Wisconsin Genealogy

The S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company, one of the foremost business enterprises of Racine, was established in 1867 by S. Freeman, who in a small way began manufacturing and repairing boilers. A few months later he entered into partnership with William E. Davis and opened a little machine shop. In 1868 they admitted John R. Davies to a partnership, at which time Mr. Davies was operating a foundry in the old Star mills, located where the William Pugh coal yards are now found. At that time the firm name was Davies, Freeman & Davis. After a brief existence the […]

There are not many hours in which the ring of hammer and steel does not waken the echoes in Racine and the name of the city has become to the outside world a synonym for unflagging industry. Various successful industrial concerns have contributed to the reputation of the city in this regard. The F. J. Greene Engineering Works have been in existence since 1892, when the business was established by Fred and George Hodges under the firm style of Hodges & Son. Two years later, or in 1894, Frederick J. Greene purchased an interest in the business and about 1902

The Elite Laundry is an expression of Racine’s enterprise and business ability. It is the property of the firm of Eager & Dunn and the rapid development of its business is indicative of the progressive methods of the owners. In 1905 the firm of Chapman & Anderson established the Elite Laundry at No. 612 Sixth Street, but after two years the business failed. Several months later the plant was sold to Hess & Williams, who a year later sold to Eager & Dunn. Something of the growth of the business is indicated in the fact that at that time the

The Commercial Press Company was organized July 17. 1902, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, of which five thousand four hundred dollars was paid in. The first officers were: Robert C. Hindley, president; Robert W. Hindley, vice president; and T. P. Luker, secretary and treasurer. On the 29th of August, 1902, F. C. Bailey purchased stock to the amount of two thousand dollars and on the 9th of April, 1903, the Hindleys and Mr. Bailey sold out to F. G. and John Hassold and Ollie Luker. At that time the Hassolds put twenty-six hundred dollars more in the business

The Chicago Rubber Clothing Company, with its plant at the corner of Albert Street, the Northwestern tracks and Forest Avenue, controls one of the largest establishments of this kind in the United States. The company has about four acres of ground space, its buildings covering two acres. Two of these are three stories in height, one is two stories and two are one story structures and all are of brick construction, adequately supplied with a sprinkler system. The buildings are well lighted and ventilated and the employees work under sanitary conditions. They employ over two hundred people, fifty per cent

The Carroll Coal Company, one of the foremost enterprises of this character operating in Racine, was organized on the 1st of May, 1910, succeeding to the business of Joseph C. Carroll, who in turn was the successor of the firm of E. L. Hedstrom & Company, who about 1886 embarked in the coal, coke and wood business. The enterprise has since had a continuous existence and the trade has developed to large proportions. The present officers of the Carroll Company are: Fred C. Best, president; Douglas F. McKey, secretary, and George T. Caystile, treasurer and manager. The yards and main

Brehm Brothers Company is one of the oldest and most prosperous business concerns of Burlington, doing a storage, draying and heavy teaming business and also dealing in coal and salt. Another feature of the business is the sale of heavy draft horses and the quality of their horses is acknowledged by expert judges to be the best in southern Wisconsin. The business was founded in 1868 by Bernard Brehm, a sketch of whom appears above. In 1891 the firm name was changed to B. Brehm & Son, when the father was joined in the partnership by his eldest son, William

The Beffel Furniture & Undertaking Company has succeeded to the business established by Mathias Beffel, the enterprise having been in continuous existence for forty-one years. The store is located at No. 610 Sixth street, Racine, and the interests of the concern are managed by William J. Beffel, who is president of the company, and Edward Beffel, secretary and treasurer. It was on the 26th of September, 1914, that the business was organized under the present name. The original establishment was located at the corner of College avenue and Sixth Street and after two years a removal was made to the

The Bank of Burlington was organized under the name of the First National Bank of Burlington, December 14, 1871, by Jerome I. Case, Stephen Bull, R. H. Baker, B. B. Northrop and Chauncy Hall, and other prominent business men of this part of the state were among the stockholders. The bank opened its doors for business on the 26th of February, 1872. That the first years of business were not entirely along flowery paths, is evidenced by the report of Chauncy Hall, cashier, at the end of the first fiscal year, in which he says: “You are well aware of

The Arnold Electric Company was organized April 19, 1904, as the United States Standard Electrical “Works and business was started in a small way on the fourth floor of the Secor building, in Racine, where they occupied one room. They manufactured electrical devices under the trade name of Arnold and from the beginning the business grew very rapidly and developed its scope to include a line of motor operated devices. This company was the first to place on the market the small type of vacuum cleaners for household use and they were also the originators and developers of the portable