USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Memoirs of Milwaukee County : from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Milwaukee County, Volume II > Part 28
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Peter F. Piasecki, an efficient clerk in the office of the city comptroller, a dealer in phonographs at 441 Mitchell street, and major of the Third battalion, First regiment, Wisconsin National Guard, was born in Milwaukee on May 30, 1876. He is a son of Theophile and Catherine ( Inda) Piasecki, both natives of Posen, Germany, who came to Milwaukee in 1873. The father for twenty- five years was in the employ of the Illinois Steel Company's Mil- waukee branch. He died in October, 1904, at the age of fifty-two years and his widow passed away on July 6 of the following year in the fiftieth year of her age. Of the nine children in the family seven
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grew to maturity-Peter F., Stanley E., Veronica, Agnes, Pelagia, Helen and Conrad. Peter F. Piasecki, the subject of this review, was reared in Milwaukee and obtained his education in the public and parochial schools of this city. At the age of fifteen years he en- tered the employ of the Kuryer Polski as a carrier and later as a typesetter. In 1901 he had been made manager of the paper, but held the office only a year, resigning to accept a clerical position in the office of the city comptroller. In 1906, at the solicitation of his many friends, he was a candidate for the nomination for city comp- troller, but met defeat at the primaries. In January, 1908, he em- barked in his present business of selling phonographs, dealing in both Victor and Edison machines, and although the venture is still young it has been very successful in a financial way. For the past fifteen years Mr. Piasecki has been prominently identified with the Wisconsin National Guard. In 1894 he joined Company B of the Fourth infantry as a private, and by the time the company was mus- tered into the United States service for the Spanish-American war, in 1898, he had been promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. On its being mustered in the company letter was changed from B to K and on the reorganization of the National Guard, in December, 1898, it became known as Company K, First Wisconsin infantry. When the reorganization was effected Mr. Piasecki became first lieutenant and in 1901 was made captain of Company K. In the latter ca- pacity he served for four years until in 1905 he was commissioned major of the Third battalion of the regiment, in which capacity he is still serving the state. Fraternally the major is identified with the Polish National Alliance, the Allen K. Capron Post, Spanish . War Veterans and the Fraternal Equitable Union. He is also an honorary member of the Harmonic Singing Society. On Oct. 25. 1901, Mr. Piasecki was united in marriage to Miss Emily Sonnen- berg, daughter of Paul and Magdaline ( Dix) Sonnenberg, of Mil- waukee. Two children have been the issue of this union: Hattie and Peter F. Major Piasecki and family are communicants of St. Stanislaus Polish Catholic church.
Edward C. Houde, the general manager and secretary of the Shelley-Houde Co .. Majestic Building, Milwaukee, is a Canadian by birth. He was born in the province of Quebec, on July 18, 1872, a son of Edward C. and Rosana (Durocheir) Houde, both French Canadians. In 1876 his parents removed to St. Paul, Minn., and it was there that Edward C. Houde was reared to manhood and obtained his educational advantages in the parochial and public schools. At the age of eleven years he began his business career as a messenger boy in a hat shop in St. Paul and later became con- nected with the firm of Ransom & Horton, at the time the largest hatters and furriers in the Minnesota city. He remained with this concern some five years, a portion of the time as their traveling representative. In 1893 he came to Milwaukee to assume a position as manager of the hat department with the Hub Clothing Company, a connection which he filled with satisfaction to the firm and its patrons for eight and a half years. At the end of that period, in
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1902. he entered the employ of Gimbel Brothers, as the buyer and manager for their men's and children's hat department. This lat- ter position he held for a period of six years, leaving on May 16, 1908, to embark in the business on his own account under the firm name of the Shelley-Houde Company. Although the firm has been in business but a short time, it has met with a remarkable success, which augurs well for its future. Mr. Houde's personal popularity, due to his genial, courteous manner, has had much to do in helping to build up the business. On May 18, 1896, Mr. Houde was united in marriage to Miss Daisy Hasfeldt, of Milwaukee. Both of the children born to them-Rose and Joseph-died in infancy. Mr. Houde is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church and fra- ternally is associated with the Knights of Pythias and St. John the Baptist Society.
Max Szarzynski, a pharmacist of prominence at 786 First ave- nue, was born in the village of Zaborowo, province of Posen, Prus- sian Poland, on Oct. 11, 1859, a son of Charles and Frances (Fry- zewski) Szarzynski. Until he had attained his majority he lived in his native land, receiving his educational advantages in the gym- nasium. For two years he taught school, and in 1884 he came to the United States. He located in Milwaukee, becoming associated in business with his brother Charles, from whom he acquired his knowledge of the drug business. After three years he opened a pharmacy of his own at 410 Mitchell street. He continued in busi- ness at this place until 1890, leaving it to enter his present shop on First avenue. His success is ample evidence of his industry and honesty. Mr. Szarzynski was married on May 15, 1887, to Miss Catherine Kleser, daughter of Mathias and Anna (Gagazka) Kleser. To this union have been born two children, Mathias and Lucy. The family are communicants of St. Stanislaus Polish Catholic church and the father is a member of the Sokol Society, the Polish Alliance, the Polish Business Association and the Polish Sharp- shooters. In his political relations he is affiliated with the Repub- lican party.
Frank J. Kowalsky, a well-known pharmacist whose place of business is at 744 Forest Home avenue, is a native of Milwaukee, where he was born on Feb. 2, 1883. He is the fourth in order of birth of the family of eight of John and Mary (Speichert) Kow- alsky, both natives of Germany and of Polish descent. The father was a barber by trade who came to Milwaukee in 1865 direct from Germany, and from the time of his arrival until his death on June 22, 1907, he conducted a shop at 619 Walnut street. The other children of the family are Anna ( Mrs. Theodore Schmitt) ; Adolph F., John J., Celia, wife of Peter Skorch; Alex T., Joseph B., and Adelaide. Alex and John are in the granite business at Seattle, Wash., John being the president and Alex the secretary and treas- urer of the Washington-British Columbia Granite Company, Inc. Adolph is connected with the Kowalsky-Ehlich Hardware Com- pany. of Milwaukee, and Joseph is a bookkeeper for the same firm. Frank J. Kowalsky, the subject of this memoir, was brought up in
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Milwaukee and received such preliminary education as the public and parochial schools afforded. During 1902-1903 he was a student at the Milwaukee Mutual College, studying pharmacy. The fol- lowing two years he served as an apprentice clerk and then, after passing the examination given by the state pharmacy board, he en- tered, in December, 1906, the pharmacy business under his own name. The success which he has attained is ample evidence that he is a wide-awake, energetic business man.
Michael Wabiszewski, founder and proprietor of the Lehigh Portland Sidewalk Company, is a native of the province of Posen, German Poland, where he was born Sept. 7, 1870. He is a son of Frank and Antonia (Kalinowski) Wabiszewski, who came to Milwaukee direct from the Fatherland in 1889. The father is a shoemaker and is still engaged in his trade. There are three chil- dren in the family: Sylvester, Michael and Lottie, now the wife of Anton Mikolajewski. Michael, the subject of this sketch, was reared in his native land and attended the common schools of that country. In 1887 he emigrated to the United States and located in the Cream City, working first at the machinist's trade, which he had learned in Germany. In order to become acquainted with the English language he attended evening school. After seven years of work as a machinist he served an apprenticeship to the mason's trade, and was employed in that line on concrete work until 1903. It was in that year that he established his present firm, which has had a most successful career since. His honesty and square deal- ing, and the high grade of workmanship of the firm have given it a reputation which is most enviable. Mr. Wabiszewski for three years served the state as a member of Company K, First regiment of infantry, Wisconsin National Guard. He is a communicant of St. Stanislaus Polish Catholic church, and fraternally is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Polish National Alliance. In his political belief he is a Democrat. In 1891 he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Pauline Dyksnski, a native of Poland. Mr. Wabiszewski is much respected and admired by all who know him.
John Kantak, the junior member of the firm of Kantak Brothers, commission merchants and dealers in flour, feed, etc., is a native of Milwaukee, his birth having occurred on March 24, 1880. He is a son of Mathias and Elizabeth (Roztankowski) Kantak, of whom a sketch appears in the memoir of Max Kantak, the senior member of the firm of Kantak Brothers. John Kantak was brought up in Milwaukee, receiving his education in the Polish parochial schools of this city. Up to 1899 he worked at various occupations, and in that year formed with his brother the partnership which has been so successfully conducted since. The business was started on a small scale at first, but has gradually developed until today it is the largest of its kind on the south side of the city. The firm has won a reputation for honesty and square dealing, which ac- counts in large measure for its popularity. Mr. Kantak is a com- municant of St. Josephat's Polish Catholic church. In politics he
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is allied with the Republican party and he is the assistant secretary of the Polish Mutual Loan & Building Society. Fraternally his associations are with the Woodmen of the World, Modern Wood- men of America and the St. Roman Society. Mr. Kantak's wife was formerly Miss Stella Radka, daughter of F. and Mary (Cybel) Radka, both natives of German Poland, and pioneer residents of Milwaukee.
Jacob D. Smoke, a prominent fish merchant of the Cream City, is a native of Wisconsin, having been born at Two Rivers, Mani- towoc county, on March 22, 1855. He is a son of David and Annie ( Pfister) Smoke, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. The father was a pioneer of Two Rivers, having lo- cated there in the early forties, and was associated with most of the early enterprises of the region. He was at different times fish- erman, lawyer and merchant, and was the first man to use a gill net in Lake Michigan. Manitowoc harbor, which was built in the early sixties, is a monument of his handiwork. As a representa- tive of the Two Rivers district he rendered distinguished service in the lower house of the legislatures of 1864, 1866 and 1868. His death occurred in 1870 and he left a family of nine children-Alvina, now Mrs. Louis Marshall ; Jacob D .; Kittie, wife of Horle Nelson ; Theresa, now deceased: Julia; Emily; Rachel; Iona and Clara, both deceased. Jacob D. Smoke, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Manitowoc county, receiving such educational advantages as the schools of the vicinity offered. Upon the completion of his studies he followed the lakes for twelve years as a sailor, during the latter two of which he was captain. He located permanently in Milwaukee in 1884, and from that time until 1901 he was variously engaged in well drilling, railroading and rolling mill work. In the latter year he embarked upon the business which is now his life work and in which he has had such a successful career. In politics he allies himself with the Democratic party, and has had much in- fluence in bringing about the success of that party in the recent campaigns. Fraternally he is also prominent, being a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Smoke's wife was formerly Miss Lena Weis, daughter of Jacob and Margaret Weis, of Milwaukee.
Frank Stollenwerk, of the firm of F. & T. Stollenwerk, dealers in flour, feed and baled hay at 6So Smith street, Milwaukee, is one of the leading produce merchants of the city. He is the son of Joseph A. and Mary (Schummel) Stollenwerk, both natives of Rhenish Prussia, who emigrated to America and settled in Mil- waukee county about the middle of the nineteenth century. The elder Stollenwerk was a boy of sixteen when his parents settled near new Coeln, and he lived at home until the death of both par- ents by cholera in 1850, when he took charge of the farm and ran it until he retired from active business life in 1890 and went into the city of Milwaukee to live. Frank was one of the fourteen chil- dren born to Joseph Stollenwerk on the old farm. He was reared there and received his education at St. Stephen's parochial school.
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At seventeen years of age he became apprenticed to his brother Elias, who was a contractor and builder, to learn the carpenter's trade. For some years he worked as an apprentice and for five years as a journeyman carpenter. His brother Elias then took him into his business as a partner in the contracting business. Mr. Stollenwerk gained a wide business experience while with his brother and in 1806 embarked in the hay, feed and flour business with his brother Thomas for a partner. This new line has proved a success and trade has increased so rapidly that they are the lead- ing commission dealers in Bay View. On May 30, 1900, Mr. Stol- lenwerk married Mary Rehorst, the daughter of John and Annie ( Hartman ) Rehorst, of Milwaukee. They have been made happy by three daughters: Loretta, Marcella and Adley. The family are devout Catholics and members of St. Augustin Roman Catholic church. Mr. Stollenwerk belongs to several Catholic societies ; St. Peter's, Knights of St. George, the Catholic Order of Foresters, and is a loval member of the Democratic party.
Nicholas Stollenwerk, the senior member of the prosperous firm of Stollenwerk Bros., hardware merchants, of 938 Kinnickinnic avenue, Milwaukee, was born in Lake township, Milwaukee county, March 23, 1860. He is the son of Joseph A. and Mary (Schummel) Stollenwerk, who were born in the beautiful Rhine country, of Rhenish Prussia. Nicholas' grandfather, Hubert Stollenwerk, with his family migrated to the United States in 1846 and settled on a farm in Milwaukee county, where they were prosperous and happy. During the dreadful cholera epidemic of 1850, Hubert Stollenwerk and his wife were carried away by this most dreaded disease, leaving their three children to carry on the work of the farm. The oldest son, Joseph, Nicholas' father, born in 1830, who was sixteen years of age when his parents came to America, shouldered the responsibilities of the family when his father and mother died and continued to farm the old homestead until 1890, when he gave up active life and retired from business and has since resided in Mil- waukee. Nicholas, the third of the fourteen children born to Joseph Stollenwerk, was reared on the hospitable old farm in Lake township and attended the parochial school of St. Stephanie's Roman Catholic church. At the age of sixteen years he began to work in the rolling mills at Bay View and followed this occupa- tion for three years, then served an apprenticeship of twelve years at the carpenter's trade, at which he worked as a journeyman car- penter for a number of years and met with such success that in 1892 he formed a partnership with his brother Joseph T. and em- barked in the hardware business on Kinnickinnic avenue. The business has been most prosperous and continues to be the largest hardware store on the south side. On Nov. 13, 1883, Mr. Stollen- werk was united in marriage with Margaret, the daughter of Peter J. and Susan (Toomet ) Hurlsback, who were among the early settlers of Lake township, Milwaukee county. The issue of this marriage has been four children: Arthur, Nora, Roman and Clemens. Mr. Stollenwerk and his family are members of St.
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Augustin Roman Catholic church. He is also a member of the Order of Catholic Foresters, St. Peter's Benevolent Society, and represented the Democratic party as alderman of the Seventeenth district of Milwaukee in 1905 and 1906.
John C. Arnold, florist, with greenhouses at 1494-1508, Fort Washington avenue, and a store at 44 Juneau avenue, is one of the representative business men of Milwaukee. He is a native of Baden, Germany, where he was born Aug. 1, 1859, a son of John and Johanna ( Breuninger) Arnold, who made their home there during their lives. John, Jr., received his educational discipline in the schools of Baden, where he grew to manhood, and after his education was finished he learned the florist business in his native land. In 1888 he migrated to the United States and for about a year and a half was employed in Brooklyn, N. Y., and Jersey City. During the summer of 1889 he came to Milwaukee and three years later established himself in the business he had learned before leaving Germany. Mr. Arnold has excellent taste and business ability, which has resulted in a prosperous business. In 1892 he married Agnes (Glock) Wisner, who was the owner of a florist establishment, and the two concerns were combined, and since that time have been conducted by Mr. Arnold. Mrs. Arnold died March 18, 1908, leaving a saddened, deserted home. His long residence in the Cream City has caused Mr. Arnold to become one of the best known and most popular florists, as his establishment is the second oldest in the city. He is one of Milwaukee's most public-spirited and progressive citizens, an Independent in politics and a member of the Milwaukee Maennechor, the Milwaukee Lied- erkranz, Milwaukee Liedertafel, Maennechor Eintracht, `Gesell- chaft Eintracht and Maennechor Fidelia.
Anton Novak, the printer and publisher of the Domacnost and the Organ Bratrstva, both well known and popular Bohemian pub- lications of Milwaukee, Wis., is one of the representative members of the Bohemian newspaper fraternity in the United States. He is a native of Bohemia, born there April 9, 1845, the son of Joseph and Catherine (Pazdernik) Novak, and was reared to manhood in his na- tive country, where he received an excellent education in the public and high schools. Like so many of the warm-hearted sons of Bo- hemia, Mr. Novak loved a free country and a land of free speech. Desiring these and to make his way in the world, he emigrated to the United States, the land of opportunity, in 1866, and settled in Milwaukee. Soon after reaching the Cream City he started to learn the printer's trade in the printing office of the old Daily News. Aft- er mastering his trade he worked as a journeyman printer for over five years. He was an excellent workman and during this period won the confidence of his employers by his ability and faithful at- tention to duty. In 1880 he determined to start in business for him- self. and began the publication of the Demacnost, which was cor- dially received by the Bohemians of the city and has become one of the most popular papers, with a circulation of over 8,000 copies. Encouraged by the success and popularity of his first paper, Mr.
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Novak determined to broaden his field of work and in 1904 started the Organ Bratrstva, a fraternal monthly magazine, that has met with even greater favor than his first paper, and while still in its infancy has a circulation of 17,000 copies. Mr. Novak is one of the oldest Bohemian residents of Milwaukee and is one of her most worthy, enterprising and progressive citizens, and through his pa- pers is one of the directors of progressive ideas. May 6, 1871, he was united in marriage with Mary, the daughter of Wenzel and Catherine Dimmer, both of whom were pioneer settlers of Milwau- kee, who settled there in 1853. By this union there are five chil- dren: Arthur, Richard, Julia, Rosie and Helen. Mr. Novak is a member and hearty supporter of the Republican party, a member of the Bohemian Turner Society, of the Sokol Society and of the C. S. P. S. His home is at 1803 Cold Spring avenue.
Joseph Weishan, one of the well-known and prosperous sani- tary plumbers of Milwaukee, who has a plumbing establishment at the corner of Mitchell street and First avenue, is a native of the Cream' City, born Nov. 16, 1872, the son of Wil- liam and Louisa ( Fahrlander ) Weishan. Both his parents were Germans by birth; his father was a shoemaker by trade, who came to the United States in the early fif-
ties. He settled at Wheeling, Va., when he first came to America, and remained there about ten years before he decided to move west, and located in Milwaukee, where he carried on his trade and reared a family of thirteen children, eight of whom are still living: John ; Louis : Mary, the wife of Frank Jaster; Joseph ; Lizzie, the wife of Henry Saroff ; Lena, the wife of John Winkler ; Annie, and Rosa. William Weishan died in 1889 and was greatly missed and mourned by his widow and surviving children; the mother still lives at the hale old age of seventy-two years. Joseph was reared to manhood in Milwaukee, where he received his educa- tional advantages in St. Mary's and St. Anthony's parochial schools. When only fourteen years of age he became an apprentice at the plumbing trade, and three years later began to work as a journey- man plumber. Mr. Weishan was an excellent workman and ambi- tious and after working at his trade for a number of years deter- mined to go into business for himself, which he did at his present location in 1905. Since that time he has been very successful and has become well known in the business circles of the city. In 1894 Mr. Weishan married Gusta, the daughter of Adolph Brochardt, of Milwaukee. They have four children: Sadie, Lorene, Esther and Joseph, Jr. Mr. Weishan is a Democrat in politics and a member of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic church and is also a well known and popular member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles and a member of the Master Plumbers' As- sociation.
Stanley E. Piasecki, a pharmacist of Milwaukee, who resides at 710 Wentworth avenue, is a native of the Cream City, born April 12. 1878. He is a son of Theophil and Catherine (Inda) Piasecki, na- tives of Posen Poland. The father emigrated to the United States
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in 1872 and located at Syracuse, N. Y. This was the period when so many Germans and Poles were settling in the new country to the west and Theophil Piasecki joined the army of westward migra- tion and settled in Milwaukee two years after reaching America. After reaching Milwaukee he pursued his trade as a miller. There he met and married his wife and reared a family of seven children : Peter F., Stanley E., Veronica, Agnes, Pelagia, Helen and Conrad. Mr. Piasecki died in Milwaukee in 1904, an upright and respected citizen, greatly mourned by his wife and children. But two short years elapsed before the faithful wife followed her husband and was laid to rest by her sorrowing children in 1906. Stanley received his education in the parochial and public schools of Milwaukee. He was ambitious and desired a position which could be obtained only by a professional education, and in order to secure it took a private course in pharmacy under a graduate of pharmacy. He success- fully passed the examination given by the Wisconsin State Board of Pharmacy and was admitted to practice in the state in 1896. He has held several excellent positions in Milwaukee and since 1902 has had charge of the rubber and cigar departments of the Drake Bros.' wholesale and retail drugstore on East Water street. Mr. Pia- secki was married Sept. 25, 1902, to Bertha, the daughter of Julius and Mary (Bodeman) Malinowski, natives of Poland, who emi- grated to the United States in 1872 and located in Milwaukee. The issue of this union is one daughter, Evelyn M. Both Mr. Piasecki and his wife are members of St. Stanislaus Polish Roman Catholic church. Mr. Piasecki became a member of the Wisconsin National Guard in 1897 as a private in Company B, Fourth regiment, and when the Spanish-American war broke out was transferred to the First Wisconsin regiment, Company K, which was stationed at Jacksonville, Fla., for seven months. He was mustered out with the other members of the regiment at Milwaukee in September, 1898. In December of the same year he became a charter member of Com- pany K, known as the Kosciusko Guards, First Wisconsin National Guards, as sergeant. In a short time he was promoted to second lieutenant, then to first lieutenant, and has proved so able and capa- ble a commander that on July 6, 1906, he was given a commission as captain of the guards. Mr. Piasecki is a member of the Polish Young Men's Alliance and commander-in-chief of that organization for the United States. He is also a member of Allyn Capron Camp, Spanish-American War Veterans, and of the Harmoni Polish Sing- ing Society. He is affiliated with the Republican party in politics.
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