Racine County

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 American Mangle & Roller, Company of Racine was established in 1903 by Willis L. Cahoon and E. E. Cahoon. They handle laundry machinery of all kinds and manufacture laundry mangles which were invented by E. E. Cahoon. Their factory is located at Racine Junction and a well developed business is now bringing to them substantial success. Their product is sold by mail and through jobbers all over the United States, being sent to every state of the Union. They sell to hotels, public buildings and to institutions of all kinds and they handle everything necessary for laundry equipment. For … Read more

The American Seating Company of Racine was incorporated under the laws of New Jersey in 1899 as the American School Furniture Company, but the name was changed to the American Seating Company in 1906. In the former year they took over the plant of the firm of Thomas Kane & Company at Racine, that company having been organized in 1894 by Thomas Kane and business associates. Prior to that date the business was carried on under the style of the Racine Hardware Manufacturing Company. It was instituted and organized about 1876 by F. H. Head, Thomas Kane, E. G. Durant … Read more

The American Skein & Foundry Company is one of the enterprises that has won for Racine its well established reputation as an industrial and manufacturing center. This business was established in 1900 under the name of the Racine Steel & Iron Works but was reorganized under the present style in 1904. The business was established by G. N. Prentice and others, while the present officers are: Walter F. Walker, president; and W. B. Mitchell, secretary and treasurer. The plant is located at Twenty-third and Racine streets and covers five acres. The buildings, one and two stories in height, are all … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more