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 83
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Sherburn Sanborn, retired, is a respected citizen of Milwaukee with a residence at 3210 Grand avenue. He is a native of New Hampshire, having been born at Bath, Grafton county, on Sept. 15. 1834. His parents were Martin L. Sanborn, born in New Hampshire in 1803, and Emeline S. (Smith) Sanborn, born in the same state in 1811. He comes of a line of patriots, his grandfather
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on the maternal side, James Smith, having served in the Conti- nental army during the War of the Revolution. Paternally he is descended in a direect line from Lieut. John Sanborn, who was one of the settlers in New Hampshire in 1632. Mr. Sanborn received his eduactional advantages in the schools of his native state. He came to Milwaukee in 1854 to accept a position as a clerk. Five years later he became associated with the American Express Company, with whom he remained until 1862. In that year he went into the general office of the old Chicago & Milwau- kee railroad, which in 1866 became a part of the Chicago & North- western system. He retained his connection with the last-named road until 1902, being promoted from one position to another until in the last ten years of his service he served as general superin- tendent and assistant general manager of the entire system. His retirement was caused by his having reached the age limit, and he is now enjoying a well-earned respite after years of active service. In politics he allies himself with the Cleveland Demo- cratic party, but has never sought public office. His fraternal associations are with the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, and he is a communicant of the Presbyterian church. In 1870 Mr. Sanborn was united in marriage to Miss Eliza V. Cary, a daughter of Hon. John W. Cary, of Milwaukee. To this union were born two daughters, Mabel and Jessie.
Herman Wahl Falk, prominent in commercial and manufac- turing circles throughout the state and city, was born in Milwau- kee on Nov. 29, 1867. He is a son of Franz and Louise ( Wahl) Falk, both of whom were born in Germany, the former on Aug. 10, 1824, and the latter on Aug. 3, 1833. The father when a youth had learned the vocation of cooper from his father. As an out- growth of the close relations of the brewing industry with the trade of cooper the father determnied when he had attained his majority to become a brewer, and he found employment in an establishment in Miltenberg, his native town. By the time he had reached the age of twenty-four years he had mastered all the details of the industry, and he left his home to seek larger fields. In June, 1848, he landed in New York and made his way from there to Cincinnati, where for three months he found employment in his vocation. In October of the same year he came to Milwau- kee and for six months was in the employe of August Krug. He then accepted an offer to become superintendent of the Melms' brewery, and for seven years was retained in that capacity, con- tributing much to the success of the establishment by his thor- ough knowledge of the vocation and his strict economy. At the end of the period above mentioned he had accumulated a sufficient competence to enable him to form a partnership with Frederick Goes, and together they conducted the Bavarian brewery under the firm name of Goes & Falk, until 1866, when Mr. Falk pur- chased the entire interest. From that time on the firm was known as the Franz Falk Brewing Company until, in 1889, it was con- solidated with the Jung & Borchert Brewing Company, the whole
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becoming known as the Falk, Jung & Borchert Brewing Company. In 1892 the latter company was absorbed by the Pabst Brewing Company. The father passed away in 1882 after a long and useful career. Herman W. Falk, the subject of this review, received his educational advantages in the Milwaukee public schools and at Allen's Academy in Chicago. In 1889, before the consolidation with the Jung & Borchert Company, he became associated with the Franz Falk Brewing Company and remained with it until the Pabst company absorbed the combined interests in 1892. A year later Mr. Falk started in business for himself, and in 1895 he organized the Falk Manufacturing Company. This name was later changed to The Falk Company, under which title it is to-day doing a large and prosperous business. The output of the concern is a high class of machinery and railroad materials, and the market extends over the entire continent. Mr. Falk has been president of the company ever since its inception, and its prosperity is in large measure due to his habits of industry, thrift, and enterprise, and his able and wise management. He is possessed of exceptionally fine mechanical ingenuity and personally oversees the work of the employes. In addition to his large interests in this connec- tion, he is a director in the Allis-Chalmers Company, the Wiscon- sin National Bank, and the Wisconsin Trust Company. Socially he is identified with the Milwaukee, the Town, the Country, and the Fox Point clubs. In his political views he is allied with the Republican party in national affairs, but does not allow his party fealty to influence his right of suffrage in local matters. On Jan. 6, 1897, Mr. Falk was united in marriage to Miss Eva Wilson Wahl, a daughter of Louis and Phoebe Grace (Wilson) Wahl, of Chicago. They have no children.
Christ Brust, who conducts a general farm and market garden in the town of Lake, was born in the province of Prussia, Ger- many, on March 28, 1838. He is a son of Nicholas and Margaret (Wolobor) Brust, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father followed agricultural pursuits in the old country and there- by earned a sufficient competence to enable him to migrate to America in 1843. He purchased eighty acres of totally unim- proved land in the town of Lake. This he cleared and made of it a model farm, where he lived until his death, in May, 1869. His widow passed away on May 19, 1884, leaving a family of four children-three daughters and a son. At the time Christ Brust came to the town of Lake with his parents there were no. schools accessible, and his earliest educational advantages were received under the preceptorship of a private instructor. Later he attended a German school on the South Side for thirteen days, and the balance of his education he received in the school of expe- rience. When he left school he learned the trade of carpenter, and was successfully engaged as a journeyman in that vocation for twenty-five years. For a period of sixteen years he was en- gaged as a pattern-maker in the roller mills on the South Side, and then occupied a similar position with the White Hill Sewing
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Machine Company for a short time. During the seven years im- mediately following he was a pattern-maker for the Wilcin Manu- facturing Company, and severed his connection with that concern to become employed in a like capacity with the Filer & Stowell Company. While working in the roller mills he managed by fru- gality and hard labor to accumulate a sufficient amount to pur- chase a tract of land in the town of Lake, and in 1880 he removed to it. Since that time he has engaged in a general gardening business on the property, and has made an eminent success of the venture. The home which he now occupies was erected but a short time ago, and is modern and comfortable in every detail. In his political views Mr. Brust has strong Democratic proclivi- ties, but does not allow his party fealty to cloud his better judg- ment in the exercise of his right of franchise. He was reared in the Catholic faith and is to-day one of the most zealous of the worshippers of the church of that denomination. On Jan. 28, 1869, Mr. Brust was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Biever, a daughter of Peter and Susan Biever, of the town of Lake. Eight children have been the issue of this union: Peter, Frank, Nicholas, Emma (now Mrs. Nicholas Detrich, of Racine), Joseph, John, Anna (who died in October, 1894), and Mary (now Mrs. Henry Schmittling, of St. Francis.
Michael J. McNamara, postmaster at St. Francis and agent of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad at that place, was born on a farm in the town of Wauwatosa on Sept. 29, 1863. He is the only surviving son of Dennis and Catherine (Woods) McNamara, the former of whom was born in County Clare and the latter in County Limerick, Ireland. The father was engaged in agricul- tural pursuits in the land of his nativity, and after coming to Mil- waukee county, in 1848, he purchased a farm in the town of Wau- watosa, the property now being a part of the present Soldiers' Home grounds. In 1864 he disposed of this by sale and purchased a farm in the town of Lake on the old Chicago road. This latter property is still held by his heirs. The father died in 1885 and the mother in 1889. Of the nine children born to the parents- five sons and four daughters-but one son and four daughters
are living to-day. Michael J. McNamara, the subject of this memoir, received his early educational advantages in the district schools in the town of Lake, and in 1882 was graduated at Pio Nono college at St. Francis. In September of the same year he accepted a position as station agent at St. Francis on the North- western line, and remained in that capacity for a period of ten years. For some years he was engaged in the real estate busi- ness in Cudahy, Wis., and in 1893 was one of the foremost figures in making Cudahy a post-village of the government. As a recog- nition of his services he was made village postmaster, a position he held until a political change cost him the position in February, 1901. During the three years immediately following he was em- ployed by the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, in Mil- waukee. In 1904 he was appointed postmaster at St. Francis, a
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position which he is to-day filling to the eminent satisfaction of the postoffice department and the patrons of the office. He was also instrumental in purchasing the right of way for the new Chicago & Northwestern line between Chicago and Milwaukee, and is the present agent of the Chicago & Northwestern railway at St. Francis. On national issues Mr. McNamara has been allied with the Republican party since the Democratic party took up the silver question in 1896. He has held various town offices, such as justice of the peace and appraiser, and at present is the incum- bent of the office of town clerk. He was reared in the Roman Catholic faith and is to-day a devout communicant of the church of that denomination. On Oct. 24, 1894, Mr. McNamara was united in marriage to Miss Anna Kuntz, a daughter of Matthias and Gertrude (Pinger) Kuntz, of the town of Lake. To this union have been born six children: Irene, Leo, Cyril, Francis, Carla and Margaret. Mr. McNamara's only fraternal relations are with the Catholic Order of Foresters. He is popular with his fellow citizens, genial and hearty in his manner, and withal a most estimable citizen.
George William Wilks, a popular and well-known raiser of greenhouse vegetables in the town of Lake, was born in London, England, on Aug. 14, 1850. He is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Mayhew) Wilks, both of whom were natives of England. The father left school at an early age and started life as a carpenter and corker in a ship-building institution, and remained there until 1852, the year he emigrated to America. He landed in Canada and there remained a short time, going thence to Baltimore, Md., where he worked at his trade. His residence in Baltimore did not continue long, however, and when he left there it was to remove to Cleveland, Ohio. In the latter city he worked at his trade for twenty-four years, and then removed to Milwaukee in 1878 to ac- cept a position as foreman in the Fitzgerald shipyards. After a few years of work in this capacity he had accumulated a sufficient competence to allow him to retire, when he had received an injury which somewhat impaired his capacity for work. His death oc- curred on Oct. 16, 1901, at the age of seventy-three, and the mother died in October, 1865. The father's second wife passed away in 1903, in England. George William Wilks, the subject of this re- view, received a limited education in the public schools of Cleve- land, Ohio, where he attended sessions for two years. He left school at the early age of nine years to accept employment in a tobacco factory. He was there but a short time, however, and then went to work in a shingle factory, which he left to go to work in a box factory. When he left the latter position it was to learn the trade of bricklaying and plastering, and then at the age of sev- enteen years he became a sailor on the Great Lakes. For nine suc- cessive years he was employed on the water, gradually being pro- moted from the position of night watchman, through the various departments of the work, until when he resigned he was the in- cumbent of the position of first mate. He then removed to Mil-
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waukee and for five years was an employe of the street railway company. Then he accepted an opportunity offered him to rent twenty acres of land in the town of Lake, which he held for six years. In the year 1888 he purchased twenty acres in the same town and erected upon it a sightly residence, from which he has a fine view of the city from the south. The first greenhouse which he erected on the property was built in 1892, and by eleven years later the business had grown to such an extent that it was neces- sary to build a large addition. Mr. Wilks is now actively en- gaged in the management of the property, and devotes his time chiefly to the raising of lettuce, radishes, and cucumbers, which he sells to the commission houses in the city. The success which he has achieved has been largely due to his ability to make the most of his opportunities, his capacity for hard work, and his sterling honesty. He is a charter member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is a heavy policyholder in the New York Life In- surance Company. In his political views Mr. Wilks is stanchly Republican, and has been the incumbent of the offices of roadmas- ter, town insurance agent, and district school clerk, the latter po- sition having been his for nine years. He is a Protestant in his re- ligious belief and one of the devout communicants of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. On May 31, 1879, Mr. Wilks was united in marriage to Miss Wilhelmina Heseler, a daughter of Frederick and Wilhelmina (Hackenbeck) Heseler, of Milwaukee. The children born to this union are Thomas William, George Frederick, Albert, and Emma. The sons all assist their father in the conduct of the business.
William Strothenke, a successful hot-house gardener of the town of Lake, was born in Prussia, Germany, on Feb. 25, 1852, a son of Herman and Anna Strothenke. The father was a butcher by vocation in his native country, learning the trade immediately after leaving school, and continuing in it until his removal to America. After his arrival in this country he came direct to Mil- waukee and for a time lived in the Third ward. Subsequently he leased the old Upmeyer farm in the town of Lake, and after re- siding on the property for a number of years he purchased it and continued to live upon it until his death in the early seventies. His widow passed away in 1895, leaving a family of six children. The early education of William Strothenke, the subject of this review, was received in the old Burdick school in the town of Lake and at Steffen's German school on the south side. At the age of four- teen years he left school to assist his father in the conduct of the farm, and he remained at home until his marriage. He then pur- chased a small tract of land and embarked in business for him- self, and as the venture prospered he would purchase more land and extend the field of his operations. In 1893 he determined to institute a new branch of work, and he erected a large hot-house, where today he is cultivating a large quantity of liot-house vege- tables, with which he supplies a large trade. His success may be justly attributed to his indefatigable labor. his careful attention
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to details, and his native Teutonic thrift. While Mr. Strothenke has strong Republican proclivities he is not active in the work of his party, nor has he ever sought public office. In religious mat- ters he is allied with the German Lutheran church. In February, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Koplin, a daugh- ter of Michael and Catherine Koplin, of Milwaukee. Ten children are the issue of this union. Herman, the eldest, is an employe of the Milwaukee Gas Light Company, is married and resides in Mil- waukee. The others are Henry, who is also married and is a hot- house gardener in the town of Lake; John, Clara, Ana, Edward, William, Louisa, Ida, and Bernard, all of whom, with the exception of two married daughters in Milwaukee, make their home with their parents.
Frank Paul Dilger is one of the prominent florists of the. Cream City. He was born in Rose Hill, now a part of Chicago, Ill., on Aug. 26, 1857, and is a son of Frank P. and Charlotte (Woll- ner) Dilger, the former of whom was born in Dorndorf, Wurten- berg. Germany, and the latter in Mecklenburg, Germany. The fath- er was reared in his native city and there learned the carpenter's trade. This vocation furnished him employment until he came to the United States in the early fifties, locating in Chicago. In that city he conducted a general market-gardening business up to the time of his death, which occurred on Dec. 25, 1872. The mother died on Nov. 24, 1869. There were three sons and two daughters in the family. Of these Robert F. is in the green-house business in Chicago; Mathias M. is in the same business in Waukegan, Ill .; Sophia is now Mrs. N. H. Kransz, of Chicago; and Anna is Mrs. William Volk, of Chicago. Frank P. Dilger, the subject of this memoir, attended the public schools of Rose Hill, Ill., and the An- dersonville school at Lake View. At the age of thirteen years he dropped his studies and entered the employ of H. M. Hanson, of Rose Hill, Ill., in the green-house business, where he worked for a vear. Then he returned to Chicago and for three years engaged in the marble business, one of the first buildings he worked on being the old Custom House. Then he re-entered the floristry work for two years, and the three years immediately following found him in the wholesale seed business with J. C. Vaughan. It was through Mr. Vaughan that he established what was one of the first whole- sale florist's businesses in the west. When he had successfully conducted that for two years he opened a seed and flower store at 266 Milwaukee avenue, Chicago, and in August, 1883, removed to Milwaukee, Wis., where he embarked in the same business at the corner of Reed and Mitchell streets. Five years later, in 1888, he purchased land in the Village of Bay View, on what is known as 418 Pryor avenue, and erected the green-houses which he now manages. His venture was successful in a financial way from the start, and today he is doing exceptionally well, specializing in cut flowers for wholesale trade and in bulbs. In his religious belief Mr. Dilger is affiliated with the Bible Institute of Allegheny, Pa., and is a Bible student. Politically he is identified with the Re-
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publican party, but has never aspired to public office. On Sept. 6, 1882, Mr. Dilger was united in marriage to Miss Agnes L. Daube, a daughter of Franz Frederick and Doris (Clausen) Daube, of Chi- cago. This union was blessed with the following children: Char- lotte Sophia Agnes, now Mrs. Charles H. Bunde, of Fargo, N. D., born July 20, 1883; Frank Paul, Jr., born Marchi 12, 1885; Leila M., born Nov. 28, 1886, died May 26, 1887; Ruth L., born Aug. 30, 1895, died Jan. 14, 1903 ; Lillian Doris, born April 6, 1901.
William A. S. Edlefsen is one of the leading florists of the Cream City. He was born in Altona, Schleswig-Holstein, Ger- many, on Jan. 19, 1846. He received his scholastic advantages in the institutions of his native country, and at the age of fifteen started out to earn his own living by becoming apprenticed to a florist in the city of his birth. Until 1867 he was variously em- ployed in the best known and most advanced green-houses of both Germany and Switzerland, his ambition being to gain the best pos- sible knowledge of the florist's art. In 1867 he immigrated to the United States and located at Pittsburg, where for ten years he found employment in the leading florists' establishments. His resi- dence in Milwaukee dates from 1877, when, coming from Pittsburg, he conducted a retail flower store with Joseph Heiman, supplying the store from their own green-houses. After four years he pur- chased Mr. Heiman's interest. So rapidly has the concern grown that it is today known as one of the leading establishments of the Cream City, employing sixteen men and maintaining two retail stores, one at 349 Third street and the other at 782 Third street. The firm is now known as the Edlefsen-Leidiger Company. Mr. Edlefsen is president, Miss Rose Semler the vice-president, and Arthur Leidiger the secretary and treasurer. To Mr. Edlefsen's knowledge of the business, learned by years of hard work and in- dustrious application, and his sterling honesty, is due in large meas- ure the success of the firm. The green-houses and gardens are lo- cated just north of the city and cover an area of six acres. Mr. Edlefsen is a stanch adherent of the principles of the Republican party, and although he has never held nor been a candidate for public office, he takes a keen interest in the welfare of his party. His church affiliations are with the German Lutheran society. On July 13, 1869, Mr. Edlefsen was united in marriage with Miss Elise Wehrs-Dreyer, of Altona, Germany. Five children came to bless this union, two of whom died in infancy. Margaret is now Mrs. Kroseberg, of Milwaukee: Catherine is Mrs. William Scott, of Pittsburg ; and Valeria lives at home with her parents. Fraternally Mr. Edlefsen is prominent. He is a member of the Milwaukee Musicverein, A Capella Chor, the West Side Turnverein, and other societies.
Richard Doremus Whitehead, the efficient and popular super- intendent of the Badger State Humane Society, was born at Ter- sey, Licking county, Ohio, on Dec. 31, 1832. He is a son of Ed- win F. and Margaret (Doremus) Whitehead, both of whom were born in Seneca county, N. Y. The family are direct descendants
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of the Whiteheads who settled in America in the Sixteenth cen- tury. The father served an apprenticeship as a carpenter, and after reaching his majority came west to Michigan City, Ind., some time about the year 1826. He purchased a horse in that place and with it made his way to Chicago, then but a very small village. Subsequently he removed to Ohio and purchased a farm, where he and his family underwent all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. The father died in 1870 and his widow passed away eleven years later. Of the twelve children born to the par- ents two died in infancy and the others grew to maturity. Richard D. Whitehead, the subject of this review, never had the advan- tages of a scholastic education of any kind, all his knowledge hav- ing been acquired under the preceptorship of his father. When a lad of eleven years he went to make his home with his grand- father, and while there developd a great fondness for horses and stock of all kinds. While still a boy he entered the employ of a Mr. Miner, a wealthy horse owner and breeder, who saw in the lad great possibilities as a trainer and jockey. His first work on this stock farm was for the small salary of twenty-five dollars a month, but before many months his employer recognized his in- herent ability to handle horses and his wages were gradually raised to $125 each month. When he had attained his majority he removed to Chicago and there became imbued with the necessity for some organized humane work for the horses and live-stock being brought into the city. It was not long before certain Milwaukee citizens interested in the same phase of humane labor heard of Mr. White- head's great work in Chicago, and a committee of representative citizens of the Cream City visited him and induced him to remove to Milwaukee and take up the superintendency of the work there. In 1879 he made this city his residence and began his labors. The first result of his work was the establishment of the Wisconsin Humane Society, of which he was elected superintendent. He served in that capacity for a period of nearly thirty years to the great satisfaction of everybody concerned, and only resigned on Feb. 16, 1906, to organize the Badger State Humane Society. As superintendent of the latter organization he has done many things which have won him praise from the admirers of horses and live- stock, chief among them being the erection of the drinking foun- tain in the city hall square. He has also been influential in organ- izing fifty-eight different societies throughout the state. Frater- nally Mr. Whitehead is allied with the Knights of Pythias and the Masonic order. In his political views he is allied with the Demo- cratic party, but has never become the candidate for any office of public trust. He is not a member of any church organization. He is a Protestant in his religious belief and was baptized in the Pres- byterian faith, but now attends the Episcopal church. In Decem- ber, 1860, Mr. Whitehead was united in marriage to Miss Cath- erina Hathaway, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Hathaway. To this union was born a daughter, Mollie, who died at Montgomery, Ala., at the age of five years:
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