USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume II > Part 70
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
On the 19th of February, 1891, Mr. Wurster was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Schultz of Watertown, Wisconsin, a daughter of Carl W. Schultz, who was a substan- tial and well known merchant of that city. Their two children, born in Milwaukee, are: Erwin G., a successful young attorney of Milwaukee; and Hattie S., who is the wife of Charles D. Beaton of Omaha, Nebraska. The family residence is at No. 3207 Highland boulevard.
In the Masonic fraternity Mr. Wurster has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is likewise identified with the Mystic Shrine, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. He is an active member of the Merchants & Manufacturers Association and is well known and popular in club circles, belonging to the Deutscher Club, the Calumet Club, the
EMANUEL A. WURSTER
677
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee Athletic Club and the Blue Mound Country Club. The period of his resi- dence in Milwaukee covers more than four decades and his position in both business and social circles is an enviable one.
THOMAS SHERIDAN KENNEY.
Thomas Sheridan Kenney, secretary and treasurer of the Munson Kenney Company, manufacturers of awnings, tents, flags and tourists' equipment, has long since estab- lished his right to rank with the progressive and representative business men of Milwaukee. He was born in Chicago, December 16, 1880. His father, Patrick F. Kenney, a native of Galway, Ireland, was a son of John Kenney, who had come to the United States and had been naturalized, after which he went back to the Emerald isle and later returned with his wife and baby. The latter, Patrick F. Kenney, was born an American citizen. He was educated in Boston and there resided to the age of twenty- five years, when he removed westward, becoming a resident of Chicago in 1878. He was a tanner's chemist and passed away in 1900. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Annette Atwood, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a daughter of Luther Atwood, a decorator, who was likewise a native of New Bedford and a representative of one of the old colonial families of New England. He served in the Union army during the Civil war. His daughter, Mrs. Annette Kenney, survived her husband for thirteen years, passing away in 1913.
Thomas S. Kenney obtained his education in the schools of Milwaukee, having been brought to this city by his parents when but three years of age. He started out in the business world as an employe of the Milwaukee Daily News and remained with the paper for twelve years, filling various positions until he was promoted to that of assistant business manager. He had filled almost every intermediate position and then prompted by a laudable ambition he engaged in business on his own account in organizing the Munson-Kenney Company for the sale of awnings, tents, flags and tourists' equipment. He has been secretary and treasurer of the company since its incorporation in 1917 and has been an active factor in the steady development of the business, which has now reached extensive and profitable proportions.
Mr. Kenney has never taken an active part in politics and has always maintained an independent course in his voting. He helongs to Wisconsin Lodge, No. 1, of the Knights of Pythias, and is well known in Masonic circles, having membership in Excelsior Lodge, No. 175, F. & A. M .; Excelsior Chapter, No. 40, R. A. M .; Galilee Commandery, No. 38, K. T .; Kilbourn Council, R. & S. M .; Wisconsin Consistory, S. P. R. S .; Tripoli Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; and Electa Chapter, No. 75, O. E. S. He also belongs to the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Rotary Club, the Builders Club, the Asso- ciation of Commerce, the Tripoli Golf Club, the Tripoli Motor Club and is a member of the Tripoli Patrol, while along husiness lines he has connection with the National Awning and Tent Manufacturers Association. He is greatly interested in all phases of outdoor life and for twenty-five years has maintained a country home at Wind Lake, where he hunts, fishes and follows all outdoor sports. He possesses much natural artistic ability as to decorations and is a lover of flowers, his home being adorned by many beautiful specimens, to which he gives personal care.
LESTER 1. ALBENBERG.
Lester I. Albenberg, secretary and treasurer of the Maas Carbonator Company of Milwaukee, was born in this city, August 17, 1893. His father, Adolph Albenberg, now living in Milwaukee, was a manufacturer of mackinaws and goods of similar character, hut is now living retired. He was born in Germany and came to the United States when eighteen years of age, settling first in St. Paul, Minnesota, whence he removed to Milwaukee in 1879. He married Henrietta Wirth, who was also horn in Germany and came to the United States in 1876.
Lester I. Albenberg obtained his early education in the public schools of Mil- waukee and in the West Division high school, being gradnated with the class of 1913. He started out in the business world as a salesman with the firm of Mahler, Albenberg & Company, with which he remained for a year and a half. He next engaged in business on his own account, organizing the Maas Carbonator Company and in 1917 the busi- ness was incorporated, Mr. Alhenberg becoming secretary and treasurer, while Richard J. Thomas is president of the company. They make soda water machinery and their output goes to all parts of the world. This is the largest exclusive carbonator manu- facturing company on the face of the globe. The business was started in a very modest way and today the company owns a fine factory, while the business is capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars, fully paid up. In addition to his interest in the Maas
678
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
Carbonator Company, Mr. Albenberg was one of the incorporators of the Piggly Wiggly Company of Milwaukee, but has sold out.
On the 20th of September, 1920, Mr. Albenberg was married to Miss Thelma Friedman, a daughter of Louis Friedman, of the firm of L. Friedman & Company of Milwaukee. Her father is a native of Austria-Hungary. Mr. Albenberg gives his political allegiance to the republican party but has never sought nor desired office. He holds to the Jewish faith. Fraternally he is a Mason, having membership in Harmony Lodge, No. 142, A. F. & A. M. He belongs to the Milwaukee Athletic Club, to the Rotary Club and to the Association of Commerce. At the time of the World war he enlisted for service in the aviation branch of the army and was assigned to the ground school at the University of Illinois, and then went to Chanute Field at Rantoul, where he learned to fly and obtained his commission as second lieutenant, being honorably discharged in December, 1918. He finds his recreation in athletic work, especially in handball, yet is interested in all manly outdoor sports and athletics. He is also fond of motoring and touring and indulges in these when leisure permits. His close appli- cation and untiring energy, however, have been potent factors in the attainment of success in business.
ALFRED REEKE.
Alfred Reeke, president of the Reeke Nash Company and Reeke-Lafayette Com- pany and one of the best known representatives of the automobile trade in Milwaukee, was born in this city September 2, 1880, a son of August and Elizabeth (Neuburg) Reeke, both of whom were natives of Prussia. The father came to America in 1856 and the mother afterward crossed the Atlantic, their marriage being celebrated in Mil- waukee. The father first settled at L'Anse, Michigan, and while there residing enlisted for service in the Civil war as a private, remaining with the army for three years. He received two gunshot wounds while in the service and was obliged to remain in the hospital for a number of months. He participated in most of the principal battles and valiantly defended the interest of the Federal government. After being mustered out in 1864 he went to Detroit, Michigan, and in 1865 removed to Milwaukee. Here he worked for the Caspar Sanger Tannery until 1878, when he became a member of the Milwaukee police force, but in 1882 returned to the tanning business, in which he engaged until 1900 and then retired from active business life, spending his remain- ing days in the enjoyment of well earned rest, his death occurring in 1918, when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. He had long survived his first wife, who passed away in 1882 and in 1883 he had married Anna Behrens, by whom he had five children.' The children of the first marriage were seven in number, five of whom are living, namely: Mrs. P. J. Treis; George F., of Green Bay; Edward L., of Sheboy- gan; Mrs. E. A. Busacker of Milwaukee; and Alfred. The children of the second marriage are: Mrs. John Kowalsky; Mrs. Stuart Richardson of Seattle, Washington; Mrs. George Felber; and John.
Alfred Reeke pursued his education in the public schools of Milwaukee until graduated from the tenth ward school. He started out upon his first business venture by selling newspapers on the streets and thus provided for his own support for five years. He next became connected with the Meiselbach Bicycle Company of North Mil- waukee, with which he remained for two years, when the company removed to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to manufacture typewriters. Mr. Reeke went with them but soon returned to Milwaukee and became manager of the Weber Cycle Company at a salary of eight dollars per week. He was then but twenty years of age. The name of the business was later changed to Orlando F. Weber Company, handling Pope automobiles and of this organization Mr. Reeke became the secretary, continuing as such until 1909, when he entered the employ of the Thomas B. Jeffery Company of Kenosha as manager of the Milwaukee branch of their business. He continued with the latter corporation until 1913, when he purchased the business and organized the Reeke, Osmond Motor Car Company, but sold his interest in the latter in 1916 and again went to Kenosha, where he became general sales manager for the Thomas B. Jeffrey Company. In 1917, however, he again came to Milwaukee and in the meantime the Nash Motors Company had bought out the Jeffery Company. . Mr. Reeke then organized the Alfred Reeke Company, of which he is president and which handles the Nash cars and trucks. On February 1, 1921, the name of the Company was changed to the Reeke Nash Company. At this time he also organized the Reeke-LaFayette Company which company handles the LaFayette cars for the state of Wisconsin and upper Michigan. They have a fine showroom and offices on Broadway at Oneida, where they occupy seventy-five thousand square feet of floor space. The business has been developed along substantial lines and the company sells a large number of pleasure cars and trucks annually.
Mr. Reeke was the organizer of the First Milwaukee Automobile Association and
ALFRED REEKE
681
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
became its first president and in 1918 he was conservation director of the automobile industry in the state of Wisconsin and was also sales manager of the War Exposition, which was held in the Auditorium.
On the 28th of July, 1905, Mr. Reeke was married to Miss Della Osborn of Mil- waukee, and they are widely known in the city where the hospitality of many of the best homes is freely accorded them. Mr. Reeke is a member of the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Rotary Club and the Aero Club. He likewise belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and to the Masonic fraternity in which he has attained the thirty-second degree and also is a member of Tripoli Temple, Mystic Shrine. He has membership in the Milwaukee Association of Commerce, is serving on its board of directors and is chairman of its transportation committee. He is thus lending his aid to the study of business and civic problems such as engage the attention of the association, and his sound judgment, his keen insight and his enterprise and pro- gressive spirit make him a valued member of the board. His life record is in many respects well worthy of emulation. Starting out to earn his own living by selling papers on the streets of the city he has worked his way upward step by step, his orderly progression bringing him at last to a place of prominence in the business circles of the city.
EDWARD A. UHRIG.
Edward A. Uhrig, president of the Milwaukee Western Fuel Company, is associated with various other business concerns as a stockholder and director. He has spent his entire life in Milwaukee and the development of his powers is a well known story to his fellow townsmen. He was born on the 26th of March, 1862, and is a son of Bern- hard and Ulricka Uhrig, who were early residents of this city. After acquiring a public school education he became identified with the fuel trade. He started out in the busi- ness world as an office boy on the 10th of July, 1876, in the employ of the firm of Sander & Daevel of Milwaukee and there the foundation of his later business success was laid. His wise investments lead to profitable sales and as the head of the Milwaukee Western Fuel Company he now controls the largest enterprise of this character in the northwest. The passing years have chronicled his growing prosperity and as he has advanced on the highroad to success his cooperation has been sought in various other fields. Today he is a stockholder and one of the directors in the First Wisconsin National Bank, also in the First Wisconsin Company, the First Wisconsin Trust Company, in the Wisconsin Telephone Company and in the Milwaukee Auditorium. Men have learned to value his business judgment as of great worth and to recognize that his plans are always based upon a thorough understanding of every phase of the business and the general situation as to trade.
On the 6th of March, 1883, in Milwaukee, Mr. Uhrig was married to Miss Rosa Kehr, a daughter of Alexander and Catherine (Deidenbach) Kehr. They have one child, Alexander B. The religious faith of the parents is that of the Lutheran church and fraternally Mr. Uhrig is a thirty-second degree Mason. In club circles his name is a familiar one and his popularity is the outcome of attractive social qualities and a ready recognition of the rights of others. He has membership in the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Milwaukee Club, the Wisconsin Club and the City Club and is a prominent figure in the social as well as the business circles of his native city.
SAMUEL C. MCCORKLE, M. D.
Dr. Samuel C. McCorkle, the present city health officer of West Allis, whose prac- tical experience and wide professional knowledge well qualified him for the important duties that devolve upon him in this connection, seems to have made no mistake in his choice of a profession, for his entire course since his graduation has been marked by steady progress. He was born on a farm in Richland county, Wisconsin, January 7, 1873, and is a son of Joseph Clark McCorkle, whose birth occurred at Southampton, Long Island, and who in early manhood became a seafaring man, devoting his life to that calling for many years. He came to Wisconsin about 1855 and cast in his lot with pioneer residents of Richland county, where he spent his remaining days, having passed the eightieth milestone on life's journey ere called to his final rest. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Letitia Krouskop, was born at Bellefontaine, Ohio, while her death occurred in Richland county, Wisconsin, when she, too, was about eighty years of age. There were five children in their family, four sons and a daughter, namely: Carrie MeCorkle, still living in Richland county; Judge William McCorkle, who is the present county judge of Richland county; Jacob, who follows farming in
682
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
that county; Dr. Samuel Clyde McCorkle; and George K. McCorkle, who is engaged in business in Chicago.
Dr. McCorkle was reared on his father's farm and attended the country schools in his early boyhood, becoming a teacher at the age of seventeen. He taught several terms of school and in this way earned the money necessary to meet the expenses of his professional training. Deciding to study medicine, he matriculated in the old Milwaukee Medical College in 1895 and was there graduated with the M. D. degree in 1898. For two years thereafter he practiced in Richland county, Wisconsin, and in 1900 opened an office in West Allis, where he has since continued in general practice save for one year, when he was in active service during the World war, becoming a captain in the Medical Corps. He was first stationed at Fort Riley and later at Camp Travis, Texas. He has done little general practice in recent years, as his home city of West Allis has designated him to serve in the position of health officer, his duties being largely to safeguard the health of the several thousand school children here -an office of exceptional responsibility and honor and one for which Dr. McCorkle is peculiarly fitted both by natural and acquired gifts, He is a member of the Milwaukee County Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
Dr. McCorkle also belongs to the American Legion and is in hearty sympathy with the high ideals of that organization, the purpose of which is to safeguard American interests with the same fidelity that its members defended the principles of democracy in the World war. Dr. McCorkle enjoys fishing and hunting as a pastime and he owns a beautiful home at No. 5117 National avenue in West Allis, which he erected in 1910 and in which his office is also located.
GUSTAVE A. KASSNER.
The life history of Gustave A. Kassner is a most interesting one. He would tell you that it is a simple story and should be simply told; yet there is much that is in- spiring in the record, for it indicates what can be accomplished when there is a will to dare and to do. Thrown upon his own resources when nine years of age and also facing the necessity of having to assist in providing for his widowed mother and her family, his resolution and his industry were summoned to the front and each year has found him at a point in advance of the place which he occupied the previous year. Thus step by step he has worked his way upward and long has been accounted one of the foremost business men and honored citizens of Milwaukee.
Mr. Kassner was born in the province of Posen, Prussia, June 11, 1844, and was seven years of age when brought by his parents to America, the family making their way direct to Milwaukee, where they remained for six weeks. By this time their financial resources were exhausted and they removed to the country now called the town of Lake. The father was ill when he reached Milwaukee and died soon after the removal here. Neighbors secured for them nails which were made by the local black- smith, logs were split and the lumber and nails were used in constructing the rude coffin in which the husband and father was laid to rest. The widowed mother was left with three small children, Gustave being the second. Upon the little family now devolved the task of making a living. During the winter they lived in a small log house in the town of Lake and in the following spring they removed to Wind Lake, Wisconsin, where the two young sons and daughter of the family proceeded to clear the land and with the assistance and direction of their mother do the best they could.
Gustave A. Kassner earned his first money by hauling wood to make ashes, carry- ing the wood on his back a distance of three-fourths of a mile. As he undertook this task in addition to his regular work, four months were consumed in making two barrels of ashes. He was to have been paid six cents, but as the people did not have the pennies, they gave him a six pence piece, worth about six and a quarter cents. In those early days the Kassner boys cut hay, which they hauled with oxen to Milwaukee, it requiring two days and two nights to make the round trip, and their hay sold at only twenty shillings per ton. It was no unusual thing for oxen and wagon to become mired and the trip was fraught with many hardships. It must be remembered that Gustave A. Kassner was only nine years of age at this time and yet he drove the oxen and really did a man's work. From the age of nine, too, he loaded logs two and three feet thick by himself. When fifteen years of age he drove a team of horses and it was about that time that he and his brother bought a threshing machine, a good neighbor going security for them. They operated the threshing machine for four years and this gave them a start. However, the brother enlisted for service in the Civil war and was killed in battle.
As the years passed Gustave A. Kassner performed the most arduous tasks in cou- nection with the development and cultivation of the farm. His life was one of un- remitting toil in which there were indeed few idle hours and fewer pleasures. When
GUSTAVE A. KASSNER
685
HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE
about twenty-two years of age, however, he returned to Milwaukee and here he obtained employment and learned to read and write. Afterward he learned the cooper's trade and opened a small shop of his own, but the first barrel which he made was not a success, so he hid it that no one should see it. In the vocabulary of Mr. Kassner, how- ever, there has never been such a word as fail and his second attempt at a barrel brought success. Experience improved his workmanship and in this undertaking he made money. His first load of fifty barrels he tried to sell to Mr. Plankinton, who offered him two cents less per barrel than Mr. Kassner felt they were worth. Accord- ingly he walked away, whereupon Mr. Plankinton called him back with the remark that he was rather independent and that he was wearing a better overcoat than Plankinton wore at his age. After a little time Mr. Kassner obtained the contract to furnish the output of his cooperage shop to foreign countries during the Franco-German war, re- ceiving a large price for the barrels. From time to time he broadened the scope of his activities. He began the pump and cistern business, building cisterns out of timber and tarring them. They had a fifty-barrel capacity and he soon developed a very sub- stantial business of this character, in which he continued for several years. In fact he was very successful in both the cooperage and in the cistern and pump business and acquired a substantial capital in that way but ultimately sold his three shops. It was then that he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, opening a dry goods, clothing, hats and shoes establishment, in which business he continued for twenty-four years, becoming known as one of the leading merchants of Milwaukee. He gradually increased his stock to meet the growing demands of his trade until he had one of the largest and finest stores of the south side. Not by leaps and bounds has he reached the goal of success but by a steady progression that has been brought about by the best possible use of every opportunity that has come to him. He early recognized the value and force of industry in business affairs and he worked diligently and persistently, overcoming all obstacles by determination and energy. As he prospered in his under- takings he began investing in city property, built homes and is today the owner ot much valuable residential property in Milwaukee.
In 1868, when twenty-four years of age, Mr. Kassner was married to Miss Mary Juliar, a sister of Nicholas Juliar, a native of France, and an aunt of the famous Ringling Brothers. They became parents of five children but have lost three, their eldest, William, and youngest, Hattie, now surviving. Three sons-George, Albert and Charles-have passed away.
Mr. Kassner has always been a stanch republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise but has never sought nor desired office. He is a member of the Old Settlers Club, and notwithstanding the fact that he has passed the seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey, he is still a hale and hearty man who yet looks after his business interests, which include the supervision and care of some forty homes. Many a student of life has come to the conclusion that we get nothing in life save that which we gain from experience. If this be true, the life of Gustave A. Kassner is a very rich one, for his experiences have been broad and varied and he has passed from the depth of poverty to the height of success. and the gray days of youth have been transmuted by the sunshine of prosperity. Memory has softened the harsh outlines of his early trials and hardships, and by reason of his life of industry and thrift he is able to enjoy all those comforts and many of the luxuries which go to make life worth living.
EDWARD BULFIN.
Edward Bulfin, a well known representative of the printing industry of Milwaukee, is at the head of the firm of Edward Bulfin & Son, in which connection he has developed a business that is constantly expanding and has already reached gratifying propor- tions. Milwaukee numbers him among her native sons, his birth having here occurred April 14, 1853. His parents were Thomas and Hannah (Hayden) Bulfin, both of whom were natives of Ireland, the latter coming to Milwaukee as a young girl, while Thomas Bulfin arrived in the United States as a young unmarried man. Making his way west- ward he took up his abode in the third ward of Milwaukee and became a contractor, doing both building and grading contracting. He was lost on the Lady Elgin in 1860. His wife died in 1883.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.