Wisconsin

Biography of William J. Beffel

Racine is lacking in none of those advantages which offer a broad field to the energetic young business man and William J. Beffel is among the native sons who in legitimate lines of trade have worked their way upward to success. He became the successor of his father, Mathias Beffel, and reorganizing the business, is now the president of the Beffel Furniture & Undertaking Company, in which connection he controls an important commercial concern of the city. He was born July 27, 1873, a son of Mathias and Johanna (Brehm) Beffel. The father was born in Chicago in 1837 and … Read more

Biography of John J. Dahl

John J. Dahl, whose home is on section 26, Norway Township, is engaged in general farming, but makes a specialty of dairying. He was born on the 8th of October, 1856, in Norway, and is a son of John and Olena (Johnson) Johnson. His parents were lifelong residents of Norway, and of the nine children born to them only two came to the United States, these being our subject and his brother, Ole, who is employed in the shops of Racine. Eight of the family are still living and the others reside in Norway. The father, who was employed as … Read more

Biography of Alexander A. Fisk

Alexander A. Fisk, in charge of the park system of Racine, is actuated in all of his work by broad humanitarian principles. It is not his object merely to develop a park system in Racine that will be a thing of beauty. He has the higher and broader purpose of making it as well a place of recreation to meet the demands of the public needs in this regard, knowing that ninety-five per cent of the people never have, in vacation periods, the opportunity to leave home. He is closely and thoroughly studying modern problems relative to the welfare of … Read more

Biography of John Henry Goebel, M. D.

Dr. John Henry Goebel, physician and surgeon, practicing at Franksville, was born in Raymond Township, March 24, 1883, a son of John and Christiana (Roethe) Goebel, both of whom are natives of this state. The paternal grandparents were John and Margaret Goebel, who were born in Prussia, Germany, and for some time the former sailed the seas. At length he came to the new world, settling at Kilbournville, Wisconsin, where he built a log house. He followed the trade of harness making, which he had learned in his native country, and he also conducted a store for a number of … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Barndt

Charles F. Barndt is considered a valuable addition to the business circles of Racine, with which he became identified in October, 1913, when he removed to this city and entered into active trade relations here as the vice president and factory manager of the Racine Manufacturing Company. He was born in a suburb of Philadelphia on the 6th of April, 1876, a son of John G. and Annie M. (Clymer) Barndt. The father was a carriage builder who for many years was connected with the business but is now living retired at the age of seventy-eight years. He has long … Read more

Biography of John F. Kovar

John F. Kovar, a well known farmer living on section 27, Caledonia Township, was born January 26, 1877, in the Township in which he still resides, his parents being Frank and Mary (Zachar) Kovar. The father was born in Austria in 1849 and in that country his parents spent their entire lives, but in 1866, when a youth of seventeen years, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States and settled in Racine, where he was employed in a harness store, having previously learned the harness maker’s trade in his native country. He afterward worked on farms as well as … Read more

Biography of Charles V. McAvoy

Charles V. McAvoy, secretary-treasurer of the Wisconsin Auto Top Company, was born in Racine, April 12, 1889, a son of Anthony and Alice (Bowers) McAvoy. The father, who was a native of Ireland, came to Racine in 1866 and for a long period was connected with the industrial development of the city as proprietor of a wagon and carriage plant, but later lived retired to the time of his death, which occurred March 11, 1914. His widow still survives. Mr. McAvoy was for a number of year’s supervisor and was otherwise prominently connected with public affairs in the community. He … Read more

Biography of James Cape

James Cape, occupying a prominent position in municipal organization as chief of the Racine fire department, was called to his office on the 1st of June. 1900, and his splendid qualifications for the position are seen in the fact that he has been for forty years in fire department service. He was born in New York City, January 3, 1855, a son of James and Elizabeth (Jones) Cape, both of whom were natives of Bristol, England, whence they came to the United States in 1853. The father was a shoemaker by trade and for about two years was employed in … Read more

Biography of William Monroe Phelps

William Monroe Phelps, a farmer of Union Grove, was born in Genesee County, New York, February 21, 1869, a son of Charles and Lugene (Monroe) Phelps. The father, who was born in the state of New York in 1839, passed away in February, 1902. The mother, whose birth occurred in Racine County, Wisconsin, in 1845, died April 9, 1905. They were married in this County and later Mr. Phelps returned with his family to New York. For a time he was employed in hotels and later took up the occupation of farming. In 1871 he again came to Wisconsin, settling … Read more

Biography of Henry F. Moers

Henry F. Moers is the senior partner of the Moers-Brandow Company, dealers in paints and wall paper and contractors in painting and decorating. In this connection they are widely known, for their work is of an important character, representing some of the finest specimens of decorative art in this section of the state. Increasing ability has brought Mr. Moers to the creditable and enviable position which he now occupies. He was born in Freeport, Illinois, October 31, 1868, and is a son of Henry and Louisa (Meyer) Moers, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to the United … Read more

Biography of Fred M. Opitz

Fred M. Opitz, in whom inventive genius has combined with executive ability to make a most enterprising and successful business man, is numbered among the recent valuable additions to the manufacturing circles of Racine, where he has operated since 1912 as the head of the Perfex Radiator Company. A native of Germany, he was born in Berlin on the 24th of October, 1886, and pursued his education there, receiving thorough training along mechanical lines. He was, as it were, “to the manner horn,” for his father, Herman Opitz, had been engaged along mechanical lines as a manufacturer of bathtubs, and … Read more

Biography of L. W. Smith

L. W. Smith, who, in the conduct of a real estate, loan and insurance business has devoted considerable attention to building and selling of homes and has thus contributed in notable measure to the development of the southwestern section of Racine, was born in this city December 8, 1888, a son of Henry L. and Mary Ann (Fennell) Smith, the former a native of New York and the latter of Trowbridge, England. The mother was a daughter of John and Martha Fennell, who came to Racine in 1879, her father, became foreman of the molding department of the J. L … Read more

Biography of Herman F. Mueller

Starting in the grocery trade as a clerk when fifteen years of age, Herman F. Mueller has since been connected to this business for a period of forty-three years. For the past thirteen years, he has confined his attention solely to the wholesale trade. He is now senior partner in the Mueller-Kuehn Company, operating wholesale houses in both. Racine and Kenosha, with Mr. Mueller in charge of the Racine plant. He was born in Germany on the 16th of August, 1857, and is a son of Gustave and Augusta Mueller, who left the fatherland in 1866 and brought their family … Read more

Biography of E. G. H. Wendt

A large proportion of Racine’s citizens have received business training in the J. I. Case Threshing Machine works and that the training is thorough is indicated in the fact that success has attended the efforts of many since they started out independently. Such has been the record of E. G. H. Wendt, who conducts a real estate, insurance and loan agency, in which connection he is accorded a liberal patronage. He was born in Germany, July 22, 1860, a son of Robert and Augusta Wendt, who arrived in Racine on the 29th of November, 1869. The father had been a … Read more

Biography of J. A. Schmitz

J. A. Schmitz, secretary and treasurer of the Arnold Electric Company, was born in Racine, March 9, 1862, a son of Nicholas Schmitz, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work in connection with the sketch of his son, George C. Schmitz. The educational opportunities afforded J. A. Schmitz were those to he obtained in the public and parochial schools of Racine and upon attaining his majority he went, in 1883, to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he accepted a position and also pursued a course in a business college. Later he opened a real estate office in that city and after … Read more

Biography of A. C. Mehder

A. C. Mehder, secretary, treasurer and manager of the Mehder Dry Goods Company, occupies a prominent position among the alert, enterprising and progressive merchants of Racine and his life history is indicative of the opportunities that are offered in the new world to the young man of foreign birth who, prompted by ambition and guided by sound judgment, puts forth earnest effort to win prosperity. Mr. Mehder was born in Denmark, October 20, 1870. a son of L. T. H. and Caroline Mehder, who spent their entire lives in Denmark, where the father conducted business as a merchant tailor. Through … Read more

Biography of George H. Laughton

Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose and such was the case when George H. Laughton was called to his final rest. He had for a number of years been active in the management of the Chicago Rubber Clothing Company, of which he was one of the founders, and thus he instituted an important productive industry of Racine. He was born in Platteville, Wisconsin, November 20, 1845, a son of George R. and Mildred (Durley) Laughton, the former a native of London. England, while the latter was born in Maryland. They became early … Read more

Biography of Charles O. Johnson

Charles O. Johnson, who is engaged in farming on section 14, Norway Township, is classed as one of the popular and highly esteemed residents of his community and his friends have reason to know that he merits their regard, for his entire life has been spent in this locality. He was born March 4, 1857, in Norway Township, a brother of H. F. Johnson, in connection with whose biography on another page of this work there appears mention of their parents and the family. Charles O. Johnson obtained a district school education and then took up the occupation of farming, … Read more

Biography of Stuart Webster

Stuart Webster, vice president, general manager and treasurer of the Racine Rubber Company, was born in New York in 1870 and after pursuing his preliminary education in private schools entered the preparatory school at Andover, Massachusetts. Still later he matriculated in Yale University, where he won the Bachelor of Arts degree upon his graduation with the class of 1892. He then went abroad for further study and is a graduate of the medical department of the University of Vienna. He never gave his attention to the practice of the profession, however, but with his return to America entered commercial circles. … Read more

Biography of F. J. Pope, M. D.

Dr. F. J. Pope, a graduate of Rush Medical College of the class of 1875, has continuously engaged in the practice of his profession in Racine for forty years and has long occupied a prominent position as one of the leading surgeons of the city. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November 2, 1852, and is a son of C. A. and Emily (Hagan) Pope, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. The father went to Germany to attend school in Bavaria, becoming a student in a theological college there, and while in that country he … Read more