History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume III, Part 21

Author: Bruce, William George, 1856-1949; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), b. 1844
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 912

USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume III > Part 21

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ROBERT NUNNEMACHER.

Robert Nunnemacher, who departed this life on the 8th of March, 1912, was the fourth son of Jacob and Catharina Nunnemacher, who are mentioned at length on another page of this work. He was born April 7, 1854, and in the acquirement of an education attended the German-English Academy of Milwaukee, his native city, while subsequently he continued his studies in Notre Dame University of In- diana and later in Stuttgart, Germany. For a long time he conducted a successful grain and shipping business and was a manufacturer of machinery used in connec- tion with that and similar lines. He possessed personal qualities which endeared him to all who came in contact with him. He was kind-hearted and sympathetic, loyal to his friends and enjoyed the friendship of a large number of men in all walks of life. Thoroughly democratic in manner and without any love for pomp or display of wealth, his qualities gained for him the high regard of all. He was conservative and keen in business and was one of the best competitors in sports of his day. His public spirit was manifest in various ways and many of the most attractive exhibits of the Public Museum are the gifts of the Nunnemacher family. In the travels of Rudolph J. and Robert Nunnemacher they made it a point to secure some trophy to add to their collection in the museum. At the time of his death Robert Nunne- macher was president of the board of trustees of the Public Museum and in his will bequeathed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars to the city for the purchase of additional exhibits thereto.

On the 7th of February, 1884, Mr. Nunnemacher was united in marriage to Louise Avers and they became parents of two daughters and a son, Marie, Henry Jacob and Anita, of whom Henry J. and Anita are yet living. The son was born September 2, 1887, and was married February 5, 1910, to Gertrude Anita Fink. Four sons were born to this union, namely: Robert Marr, Rudolph Fink, Hermann Avers and Jacob. The eldest son died July 17, 1919. Henry Jacob Nunnemacher is the president of the Galland-Henning Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of hydraulic and automatic machinery, and is also a director of the First Wiscon- sin National Bank and the Milwaukee Mechanics Insurance Company. He is like- wise a member of the Wisconsin, Milwaukee Athletic, Milwaukee Country and Mil- waukee Yacht Clubs.

GEORGE ENZINGER.

George Enzinger, secretary and treasurer of the advertising firm of Olson & Enzinger, Incorporated, has been a representative of the business life of Milwaukee for only a little more than three years, but within this period he has demonstrated a fact that other localities well knew-the fact that he is an alert, energeic business man to whom obstacles and difficulties seem but as an impetus for renewed effort on his part. Mr. Enzinger was born in St. Louis, Missouri, April 16, 1892, and comes of German ancestry. His grandfather, Philip Enzinger, was born in Germany but came to America in the early half of the nineteenth century and served with the Union army in the Civil war. He became a resident of Missouri in 1849 and ever stood loyally for the interests of his adopted land. His son, George Enzinger, father of George Enzinger of this review, is still living in St. Lonis. He is a distinguished musician and organist, well known as a teacher in the Strassberger Conservatory. His entire life has been passed in St. Louis and there he wedded Adelaide R. Meyer, who was born in that city and passed away in 1917.

George Enzinger was educated in the public schools of St. Louis, being graduated from the Central high school with the class of 1908. He afterward entered the University of Missouri and subsequently he became associated with the Travelers Insurance Company as a salesman, being thus employed for three months. He was afterward with the St. Louis Times in the ad department for six months and still later was associated with the Taylor & Evans Advertising Agency for a year and a half. On the expiration of that period he became connected with the W. G. Bryan Organization of Chicago, which served eight large newspapers, doing an advertising promotion business. A year was passed in that way and in 1914 Mr. Enzinger organized the advertising promotion department of the Shaffer group of newspapers, continning as manager of the department for a year and a half. Later he was with the Street

ROBERT NUNNEMACHER

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Railways Advertising Company in Chicago, in charge of the copy and service depart- ment, for three years and in 1919 he removed to Milwaukee to take charge of the copy department for the Otto J. Koch Advertising Agency. He held that position for a year and then joined Arthur R. Olson in founding the present company, of which Mr. Olson is the president and Mr. Enzinger secretary and treasurer. His long experience in con- nection with the advertising business well qualified him to take up a work of this nature and the enterprise has prospered and grown from the beginning.

On the 27th of June, 1916, Mr. Enzinger was united in marriage to Miss Gertrude Cole, a daughter of Frank F. Cole, a stock broker of Toronto, Canada, in which city she was born. The Cole family came from Ireland in the '60s and settled in the Dominion. Mr. and Mrs. Enzinger have become parents of a daughter, Jean.

The parents have membership in All Saints ( Episcopal) cathedral of Milwaukee. In politics Mr. Enzinger maintains an independent course, nor has he ever been active as an office seeker or in campaign work. He belongs to the Barnacles, a yachting organization, also to the Milwaukee Yacht Club, the University Club and the Associa- tion of Commerce. He has ever found great enjoyment and pleasure in music and, possessing an excellent singing voice, has often been heard at public performances. He is usually on the program at the Art Institute and has also sung with the Wisconsin Players. He possesses skill as a pianist as well and Mrs. Enzinger shares with him in his love of music. She received her musical training in Chicago schools and has also appeared in public. Mr. Enzinger sang in church choirs throughout his entire life until he removed to Milwaukee. He is fond of horseback riding and is an enthusiastic yachtsmen. The interests and activities of his life are thus well halanced. He has never allowed business affairs to so monopolize his attention as to exclude participa- tion in those interests which make for recreation and are of cultural value. His music has won him many friends in art circles, while his thoroughness, resourcefulness and capability have gained for him creditable standing in business circles.

CLARENCE JAMES RICE.

Clarence James Rice, a representative of one of the oldest of the pioneer families of Milwaukee and well known in business circles as the president of the Sterling Engineering Company, was born July 4, 1885, at Kill Creek, Osborne county, Kansas. His uncle, James P. Rice, was one of the first to locate on the present site of Mil- waukee and was closely associated with the history of pioneer times here. His brother, Orrin B. Rice, who was the father of Clarence James Rice, was born in Pennsylvania in 1831 and his life record covered the Psalmist's allotted span of threescore years and ten, for he passed away in 1901. He was a merchant who after living for a time in Iowa removed to Kansas in 1876 and there made his home until 1892, when he took up his abode in Milwaukee, where his remaining days were passed. He married Matilda Beswick, who is living in Milwaukee, a native of England, whence she was brought to the new world at the age of two years.

Clarence J. Rice began his education in the public schools of Kansas but was only about six years of age when the family came to Milwaukee, where he attended the public schools until he had completed a course in the West Division high school by graduation as a member of the class of 1904. He next entered the University of Wis- consin and still later attended the Colorado School of Mines, from which he received the degree of Mining Engineer. He afterward spent two years in mining camps among the lead and zinc fields of Missouri and in 1910 he entered the employ of the Allis-Chalmers Company at Milwaukee as sales engineer. His connection with the house continued for two and a half years, at the end of which time he resigned his position in order to take care of the interests of the family property. He then engaged in the real estate business until the fall of 1917, when he became financially interested in the Sterling Engineering Company, of which he was elected secretary. In 1919 he was chosen president of the company and has since remained its chief executive officer, concentrating his attention upon constructive effort and administrative direction. This company manufactures vacuum and vapor heating specialties and their market extends over the entire United States. They deal in lieating and power cquipment of all kinds and their business is now one of most substantial character.

On the 25th of December, 1908, Mr. Rice was married to Miss Ada Marie Schempf, a daughter of William Schempf of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. She was born in Jeffer- son county, while Mr. Schempf was also a native of Wisconsin, representing one of the old families of this state. Mr. and Mrs. Rice have become parents of two children, June Althea and Richard William, both attending the schools of Milwaukee.

In politics Mr. Rice may be called an independent democrat. He has never sought nor desired office nor does he consider bimself bound by party ties, as he regards the activities of private life as in themselves abundantly worthy of his best efforts. His religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, while his wife is a member of the

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Lutheran church. Fraternally Mr. Rice is connected with the Alpha Tau Omega of the University of Wisconsin and is president of that alumni association in Milwaukee. He belongs to Kilbourn Lodge, No. 3, F. & A. M., and to Park Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and he has membership in the National Association of Stationary Engineers and the Association of Commerce. He is a follower of field athletics and was prominent on the track when a high school student and at the University of Wisconsin. He is actuated by a progressive spirit in all that he undertakes and is alert and energetic, ready for any emergency that may arise in business and equally ready for any oppor- tunity that gives him chance for further progress and success in the business world.

THE DESMOND FAMILY.

The residence of the Desmond family in Wisconsin covers a period of eighty years, beginning during the territorial era of the state. The first generation was characterized by the labors and accomplishments of the pioneer settler. The head of the next gen- eration, the late Thomas Desmond, was for nearly half a century well known in busi- ness and educational circles iu Milwaukee, while the sons of Thomas Desmond have, as worthy representatives of an honored father and grandfather, borne distinctive parts in life in the law, education, in authorship, in various lines of business enterprise and in civic and social work. The Desmond family is of Norman-Irish ancestry. A large province in southern Ireland was once known as "Desmond" and the "Earls of Desmond" played an important part in Anglo-Irish history

The late Thomas Desmond was born in 1833, near Little Falls, New York, where his father had settled about one hundred years ago. In August, 1842, when the history of Wisconsin as a territory had yet six years to run, Humphrey Desmond, father of Thomas Desmond and grandfather of Humphrey J. Desmond, came west and settled upon several hundred acres of land about twenty miles north of Milwaukee, near the present city of Cedarhurg. With him were three sons and three daughters.

Thomas Desmond, the youngest son, was then, in 1842, nine years old. He attended district schools and at the age of seventeen began to vary the duties of farm life by teaching during the winter in near-by schools. Years of self-education and a natural leaning towards educational work led later to his identification with the Milwaukee public schools in administrative capacities. From 1866 to 1880 he was secretary of the school board. All his nine children completed high school courses in Milwaukee, finish- ing in normal schools or the State University. During the last twenty years of his life Mr. Desmond was state manager for one of the large eastern life insurance companies. At the time of his death in May, 1901, many tributes to his life and character were paid by prominent men of the city and state. This passage from a letter published in one of the Milwaukee dailies fairly summarizes the esteem in which he was held. "I have known Thomas Desmond since my boyhood, and a more consistent, conscientious, honor- able man 1 have yet to meet. He was courteons, kind and affable. The dominant trait in his character was justice."

Thomas Desmond was survived by his widow, whose maiden name was Bowe and who had been a resident of Milwaukee since 1854. She was in all respects the ideal of a true wife and good mother. She died in 1917, aged eighty-three. Their eldest daughter, Dora A. Desmond, who was for many years identified with educational and charitable work in Milwaukee, died in 1909. Mary Desmond, the second daughter, was also a teacher in the Milwaukee schools for a number of years but is now engaged in literary work and is active in several woman's organizations of the city. She, with her sisters. Julia and Theresa Desmond, resides at the family home at No. 810 Van Buren street in Milwaukee.

Humphrey J. Desmond, the eldest son of Thomas Desmond and who is regarded by his associates as possessing one of the finest minds in the Wisconsin bar, entered the legal profession after his graduation from the University of Wisconsin. He was a mem- ber of the Milwaukee school board from 1883 to 1890 and of the Wisconsin legislature during 1891-92. As a member of the school board he is credited with initiating the industrial training movement in the schools of Milwaukee and as a member of the legislature he was the author of several laws that are now on the statute books. Some thirty years ago he became owner of the Catholic Citizen, a widely circulated weekly paper, and this led to his acquiring similar publications at Washington, D. C., Mem- phis, Tennessee, and St. Paul, Minnesota. Humphrey J. Desmond is author of a number of successful books, including several volumes of essays published by A. C. McClurg & Company of Chicago. His "The Church and the Law," a legal textbook, called forth special praise from Chief Justice Cassoday of the Wisconsin supreme court. He is also the author of a number of historic monographs, which have had a large sale. He was a frequent contributor to the North American Review, the Forum, the Century and other magazines and a special contributor to the "Library of the World's

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Best Literature" and the Catholic Encyclopedia. His home at 612 Newberry boulevard, adjoining Lake Park, contains one of the best selected private libraries in Milwaukee.

William J. Desmond, second in age of the sons of Thomas Desmond, was for many years engaged in educational work as principal of public schools in Milwaukee, as a writer for educational and other periodicals and as a conductor of Teachers' Institutes in Wisconsin. He later hecame interested in real estate and business enterprises, platting and building up a number of subdivisions in Milwaukee and dealing extensively in farming and timber lands in Wisconsin and other states. He has taken an active interest in civic matters, having been a member of the Charter Convention of Mil- waukee and an incorporator of the City Club. He was especially identified with the inception and promotion of the non-partisan and the home rule laws for cities, in which movement Milwaukee has led the way.

Frank B. Desmond, the third son, is officially connected with the First Wisconsin National Bank of Milwaukee. He is widely acquainted in business circles and is a director in The Citizen Company, the Home-Maker Land Company and several other corporations. He is also a member of the leading clubs and commercial organizations. He resides at No. 709 Cass street.

Thomas Desmond, fourth of the sons, after completing a course at Wisconsin University, became city editor, in 1900, of the Green Bay Daily Gazette. Later seeing the possibilities of trade journalism, he built up a very prosperous educational publica- tion at Milwaukee. He also became a principal stockholder in The Citizen Company, of which he was vice president. As a business man he evinced both initiative and energy. Very popular in social circles, his early death in 1915, at the age of forty, was deeply deplored. He had not only given the promise hut entered on the fulfillment of a very useful as well as successful career.

Joseph G. Desmond, the youngest of the sons of the late Thomas Desmond, specialized in advertising and is now secretary and manager of the Desmond Publish- ing Company, which conducts a business of national scope in educational periodicals and textbooks, with offices in the Colby & Abbott building of Milwaukee.

JAMES T. DROUGHT.

James T. Drought, member of the Milwaukee bar, was born April 13, 1873, on the Layton farm, in the town of Greenfield, at what is now Forest Home avenue, between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth avenues, in Layton Park. He is the only son of the late Thomas M. Drought, who was born in Racine county, Wisconsin, in 1846, and was a representative of one of the old and honored pioneer families of the state. For fifty-nine years he was identified with the Layton Company and the Layton packing interests.

James T. Drought attended the old eleventh ward grammar school at Tenth and Forest Home avenues, being there graduated on the completion of the eighth grade work in 1887. He afterward became a student in the Milwaukee high school, from which he was graduated with the class of 1891. After working three years as a stenographer in the law offices of Judge Christian Doerfler, now supreme court justice of the state, Mr. Drought entered the University of Wisconsin at Madison for the study of law and completed his course there with the class of 1896. Previously, in his junior college year, he had passed the required state board examination, whereby he was admitted to the bar and received his license to practice. Following his return home, he spent nearly two years in the law offices of Miller, Noyes, Miller & Wahl, and then opened an office on Grove street for the private practice of law. In 1902 he removed his offices to the Railway Exchange building, where he has continued for the past twenty years.

Although he has never sought public office, Mr. Drought served on the Milwaukee board of school directors from 1900 until 1904, and in 1916 he was elected one of the twelve Wisconsin presidential electors on the republican ticket, while in 1920 he was again chosen for the same office. His opinions have long carried weight in the councils of the party, although he has never been ambitious to fill office nor sought public preferment as a reward for party fealty. Since 1903 he has been actively identified with the automobile and good roads interests of the state, having been one of the organizers of the Milwaukee Automobile Club and of the Wisconsin State Automobile Association, both of which organizations he has served as secretary, while of the latter he was president for a period of eight years. Outside of the strict path of his profession his greatest activities have been in the legislative field. He is recog- nized as the "dean of the lobby" and as "speaker of the third house" at Madison, where for a quarter of a century he has represented at various times many diversified interests. As special assistant city attorney by appointment, in 1911, he was the city's first legislative counsel, looking after the interests of this municipality in legislative matters at Madison. Among the many statutes which he has aided in framing and

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which have withstood the test of time may be mentioned the first automobile laws, the present sub-contractor's mechanics lien law, the certified public accountants' law, the hotel inspection law, the plumbers' license law, the state plumbing code and the check fraud law. He was also instrumental in promoting the earlier good roads legislation and many other measures of equal benefit to the general public.

In 1900 Mr. Drought was united in marriage to Miss Rose Hennecke, a daughter of the late Casper Hennecke, a pioneer manufacturer of statuary and wire work. Mr. and Mrs. Drought have become parents of three sons, Ralph James, James T., Jr., and Neal E., and a daughter, Rose Alice. Mr. Drought was at one time secretary of the old South Side Gun Club and for years was an expert trap shot. He is a hunter and fisherman, greatly enjoying those sports. He belongs to the Milwaukee Athletic Club, to the Old Settlers Club and to the Pewaukee Yacht Club. His name is on the membership rolls of Excelsior Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and he is a past chancellor of Schiller Lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He also belongs to the Order of Hoo Hoos, to the Milwaukee Sharpshooters Society, the Milwaukee Press Club and the City Club. During the World war he served as a member of Local Draft Board No. 11, under the selective service law. A lawyer of pronounced ability, long enjoying a prominent position at the Milwaukee bar, he has at the same time exercised a widely felt influence in many other fields and one of his ontstanding characteristics is his public-spirited devotion to the general good. He has ever placed the public welfare before partisanship and the progress of the community and commonwealth hefore per- sonal aggrandizement.

FRED W. KRUECK.

Fred W. Krueck, secretary and general manager of the Integrity Savings Build- ing & Loan Association of Milwaukee, was born August 21, 1884, in Milwaukee county, a son of William Krueck, also a native of this county, and a grandson of Balthazar Krueck, who was born in Germany hut arrived in Wisconsin in young manhood, at which time he settled on a farm in Milwaukee county, this being about the year 1846. He was one of the pioneers of the district, having located here when Indians were still in this section of the state. William Krueck was reared on the old homestead farm and continued to devote his life to agricultural pursuits until 1892, when he removed to South Milwaukee and turned his attention to the real estate business, principally handling his own property, which he had accumulated before the town of South Mil- waukee was laid out. He was one of the promoters and early huilders of the town and assisted materially in its advancement and improvement. He was very successful in his business affairs and he built many of the homes in South Milwaukee, always holding to the highest standards in substantial and attractive construction. He was plain and unassuming in manner and the sterling worth of his character gained him many friends, all recognizing his generous spirit and kindly disposition. He died in September, 1918, and Milwaukee county mourned the loss of one of her honored and valued native sons.

Fred W. Krueck was educated in the schools of South Milwaukee and in the old Spencerian College. After he had completed his course he was employed by the Bucyrus Company for a period of about eight years and then turned his attention to the real estate and insurance business and to building and loan work. In January, 1919, be became the secretary of the Integrity Savings Building & Loan Association. which now has assets of more than a million dollars. Under the management of Mr. Krueck the business has doubled in the past two years. The association was organized in the latter part of 1912 and entered upon a prosperous existence. It finances home building and provides investment on the monthly payment plan, the company being operated under state department supervision. Something of the steady and continuous growth of the business is indicated in the fact that its amount of seventy-two thousand, five hundred and eighty-one dollars in the first year had risen to five hundred and thirty- two thousand in the sixth year and under the succeeding two years with Mr. Krueck in charge this was increased to one million, five thousand. The annual dividends indi- cate clearly that the business is established on a most safe and reliable basis, that each phase of the business is carefully and wisely handled and that one of the great assets of the undertaking is the prompt, efficient service and courteous treatment of those in charge, all of whom manifest a desire to be of genuine assistance to the patrons and stockholders. The association is a member of the United States Leagne of Local Building & Loan Association of the Building and Loan League of Milwaukee County and the Wisconsin League of Building & Loan Association. Mr. Krueck is president of the last named organization, having been elected to this position in 1918.

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History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume III, Part 21

Author: Bruce, William George, 1856-1949; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), b. 1844 Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 912

Author: Bruce, William George, 1856-1949; Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour), b. 1844
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 912