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 65

Author: Watrous, Jerome Anthony, 1840- ed
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Madison : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1072

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service. His family consisted of four children: Robert E., our subject ; Marion Eleanor ; Willard D., and Geneva Margaret. His wife died on April 24, 1897. Dr. Robert E. Cochrane, our subjet, was brought to Milwaukee with the family when two years of age. He was educated in the Fifth ward public school. He began the study of veterinary surgery at the Toronto Veterinary College in 1897, and was also graduated in the Mckillip Veterinary Col- lege, Chicago. During 1900 he spent one year in private practice in Milwaukee. He was then appointed by the United States gov- ernment Veterinary Inspector in the Bureau of Animal Industry in the Department of Agriculture, a position which he still occu- pies with eminent success. He served the first year of his appoint- ment at Omaha, Neb. He has been permanently stationed at Milwaukee since 1902. He is also a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The doctor is a genial, courteous gentleman, a master in his profession and popular always. In politics he is a Republican.

Senator Henry H. Bodenstab, one of the representative mem- bers of the bar of Milwaukee, and the junior member of the firm of Froede & Bodenstab, 780 Third street, is a native of Sheboy- gan county, Wis., born at Herman, June 29, 1874, being the son of Julius and Frederike (Schuett) Bodenstab, natives of Hanover and Breslau, Prussia, respectively. The paternal grandparents, Dr. Henry and Annetta (Jasper) Bodenstab, came to the United States in 1846, landing in New York in July of that year and arriving in Wisconsin on Oct. 1, 1847, and they settled in She- boygan county. Dr. Bodenstab took up land, and while living on his farm continued to practice medicine for a number of years. In 1868 he moved to Sheboygan and continued in his profession there until his death in 1875. On his seventy-fourth birthday his family consisted of six children: Augusta, who married Casper Petersen ; Fred; Julius; Matilda, who married John T. Hertel; George, and Louisa. Henry's maternal grandparents, Christian and Wilhelmina (Goldebeck) Schuett, were natives of Prussia who immigrated to the United States and were among the pioneer settlers in the town of Herman, Sheboygan county, where they located in the fall of 1854. They took up land and cleared a farm, upon which they continued to reside all their lives. Julius, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Hanover, Prussia, Jan. 13, 1834, came with his parents to the United States in 1846, and stopped for about a year and a half in Albany, N. Y., before locating in Sheboygan county in 1847. He worked for his father until the age of twenty-eight, and on Aug. 21, 1862, enlisted as a private in Company C, Twenty-seventh Wisconsin infantry, and was mustered into the service on March 7, 1863. On Sept. 8, 1862, he received his first promotion to second lieutenant of Company C, and on March 17, 1863, he was transferred to Comapny I of the same regiment and given a commission as first lieutenant. This regiment took part in the siege of Vicksburg, was in General Steele's Camden expedition and on different expeditions in Arkan-

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sas. In 1865 it was ordered to New Orleans and remained there until the evacuation, then went to McIntosh Bluff, and after the surrender of the enemy was sent to Mobile and from there to Brazos Santiago, Texas. On Aug. 2, 1865, Mr. Bodenstab, with the other members of the regiment, was mustered out of the service at Brownsville, Texas. Returning home after the close of the war, he again engaged in farming at Howard's Grove, Wis., and continued in that occupation until 1876. During this time he held various political offices. He had the honor of being justice of the peace for twelve years, was a legal adviser of some note, served in the state assembly in 1873 and 1874, and was postmaster at Franklin, Sheboygan county, for two years. Since 1887 he has been a resident of Milwaukee, where he has been successfully engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business. His three children-Bertha, William, and Henry H .- were all born on the old Bodenstab homestead in the town of Herman, Sheboy- gan county, Wis. Henry was reared there until he was twelve years of age, when he came to Milwaukee with his parents. His elementary education was received in the country schools of She- boygan county and the Sixth ward (Humboldt) school. After finishing his studies in the public schools he took courses in the Spencerian Business College and the Oshkosh Normal School. He had determined upon a professional career, and for that pur- pose went to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he entered the law depart- ment of the State University, in which he was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1898. Previous to entering the University of Michigan he had passed the state bar examination of Wisconsin in 1896, while he was in Judge Neelen's office. He has been in the active practice of his profession in Milwaukee, since 1898, with gratifying success. On Jan. 29, 1899, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bodenstab and Anna Gilbert, of Arena, Wis. Mr. Boden- stab is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and Knights of Pythias, and in politics he is a Republican. He has always taken an active part in the interest of his party, and is at present a member of the Milwaukee Charter Convention of 1908, being one of the forty-nine members elected, of which twen- ty-one are Republicans. He represents the Fourth senatorial dis- trict in the state senate of Wisconsin, having been elected in 1908.

Stephan Walczak, a prominent wood, coal and coke dealer of Milwaukee, whose place of business is at the corner of Becher and Greenbush streets, was born in German Poland on Dec. 24, 1869. He is a son of Valentine and Josephine (Mikolajenski) Walczak, both of whom passed their entire lives in their native land. Mr. Walczak attended the schools of the land of his nativity and was reared to manhood in the city of his birth. Hearing of the decidedly better business advantages to be had in America he determined to emigrate, and in 1890 made the trip to Milwau- kee. After a year spent in obtaining a knowledge of the lan- guage and business methods, he embarked in the business which

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he has since been so successfully conducting. Reared in the school of hardship and privation, he learned thoroughly the lesson of frugality and industry, and brought to bear those qualities in the undertaking. His success was assured from the start, because of his genial and courteous treatment of his patrons and his scru- pulous honesty. On Nov. 11, 1894, Mr. Walczak was united in marriage to Miss Stanislawa Majchszak, a daughter of John and Rosalie Majchszak, of Milwaukee. To this union have been born six children : Wladislaus, Wancislaus, Bronislaus, Clara, Kune- gunda, and Alicia. The family are all communicants of St. Hya- cinth's Polish Catholic church. In his political view the father is a staunch Republican, but has never found the leisure to devote to making a campaign for public office. His only fraternal rela- tions are with the Catholic Order of Foresters.

William H. Devos, Collector of Customs at Milwaukee, was born in that city on Nov. 19, 1857, being the son of John J. W. and Sarah (Breen) Devos, natives of Holland, where the father was born in 1821 (died in Milwaukee in 1906) and the mother in 1829 (died in Milwaukee in 1905). The father was a carpenter by trade, coming to the United States in 1844 and to Milwaukee in 1845, and here he followed his calling for several years. In 1855 he was elected a member of the Common Council for the Ninth ward, as a Democrat, and was re-elected in 1859, but he resigned in 1860 to go to Dodge county, Wis., where he owned and operated a large saw-mill and farm. In 1865 he returned to Mil- waukee and purchased an interest in a wood and coal business, which he soon disposed of on account of his health. In 1868 he went into the milling business, and in this he continued until 1895, when he disposed of his holdings and retired to private life. The name of the paternal grandfather was Voss, and he and his people were natives of Germany, but owing to his dislike of being compelled to render service in the German army he expatriated himself, and settling in Holland he took the name of Devos, which the family still retains. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Milwaukee and graduated in the Spencerian Business College of that city. Soon after his graduation he began assisting in the management of his father's enterprises, and this he con- tinued to do until his father retired in 1895. In that year he engaged in the coal and building material business with Edward F. Whitwall, and in 1905 this firm was consolidated with the Penn Coal and Supply Company. On Nov. 10, 1879, Mr. Devos married Miss Susan N., daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Bril) Van Peenen, who were natives of Holland, and who came to the United States in 1854. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Devos has been blessed with four children, as follows: Sarah S., wife of Wil- liam Vandalu, born in 1880; John A., born in 1882; Arthur W., born in 1886, and Antoinette, born in 1890. In 1894 Mr. Devos was elected a member of the Common Council from the Ninth ward, as a Republican, it being the same position which his father had filled as a Democrat from the same ward, nearly forty years

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before. He was renominated for the position in the spring of 1896, but was defeated. In the fall of 1896 he was elected state senator representing the Sixth district, and he was re-elected in 1900. In December, 1901, after serving during one session of his second term, he resigned the senatorship to accept the positin of Collector of Customs at Milwaukee, to which he had been appointed by the President. Hon. William H. Devos is a gentleman of an act- ive, nervous temperament, and whatever he undertakes he does to the utmost of his abilities, which are of a high order. This is strik- ingly evidenced in his administration of the position which he 110w fills. When he assumed charge of the office in 1902 he found that many local merchants were entering their goods at seaboard cities and paying the duties there. At once he began a systematic training of importers to have their goods shipped to Milwaukee and to have the duties paid here. What was the result? The receipts of the local customs office increased from $420,000 in 1902, when Mr. Devos took the office, to over $800,000 in 1907, nearly doubling the income · of the office. So it is thus again strongly shown that it makes a difference who conducts an office, for man differs from man as star differs from star. One man administers his office energetically, treating it as a sacred trust given him by the people, while another treats it as a private snap and goes to sleep on the job. In religion Mr. Devos is a Presbyterian, and he is also a Mason and a member of the Knights Templar. He is held in high esteem by all who know him, and he is a gentleman who is deeply devoted to the upbuild- ing of the city of his birth.

Olaf Rehnquist, the president and treasurer of the Olaf Rehn- quist Company, select tailors of Milwaukee, is a native of Sweden, born there on Oct. 6, 1855, the son of Andrew and Katrina (Olson) Rehnquist, both natives of Sweden, who lived and died there. The father was a tradesman and carpenter who lived in the central part of Sweden. He had a farm, where his children were reared, but at the same time carried on his profession. Olaf was the second child in a family of four boys; he attended the common schools of his native country and after leaving school served an apprenticeship of five years at the tailor's trade. For a few years he followed tailoring in Sweden, and when twenty-four years of age emigrated to the United States and located in Chicago. He soon found work and remained there for three years before he came to Milwau- kee, in 1883, to accept a position as cutter for James Lowry, a merchant tailor. Mr. Rehnquist was industrious and a keen- sighted business man, prospered during the six years he was with Mr. Lowry, and he started a shop for himself in 1889. His pat- ronage increased rapidly, and as he found it growing too large for one man to handle, formed the present company, which is one of the prominent tailoring establishments of the city. In 1882 Mr. Rehnquist was married in Chicago to Miss Adolphina Tern- berg. a native of Sweden. To this union have been born six bright children : Hilda. Nels, Judith, Mamie, Edna, and William. Mr. Rehnquist and his family are members of the Swedish Congre- gational church.

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Fred J. Mayer, the manager of the Milwaukee factories and vice-president of the F. Mayer Boot and Shoe Company, was born in Milwaukee on May 29, 1862. He is the second son of Frederick Mayer, of whose life a full account appears in the sketch of George P. Mayer, elsewhere in this volume, which sketch also gives a history of the F. Mayer Boot and Shoe Company. Fred J. Mayer received his primary education in the parochial schools of Milwaukee. After leaving school he learned the shoemaker's trade by serving an apprenticeship on the bench, and in 1880, when his father established the May Boot and Shoe Company, he became an employe of the concern. In 1882 he left the com- pany, and as a journeyman shoemaker worked in larger factories in the East and South. Returning to Milwaukee in 1885, he again became associated with his father's concern. He started as a fore- man of one of the rooms in the factory, and has worked up through the various grades of the business until several years ago he was chosen manager of the Milwaukee branch, his practical knowledge of the whole industry equipping him especially well for the duties which devolve upon him. He is also vice-president of the com- pany and was one of the directors of the progressive policy which has put the Mayer quality far in the lead in the field of competi- tion. St. John's Lutheran church of Milwaukee has a no more loyal member than Mr. Mayer. On May 5, 1892, he was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Bues, a native of Milwaukee and a daugh- ter of Fred Bues, a contractor. To this union have been born eight children, of whom six are living: Helena, Irma, Eleanora, Louis, Paula and Sophia. Mr. Mayer is a man of splendid integrity, cour- teous manner, and excellent business acumen, and he is recognized as one of the leaders in commercial life in the Cream City.

Charles Cuppel, an extensive real estate dealer and a sub- stantial citizen of Milwaukee county, was born at Philadelphia, Pa., on Sept. 4, 1838. He is a son of Charles and Gertrude (Ring- ling) Cuppel, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father came to America in 1829 and located at Philadelphia, and later for a number of years he had direct charge of the millstone cut- ting of the Morris factories at Baltimore, Md. Prior to removing to Baltimore, however, he lived for a time at Easton, Pa. On Oct. 12, 1846, he arrived with his family in Milwaukee and entered the business of contracting, which he continued until his death in 1849. The mother passed away in May, 1903. Charles Cuppel is the eldest of the four children born to his parents. A sister, Mar- garet, is the wife of C. G. Taylor, a retired citizen of Milwaukee, living at Twenty-first avenue, near Layton Park; another sister, Catherine, is the wife of Henry Bruhno, a candy manufacturer, residing at 234 Twenty-first street; and Eliza is the third daughter in order of birth, and is the widow of William Taylor, deceased. Mr. Cuppel also has a half brother, William C. Layer, in the meat business at Grand avenue and Twenty-first street. Mr. Cuppel attended the Fourth ward school of this city and received all his educational advantages in that institution. Upon the break-

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ing out of the Civil war he enlisted on April 17, 1861, in the First Wisconsin infantry for the three months' service. At the expiration of that time he enlisted in the Second Wisconsin cavalry and was mustered out at Austin, Texas. He went out with the first com- pany organized in Wisconsin, and was honorably discharged with the last company to return to the state; and he did service in many of the important engagements. He is a member of E. B. Wolcott Post, Grand Army of the Republic. In 1866 he began his business career as a general produce merchant, and subsequently developed into a commission business, which furnished him an excellent income for four years. He then became a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and for twenty years devoted himself to buy- ing and selling in that body. During this period he invested heavily in real estate, and when he retired from active participa- tion on the board of trade it was to give all his attention to his realty interests. His office is at the corner of Greenfield and Fifty-third avenues, and the success he has attained bespeakes his business acumen and his capacity for hard work. In his political belief he is a devout adherent of the principles of the Democratic party. He was chosen by his many friends as a candidate for the legislature in 1898. He is an intensely public-spirited citizen and gives freely to any enterprise that makes for the betterment of the community. The site on which the West Allis Presbyterian church now stands is a donation of Mr. Cuppel's to the society. He is very fond of children, and most of his charity is directed toward their benefit. Mr. Cuppel has been twice married. On July 3, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Whicher, a native of New Hampshire. This lady passed away on June II, 1901, leaving no children, and on Aug. 18, 1902, occurred his mar- riage to Miss Agnes J. Roberts, a native of Watertown, Wis., and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts were both born in New York state and came to Water- town early in their lives. They lived there but two or three years, however, and then removed to Milwaukee, where the father was engaged in the teaming and transfer business for a number of years. Subsequently he retired, and he and his wife now make their home with Mr. Cuppel.

George Madison Hinkley, deceased, who during his lifetime was prominent as a mechanic and inventor, was born in the state of New York on May 24, 1832, and was a direct descendant of a line of Empire State pioneers. While he was still an infant Mr. Hinkley's parents removed to Ohio, where both died, the father's death occurring when the son was but seven years of age. The burden placed upon the mother's shoulders when the father passed away was so heavy that it was necessary that some of the chil- dren be sent away to be reared, and the subject of this sketch, then but seven years of age, made his home with friendly neigh- bors for some five years. He then became apprenticd to a car- penter and worked at that vocation for a few years. Before he was eighteen years old he had also mastered another trade, that of

GEORGE M. HINKLEY

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

1 ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

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bridge-building, and lie removed to Michigan to engage in the work. When work grew slack in that vocation he built saw- mills, and was thus engaged when the dark cloud of war darkened the horizon of national unity. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the First Michigan cavalry, subsequently being made corporal of his company. During his service of three years he served terms in the Florence, Libby, and Andersonville prisons. Upon his return to Michigan he became manager of a mill at Muskegon, but after a year determined to remove to Wisconsin, upon the request of John Eldred, for the purpose of building a mill for him. When the structure was completed Mr. Hinkley became its man- ager and served in that capacity for three successive years. When he resigned, it was that he might perfect some inventions in saw- mill machinery, upon which he had been working for a number of years. In 1874 he entered the employ of the E. P. Allis Com- pany as the head of their saw-mill department and brought that branch of the business up to its present high standard. Mr. Hink- ley's name to-day is the foremost in the world among the inventors and makers of saw-mill machinery. He remained with the Allis Company until the day before his death, and was apparently in the best of health, but the duties of an arduous life had told upon his strong constitution, and he passed away within thirty minutes after being taken ill, the cause of death being ossification of the arteries about the heart. He was a man of exceptional determina- tion, versatile intellect and great capacity, intensely fond of his home and home life, in which he spent all of his leisure moments. Of fine public spirit, he was ever ready to assist to the best of his ability every worthy enterprise. The first investment he ever made was the purchase of the homestead of twenty acres, which was later divided among his sons. He was also the owner of some city property, some boiler stock, and a number of mortgages. Fraternally he had attained to the thirty-second degree in Masonry. Although he was a life-long Republican he never sought to become the candidate of his party for public office. Mr. Hinkley was twice married. His first wife was Miss Sarah Tubbs, of Michigan, to whom he was united on Oct. 18, 1860. Her death occurred in 1865 and she left two children. George C. married Miss Ida McDuffy, of Hartford, Wis., and had two chil- dren: Newton, who was accidently shot and killed during the past year ; and George, a student in the high school of West Allis, in which village his father is engaged in the real estate and loan business. The other child of Mr. Hinkley's first marriage was Miss Sarah, now deceased. On Feb. 25, 1868, Mr. Hinkley was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Langdon, born near Janes- ville, Wis., on Jan. 29, 1849, a daughter of David Wyman and Rhoda (Hickok) Langdon. Mrs. Langdon was born on a farm at the foot of the White Mountains in Vermont and the father was born in New York state. Their marriage occurred in Wisconsin in 1844, where the father was engaged as a stationary engineer. Soon after their marriage they removed to Ohio and there resided

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for twelve years. In 1861 they returned to Wisconsin, the father obtaining employment in his vocation at Omro, where the mother died on May 9, 1876. In 1878 Mr. Langdon removed to Milwau- kee and made his home with Mrs. Hinkley until his death, which occurred on June 19, 1888. To Mr. Hinkley, by his second mar- riage, one son, Earl Langdon, was born on Nov. 29, 1875. He married Miss Maria Case, of West Allis, by whom he had two children, Helen C. and Jessie. The son is an expert electrical engineer and had charge of the new electrical plant at West Allis until impaired health necessitated his retirement in order to re- cuperate.

Dr. Michael J. Nugent, founder of the well-known Nugent Sanitarium, at the corner of Wells street and Hawley Road, Mil- waukee, Wis., and the president and treasurer of the institution, was born at Mendota, Minn., on Nov. 17, 1859. His parents were Michael M. and Margaret (Howell) Nugent, the former of whom was born on July 10, 1826, in County Tipperary, Ireland, and the latter in County Limerick, Ireland. The father was for many years a prosperous lumberman, contractor, and farmer, but has been retired from active business for the past twenty years, and is now living at an advanced age in Milwaukee. He came to American in the year 1845 and first located in Milwaukee, where he followed the business of a contractor until 1853, when he went to the territory of Minnesota to assist in the erection of Fort Snelling, near St. Paul. Minnesota was then a very sparsely settled region and largely in the possession of the Sioux, Chip- pewas, Winnebagoes, and other tribes of Indians. Mr. Nugent was a noted Indian fighter, and on more than one occasion per- formed some of the most dangerous and difficult scouting duty ever done in the Northwest country. He participated in the siege of Glencoe and Forest City, Minn., and took part in numerous skirmishes and minor engagements with the hostile Sioux. He was distinctively a pioneer in opening up the far Northwest, con- ducted many expeditions into that unsettled portion of our country, and did an extensive and profitable freighting business over a wide section of the country. His wife died on Feb. 3, 1893. They were the parents of ten children, all but two of whom grew to maturity and seven of whom are still living, to-wit: Ellen, deceased wife of Q. Brady, St. Paul, Minn .; Edward, a merchant now living at Maple Lake, Minn .; John, deceased ; Michael J., the subject of this sketch; Patrick, who died in infancy; James, a resident of St. Paul, in charge of the Nugent Sanitarium at that place : Mary, wife of John Bohan, of Minneapolis, who for twenty- six years has been a miller with the Pillsburys; William, a mer- chant at Maple Lake, Minn .; Margaret, wife of Abner Dueber, St. Cloud, Minn .: and Julia, wife of Frank Thielman, a merchant at St. Cloud, Minn. Dr. Nugent received an excellent education, being a graduate of the St. Paul Academy, a select school for boys, and also of the St. John's University. When only `twenty-one years of age he became principal of the schools at Sauk Rapids,

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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 65

Author: Watrous, Jerome Anthony, 1840- ed Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Madison : Western Historical Association Number of Pages: 1072

Author: Watrous, Jerome Anthony, 1840- ed
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Madison : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1072