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 … Read more

The Gold Medal Camp Furniture Manufacturing Company had its inception in a business started by R. B. Lang in 1890 and incorporated in 1892, its first officers being R. B. Lang, president ; William G. Gittings, vice president; and J. G. Teall, secretary. This company manufactures all kinds of camp furniture and outing outfits, although at the beginning the output included only six or seven articles, among which was the Gold Medal Cot invented by Louis Latour. Since that time the output has been extended in its scope until there is no accessory to camp furnishings that cannot be supplied … Read more

Joseph S. Hartmann, president of the Hartmann Trunk Company, of Racine, was born in Germany, in 1846, and was a youth of sixteen years when he made the long voyage across the briny deep to the United States in 1862. He first settled in New York but afterward made his way- westward to Wisconsin, establishing his home in Milwaukee. A few years later he embarked in the trunk business there under the name of Carpeles-Hartmann & Company, and later removed to Chicago although he established his business in Racine. The Hartmann Trunk Company was organized in November, 1889, and the … Read more

Henricksen & Jacobson is the firm name of a well known commercial enterprise of Racine, organized on the first of October, 1910, by Henry M. Henricksen and Jacob Jacobson. Although it has been in existence for but a few years its business has grown steadily and has now become of a very substantial character. The business was first located at No. 1309 Mound Avenue. On the first of September, 1915, a removal was made to No. 1200 State Street. The firm is wholesale jobbers in groceries of which they carry a large line, including butterine, butter, eggs and cheese, and … Read more

The Higgins Spring & Axle Company is successor to the Ansted & Higgins Spring Company, which was established in 1884 by Michael Higgins and E. W. Ansted. Their plant was located at Racine Junction and there they began the manufacture of springs, putting upon the market a product which found immediate favor, as indicated by the continued growth of their business. This led to the establishment of a branch plant at Connersville, Indiana, which was afterward taken over by Mr. Ansted, and the partnership was then dissolved, Mr. Higgins remaining in charge of the Racine establishment. The company was incorporated … Read more

The name of no productive industry of the United States is perhaps more widely known than that of the Horlick Malted Milk Company, the business of which has developed until it reaches into all parts of the civilized world. The company was organized in 1875 and was incorporated in 1878 as the Horlick Food Company by William Horlick and James Horlick, brothers, who established their plant in the outskirts of Racine, in Mount Pleasant Township. They began to manufacture a product known as Horlick’s Food, which was a prepared food for infants, invalids and the aged, to be added to … Read more

The History of Racine County, Wisconsin Businesses   American Mangle & Roller Company  American Seating Company  American Skein & Foundry Company  Arnold Electric Company  Bank Of Burlington  Beffel Furniture & Undertaking Company  Brehm Brothers Company  Carroll Coal Company  Chicago Rubber Clothing Company  Commercial Press Company  E. C. Tecktonius Manufacturing Company  Elite Laundry  F. J. Greene Engineering Works  Gold Medal Camp Furniture Manufacturing Company  Hartmann Trunk Company  Henricksen & Jacobson  Higgins Spring & Axle Company  Horlick Malted Milk Company  J. I. Case Plow Works  J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company  Junction Hardware Company  Lavine Gear Company  Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company  Mohr-Jones Hardware Company … Read more

The story of the growth of the J. I. Case Plow Works from a small, obscure blacksmith shop in the rear of a fanning mill factory to the present large concern occupying over twenty acres of space, is a story of constant progress based upon quality and service. From the beginning the policy of the company has been to make every tool that bore its trademark a little better than any other similar tool and to co-operate to the fullest extent with the dealer handling its products. The business was organized in 1876 by J. I. Case under the name … Read more

The Perfex Radiator Company, of Racine, established business in Chicago in 1910 and was removed to this city on the 12th of October, 1912, a location being secured on Fifteenth Street, at the Northwestern railway tracks, where they occupy a three-story brick building one hundred and twenty by one hundred and ten feet. The business was established in Chicago under the name of the Aero Sheet Metal Works and afterward was incorporated there under the name of the Automobile Radiator & Parts Manufacturing Company in 1911. With the removal to Racine the name was changed to the Perfex Radiator Company … Read more

The Racine Auto Tire Company was organized as a partnership February 1, 1910. by L. J. Elliott and Clarence H. Wright and was incorporated November 28, 1914, with Mr. Elliott as president, J. H. Wright as vice president and Clarence H. Wright as secretary, treasurer and manager. The plant is located at No. 1220 Fourteenth Street. They started with small space and three employees, while the output amounted to three tires per day. Something of the growth of the business within the short space of less than six years is indicated in the fact that they now employ one hundred … Read more