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 89

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

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 89

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John H. Theisen, pastor of the Church of the Holy Re- deemer in North Milwaukee, was born in the town of Springfield, Dane county, Wis., on Feb. 22, 1872, son of Peter and Anna

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(Schuetz) Theisen, who were born in Treves, Rhenish-Prussia, near the River Rhine, the former in 1823 and the latter in 1830. These parents were married in their native land and migrated to America in the late 40's, settling in the town of Springfield, Dane county, Wis., where the father followed the occupation of a farmer. There the father died in 1891 and the mother in 1893. Of the children born to these parents, Peter is a farmer in Dane county; Anna K. married Richard Emerick and resides in Dane county ; Margaret S. married Jacob Reibly and resides at St. Mary's, Mon- roe county, Wis., and John H. is the subject of this review. The latter received his early education in the parochial school at Spring- field Corners, in Dane county, and later attended St. Francis' Semi- nary in Milwaukee. He was ordained priest by Archbishop Katzer on June 21, 1896, and on June 24 said his first holy mass at St. Martin's church at Springfield Corners, Dane county. His first charge was at St. Michael's church as assistant pastor, in Milwau- kee, where he remained three years, and then St. Catherine's church. and St. James' church at Mequon, Wis., were intrusted to his charge, and in 1903, in addition to the others, he became the pastor of the Church of the Holy Redeemer in North Milwaukee. He re- nroved to the latter place on Dec. 13, 1907, and now has but the one church-Church of the Holy Redeemer-in his pastorate. This parish was organized in 1897 by Father John F. Fischer, who was the pastor for two years, and then it was served by other priests from the city until 1903, when Father J. H. Theisen took charge. The church building of this parish was erected during Father Fischer's pastorate, and it is a commodious frame structure with a seating capacity of 350. It is supplied with a bell and a pipe organ, and, including all fixtures, cost in the neighborhood of $10,000. The parsonage has been built since Father Theisen took charge, and it, also, is a frame building, supplied with all the mod- ern conveniences. The parish is in good shape financially, being encumbered by only a small debt, and in addition to the buildings mentioned, eight city lots are among the corporeal hereditaments. The parish is now composed of about sixty excellent families, most of whom are of the German nationality, but the preaching is almost exclusively in English.

Bryant Smith, M. D., a physician and surgeon of Milwaukee, was born on Jan. 16, 1865, in Louisville, Ky., where his father, Maj. Robert Smith, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a pay- master in the United States army, was stationed at the close of the Civil war. The mother, Anna Wells Smith, born in Water- ville, Me., is a descendant of John Bryant, one of the early set- tlers of the Plymouth colony. Several ancestors rendered dis- tinguished services in the Colonial wars and during the Revolu- tion, and two were distinguished physicians in their day. Dr. Bry- ant Smith was educated in the public schools of Davenport, Ia .. and after a preparatory course at the Markham Academy, Mil- waukee, entered Amherst College, graduating therefrom with the class of 1887. The following year he studied medicine with his

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uncle. Dr. Solon Marks, at Milwaukee, and then entered the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, the medical de- partment of Columbia University, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1891. In July of that year he began practice at Milwaukee, in the office of Drs. Marks and Ladd. Since 1896 he has been associated with that distinguished physician and sur- geon, Dr. Solon Marks, who had provided for his education and has continued to give from his own knowledge and experience of forty years practice. Dr. Smith has been surgeon to St. Mary's hospital, and since the foundation of the Milwaukee Children's Free Hospital in 1895, has served in the same capacity in that in- stitution. He is a member of the national, state, county and city medical associations, of the American Academy of Medicine, Wis- consin Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and of several Greek letter fraternities and social clubs. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Episcopal church. He married, on July 5, 1893, Mary A. Decker, a daughter of William H. and Sarah A. (Munday) Decker, of Davenport, Ia. Dr. Smith is reckoned among the most useful and reliable members of his profession, and is held in high esteem by his professional brethren and the general public of the city which he has chosen for his field of duty.

Byron O. Nobles, M. D., 633 Washington street, Milwaukee, is descended from one of the Wisconsin pioneers. His grandpar- ents, John and Lydia (Brown) Nobles, came to Wisconsin in 1841 and settled in Racine county, where they spent over fifty years; the former born in 1814, died in 1900. The parents, J. Oscar and Eliza H. (Parker) Nobles, the former born in Ohio in 1839 and the latter in Caledonia, Racine county, Wis., in 1842, are now living in the town of Raymond, Racine county. Dr. Nobles, born at Ives Grove, Racine county, on Dec. 12, 1863, attended the public schools of Racine county and the high school of the city of Racine, and later was graduated from the Spencerian Business College of Milwaukee, following which he was elected to the office of super- intendent of schools of Racine county, which position he filled in 1889 and 1890. Having decided to enter the profession of medi- cine he matriculated at the medical college of Northwestern Uni- versity, Chicago, in which he was graduated in 1893 with the de- gree of M. D. He entered at once upon the practice of his profes- sion in the city of Milwaukee, where he has since been in practice, and for the past nine years has been professor of obstetrics in the Milwaukee Medical College. On April 4, 1893, Dr. Nobles was married to Miss Mayme E. Neary, daughter of John and Nellie (Grogan) Neary, of Milwaukee, the latter of whom is deceased. To the marriage have been born four children: Oscar. Horace, Orrin and Forrest, the last three of whom are living-Oscar dying at seven years of age.

Willard Thompson Nichols, M. D., residing at 549 Frederick avenue, Milwaukee, Wis., was born in Waukesha county on April 5. 1865. He is the son of Norman J. and Mary A. (Wallace) Nichols, who were numbered among the old and honored pioneer

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residents of Waukesha county. The parents were both natives of the state of New York, but came west with their parents during the early forties and settled on a farm in Waukesha county, where they lived up to the time of their death, respected and loved by all who knew them. The elder Mr. Nichols was a man of consid- erable local prominence, who always took a keen and active in- terest in political matters, and whose worth and standing in the community frequently placed him in public office. He died in 1904 at the advanced age of sixty-eight, having lost his wife cleven years before, in 1893. Our subject is one of four children, all of whom are living. The paternal grandfather of Dr. Nichols, after making his home in Waukesha county for a number of years, and where he was one of the first pioneers, went to the new state of Kansas before the war, and finally passed away there. He served throughout the Civil war as a volunteer soldier in one of the Kan- sas infantry regiments, enlisting in 1861, and was mustered out after the close of hostilities, having seen an abundance of hard service during the trying campaigns of the Trans-Mississippi re- gion. Dr. Nichols was fortunate in that he received an excellent education, both general and technical. After completing the pre- scribed curriculum in the public schools of Waukesha, he took a course in the State Normal School at Whitewater and then en- gaged in teaching for a period of four years. At the end of this time he decided to take up the study of medicine, and to that end pursued the full course of study in the medical department of Northwestern University, graduating therefrom in 1894 with the degree of M. D. He then perfected his medical training by an extended period of hospital service. He acted as house physician at the Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, for a year ; he then went abroad and spent a year in one of the best hospitals in Vienna, Austria. Returning to the United States in 1896, he located in Milwaukee, and has been engaged in general practice here ever since. His superior educational equipment, combined with the practical experience gained in some of the best hospitals in the world, have stood him in good stead, and Dr. Nichols soon took rank as one of the most scholarly and skilled members of the pro- fession in the city. By great industry and close application to the exacting details of his calling, he has built up a lucrative prac- tice, which is growing from year to year. Dr. Nichols is a man of scholarly tastes and is deeply read in the literature of his pro- fession. He always aims to keep well abreast of the latest scien- tific discoveries applicable to medicine and surgery, and applies the same in his every-day practice, as far as the limits of sound conservatism permit. The doctor is today, though still a compara- tively young practitioner, frequently called into consultation by the older members of the medical fraternity, and his skill in diag- nosis has often proved of great value in the consultation room. In the matter of politics he is not allied with any of the present parties, but his warm support can always be depended upon in favor of the best men and measures. His independence politically

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is characteristic of the man, as he is accustomed to do his own thinking, and then acts in accordance with well-reasoned convic- tion. In religion he conforms to the Presbyterian faith, and is a liberal supporter of that church. He was married on Sept. 12, 1898, to Miss Eva Brownell, daughter of David and Maria (Smith) Brownell, well-known residents of the Cream City. Dr. and Mrs. Brownell have a charming family of three small children : Lee, Marjorie and Helen, and their home life is an ideal one. Dr. Nichols possesses a genial nature and derives much pleasure as well as profit from his numerous fraternal, club and professional associations. He is a member of the American Medical Associa- tion, together with its city, county and state branches; of the Nu Sigma Nu Greek letter fraternity; the Modern Woodmen of America; the Royal Arcanum; the Independent Order of Forest- ers; the Knights of Pythias, and the University Club of Mil- waukee.

James F. Malone, M. D., a practicing physician in West Allis, the beautiful suburb of Milwaukee, was born at Hannibal, Mo., on Dec. 26, 1862, son of John and Mary (Monaghan) Malone, the former of whom was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland, and the latter in the province of Quebec, Canada. The father, in company with his brother, Andrew, migrated to America in 1848, settling first in the state of Massachusetts, but after a short time there moved "around the Horn" to California, being attracted by the recent gold discoveries. After remaining in the Golden State three years he came to Wisconsin and settled at Waterford, where he spent the remainder of his life, excepting a short period of tempo- rary residence in Missouri during the 60's. Himself and wife both died at Waterford, he in 1883 and she in 1900, and they were the parents of five sons and five daughters, of whom four sons and four daughters are living. The maternal grandparents of the sub- ject of this review were William and Mary Monaghan, both na- tives of County Monaghan, Ireland, from whence they migrated in an early day to Canada, and came to Wisconsin in 1849, locat- ing at Rochester, in Racine county. Later they removed to Vir- ginia City, Nev., where the grandfather engaged in mercantile pursuits and where he and his wife both died. Dr. Malone received his education in the public schools of Waterford, Wis., and at the Rochester Academy. He began his independent career by engag- ing in business in Waterford, which vocation he followed five years, and then he served as superintendent of the Racine County Insane Asylum for a period of eight years. While thus engaged he began the study of medicine and in due time entered the Mil- waukee Medical College, in which institution he graduated in 1902. Then immediately opening an office for practice at West Allis, he has since been so engaged with unqualified success, applying to the discharge of his duties not only a well-grounded and thorough technical training, but a practical knowledge gained by participa- tion in the general affairs of life. He was married on April 20, 1887, to Miss Minnie E. Palmer, of Waterford, Wis., daughter of

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Nelson Il. and Sarah (Curtis) Palmer, both of whom were natives of New York state, the former being born in Utica and the latter in Oswego. They settled in Waterford, Wis., in 1836, and there spent the remainder of their lives. Dr. Malone is a Republican in his political views and his religious affiliations are with the Roman Catholic church. Among the professional organizations with which he is connected may be mentioned the Milwaukee County, the Wisconsin State, the American and the Brainard Medical associa- tions, and he also has membership in the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Knights, Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Arcanum.

John A. Davitz, who is one of the typical representatives of the German-American type that has formed such an important factor in the development of this great state, is a native of Wis- consin, born in Milwaukee on Nov. 4, 1877, the son of John and Caroline (Marquardt) Davitz, who were both natives of West Prussia, the land of that beauty which is famous in song and story. They were reared and married in the fatherland, where the elder Davitz served in the German army with great credit to him- self, being honorably discharged at the expiration of his period of service. They came to America with that great wave of migra- tion that brought so many of the sturdy sons of Germany to the new world and furnished it with so many useful citizens. John Davitz located in Milwaukee soon after his arrival, in 1866, and here he continued to reside until 1884. In that year be bought a farm of twenty-one acres in the town of Greenfield and continued to conduct it until 1890. During the years he was on this home- stead Mr. Davitz applied himself closely, and by hard work and close application succeeded in accumulating sufficient capital to buy a farm of IIO acres in section thirty-six, town of Franklin, where he resided the remainder of his life. He was a Republican in politics, in which he took an active interest, and with his wife belonged to the Lutheran church. They had a family of twelve children, of whom five are still living: Mrs. Augusta Seefeld : Otto Davitz, of Oakwood, Wis .; Gustav, of the town of Franklin ; John A., the subject of this sketch, and Edward, who lives in Oak- wood, Wis. Our subject attended the Eleventh ward school in Milwaukee and completed his education in the district school of Greenfield and the Oakwood high school, in which he was grad- uated in 1893. Subsequently he finished a course in the Williams Business College of Milwaukee, and in 1894 he taught school for one term, but a business career seemed to have more opportunities, and he engaged in well drilling with gratifying success for the next five years. The elder Davitz's business had increased so that in 1899 he took his son on the farm with him, and at the present time John has the entire charge of his father's farm of fo acres of land, where general farming is conducted in connection with the breeding of pure-blooded Berkshire hogs and other stock. Mr. Davitz gives an unqualified allegiance to the Republican party and takes an active part in the affairs of the town. He has been

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town clerk for three years and is still the incumbent of that office, and he is also president of the Oakwood high school board. On Nov. 30, 1901, Mr. Davitz was united in marriage with Jane, the daughter of William and Augusta (Nell) Ninnemann, of Mil- waukee. Two daughters have come to brighten their home: Meta, born on May 28, 1903, and Edna, born June 30, 1908. The family are Lutherans and belong to St. John's church of Oakwood, which is the oldest Lutheran church in the state of Wisconsin. Mr. Davitz has the honor to be one of the church trustees.

Fred Lueneburg, a prosperous farmer of the town of Oak Creek, who owns and operates a threshing outfit, was born in Milwaukee, Wis., May 17, 1854, the son of John and Minnie ( Bergholtz) Luene- burg, both of whom were born in Germany, in 1830 and 1831, re- spectively. John Lueneburg was reared to manhood in the Fath- erland, and when twenty-two years of age immigrated to the United States and located in Milwaukee, where he worked as a laborer for some time and then settled on the Washington road and cleared a farm. In later years he moved to the Kilbourn road, where he died in 1908. His widow still lives. Fred, the subject of this review, was the oldest of the nine children born to them, only three of whom are still living: Fred, Mary and William. Fred received the benefits of the training afforded by the public schools of Milwaukee county, and after his studies were finished, learned the carpenter's trade and followed this vocation until 1884. He was an excellent business man and accumulated sufficient capital to buy a farm, and he then located on eighty acres in the town of Oak Creek, where he follows general farming in connection with his son, Fred, Jr. For about thirty years Mr. Lueneburg hasloper- ated a threshing outfit in connection with his farm, and he is one of the most successful men in the business. On May 17, 1877, Mr. Lueneburg was united in marriage with Rosalia, the daughter of Henry and Dorothy Schmeling, residents of the town of Lake. Mrs. Lueneburg's parents were born in Germany, but immigrated to America and settled in the northern part of Milwaukee county about 1847. Subsequently they moved to the town of Lake and settled on 100 acres of land, where Mr. Schmeling lived until he passed away in 1905. His widow is eighty-six years old and lives with her daughter, Mrs. Lueneburg, who had four brothers and four sisters. To Mr. and Mrs. Lueneburg have been born three children: Fred, Jr., who has fifty acres of land his father bought, was married on Nov. 14, 1906, to Miss Emma Vollmer, and they have two children, Alfred and Elsie; William, born in 1887, and Lena. born in 1889. Mr. Lueneburg is a stanch member of the Republican party and has held the responsible position of town treasurer for two years. Both he and his family are members of the Lutheran church.

John R. Norman, a successful contractor and builder of the South Side, Milwaukee, is a native of the province of Wermland, Sweden. born on Feb. II. 1857, the son of Nels and Mary (Larson) Norman. He was reared to manhood in his native land, where he

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attended the common schools, and he also graduated from an agricultural college in 1878. During his minority he served an apprenticeship of several years at the carpenter's trade, and in 1880 decided to come to the United States in search of wider op- portunities. He located first at Muskegon, Mich., where he worked at his trade as a journeyman for some eight years, and he also served for two years as a member of the city constabulary force. In 1890 he was appointed under-sheriff for Muskegon county, in which capacity he served for three years, and afterward as deputy sheriff for a period of two years. In 1893 he entered the employ of Stewart, Hartson & Company, as carpenter foreman, and for one year supervised their docks and buildings at Muskegon. In the summer of 1896 he moved to Chicago, Ill., where he was engaged in the contracting business for a year and a half, and in 1898 came to Milwaukee, which has been his place of residence and business ever since. Here he first worked at his trade as a carpenter for three years and then again engaged in business as a contractor on his own account. He has met with excellent success in this line of work, and merits and receives the confidence of the general pub- lic. Mr. Norman was married on Feb. 11, 1888, to Miss Augusta, daughter of Anders and Mary (Lundberg) Anderson, of Sweden, and they are the parents of three children: Hattie E., Hilmer W., and Harold C. Mr. Norman is a zealous adherent of the Swedish Lutheran church, and he is treasurer of the Framdt Swedish So- ciety. In politics he is a staunch Republican.

Michael M. Rozewski is the popular proprietor of the shoe- store at 447 Mitchell street, and he is the son of Anton J. Rozew- ski, who is also engaged in the shoe business on Mitchell street. Anton J. Rozewski is a native of Poland, as is also his wife, nee Vic- toria Gorney. They arrived in the United States in 1878 and soon established themselves in Milwaukee, which has since been their home. A fine family of nine children blessed their home, and these children bear the following names: Michael M .: Rosa, wife of Walter Borys; Annie, Joseph, Thaddeus, Maximilian, Peter, Helen and Stanley. Mr. Rozewski engaged in the shoe busines in 1893 and has built up a thriving trade. Michael M., the subject of this sketch, was born in Milwaukee on Sept. 6, 1882, attended the par- ochial schools and the Milwaukee business College, and entered his father's store as a clerk. This position he filled untill 1906, when he decided that better opportunity for advancement would be afforded him by an establishment of his own, and he accordingly embarked in the shoe business independently on Mitchell street. He has oc- cupied his present location since Jan. 20, 1908, and in his new loca- tion has a modern and up-to-date store, equipped with every con- venience which can aid in giving satisfaction to his aptrons. He is rapidly acquiring a large list of customers, and his motto, "Better Shoes for Less Money," is fulfilled by his attractive stock. Mr. Roz- ewski keeps fully abreast of the changing fashions in shoes and is capable of satisfying the most fastidious of his patrons. His suc- cess in his business is assured by his careful attention to the needs

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of his customers and his thorough understanding of his busines. He is a member of St. Stanislaus Polish Roman Catholic church and of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He also belongs to the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Rozewski is not allied with any politi- cal party, but nevertheless takes an active interest in political ques- tions and gives as much time to their study as the demands of his business will permit.

Sylvester J. Wabiszewski is a prominent mason contractor and builder, located at 880 Twenty-second avenue, Milwaukee, who has erected many large and handsome structures in Milwaukee and elsewhere, and he is also favorably known as an experienced layer of cement and concrete. He was born in Posen, German Poland, Dec. 24, 1865, attended parochial schools and an architectural train- ing school in his native land, and also served a three-years' appren- ticeship at the mason's trade. At the age of twenty years he em- barked for the United States. He settled in Milwaukee, where he was followed in 1889 by his parents, Frank and Antonia (Wiliech) Wabiszewski, who still reside there. Frank Wabiszewski opened a shoe store on Fifth avenue, where he has built up an extensive trade and where he is still located. He has a family of two sons and one daughter: Sylvester J., Michael, and Lotty. Sylvester J., the subject of this sketch, was employed as a journeyman mason upon his arrival in Milwaukee, and it was not until 1892 that he opened an office of his own. During his first years in Milwaukee he received private instruction in English from Prof. Derfler. The excellent construction of the buildings upon which he was engaged soon won for him a large patronage, and the success which has at- tended him has been earned by the character of his work. Among the important structures which Mr. Wabiszewski has erected may be mentioned the following churches and factories: St. Vincent's church and St. Lawrence's church in Milwaukee; St. Michael's church in Beaver Dam; the Church of the Holy Ghost in Milwau- kee ; the building of the Sisters of St. Dominic at Corliss, Wis .; the convent at St. Francis, Wis. ; the Grand Marble Works in Milwau- kee : one of the large shops of the Allis-Chalmers Company at West Allis; the Welter Manufacturing Company's plant; the Feller & Stowe factory ; the Northern Glass factory ; the Judge & Heyer fac- tory; the Prosser furniture store; the Kunzelmann & Esser building, etc. Mr. Wabiszewski also superintended the build- ing of his own handsome dwelling at 880 Twenty-second avenue, and three of the public school buildings of Milwaukee. He has also made a specialty of cement and concrete work, and many miles of cement walks in Milwaukee have been laid by his men. The most careful thought and study are given by Mr. Wabiszewski to the planning and execution of the work undertaken by him, and the re- sults testify to the skill and experience brought to bear upon it. In 1891 Mr. Wabiszewski was married to Miss Mary Neuman, daughter of John Neuman, of Beaver Dam, and six children have blessed their home: Frank, who is pursuing his studies at Mar- quette College ; Lombard, Raphael, Amelia, Rose, and Edmund.

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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 89

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