Wisconsin Genealogy – Free Wisconsin Genealogy

B. H. Meyers, president and treasurer of the B. H. Meyers Company, has the oldest and largest business in monument and tile work in Racine, the steady development of his trade bringing him a substantial income which places him among the representative business men of the city and one whose interests contribute to public prosperity as well as to individual success. He was born in McHenry, Illinois, a son of Theodore and Susan Meyers, both of whom were natives of Germany. After coming to the new world they remained residents of Illinois until called to their final rest. B. H.…

Joseph Miller was long numbered among the substantial and valued citizens that Germany furnished to Racine. The consensus of public opinion established his position as one of the foremost citizens here. He early became imbued with the spirit of American enterprise and progress and a laudable ambition prompted his steady progress in business circles. His activities became an important force in Racine’s upbuilding and his record constituted an example well worthy of emulation, showing what could be accomplished through determined and persistent effort intelligently directed. Mr. Miller was born on the 8th of August, 1832, in Niederzer, Rhenish Prussia, his…

David H. Flett, attorney at law, was born at Kirkwell, Scotland, September 12, 1846, and came with his parents to Kenosha County, Wisconsin, in September, 1855. His early education was acquired in the district schools, after which he attended the Racine high school for two terms, and in 1875 he was graduated at the Oberlin (Ohio) College, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. That same year he was elected superintendent of schools for Kenosha County and held the office until 1877. He was then principle of the high school at Elkhorn, Wisconsin, until 1879, and in 1880 graduated in…

Sands M. Hart, son of John S. Hart, mentioned elsewhere, was sixty-three years of age at the time of his demise. He was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, April 15, 1852, and was but a small boy when he came with his parents to Racine, at which time the family home was established upon a farm in the town of Mount Pleasant, on what is now known as the Rapids drive. After attending the district schools and later the public and high schools of Racine he continued his education in the Hillsdale (Mich.) College, from which he was graduated with high…

In the language of the people, Charles H. Everett is a thinker and a worker, and these qualities have made him a leader. Perhaps no man in Wisconsin has exerted a more widely felt and beneficial influence on the agricultural development of the state. He was born in Rock County, Wisconsin, March 22. 1855, a son of Milton Josiah and Mary E. (Ross) Everett, both of whom were natives of New York and have now passed away. They became residents of Wisconsin in 1840 and here the father followed the occupation of farming. C. H. Everett acquired a public school…

There are few cities which owe their existence to a single manufacturing or industrial enterprise but rather to the aggregation of many business interests. Yet among these there are always some that stand out prominently as most potent factors in the commercial growth and prosperity of the community. Such a place in Racine circles is that occupied by the Harvey Spring Company, of which William J. Harvey is the president and whose well defined efforts have been a most potent force in bringing about the development and consequent success of the concern of which he is now the directing head.…

The student of history cannot carry his investigations far into the records of Racine’s industrial and commercial development without learning that the Miller family has played an important part in shaping the record along that line. George W. Miller is now treasurer of the J. Miller Company, shoe manufacturers, having one of the important concerns of this kind in the state. He was born in Racine, July 12, 1866, a son of Joseph Miller, founder and promoter of the business, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. He attended the McMynn Academy after mastering the elementary branches of learning taught…

Farming interests of Union Grove find a worthy representative in Gus Beecher, who for sixty-five years has been a resident of this section of the state. He was born in Germany. November 27, 1849, a son of John Casper and Rebecca (Lentz) Beecher, both of whom were natives of Germany, in which country they were reared and married. On coming to the United States they settled in Kenosha County in 1851 and the father purchased forty acres of good land. To this he added from time to time until he was the owner of one hundred and twenty acres, which…

From an early period in the development of Racine the name of Hart has been closely connected with its history. John S. Hart was the representative of the family in the first generation living in this city. A native of Meredith, New Hampshire, he was born March 13, 1823, and upon his removal westward from New England in the early ’40s he settled at Baraboo, Wisconsin. After about a decade there passed he came with his family to Racine in the early ’50s and engaged in the woolen mill business as one of the founders of the enterprise of which…

No history of the industrial development of Racine would be complete were there failure to make reference to Michael N. Freeman and his associates, whose important and extensive interests are conducted under the name of the S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company. With this business Michael N. Freeman, who is now the vice president of the company, has been continuously connected since reaching the age of thirteen years and there is no phase of the undertaking with which he is not familiar. He was born in Centralia, Illinois, January 14, 1860, and is a son of S. Freeman, the founder…

Herman O. Wadewitz, secretary and treasurer of the Racine Trunk Company identified with this industry for more than three decades and has contributed much to the success which has made it an important business concern of Racine. He was born in Port Washington, Wisconsin, July 26, 1865, a son or John F. Wadewitz, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. With the removal of the family to Racine he obtained a public school education here and was twenty years of age when he started in the trunk manufacturing business, becoming one of the organizers of the Racine Trunk Company, which…

A. Cary Judd, who has occupied various public offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity, has a most creditable record. He was born in Frankfort, New York, April 16, 1850, a son of George. B. and Margaret Ann (Cary) Judd, the former a native of Connecticut, born March 26, 1801, and the latter born in New York hi 1806. The father came to Racine in 1856 in search of a favorable location, for he desired to become identified with the growing middle west. In March, 1857, he brought his family to Racine and entered upon…