History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc., Part 25

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052

USA > Wisconsin > History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc. > Part 25

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The Northwestern Orphan Asylum .- Having long felt the need of an asylum for the destitute orphans of Protestant emigrants to the West, other than that furnished by the Poor House and the Reform School, Rev. C. E. G. Oppen has recently founded, and now has in successful operation, an orphanage for boys and girls, which, while expressly in- tended for the children of Protestant parents, is at the same time fully open to all.

Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church .- This church, under the pastoral care of Rev. H. S. Richardson, is in good condition. The structure, situated on Madison street, was erected in 1858.

Central Baptist Church was organized June 31. 1867. For the first five years services were irregular. In 1872 Rev. Lewis Raymond, of Chicago, put new life into the

society, and a lot was purchased on Moravian street near the corner of Madison. The building, a neat frame struc- ture, was dedicated in 1873, and since then services have been regular. Rev. L. C. Carr officiates in this church in the morning, and in Depere in the evening. The present membership is thirty-six.

German Methodist Church .- This society was organized in 1865, with fifteen members. The church building was erected in 1874, and fronts on Doty street, between Stewart and Clay streets. Rev. Ernst Fitzner was its first pastor, serving one year. The present pastor is Rev. A. F. Tuers- tenan ; membership of the church fifty-one.

The Moravian Church was organized in 1851 with a full membership of 200. The church, which fronts the public square, between Monroe and Madison streets, was dedicated in 1852. Rev. J. F. Fett organized the society, and remained with it twelve years. April 27, 1880, the present pastor, Rev. W. H. Hock, began his term of service. The membership is 134.

SOCIETIES.

Green Bay has a large number of secret and benevo- lent societies, besides those which do not come in this cat- egory. The prominent ones are mentioned below.

Masonic .- Washington Lodge, No. 21, was organized in December, 1848, with seven charter members. Henry S. Baird was its first W. M. He also served in that capacity when it was re-organized in 1852. Oliver Libbey is W. M. at present. The place of meeting for ten years has been Whitney's block, Washington street. The lodge is in a flourishing condition.

Warren Chapter, No. 8, was organized in 1852, with nineteen members; H. S. Baird, H. P. A. W. Kein now fills that position. The membership, January 1, 1881, was sixty-eight ; place of meeting, Washington Lodge Hall.

Knights and Ladies of Honor .- Knights of Honor, Nav- arino Lodge, No. 1384, was organized February 13, 1879, with twenty-nine members, J. H. Leonard, dictator. It now numbers seventy-nine members, J. M. Shoemaker, dictator.

Ladies and Knights of Honor, Social Lodge, No. 383, was organized January 6, 1881, with nineteen charter mem - bers. It now has twenty-seven, J. H. Leonard, protector ; Mrs. C. Murch, vice-protector.

I. O. O. F .- Green Bay Lodge, No. 19 .- This is one of the first three lodges instituted in the State of Wisconsin, June 10, 1847. H. S. Baird was elected N.G .; T. O. Howe, H. O. Scholtz, H. S. Baird, D. W. King, John Day and C. L. Wheelock were charter members.

Hermann Lodge, No. 111, was organized March 7, 1866, with six members. It meets in Odd Fellows' Hall, corner of Adams and Cherry streets, as does Green Bay Lodge, No. 19. Present membership, sixty-eight.

Golden Rule Encampment, No. 18, was instituted April 15, 1867, J. A. Pinto, C. P., and with nine charter members. Its strength now is about forty.

Knights of Pythias, Pochequette Lodge, No. 26, organ- ized April 28, 1879, has fifty-one members ; J. H. Leonard, C. C.

Catholic Knights of America, Branch No. 150, estab- lished in September, 1880, with fifteen members; has for its benefits either $2,000 or $1,000 at death, as full or half rates are paid. P. Ryan is president.

Benevolent Societies .- St. Joseph's Benevolent Society was organized in March, 1875. It gives care and weekly allowances to members during sickness and benefits in the event of death. The strength of the society is fifty-two members, its hall being in the rear of the Holland Church. B. M. Berendsen is president.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

The German Benevolent Society was established Jan- uary 1, 1850. George Oldenburg has been its president, first and last. Its present membership is seventy-three. The society is both social and beneficiary.

Temper ance Societies .- The first temperance society was organized May 30, 1831, by Judge J. D. Doty, John Lawe, M. L. Martin, Richard F. Cadle, F. Franks, John Y. Smith, John P. Aindt and J. V. Suydam-an array of talent, mor-' ality and solidity seldom brought together.

Green Bay Temple of Honor, No. 79, was organized with thirty charter members. J. G. Miller is W. C. T. The hall is on Pine street between Washington and Adams streets.

The Green Bay Branch of the Woman's Temperance Alliance was organized April 21, 1874. Strictly speaking, temperance meetings were held for four years in the Pres- byterian Church, and this organization was merged, in 1879, into the branch. Mrs. D. C. Ayers is president, the mem- bership having reached eighty. Much good work, in an educa.ional way, is done among juveniles, and the cause of reformation extends beyond the bars of the jail, many of its prisoners having joined its ranks.

Philharmonic Society .- This musical society has not been in active operation for the last few years, but for some time it was considered one of the leading organizations of its kind in the State. It was formed August 3, 1872, A. W. Kimball, president.

Turn Verein Society .- The parent of the present organ- ization was born in 1854, with fifteen members. On Au- gust 16, 1860, this society combined with the Harmony (dra- matic)and the Liedertafel (musical) to form the present organ- ization. Their first hall was built on Pine street in that year, but the society so grew in numbers that in 1870 it was found necessary to erect a more commodious structure, and the present large hall, corner of Walnut street and Monroe avenue is the result of their labors. The building is 6oxTO0 feet, three stories, and was erected at a cost of $10,000. The membership of the Verein is ninety- six, G. Kesterman, president.

In addition to the Turner Hall and the several lodge halls mentioned incidentally in the foregoing sketches, Green Bay has another which is patronized principally by traveling troupes- Klaus's, on Pine street. The building was erected by Charles Klaus in May, 1866.

Hotels .- The city is well supplied with hotels, about twenty-five being in operation. Cooke's Hotel, Washing- ton street, is acknowledged to lead. It was completed the latter part of 1875, by George R. Cooke and Joseph Brown, its owners. It was formally opened to the public in April, 1875. The hotel was at first in charge of J. W. Hutchin- son, who kept it one year. In May, 1876, M. E. Cozzens took charge. That gentleman had been many years con- nected with the Beaumont House. A. Cozzens, son of M. E., formerly connected with the Newhall House, is now proprietor. The building is of solid brick, four stories high, and presents a substantial appearance generally.

Strong's Bank of Green Bay, successor to the First National Bank of Green Bay. This banking house was organized by Henry Strong in 1859. under the then exist- ing State law, as the bank of Green Bay, and so conducted business until November 1, 1865, when it was re-organized as the First National Bank of Green Bay. This organiza- tion was continued until 1877, when it ceased operations as a National Bank, was re-organized under the State law, and became Strong's Bank of Green Bay. The officers of the bank are Henry Strong, president ; Louise Neese, cash- ier ; Hon. David McKelly, M. P. Skeels, I. M. Marshall- directors. Its capital stock is $50.000, present surplus $io,cco, and its average deposits $450,000. The bank

building, a two-story brick, fronting twenty-two feet on Washington street and eighty feet deep, is on the site of the original building in which banking operations were commenced in 1859, and which was destroyed by fire ten years later. The bank is now doing a large business in foreign exchange, and as agent for ocean steamers. It is well supplied with fire-proof vaults, time lock, burglar- proof safe, and all the appliances of a first-class banking concern.

Kellogg's National Bank .- This was the successor to the City National, and was established January 1, 1874. Its president is Rufus B. Kellogg, who has also a branch bank in Depere.

Green Bay is truly favored in the quality of her profes- sional men. Such lawyers as Hastings & Greene, Judge E. H. Ellis, Hudd & Wigman, John C. Neville, and Tracy & Bailey are an honor to any city. The medical profes- sion is well represented by such names as Drs. B. C. Brett, D. Cooper Ayers, Henry Rhode, Olmsted & Squire, Crane & Carabin, etc., etc.

Brown County Medical Association was founded nearly two years ago. The officers for 1881 were: Dr. W. H. Fisk, president ; Dr. O. F. Olmsted, secretary and treas- urer. The association numbers, thirty members.

MANUFACTURING.

National Furnace Company is a joint stock company, and was organized as such, at Depere, in 1879. The corpora- tors were M. R. Hunt of Depere, H. D. Smith of Appleton, A. B. Meeker, and W. L. Brown of Chicago. The present officers of the company, are -- H. D. Smith, president; W. L. Brown, vice-president and treasurer; M. R. Hunt, secretary and general manager. The furnaces operated by this company, are- the National Furnace, Depere, and the Green Bay Furnace. The Green Bay Furnace was origi- nally established, as the Green Bay Iron Company, in 1870, and operations were commenced the following year. This was a joint stock company, organized by Anthon Klaus, Philip Earl, Max Resch and others, who conducted busi- ness until 1874, when operations ceased, and the property passed into the hands of Rhodes & Bradley of Chicago, by whom business was carried on until 1877, when they sold out to A. B. Meeker & Co., also of Chicago, who held the property until early in 1879, when it passed into the hands of the bondholders. It was then purchased by the National Furnace Company, who expended $25,000 in improving and equipping the furnace for operations, and on the fourth day of August, of that year (1879), the fires were started, business actively resumed, and has so con- tinued. The property embraces a tract of eleven and one half acres, lying within the corporate limits of Green Bay, along the north side of East River, not far from its junction with the Fox. The property is amply supplied with slips, and well docked along its entire river front, which affords 1,500 feet of dockage, with fourteen feet of navigable water for nearly one third that distance. The buildings, as they now stand, are those erected by the original company, to which has been added a new brick boiler house 34x44, with solid brick walls, fourteen feet high, and iron roof. The main building is 40x40 feet, with walls forty feet high; the stock house and crushing mill, is 50x200 feet; the casting house, 40x60 ; the slow-stack, forty feet high, 30x30 at the base, and 20x20 at the top, has a capacity of 8,000 tons annually ; the hot blast is a forty-five ton oven, supplied with twenty-four pipes, fourteen feet long, and eight inches diameter ; the charcoal kilns have an aggregate capacity of 900 cords ; two engines, one of 100 horse-power, and the other forty-five, supply all the necessary force. The prem- ises are also fully equipped with wood and iron repair

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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.

shops, commodious offices, tramways, hoisting derricks for ore, oil house, stables, warehouses and sheds. The works give employment to one superintendent, one book- keeper, one founder, one master machinist, one black- smith, one carpenter, two engineers and forty-five hands. The company have also a range of ten charcoal kilns at Seymour, on the Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul R. R., the product of which is contracted for on the track, the work furnishing employment for six hands. The ore, which is principally from the Menominee range, is pur- chased from the mines, transported by rail to the docks at Escanaba, and brought to the furnace in the company's steam barge, "W. L. Brown." The annual consumption of wood, is about 20,000 cords, and of ore, about 13,500 tons. From 175 to 200 cords of limestone are used annually for fluxing ore in the stack. Summer shipments, with the exception of local orders, are by water ; Winter shipments, by rail.

D. W. Britton, general cooperage. This manufactory, now a leading industry of Green Bay, was established in 1850, by Solomon Britton & Son, at the junction of Fox and East rivers, and the first season gave employment to some four or five hands. After one year, location was changed to Fox River, in the vicinity of Hurlburt's docks, business was increased and a force of eight or ten hands employed. In 1854, Solomon Britton died, leaving the business to his son, the present proprietor, then but twenty- two years of age. The manufactory was continued on Fox River until 1868, when a removal was again made, and the present site selected. This is a tract of about four acres lying along the south shore of East River, between Cedar, Madison and Willow streets. On removing to this loca- tion, Mr. Britton formed a partnership with W. P. and D. Ranney of Cleveland, Ohio, under the firm name of D. W. Britton & Co., for the manufacture of kits and wooden ware, this business being independent of the cooper-shop, which was carried on by Mr. Britton as a separate industry. The firm of Britton & Co. was dissolved in 1875, and Mr. Britton, purchasing the interest of his partners, discon- tinued that business and turned his entire attention to general cooperage, utilizing so much of the old machin- ery as was available, and supplying such new machinery as his rapidly enlarging business demanded. In 1878, the number of hands employed, ranged from thirty-five to forty, and the weekly product was about 700 pieces with a capacity of from four and a half to fifty gallons each. The manufactory proper, was destroyed by fire the same season, entailing a net loss of $7,000, but, in three days less than three months, the new building was erected, machinery put in and operations resumed. The present manufactory is about double the capacity of the former, and is provided with the latest improved machinery for work of this class. The buildings as now standing are-the manufactory proper, main building, 40x72 feet, two stories, with a brick engine and boiler room 27x54, supplied with an engine of seven- ty-five horse-power, the refuse of the mill affording an ample supply of fuel. Four dry kilns, two supplied with hot air and two with steam, each eighteen feet square ; a brick cooper-shop, 72x28, with a wing 40x35, two stories, the lower one used for storage; a brick storage- room 18x72; two frame structures, each 22×40, also for storage; the whole having a capacity of about 10,000 barrels. These with the offices and four dwellings for workmen, comprise the principal buildings upon the lot. The works give employment to a force of ninety hands ; the product is about 2,000 pieces a week, and last year's operations aggregated about $68,000, a little over 100 per cent. increase on that of the previous year. While the business is that of general cooperage, the great body of

the work is for glucose factories, which require special ly close work to retain the hot syrup after working. These barrels are made of bass-wood staves with the ex- ception of one oak bung stave in each barrel, the por- ous nature of this wood admitting of the necessary escape for the accumulating gas. The timber supply is mainly secured within a radius of fifteen miles from Green Bay, and shipments of product are made as far east as New York, as far south as Missouri, and throughout the whole Northwest. Mr. Britton is a native of New York ; came to Green Bay in 1850, and is at present a member of the City Council and School Board, and steward and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this city. He is also a member of the A. F. & A. M. and of the I. O. O. F.

Frank Piraux is the oldest brick manufacturer in Green Bay. His property consists of a tract of forty-one lots lying along the west shore of East River, in the south ward, three blocks south of Mason-street bridge. The business was established in 1867, and then gave employment to a force of nine hands, the product being all hand-molded. In 1870 a Champion machine (horse-power) was set up, and a daily product of 11,000 turned out. In 1881 steam- power was introduced; a sixteen horse-power engine em- ployed ; Keel's patent molding machine for tile and brick set up ; a force of from eighteen to twenty hands employed, and the yield for the season averaged 20,000 a day. The clay is of fine quality and produces both clear red and cream-colored brick. Mr. Piraux is a native of Belgium, from which country he emigrated to Green Bay in 1855. He was variously employed-in sailing on the bay and trading, previous to the establishment of his yards in 1867. He represented the first ward three years in the City Coun- cil ; has five children-now in attendance at the city schools.

F. E. Straubel's brick yard lies along the East River, just north of the Mason. street bridge, where the proprietor owns a tract of thirty acres. This industry was established in 1869, his first year's operations employing thirteen hands and yielding a daily product of 10,000. In 1875 he dis- carded the Champion machine with which he commenced operations, put in a steam-engine, used a machine invented by himself, and passed about 5,000 of its daily product through a hand-pressing machine. In the Spring of 1881 he fitted up for the season with a Keel tile and brick ma- chine, and his daily product was from 18,000 to 20,000 in a run of eleven hours, with a force of 21 hands. The clay is of a very fine quality, burns clear red on the upper courses -the lower strata being the color of the celebrated Mil- waukee brick. The supply of clay is practically inexhaust- ible, but is only worked to a uniform depth of six feet, then covered with its native loam and used for agricultural pur- poses. Mr. Straubel is a native of Germany, came to Amer- ica in 1846, settling in Green Bay where he has since resided. He was a member of the volunteer fire department of the city twelve years, was nine years Engineer of " No. 1," and holds his diploma for services rendered.

Woemmel & Royalski, brick manufacturers. This busi- ness was established in the Spring of 1881, by the present proprietors ; gives employment to a force of ten men, who turn out about 10,000 bricks in a run of eleven hours, using a Joliet horse-power machine. The yard is on East River, Guernsey's addition to the city of Green Bay, blocks Nos. 1, 2, 3, near Mason-street bridge. The members of the firm are Fred. Woemmel and Henry Royalski, both practical brick makers. Fred. Woemmel was born in Ger- many ; from which country he came to America in 1866, settling in Green Bay seven years later. He owns a home- stead of five acres just outside the city limits. Henry Royalski is also a native of Germany, in which country he learned his trade, then came to America and settled in

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

Green Bay in 1870, where he has acquired some real prop- erty.

Kendall Manufacturing Company was organized in March, 1881, by A. C. Neville, James Robb and E. L. Ken- dall, with a paid up capital of $5,000. This company is successor to the manufacturing business established in 1877, by E. L. Kendall, the present secretary and treasurer of the concern. Their business consists in the manufac- ture of sash, doors and blinds, contracting and building and the general work of a planing mill. Among the build- ings erected by them the past season may be mentioned the pork-packing house of F. Hurlburt, and the fine residence of A. C. Neville in this city. They also do a large busi- ness in prepared material for building in the Menominee iron regions. Their premises front Adams street on the east, and lie between Main street and the river, covering a little over half a block. Their planing mill is a two-story frame structure 70x95 feet, fitted up with the latest improve- ments in the way of machinery, which is driven by an engine of twenty-four horse-power. Their business, which is rapidly increasing, gave constant employment during the past season to a force of twenty-five hands.

Fox River Soap Company was organized in 1877, by N. Meyer, John Nick, R. O. Pfister, and L. Larschied. The premises front fifty-three feet on Washington, and run to the river in the rear, 150 feet. Their business con- sists in refining, buying and selling tallow, and the manu- facture of laundry and toilet soaps. The product averages about 20,000 .pounds of soap a week, and gives employ- ment to a force of eight hands. R. O. Pfister, superin- tendent of the manufactory, has been a resident of the State eleven years and of this city nine years. L. Lars- chied was born in Green Bay in 1849, and has been a con- stant resident in this county since.

J. W. Woodruff & Co., manufacturers and dealers in long timber, lumber, lath, shingles, etc. This business was established in 1857, by J. C. Lathrop, and after several changes, came into the possession of W. L. Candie, by whom it was subsequently sold to W. S. Candie. In May, 1866, the firm of J. W. Woodruff & Co., was established. The other members of the firm being H. H. Wheelock, J. C. Dennison and J. O. Kendall, who acquired by pur- chase that same year the lands and mill of W. S. Candie, consisting of some 2,500 acres of pine land in Brown County, lying adjacent to the mill, which was situated in Section 23, Bellevue Township, 61/2 miles southeast of Green Bay, and also certain lots principally situated and lying along East River in the Oak Grove addition to Green Bay, comprising in all about one acre. In 1874, Mr. Woodruff bought out the interests of his partners, and asso- ciating his sons in business with himself, continued opera- tions under the old name of J. W. Woodruff & Co. In the season of 1876, another mill, known as the Lily Lake mill, was built, about four miles southeast of the first, in Section 32, Township of Eaton. The extensive fires of 1871 had so seriously damaged the timber lands of Brown County, as well as those along the Peshtigo River and the western shores of Green Bay, destroying large tracts of valuable pine, that the Lily Lake mill suspended operations in the Spring of 1880, owing to a scarcity of timber, and the mill was dismantled and sold. The old mill continued opera- tions one year longer and also closed, the supply of timber being exhausted. The joint capacity of these mills was about 45,000 feet of lumber and 140,000 shingles in a daily run of twelve hours. The yearly shipments of the firm, while both mills were in operation, ranged from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 feet of lumber and about 4,000,000 shingles. During 1880 the export was exceptionally light, and in 1881, only sufficient was produced to supply the home demand.

The firm have acquired, by purchase at various times, property within the city limits until they now own thirty- nine lots lying along or continuous to the East River. The present members of the firm are J. W. Woodruff, H. E. Woodruff and W. H. Woodruff. J. W. Woodruff is a native of New York State. Came to Wisconsin as early as 1844, and settled in Brown County in 1866 ; the same year he organized his lumber firm. H. E. Woodruff and W. H. Woodruff, his sons, were born in this State.

The fires of 1871, to which reference has already been made, cleared up a large tract of the pine land of Woodruff & Co., leaving it so suggestive of cultivation that about 300 acres were seeded down as an experiment, which suc- ceeded so well that more acres were added from year to year, until they have now fully 1,000 acres seeded to clover and timothy. A herd of 50 grade Jerseys, 100 head of pure grade Cotswolds, and about 25 head of horses find abundant pasturage, in addition to which. last season, there were cut about 100 acres of hay, and a stock herd of 150 head of cattle found excellent feed. The dairy product for 1880 was 3,692 pounds, and the average market price at home was 21 cents per pound.

W'm. Baptist, lumberman; mill on south shore of East River, between Monroe and Jefferson streets, Green Bay. Capacity of the mill, 35,000 feet of lumber, 30,000 shingles and 10,000 lath daily, in the manufacture of which twenty- five hands find daily employment. The property is that known as the Earl & Case mill, which, prior to 1877, had been lying idle for several years, and since then had been operated at intervals. This property, consisting of an old building 80x80, was leased by Mr. Baptist, May 1, 1881, an addition 28x30 built, the whole structure thoroughly overhauled and repaired, the old machinery refitted and new machinery added at a cost of about $2,000, and opera- tions commenced early in June. Mr. Baptist is a native of New York, came to Wisconsin in 1855, and has followed lumbering ever since, his operations being principally at Sturgeon Bay, Little Sturgeon Bay and Pensaukee. At Little Sturgeon Bay he had charge of the business of F. B. Gardner, and went to Pensaukee in charge of that gentle- man's interests, in 1872, becoming his partner in 1877 and so continued until starting operations for himself at Green Bay last Spring.

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Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1052

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052