreak of the Spanish-American war General Falk was once more called upon for active duty. While there were no vacancies in the state militia the president of the United States commissioned him major and chief quartermaster on the 8th of June, 1898, and the 30th of the same month he was assigned to the Third Army Corps, reporting for duty at the corps headquarters on the 4th of July, after which he was assigned as chief quartermaster of the First Division with a station at Chickamauga Park. When two months had passed he was made quartermaster of the entire corps, stationed at Anniston, Alabama, and with the disbandment of the corps early in October he became chief quartermaster of the Second Division of the Fourth Corps. On the 10th of December of the same year he was commissioned special inspector of the Quarter- master Department, U. S. A., with the rank of lieutenant colonel and in the months of January and February, 1899, he visited many American camps and in the latter part of that period was ordered to take station in Washington. On the 4th of March, 1899, he received orders to start upon an inspection trip in Cuba and while thus engaged he inspected the camps at Havana, Pina del Rio, Guanajay, Buena Vista, La Union, Matan- zas, Cardenas, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, San Luis, Manzanillo, Santiago and Guantanamo. On the Ist of April. he joined the secretary of war at Santiago, proceeding on the United States transport Ingalls to Porto Rico, where he inspected the Quartermaster Departments at Ponce and San Juan, returning with the party to the United States and landing a Fortress Monroe in the latter part of April. He was then stationed at Wash- ington until he received his requested discharge on the 20th of June.
General Falk, following his return to Wisconsin, was ordered by Governor Schofield to assume command of the First Regiment of Infantry, Wisconsin National Guard, at which time Milwaukee was made a military post with Troop A and Battery A as gar- rison and General Falk in command. In 1903 the First Wisconsin Infantry participated in the general army maneuvers at West Point and won the following commendation from General Wagner: "Their work in the field was most excellent and highly satis- factory," while in a letter to General Falk, General Kobbe of the United States army said: "The inspector general of the division made verbal report to me yesterday to the effect that the camp of the First Wisconsin was in most excellent condition and that the sanitary precantions enjoined in orders were implicitly followed. They have nothing to learn in this respect from any regiment on the grounds." In 1905 General Falk requested that he might be placed on the retired list, hut Governor LaFollette refused the request because of the value of his service to the National Guard. A year later he was transferred to the general staff as a chief engineer officer, with station at Milwaukee and took up the important task of constructing Battery A harracks.
While his military service has kept him prominently before the public, General Falk has also become recognized as one of the ablest and most resourceful business men of the city. He is the vice president of the Falk Corporation, vice president and director of the Falk Investment Company, a director of the Wisconsin Telephone Company, a director of the Milwaukee Mechanics Fire Insurance Company, a director of the First Wisconsin National Bank, a director of the First Wisconsin Company and a director of the First Wisconsin Trust Company, and in April, 1912, he became receiver for the local Allis-Chalmers Company until the reorganization of the business in March, 1913, when he was elected to the presidency of the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company and has so continued. He has thus been active in controlling and directing important manufacturing and commercial interests and has marshalled the forces of trade with the same thoroughness and precision that has marked his direction of military affairs.
On the 10th of December, 1901, General Falk was married to Miss Elizabeth A. Vogel, a daughter of Fred Vogel, Jr., of Milwaukee, and they have hecome parents of two children: Elizabeth Louise and Otto Herbert. Politically General Falk is a stal- wart republican, where national questions are involved, but at local elections casts an independent ballot, regarding only the capability of the candidate for the discharge of the duties of the particular office which he seeks. General Falk has been an influential factor in many important business and other organizations. He was for a long period president of the Merchants & Manufacturers Association of Milwaukee, served on its legislative committee and became a member of the charter convention and the chairman of the track elevation committee. His work in behalf of the association has been far- reaching and beneficial. He has many membership connections, belonging to the United States Infantry Association, the Military Service Institute, the American National Red Cross, the National Guard Association of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin State Rifle Associa- tion, the Military Order of Foreign Wars and also to the Wisconsin Club, the Milwaukee Country Club, the Milwaukee Club, the Town Club, the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Milwaukee Automobile Club and the Wisconsin State Automobile Association. General Falk is regent of Marquette University; a life member of the Wisconsin Historical So- ciety and Old Settlers Club; an honorary life member of Burgesses Corps, New York; member of the Spanish-American War Veterans Association; and a director of the Wis- consin Manufacturers' Association. The political positions which he has held are:
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fire and police commissioner of the city of Milwaukee; vice president of the public safety commission of Milwaukee; delegate representing the state of Wisconsin at the National Tariff Commission convention in 1909, the National Peace Congress, 1909, the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways convention, 1909-1910, National Irrigation Congress, 1910, and National Conference on Social Insurance, 1916. He is appreciative of the social amenities of life and his genial manner and unfeigned cordiality which have flourished despite military discipline and regulation, have made for him many warm friends.
GEORGE R. HARSH.
George R. Harsh was born September 9, 1868, in Nashville, Tennessee, and died in the Johns Hopkins Hospital at Baltimore, Maryland, on the 31st of August, 1921. He was therefore in the fifty-third year of his age at the time of his demise. While he had not yet passed the prime of life, he had accomplished much during his earthly career. Energy and determination had carried him steadily forward until he long occupied a prominent position in business circles of Milwaukee in connection with shoe manufacturing. His parents were Nathan and Mary (Rutherford) Harsh. The mother died when her son George was but a year old and the father soon afterward removed with his children to New York, where he passed away when George R. Harsh was a little lad of but four summers. He was then taken to the home of his uncle, Captain George Harsh of Knightville, Tennessee, who was his guardian and who owned a large plantation near Nashville. There he pursued his education in private schools but when fourteen years of age, while at play with his schoolmates, he sustained an injury to one of his eyes that interfered with further study for months. He was then placed under the care of Mr. Whitman, an attorney of Nashville, who acted as guardian to the boy until he reached the age of eighteen years. During this period Mr. Harsh was a pupil in the schools of that city. When he was eighteen years of age he received some money which had been left him by his father and soon after- ward he went to Birmingham, Alabama, where he worked for an older brother for about two years. He next removed to Memphis, Tennessee, and there he became interested in a business enterprise in connection with his brother-in-law, E. A. Long, but the venture proved unprofitable, causing him the loss of all his savings. He next turned to the theatrical business and became assistant manager of the Grand Opera House of Memphis, while later he was made manager. He gave up this position, however, owing to the opposition of his people, who felt that there were higher things in life for him. He then became connected with the firm of Johnson, Carruthers & Rand, shoe manufacturers of Memphis. The firm, however, told him when he applied for a position that they had nothing for him, but he insisted, refusing to take "no" for an answer, saying that he would be willing to work without pay in order to learn the business. His insistence secured him a trial and his ability was soon manifest. He was placed on the pay roll and the results of his labors were at once evidenced. He applied himself with great thoroughness to the work, mastered every task that devolved upon him and soon became so efficient that he was sent on the road as a traveling salesman by the company and met with marked success from the start in the upbuilding of trade for the house. In the early part of 1897 the shoe firm of Roberts, Johnson & Rand was established in St. Louis, with Mr. Harsh as general superintendent of all their factories, and later he became assistant buyer. An ex- ceedingly warm friendship sprang up between him and Mr. Johnson and Mr. Harsh remained with the house for many years. In 1907, however, he withdrew from this firm, which afterward became the International Shoe Company, one of the largest in the country. He severed his connection with the St. Louis establishment in order to engage in business on his own account and to this end removed to Milwaukee, where he organized the Harsh, Smith & Edmonds Shoe Manufacturing Company. They began operating in a small way, but the business steadily developed. In the second year Mr. Smith withdrew and returned to St. Louis, the firm then becoming Harsh & Edmonds. They opened their own tannery, equipped their plant with the latest im- proved machinery and with remarkable progress the business soon became the largest in Milwaukee. After some time Mr. Edmonds withdrew, while Mr. Harsh, joined by another partner, established the Harsh-Chapline Shoe Company. In February, 1921, they consolidated their interests with the Craddock-Terry Shoe Company of Lynch- burg, Virginia. This was accomplished through the efforts of Mr. Craddock, who was a personal friend of Mr. Harsh. The Virginia plant is devoted to the manufacture of men's, women's and children's shoes but had no tannery in Virginia. The result of the consolidation has been most satisfactory. Mr. Harsh was made vice president of the Craddock-Terry Company of Lynchburg, while the Harsh-Chapline Company of Milwaukee remains under the same official direction. The business has become
GEORGE R. HARSH
Vol. II-5
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one of notable proportions and stands as a monument to the enterprise and capability of the founder.
At the time of the World war Mr. Harsh, with notable sagacity and foresight, recognized something of what the country would need in the way of shoes for the army and generously made the offer to manufacture five hundred pairs of army shoes for the government per day as long as the war lasted, at actual cost, the government to place an expert accountant in the factory to see that costs were figured with accuracy. Mr. Harsh desired no publicity in this matter, but when he telephoned the district attorney's office to know with whom he should communicate in Washington, the district attorney urged immediate publicity, so that other manufacturers in all sorts of lines might be induced to make similar offers to the government to furnish goods for the conduct of the war at actual cost. Mr. Harsh said at this time: "Since I am too old to join the army, I would like to do something to help the nation. By offering one- eighth of the capacity of my factory as long as the war lasts, it will help a little to reduce the cost of the war and I think that enough shoe manufacturers can easily be found to furnish the government with all the shoes required without a penny of profit. The present generation should pay for the war as far as possible, as the government has proposed. By reducing the war bill, the tax on the people will be much less. I think a man is a mighty poor citizen who would roh his own govern- ment at any time and especially in a crisis like this." Mr. Harsh accordingly sent the following telegram to Secretary of War Baker: "We are ready to make five hundred pairs per day of army shoes at cost. We believe other shoe manufacturers can be induced to do likewise. We are shoe manufacturers and tanners. We are equipped to make such shoes as the government buys for its army. We submit the following proposal. We will make five hundred pairs per day of shoes for the govern- ment on government specifications and under government supervision, at cost. We would suggest that actual cost can best he arrived at by an expert cost accountant selected by the government being placed in our factory. We make this proposal with the hope that packers, other tanners and shoe manufacturers may be induced to make the same proposition, which if done, will result in the government getting very excellent shoes at a cost far below prices now being paid. We have never hid on any army con- tracts because we have not needed the business, but we feel that it is our duty to help in any way we can to reduce costs. We believe that the majority of American-born manufacturers will be willing to serve the government in its present situation, to the extent of a part of their production, without profit. If this proposal does not happen to fit in with your requirements and there is some other way that occurs to you that all or any part of our organization may serve the government without com- pensation, please command us."
At that time the government was not in position to accept the offer. In January, 1918, Mr. Harsh went into the government service without title at the salary of one dollar per year. The secretary of war, through Major General George W. Goethals, issued an order that no person who was in any supply bureau of the war department, directly or indirectly, should participate in the negotiation or closing of any purchase or contract with any concern in which such person had relations, was an officer, employe, stockholder or hondholder. Being official buyer of government shoes, Mr. Harsh's company was restricted from accepting any government contracts. Although not making shoes directly for the government, the entire capacity of the tannery and shoe factory was devoted to work shoes for farmers, laborers and mechanics-a war- time necessity.
Mr. Harsh was made chief of the shoes, leather and rubher goods branch of the clothing and equipment division in the office of the quartermaster general of the army. He was appointed to this position as the successor of John W. Craddock, whose assistant Mr. Harsh had been. He therefore brought experience to the position as well as the sound judgment and the enterprise of a successful business man and the devotion of a patriotic citizen. In July, 1918, just a short time before Mr. Harsh was made chief of the department, his wife was in Washington with him and he had the first attack of the illness which three years later caused his death. His wife persuaded him to go with her to Baltimore to consult certain eminent physicians there, who told him that he should go home and rest, as the heat in Washington and the long hours were too strenuous and aggravated his trouble. Mr. Harsh, however, could not he made to see it that way. In fact, his reply was: "I could no more think of giving up now than a general would forsake his men." He returned to Wash- ington, where he remained until the end of the war, and was given a commission as colonel. When the war ended he tendered his resignation and in reply received the following letter: "I am informed of your desire to return to your family and business, and of the tender of your resignation as chief of the shoe branch of the clothing and equipage division. Under the circumstances of your having remained at your duty during the continuance of the war, I do not feel that at this time I should ask a further sacrifice from you and am therefore accepting your resignation, the war having closed. I know that you will carry away with you the appreciation
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in your own mind of a duty well performed, and I cannot allow you to depart from Washington without expressing my appreciation of the qualities in you which have made you so insistent in producing for the army what I believe is the best army shoe in the world. I feel that you have done your government a signal service in being so insistent that the word quality should be the watch word of every officer and every manufacturer working to produce our soldiers' shoes, and I hope that this appreciation of your efforts will to some extent reward you for the sacrifice which you have made in the past months. Sincerely yours, R. E. Wood, Acting Quartermaster General."
The home life of Mr. Harsh was largely ideal. On the 22d of December, 1895, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Shwimmer, a daughter of William J. and Emily A. (Conklin) Shwimmer, of Pike county, Missouri, who are descended from Scotch- Irish ancestry. Her father was one of the close friends of Champ Clark and in an early day he was associated with Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) in editing a newspaper at Louisiana, Missouri. His father was a prominent business man. Both families have reason to be proud of their ancestry. In the maternal line Mr. Harsh came of notable ancestry, the line of descent being traced down from Lord Rutherford of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Harsh became parents of five children: Estelle is the wife of John S. Disosway of Atlanta, Georgia, who is vice president of the Cotton States Belting & Supply Company of Atlanta and who served for eighteen months at the front in the World war, with the rank of first lieutenant; the second child, a daughter, died in infancy; William Alexander, twenty-one years of age, is employed in the shoe plant which his father established. He started at the bottom, as did his father, with the intention of working up and is thoroughly mastering every phase of the business; George Rutherford, the next child, is a student in the Milwaukee Country Day School; Oscar Johnson, the youngest, is deceased.
Mr. Harsh held membership in the Christian church. He also belonged to various clubs, including the Milwaukee Club, the Town Club and several country clubs near his summer home. He was ever keenly interested in those things which pertained to public welfare and civic progress. He served as a member of the committee for the protection of Milwaukee school teachers in their efforts to secure higher salaries and more satisfactory conditions under which to labor. He was a most charitable and benevolent man, giving liberally where aid was needed but always unostentatiously, none knowing of his generosity save the recipient and himself. It is said that many small children were cared for by reason of his kindly nature. His interest centered in his home and he found his greatest happiness in promoting the welfare of his wife and children. He had a beautiful residence at Pine Lake and with his family spent the summer months there. He greatly enjoyed fishing and outdoor life. His standards of life were very high. He at all times recognized and met his obliga- tions as a man and as a citizen and sought ever to advance those interests which are a potent force in material, intellectual and moral progress. His was a notable record of a self-made man-one who carved out his opportunity and his success. He achieved much because he was willing to work for it and yet his chances were just such as come to all. It was hecause he used opportunities that others passed heedlessly hy that he steadily climbed until he reached the plane of affluence, gaining not only material wealth but the highest respect and regard of his fellowmen.
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