Biographies of the German
Immigrants and Descendants
Featured in Genera ons of Progress: The
Industrial History of Marathon County
Compiled by:
Camille Pope
Biographies of the German
Immigrants and Descendants
History of German Immigra on
4‐5
Menzner Lumber and Supply Co.
6‐7
Phillip J. Menzner
6
Henry Fricke
8
Wisconsin Box Company
8‐9
Ben Heinemann, Sr.
8
John Hildensperger
9
Hartwig Manufacturing
9‐10
Robert Hartwig
County Material Corpora on
10
John and Merlin J. Sonnentag
Jarp Industries
10‐11
John Heinzen
10
Raymond J. Heinzen
11
Arthur W. Keene
11
Green Bay Packaging
12
George Kress
Mullins Cheese
13
John (Jack) and Bernice Mullins
Marathon Cheese Corpora on
13‐14
Raymond and Marie Goldbach
George Ruder Brewing Company
14‐15
George Ruder
Mathie Brewing Company
15‐16
Frank Mathie
Wausau Brewing Company
2
16‐21
James T. Fernock‐
16
Louis Schoen
17
George D. Wolff
19
Marathon City Brewery
21‐22
Frank R. Sindermann
21
Stuhlfauth Brothers
21
Marathon City Brewing Company
22‐23
Nicholas Schmidt
22
Fred J. Brand
23
Bull Falls Brewery
23‐24
Mike Zamzow
Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Company
25‐26
Herbert Kolbe
25
Ervin William Kolbe
25
Silbernagel & Doan Company
26
George Silbernagel
George Silbernagel Company
27
Edward Silbernagel
Wausau Glass Company, Hoffer’s Inc.,
28‐29
Marmet Corpora on
Anton Hoffer
28
Alexander W. Radant
29
Wausau Homes
29‐31
Earl Schue e
29
Marvin Schue e
30
Clifford Schue e
31
Zimpro Inc. and Siemens
31‐32
Frederick J. Zimmerman
Hammer Blow Tools
32‐33
Thomas H. Jacob
Harris Brothers Co., Silcrest, and Crestline
33‐34
Lawrence T. Riordan
About the Author
35
3
A History of German Immigration to Marathon County
The mid‐19th century was a me of conflict in Europe especially in the states of the German Confedera on
and the Austrian Empire. During this me there were crop failure in 1846‐1847, and a liberal revolu on in
1848 which promoted social and economic reforms. These failed and authori es reasserted control over the
states. There was religious tension between the Catholics and Lutherans. Military conscrip on in the Ger‐
man states; Germany and Austria was becoming the norm. Many residents of the German states (many of
which were Catholics) looked to America to find decent work to support their families in the mines and mill
towns of Pennsylvania. They o en worked for low wages and the work was hard. Later, these men went
west to farmland in Wisconsin. They were encouraged by the United States government’s offer of $ 1.25 an
acre for land in Wisconsin. German immigrants from Pennsylvania formed se ler’s clubs to raise the money
to purchase the land. They used this land to set up their own village near the Li le Rib River not far from es‐
tablished villages, such as Wausau and Mosinee where they bought their supplies. Men could earn a living in
the mills while wai ng for their farming prospects to gain.
Many German immigrants in 1857 made the move west with their se ler’s club and had not expected the
journey to be so difficult. They had to go by canoe with the help of local Indians. There was no transporta‐
on on the waterways or roads to their des na on. They came to the area they later called Marathon City.
This group of se lers included Linder, Schilling, Peternick, Haelse, Bauer, Tigges, and Koester. They were
joined by another group of German immigrants who were unrelated to the first se lement in the mid‐
1850s. Among this group was William Thiele and his family. Some immigrants came earlier than the mid‐
1850s se lement like Barteld, and other families by the name of Kufahl, Stubbe, Beilke, Schlueter and
Mollondorf. Several more groups came to Marathon County in 1857 and se led for the most part on farm‐
land north of Wausau in the towns of Berlin and Maine. Germans who were just beginning to farm in Mara‐
thon County were joined by other Europeans in the mid‐1870s who were pushed out of their county by con‐
flict. They included Norwegians, Bohemians, and Poles. Swedish and Austrian‐Hungarian immigrants came
up from Chicago.
Encouraging settlement
The immigra on of Germans increased for decades due in part to the efforts by earlier immigrants. The mo‐
va on for German immigra on was s ll present. The Austro‐Prussian and the Franco Prussian Wars further
4
increased religious tensions that were already present in Europe. Rapid industrializa on, social and
economic disrup on to life encouraged many to immigrate. Many of the families kept in touch with
those at home through le ers that told future German immigrants about life in Marathon County.
These le ers were mostly posi ve and to those in the German States, the promise of work and land
was freedom from the problems that plagued them in Germany.
John Egeler, a na ve of Germany became interested in moving to Marathon County due to le ers
from his wife’s brother, Jacob Schwartz, a Wausau pioneer. The Egelers came to Wausau in the fall of
1868. Wilhelmina Sickler was a German immigrant who se led in the town of Easton with her hus‐
band. She wrote le ers home encouraging her rela ves to come to Marathon County to join her. Pro‐
spec ve immigrants were drawn to Marathon County by le ers like these many of which were wri en
by women.
In 1880, Fredrick Reitbrock was one of many early Polish immigrants in the town of Athens, his agent
Andrew Kreutzer went to New York to recruit German immigrants to populate Marathon County.
Most of the immigrants who came to into Marathon County in the la er part of the 19th Century
were Lutherans whereas the earlier se lements were mostly Catholic. The railroads came into Mara‐
thon County in the 1870s had plenty of land which they sold cheaply to immigrants. The railroad o en
sent agents to Europe to encourage immigrants to come to America especially the Wisconsin Valley
Railroad. By 1900s, 70% of foreign‐born residents of Marathon County were German. Many of the
townships, such as Berlin and Hamburg had over 95% German residents.
Le ers, ads, estate agents, agents of the railroad in German and Switzerland all helped to bring
se lers to Marathon County. A few families that encountered the difficul es of life; less land, few
roads, the weather and reduced livelihood returned to Germany. Two German families that came in
1872 to the village of Unity arrived late and soon it was winter. They could not finish the building of
their home so they stayed with another family in a crowded one room cabin. Wilhelm and Emelie
Klueckmann arrived in 1873 from Germany and lived with a host family. They worked on their farm to
earn their keep. They eventually were able to buy their own farmhouse. Marathon County became a
place where German immigrants and their descendants could find work in different industries such as
in lumber, farming, and mercan le and could become successful in their business ventures.
5
Phillip J. Menzner, Sr.
MenznerLumberandSupplyCo.
Phillip J. Menzner Sr. was born in Germany in 1866 and travelled alone at the age of 16
to the United States in 1883, his mother later joined him in America four years later. He
landed in Indiana where he spent the summer before moving in the fall to the town of
Texas in Marathon County where he worked on a farm in the summer and lumbering in the woods in
the winter for four years. He worked for the Cur s & Yale Company, logging and lumbering for three
and half years.
In 1891, he entered into a partnership with Edward Herman in the lumber business in Marathon
County. Their saw mill built by Henry Fricke was located on the Rib River, which cut about 6,000,000
feet of lumber per year. Lumber was shipped throughout the Northwest. Mr. Menzner was the busi‐
ness manager of the firm and it was a very successful business due to his management. Menzner was
made the postmaster in 1897 where he established three rural routes in Marathon County and was
elected school treasurer. Menzner was engaged in the mercan le business and was an influen al
voice in the area.
He married the daughter of Henry and Veronica Fricke, who were pioneer se lers to Marathon Coun‐
ty. The Menzners had four children and had a home on Main Street in Marathon City. Menzner was
involved in many German Social organiza ons as well as the Modern Woodsmen of America in
Wausau Wisconsin. Phillip Menzner was the director of the Marathon City school board for 25 years,
was president of the village for 15 years, and was postmaster for 16 years. Menzner died in 1924 and
is buried in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Marathon, Wisconsin.
Menzner Lumber & Supply Company
The Menzner Lumber and Supply Company received their lumber from Northern Wisconsin. Logging
opera ons consisted of northern Wisconsin camps where the logs were cut, put on ice and floated
down to Menzner Saw mill. The Menzner Company s ll operates on the original site of the saw mill.
At the turn of the century, logging and lumber was a more profitable business due to the railroad in
Wisconsin. In 1924, Menzner Lumber was incorporated and became “Menzner Lumber and Supply
Co.” In 1925, the growth of mber/lumber industry increased compe on and scarcity of material so
Menzner bought mber in bulk to ensure a con nuing supply for his company. When Phillip Menzner
died in 1924, his sons took over. Phillip Menzner, Jr and Fred Menzner looked for ways to diversify the
business. In 1954, Hardwood moulding grew as an industry and Menzner began a limited manufac‐
ture. In 1968, Robert Menzner joined his brothers in the business.
6
Menzner Timeline
1972
Robert Menzner (3rd genera on), son of Phillip Jr. became president of
the company He discon nued the saw mill in favor of the manufacture
of finished products such as windows, and door moulding, chair rails,
hand rails, and stair treads.
1987
Phillip J. Menzner III joined the company as vice‐president.
1997
Menzner expanded facili es to outside of Wisconsin and increased
business with other facili es in North Carolina and Mississippi.
1999
Purchased a second facility in North Carolina. Menzner developed the
Transporta on Company for Menzner products as well as for other
companies in Marathon County, Wisconsin.
2000
Phil Menzner took over as president and CEO.
2007
Under Phil Menzner company began to seek new markets to diversify
and grow the company.
7
Henry Fricke
MenznerLumberandSupplyCo.
Henry Fricke was born in Germany in 1835 and first se led in Two
Rivers in 1861. He rented a grist mill and worked at one in Mishi‐
cot. He made his home in Two Rivers and built a grist mill in the
1870s when he moved to Marathon City. He improved the mill and
added on a saw mill that he later sold to his son‐in‐law, Edward
Herman in 1879 who eventually began a partnership with Phillip
Menzner. He was married in 1862 to German na ve Veronica Si‐
Fricke/Menzner House, used as offices of
Menzner Lumber Supply Co.
monis and had three children.
Ben Heinemann, Sr.
WisconsinBoxCompany
Ben Heinemann was born on June 8, 1850 in Gruensfeld, Baden, Germany, the son of Samuel
and Yedda (Bernei) Heinemann. He came to America in 1869 and worked as a store clerk in
De Pere, Wisconsin. He and his brother opened a gentlemen’s furnishing store in 1873.
Heinemann’s became a general merchandise store and a leading merchandise business in the city.
Heinemann had various business interests in Wausau; he went into manufacturing and real estate and sold
his interest in these firms to his brother and bought interest in a lumber company. He presided as vice‐
president of the company that dealt with lumber in Marathon County and several of the surrounding coun‐
es as wells. He le the company and began manufacturing lumber under the name of B. Heinemann Lum‐
ber Company, opera ng a saw and planning mill in An go un l 1907 when he incorporated the business. He
purchased the mills of the Alexander and Stewart Lumber Company in 1912. This was one of the oldest mills
that was originally built by Walter McIndoe in 1959.
Heinemann founded the Na onal German American Bank of Wausau and was president since 1890. He
served as president for 29 years. He was one of the founders of the Wisconsin Box Company of Wausau, the
president of the Cisco Lake Lumber Company, secretary and treasurer of the Land and Loan Company; and
the director of the Great Norther Life Insurance Company. Ben Heinemann passed away in 1919. He is bur‐
ied in the Pine Grove (Hebrew) Cemetery in Wausau.
8
John Hildensperger (Hildensferger)
Wisconsin Box Company
John Hildensperger was born about 1861 in Wisconsin, the son of Rosina (Rosa) and Joseph Hil‐
densferger who were German‐Austrian immigrants. He was married to Mary E. Hildensperger (born in
Ireland) on July 23, 1888. They had a daughter, Marie Hildensperger.
John Hildensperger was one of the three founders in forming the Wisconsin Box Company. In 1900s,
Ben Heinemann, Edwin Latshaw and John Hildensperger bought the factory and land belonging to the
Wausau Moulding Co. and established Wisconsin Box Company. He served as superintendent of the
company and his main occupa on was as a carpenter and contractor.
Robert (Bob) Hartwig
Hartwig Manufacturing
Robert (Bob) Hartwig was born 1927 in Marathon, Wisconsin was the son of Erwin
and Emily (Zunker) Hartwig. Hartwig’s parents were born in Wisconsin, and his mater‐
nal grandparents emigrated from Germany. He was to married Mary Jo and they had
four children.
Hartwig helped his father and brother, John (Jack) Hartwig to build Hartwig Manufac‐
turing. As a young man, Hartwig served two years in the marines. He a ended the
University of Marathon County, and Marque e University. He came back to Wausau and in 1950 he
borrowed money to buy a drill and lathe to produce custom made components for local manufactur‐
ers. From this beginning, Hartwig Manufacturing grew into one of the Midwest’s leading bridge fabri‐
cators and won an award from the Na onal Steel Bridge Alliance and the American Ins tute of Steel
Construc on.
Robert Hartwig was a supporter of his community via his family founda on. Hartwig helped a variety
of organiza ons and needs in his community. He was a member of the Wausau Hospital Center Board
of Directors for which he was recognized for his service in 1981. Bob was a recipient of the State of
Wisconsin’s Governor’s Award in Support of the Arts. Hartwig was an environmentally conscious man
and he and his company were awarded the Brogan Award for Environmental Excellence.
Hartwig re red a er the sale of the company in 1992 but con nued a business partnership that be‐
came Northern Wire LLC in Merrill. Hartwig served as president of Rainbo Lodge in Vilas County. He
has donated his me as well as that of his employees. They have helped to build stages, provide
9
equipment maintenance, loan cars, and fulfil other PAF (Performing Arts Founda on) needs. Hartwig
was a supporter of the Wausau Health founda on and the Fes val of Arts as well as the PAF. Robert
Hartwig passed away October, 14 2011 at his home.
John and Merlin J. Sonnentag
County Materials Corp.
Merlin J. Sonnentag born August 3, 1920 was the son of John L. Sonnentag and Mag‐
dalena (Uebalacher) both from Germany. Merlin Sonnentag a ended Milwaukee
Technical College, married Elaine Heinrich and joined his father, John in the sand‐
and‐gravel business, which began manufacturing concrete blocks in 1946, later ready‐mix and con‐
crete pipe were added to the product line. Both Merlin and his wife founded the County Concrete
Corp. which is now County Materials Corp. and remains a family business.
Merlin Sonnentag was presented with the People of the Year Award in 1991 from the Marathon Busi‐
ness Associa on. Sonnentag was a volunteer fireman for more than 20 years. He directed the building
of the current Marathon Village Fire Sta on. He was also the treasurer of Marathon City Brewery, a
past member of the Marathon County Extension community and resource development council, Mar‐
athon County 4‐H Trust Board, Marathon Village Zoning board, the Wisconsin Legisla ve Council for
Reclama on of Non‐metallic mining. He supported the Marathon County Fair Market Animal show
and sale for many year.
John Heinzen
JARP Industries
John Heinzen was born 1884 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He married Lillian Heinzen
and they had three children one of which was Raymond Heinzen, a co‐founder of
JARP. Prior to the forma on of JARP, Heinzen worked at Wausau Iron Works where
his brother Anton Heinzen was president and manager. The name “JARP” came from the first ini als
of each founder of the company.
10
Raymond J. Heinzen
Ray Heinzen was born in 1920 to John and Lillian Z. Heinzen in Marathon County,
Wausau, Wisconsin. Ray Heinzen worked at Wausau Iron Works where his father John
was foreman. He also served two years in the military from 1942‐1943. In 1959.
Raymond Heinzen and his father John founded JARP industries along with two other
employees of Wausau Iron Works. He was president of the company from 1960‐63.
Ray Heinzen was married to Margaret, they lived in Wausau and had six children. Heinzen later mar‐
ried Be e (Bluejacket) Heinzen and moved to Shell, Wyoming where he and his wife operated a sup‐
per club and motel. They later moved to Greybull, Wyoming where he was a member of the Greybull
Elks Lodge. Ray Heinzen passed away June 5, 2002.
Arthur W. Keene
Arthur W. Keene was born June 6, 1911 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the son of Arthur R.
Keene and Louise Wilhelmine Heise Keene. He was one of the four founders of JARP
Industries with John and Ray Heinzen, and Clarence Pete Kra . Art Keene was a struc‐
tural engineer. He was married May 2, 1935 to Laverne Anne a Heinzen the daughter
of John and Lillian Heinzen. He died January 15, 1957 and is buried in Restlawn Memorial Park in
Wausau, Wisconsin.
John,Art,Ray,Pete
11
George Kress
Green Bay Packaging
Kress was the founder of Green Bay Packaging Inc. George Kress was born in Green
Bay, Wisconsin in 1903, was the son of Frank and Louisa Kress. He a ended public
school in Green Bay and was enrolled at the University of Wisconsin where he
earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1925. He went to work at an accoun ng firm, H.C.
Hopson Inc. in New York.
In 1926 Kress returned to Green Bay to help his father in his horse collar and wooden box company.
Kress married Marguerite in 1926 and together they worked to improve the box business. In 1933,
the Green Bay Box Company began to manufacture corrugated shipping containers. In 1942 folding
cartons and in 1948, the Green Bay Pulp and Paper Company was formed to produce the corrugated
medium for use at Green bay Box. The Kresses were very involved in their work at the box company.
Their efforts were well rewarded and Kress began to invest in his business as well as branch out into
related fields. The company grew larger beyond state and local boundaries and achieved an interna‐
onal presence. Kress’s wife was ac ve in the business un l 1935 and con nued to do corporate
work from home. George Kress was the first to recognize the poten al of corruga ng medium, the
technology used to produce it. His company was recognized for environmental stewardship due to his
company’s prac ces. Green Bay Packaging developed into 100 percent recyclable packaging. The con‐
cept of totally effluent free (TEF) pulping first began at Green Bay Packaging in the Mid‐1970s and was
used throughout the en re (box and pulping/paper) industry.
Kress was a member of the Fibre Box Associa on, Folding Paper Box Associa on of America and the
American Forest and Paper Associa on (American Paper Ins tute). Professional Honors: William H.
McDonald Award form United Way of Brown County in service to the organiza on, the concept of
payroll deduc on. In 1983, the Green Bay Rotary Club Free Enterprise Award for outstanding contri‐
bu ons to American Free Enterprise system. 1984, The Wisconsin Governor’s Award in Support of the
Arts.
Kress served as president and chairman of the board for Green Bay Packaging. A erwards, as honor‐
ary Chairman un l his death in 1997. He and his wife were married 70 years. George Kress was induct‐
ed into the Paper Industry Hall of Fame. Marguerite died in 1996. Kress’s son James is the Chairman of
Green Bay Packaging, their other two children serve on the company board.
12
John (Jack) and Bernice Mullins
Mullins Cheese
John Mullins was born October 21, 1921 in the town of Ma‐
ple Grove, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, the son of Melvin
and Ellen (Fenlons) Mullins. His family moved to Marathon
County, Wisconsin when he was a young boy. His father
worked in the Cheese‐making business. John worked in the
business with his father as a young man. They worked vari‐
ous factories in the area. Jack Mullins became the own‐ On far right, John Mullins and far left is Emil Wimmer
er and operator of his own cheese factories and operat‐
ed a cheese store in Riplinger and Knowlton. Today, the business s ll thrives as Mullins Cheese. Jack
Mullins was married to Bernice R. (Wimmer) Mullins in 1945 and they had five children. Mullins was a
member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles to Badger Aerie No. 624. Mullins died in 1997. He is buried in
the Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
Raymond and Marie Goldbach
Marathon Cheese Corpora on
Raymond Goldbach was born in Marathon, Wisconsin, August 14, 1921, the son of
Joseph and Anna (Dalsky) Goldbach. He was married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in
Marathon in 1946 to Marie (Seubert) Goldbach. They had two daughters. Raymond
served in the Army in World War II in the South Pacific.
In 1952, Ray and his wife, Marie started the Marathon Cheese Corpora on, cu ng, packaging, and
selling cheese to local supermarkets. Today Marathon Cheese has several loca ons and is the largest
natural cheese packaging company in the world and is recognized in the Fortune magazine as one of
the 500 largest independently owned companies in the United States.
Ray Goldbach is credited with many innova ons in his field of work; the packaging of shredded
cheese, the first one‐pound midget longhorn, the first easy‐open package for cheese, and the cu ng
of consumer por ons into various shapes and random sizes from blocks of cheese weighing up to 640
pounds. Ray was recognized in Fortune in 1991 as “se ng the fastest pace in cheese packaging.” Ray
received the Na onal Cheese Ins tute Laureate Award in 1992 for “dedica on and service to the
13
cheese industry and was recognized as a true trailblazer in the cheese industry whose crea ve ideas
would have a las ng impact on the cheese industry for years to come.”
He also received an award for partnering in business from Schreiber Foods, Inc. Ray Goldbach also
founded Packaging Tape Inc., a distributor of various packaging supplies and equipment. Goldbach
purchased and operated Timber Ridge Country Club in Minocqua from 1987 to 1997. He was also a
former owner of the Landmark Hotel in Wausau. Goldbach was a member of the board of directors of
M and I First American bank and a former board member of Marathon State Bank. The Goldbachs
were honored in 1985 with the “Persons of the Year” Award presented by the Marathon Business As‐
socia on. The Goldbachs donated funds to build a swim center in Marathon and also set up a college
scholarship program at the local High School as well as for employees of Goldbach. Ray Goldbach
died September 27, 1997 in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
George Ruder
George Ruder Brewing Company
George Ruder was born on September 7, 1827 in Bavaria, Germany. He immigrated
to the United States in 1854. Ruder learned the brewing trade in Munich, Germany.
A er coming to the United States, he began to work in Milwaukee’s brewing indus‐
try.
In 1857 Ruder moved to central Wisconsin where he met Henry Wahle and together they formed the
Stevens Point Brewery. George Ruder married Louisa Schmidt (a na ve of Prussia) in Stevens Point.
They had ten children.
He sold his interest in the Stevens Point Brewery to Wahle and moved to Wausau in 1858 where he
built a small 16’ by 24’ plant on South Line Road (now Grand Ave). This was the beginning of the
George Ruder Brewing Company. Ruder made many addi ons that improved his plant and increased
produc on. By 1880s the plant produced 800 barrels a year. The Ruder Brewing Company quickly be‐
came successful and became one of the largest breweries in north central Wisconsin. A brewery was
built in Merrill, George Ruder operated the Wausau and Merrill plants un l 1866. George Ruder sold
his Merrill plant to his son Emil Ruder and the Wausau plant to his other two sons. Ruder re red from
the business in 1887 but kept his interest in the brewery.
On June 12, 1892 the Ruder Brewery was destroyed by a fire. George Ruder’s plans to consolidate
14
with the Frank Mathie Brewing Company failed. Next, Ruder decided to organize a $100,000 stock
company with himself as president, August Kickbusch as vice‐president, and Henry Ruder as secretary,
treasurer, and brewmaster. The George Ruder Brewing Company (incorporated in 1892) bought the
old brewery site in Marathon City and a new brewery was constructed. The George Ruder Brewing
Company now included a malt house, a bo ling plant and a beer garden.
George Ruder died December 24, 1893 of Bright’s disease. He did not live to see the new brewery
built. Kickbusch became the president of the company, Louis Schoen as the vice‐president and Henry
Ruder as secretary, treasurer, and brewmaster. Emil Ruder, who owned the Merrill plant died in 1994
and the plant was sold to Ernst Leidiger. The Ruder Company went thought staffing changes with Hen‐
ry Ruder remaining as secretary, and treasurer. The Ruder Company sold Ruder’s Perfect Beer, Lager,
and Ruder’s Select and Ruder’s Golden Drops Beer. In 1918, in an cipa on of Prohibi on, the George
Ruder Brewing Company was merged with Frank Mathie Brewing Co.
Francis (Frank) S. Mathie
Mathie Brewing Company
Frank Mathie was born November 4, 1826 in Ellwangen, Wür emberg, Germany,
and the son of German and French parentage. His grandfather served under Napole‐
on during the French Revolu on. Frank immigrated to the United States in 1854 and
worked as a cra sman at various jobs in Amsterdam and Troy in New York; and Can‐
ton and Crystal Springs in Pennsylvania. When Mathie came to Wisconsin he worked
in Appleton and Milwaukee. He was employed in Milwaukee by Jacob Best who later built the Pabst
Brewery. In 1857, he went to the Waupaca to work for the Silverton Brothers in their blacksmith
shop. When he came to Wausau in 1857, he built machinery for J.E. Thayer’s Grist Mill, the first flour
mill in Wausau. Both Thayer and Mathie came to Wisconsin from New York. Frank Mathie was the
local blacksmith, and wagon maker in Wausau. He repaired sawmills as well. He set up his shop on
Washington Street. Wausau at the me was successfully expanding. In 1868, Mathie later sold his
business to August Lemke and opened a brickyard in the town of Maine.
On March 10, 1862, Frank Mathie was united in marriage to Katherine Tischer (a na ve of southern
Germany.
Frank Mathie was impressed by the success of the George Ruder Brewing Company. In 1869, Mathie
built a brewery next door to Ruder which he co‐owned with Frank Huebner. They began as small‐ me
brewers producing 7 barrels from the brew ke le he owned. Mathie’s brew became popular and he
15
expanded the brewery to produce 900 barrels per year by 1880s. In 1884 he built a brick storehouse.
The business was a success and became the Frank Mathie Brewing Company in 1882. Frank Mathie
re red and sold his interest in the company to his sons; O o Frank Jr, and John. They soon started a
stock company called the Mathie Brewing Company where O o Mathie served as president, superin‐
tendent, and brewmaster; John Ringle was vice‐president, E.C. Zimmerman as treasurer and John
Mathie as secretary and manager. The brewery grew under the leadership of the Mathie sons. Frank
Jr, was in charge of the engineering and building of the new buildings and equipment. A bo ling
house was built in 1893. In 1895, a large new machine house was added. In 1900, a brew house at 502
‐512 Grand Ave that was capable of brewing 25,000 barrels a
year (Mathie produced 12,000 barrels at the me). In 1902, the
bo ling plant was expanded and in 1910, a large malt house
was the last addi on to the brewery. The brewery had three
beer wagons to deliver beer. A branch agency run by A.W.
Goeltz was established in Merrill, Wisconsin.
Frank Mathie, Sr. died on June 20, 1900, a few weeks a er he
visited his son, Edward who owned a large brewery in Los Ange‐
les, California. It was a brewery bearing the Mathie name and
produced a beer called Red Ribbon. This brand produced in
Wausau and Los Angeles. One of Mathie’s special es was
“Weisensteiner,” a popular beer. Mathie’s “Weisensteiner Beer”
was renamed, “Red Ribbon Beer” and the label was copyrighted
on November 27, 1906 by Mathie’s son.
Frank Mathie was a well‐known and appreciated member of the
business community and was held in high esteem. He occupied many offices of trust and confidence
in Wausau. He took a great deal of interest in the development of the area. Mathie believed that it
was a great privilege to live in the United States. He took lessons in English and the U.S. Cons tu on.
Frank Mathie had two mo os: “Give the boys a chance,” and “Keep your credit good.” Frank Mathie
died on June 30, 1900. He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery.
In 1918, the Ruder and Mathie companies were merged.
16
James T. Fernock
Wausau Brewing Company
James Fernock was born July 4, 1897 in Chicago, Illinois where he spent his early child‐
hood and where he was employed as a salesman in the engraving business. He later
became a partner in the Barnes and Crosby Engraving Co. (an adver sing firm) located
in Chicago.
James Fernock came to Wausau in early 1932, accompanied by his mother, Theresa
Fernock who later died in 1949. James Fernock also had a sister, Julia.
Fernock bought the old Wausau mal ng company and its build‐
ings and began the Wausau Brewing Company. The company
was not in business long due to Prohibi on. In 1933 the com‐
pany was incorporated with George Wolff from Chicago as
president and Louis Schoen from La Crosse, Wis. as vice‐
president, and brewmaster. James Fernock served as secretary,
treasurer and manager. James Fernock re red from the busi‐
ness in 1952 a er 25 years.
James Fernock was married April 3, 1954 to Doris Meure , and
they had a daughter.
Fernock was well‐known in the brewing industry across the
state and na on. Fernock was prominent in business and fra‐
ternal circles. He was ac ve in Masonic and Shrine ac vi es
and was a member of the Wisconsin Valley Shrine ac vi es and was a member of the Wausau Benev‐
olent Society, Loyal Order of Moose, Eagles Aerie, and St. Paul’s Evangelical Church and the Chamber
of Commerce. Fernock passed away November 16, 1956 at the age of 59 due to a heart condi on. He
is buried in the Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau.
17
Louis Schoen
Wausau Brewing Company
Louis Schoen was born in Barnau, Bavaria in 1876 and came to the United States in
1892. He lived and worked in La Crosse, Wisconsin where he was the head brewmaster
for the G. Heileman Brewing Co. in La Crosse for 40 years. He was married to Barbara in
1897 and they had seven children.
At Heileman’s brewery, Schoen was adamant about the brewing process that he used at the compa‐
ny, he would not allow any beer to leave the plant before it was aged nine weeks. The president of
the Heileman fired Schoen in 1934 for his refusal to speed up produc on by shortening the brewing
process.
Louis Schoen came to Wausau in 1934 where he joined George Wolff and James Fernock, and began
the Wausau Brewing Company. Fernock had heard about Schoen’s dismissal from Heileman and
brought Schoen on as vice‐president and brewmaster of the Wausau Brewing Company. Fernock al‐
lowed Schoen to brew beer using his nine week aging method. Wolff and Fernock each owned 48 per‐
cent of the Wausau Brewing Company and Schoen about 2 percent.
The company produced Schoen’s Old Lager, Adel Brau, and Rib Mountain Lager. Louis Schoen was so
proud of his product that he handed out recommenda on cards that recipients could use to get six
free bo les with the purchase of the first case. Louis Schoen re red from the brewery in 1952, and his
son Henry became the new brewmaster. By mid‐1950s, the brewery was having financial difficulty
and faced compe on from larger breweries in Wisconsin. The Mathie‐Ruder Brewery was the first to
close in 1955.
Louis Schoen died December 21, 1965 at the La Crosse Hospital. He is buried in the Catholic Cemetery
in La Crosse.
18
George D. Wolff
Wausau Brewing Company
George D. Wolff was born April 20, 1895 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of George H. Wolff.
He was married in Chicago on February 15, 1919 to Elsie M. Kronenberger, and they had
one daughter. George Wolff served in the U.S. Army during World War I.
George D. Wolff was a Chicago businessman with connec ons throughout the city. In
1932, he ran a trucking business with his father, George H. Wolff. The G. Heileman Brewing Company
approached Wolff to act as a beer distributor in northeast Illinois, including Cook, Lake, McHenry
coun es and the lakeshore area of Indiana. The Wolffs had a railroad siding for their trucking business
which they used to unload Heileman’s beer from the rail cars. At the me, Heileman was not able to
supply enough beer for the short market so Wolff’s distributorship began to look for other suppliers.
Louis Schoen who was brewmaster for Heileman at the me was responsible for the shortages due to
his brewing method. The produc on could not keep up with the demand of the market. Ironically,
Schoen later teamed up with Wolff to supply more beer for his Chicago market.
While George Wolff was the beer distributor for Heileman, he met James Fernock who worked for
Barnes and Crosby in Chicago. In 1934 George Wolff joined James T. Fernock and Louis Schoen to
begin the Wausau Brewing Company. George Wolff was the president and principle stockholder of
the company. He served in the same capacity at the Pepsi‐Cola Bo ling Company which con nues to
operate as Mid‐Wisconsin Beverage.
The Wolff family lived in the Chicago area where they operated their trucking business. George Wolff
occasionally took the Hiawatha, The Milwaukee Roads fast passenger train to Wausau to conduct
brewery business. The family would take the same train to Wausau and go skiing at Marathon Coun‐
ty’s Rib Mountain Ski Resort during the winter. Fernock would make all the arrangements for their
lodgings and meals any me they came to Wausau.
When James Fernock died in 1956, George Wolff came to Wausau to manage the brewery and
bo ling company. A er four years, he returned to Chicago where he ran a successful trucking busi‐
ness. His son George Wolff Jr., managed the trucking business while his father ran the brewery in
19
Wausau. Eventually Wolff’s son ran both including the Pepsi‐Cola Bo ling Company which he re‐
named Mid‐Wisconsin Beverage.
George Wolff was a member of the Elks Lodge at Oak Park, Illinois, a life member of Medinah Shrine
Temple of Chicago and a member of the Wisconsin Valley Shrine Club. Wolff was an ac ve freemason,
his affilia ons included Chrystal Honor Lodge, Humboldt Park Commandery and the Northwest Chap‐
ter (all in the Chicago area). In Wausau, he was an ac ve member of the board of directors of the
West Side Businessmen Associa on. He was the donor of an annual scholarship to the winner of the
Miss Wisconsin Valley Pageant.
George Wolff had a heart a ack and died September 26, 1960. He is buried in the Mount Emblem
Cemetery at Elmhurst, Illinois.
Wausau Brewing Company and Mid-Wisconsin Beverage
During World War II supplies for the Wausau brewery were ght as bo les and caps were hard to
find. The area breweries did everything they could to survive. The U.S. government took a por on of
breweries’ profits to help finance the war. Businesses in the area suffered material shortages. Fernock
and Wolff looked for ways to stay afloat during the war ra oning that was put upon the breweries.
They bought out a bo ling business in Merrill which eventually was relocated to Wausau. A Pepsi‐
Cola bo ling plant was built next to the Wausau Brewery. George Wolff Jr., took over the trucking
business while his father managed the brewery. The Wausau Brewing Company con nued to struggle
to survive. Wolff was ge ng offers from outside companies to produce Wausau’s beer for a lower
cost.
In 1954, Henry Schoen had to change the beer produc on method to keep up with demands of the
market. Henry Schoen was let go from the company (a er a discussion over his performance) and re‐
placed by brewery worker, Hank Rothman.
In 1956, Fernock died, leaving the company (plant and brewery) to struggle financially. Wolff moved
to Wausau to manage the company. The brewery and bo ling plant were facing compe on from the
larger breweries from Milwaukee, which flooded the market with their lighter beers.
George Wolff Sr., died in 1960 and his son was tasked to run the family businesses; the trucking com‐
pany was doing well, the Pepsi bo ling plant was third in the market, and the brewery was losing
money. The brewery union contract was about to expire, around the me that Wolff died so the
workers held off on nego a ng a contract un l later. George Wolff Jr., became the administrator of
George D. Wolff estate and no will was le so the estate went to probate. Wolff’s business connec‐
20
ons were able to loan the money to the brewery to keep it going but it was going broke and was in
debt. The unions wanted more pay for the workers. George Wolff Jr., closed the brewery in 1961.
Wausau’s labels were put up for sale. A company in Rhinelander bought them and eventually closed
its doors, following the trend of smaller brewery closing in face of compe on from larger compa‐
nies. George Wolff, Jr., s ll heads Mid‐Wisconsin Beverage.
Frank R. Sindermann
Marathon City Brewery
Frank Sindermann founded the Marathon City Brewery, in 1881. He was an accomplished brewmaster
from Germany who had been trained by his father, Franz Sindermann. His brother August F. Sinder‐
mann and Charles Klein were both founding partners in the brewing company and later Frank bought
their interest in the company. The brewery was located on the south bank of the Rib River, three
blocks west of Main Street on Second Street at the end of Pine Street. The brewery employed eleven
persons and brewed about 300 barrels a year. Frank Sindermann died on June 14, 1898.
Stuhlfauth brothers
Marathon City Brewery
The brewery was bought by a Chicago brewer, Oscar Stuhlfauth and his brother George (a baker by
trade). They ran the business un l 1902. They had problems with their ice storage and brine pipes
cracking on their ice machine and this ruined the beer supply. The Stuhfauths eventually went bank‐
rupt. In 1903, Nicholas Schmidt and Fred Brand bought the brewery and renamed it the Marathon
City Brewing Co. Nicholas Schmidt, a former assemblyman, later sold his interest to Nicholas Veeser,
who managed the plant for 18 months before leaving for Pennsylvania. Fred Brand became the Presi‐
dent of the company, joined by A.S. Cherney as Vice‐president and August Sindermann, the founder
returned as brewmaster.
A fire broke out and burned a part of the brewery in 1912. In 1913, the company was brewing again.
The company considered rebuilding the brewery in Wausau but decided to rebuild at the original
brewery site in Marathon City. By 1913, Fred Brand was s ll President of the brewery, and August Sin‐
dermann became vice‐president in addi on to brewmaster. Eventually, a new company team was
formed that took charge of the brewery un l Prohibi on. The brewery struggled at the beginning of
World War I, then regained its foo ng a er the war un l Prohibi on stopped all produc on. The
21
brewery produced near beer, root beer, and malt for “moonshiners.” In 1920, the government shut
down the brewery for producing near beer. A er prohibi on in 1933, Fred Brand reopened the brew‐
ery and operated it for about ten years. In 1943, Brand le his post as president of the company.
Nicholas Schmidt
Marathon City Brewing Company
Nicholas Schmidt was born in a Rhine Province in Germany on November 2, 1860 the
son of Nicholas and Margaret Schmidt. He came to the United States at the age of 20
leaving behind his parents and four sisters. Nicholas Schmidt learned the locksmith
and machinist trade in Germany. He lived in Westpoint, Nebraska for six months.
When he came to Chicago to set up his locksmith and machinist shop, he considered returning to Ger‐
many due to homesickness but his friends persuaded him to stay. He con nued to work in Chicago as
a blacksmith un l 1887. Nicholas Schmidt injured his shoulder blade in an accident and had to give up
his shop. He began a flour, feed and coal business in and entered into real estate.
In 1902, Schmidt bought a brewery at Marathon City, Wisconsin which he co‐owned with Fred Brand.
Nicholas Schmidt came north to manage the business in September of that year. In 1905, the compa‐
ny became a stock organiza on called the Marathon City Brewing Company of which he was presi‐
dent, treasurer, and manager un l 1910. He had to leave his post due to health reasons. Schmidt was
elected to the General Assembly of the State of Wisconsin in 1906 and served un l 1912. During this
period, Schmidt had other interest; he organized the State Bank of Marathon City and presided as its
first president un l 1911. He also organized the Marathon Telephone company and was its president
and began the Marathon Excelsior Manufacturing Company.
Nicholas Schmidt was married in Chicago, Illinois to Mary Friedl and they had four children. A er his
wife passed away, Schmidt remarried to Berta Gunjen from Germany in 1899. Schmidt served six years
as a member of the Marathon City Village board. He was also a member of the Catholic Order of For‐
esters the Germania U.G. and the Na onal Union.
22
Fred J. Brand
Marathon City Brewing Company
Fred Brand was born at Aschaffenburg in the province of Hocabach, Bavaria, Germa‐
ny on May 13, 1871, the son of Balthasar and Eva (Neff) Brand. His father died in
Germany and in 1888, his mother made the journey to America with her children.
They eventually se led in Chicago where Brand completed his educa on. As a young
man, he worked in a variety of jobs enabling him to gain prac cal experience in sev‐
eral lines of commercial ac vity.
Fred Brand moved to Marathon City, Wisconsin in 1902, and became one of the owners of the Mara‐
thon City Brewing Company which he ran with Nicholas Schmidt un l 1905 and Brand was elected
president. He le the company in 1906 and he moved to Wausau to pursue other lines of business.
His first venture was a two‐story brick building at 422 Third Ave where he began the original Mint Ca‐
fé. In 1928, he entered the realtor business with Senator O o Frank Mueller and they formed a new
company called Brand & Mueller. Fred Brand was the vice‐president of the Marathon County Building
and Loan Associa on and the director of the Ci zen’s State Bank of Wausau.
Fred Brand was married to Anna Duerschmid, a na ve of Austria and they had five children. Brand
was a trustee of St. Mary’s Church in Wausau and a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters of
which he was a former vice chief ranger and trustee. He served as president of the Wausau
Liederkranz (German Men's Choral Society).
Fred Brand died August 26, 1941 and is buried in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Wausau.
Mike Zamzow
Bull Falls Brewery
Mike Zamzow is the co‐owner and brewmaster of Bull Falls Brew‐
ery with his father Don Zamzow. It all began in 1998 when Mike
Zamzow received a beer‐making kit from his wife Mary for Christ‐
mas. He learned how to brew beer at home and this started him on
the path to brewing professionally. Zamzow said that brewing beer
at home opened him to the flavors of beer especially producing a
good beer and no cing the difference in beers currently in produc on. In 2001, Zamzow bought a
brewing system that was capable of producing three barrels, it sat unused in a friend’s pole barn for
23
five years un l he sold it to a brewery. At this me Mike Zamzow and his father ran a so ware com‐
pany. Zamzow con nued home brewing and refining his skills. He took courses on Brewing Technolo‐
gy. He began coming up with recipes that would become part of Bull Falls Brewery’s line of beers.
Zamzow focused on producing tradi onal styles ale and lager.
When Zamzow a empted to trademark his beers, he ran into legal issues with the company that pro‐
duced Red Bull energy drink. It took three years to come to an agreement and Zamzow had his logo
but he s ll needed a brewery. He con nued to work on the brewery purchasing a ten barrel brewing
system that sat in the building that housed a beauty salon in Stevens Point. Mike Zamzow moved the
system to Wausau where he spent his me learning how to use the system.
In 2007, the Bull Falls Brewery began with Mike as brewmaster and his father a co‐owner. Zamzow’s
first beer produced was an Ok‐
toberfest so people could sample
the beer and for Zamzow to im‐
prove it. The beginning was a suc‐
cess, people liked the beer. Bull
Falls Brewery distributed beer in
kegs to bars and restaurants in the
Wausau area. The beer was sold in
nearby grocery stores. In a couple
of years they had more than 80 ac‐
counts. At this me the Bull Fall Brewery had shortages but not for long, the ten barrel system was
upgraded to a 30 barrel system to meet demands. The expansion of the brewery was completed in
the summer of 2013. The project cost $2 million. This expansion added on 8,000 square feet and a
canning line to the brewery. Bull Falls Brewery signed a distribu on agreement with Mid‐Wisconsin
Beverage to bring beer beyond the Wausau area.
The Bull Falls Brewery had never sold more than 1,000 barrels in a year, now they produce more than
3,000 barrels and Zamzow expects this figure to go beyond 4,000 barrels a year since Bull Falls Brew‐
ery joined the Fox Valley market. The Bull Falls Brewery has the capacity to produce 8,000 barrels of
beer annually though Zamzow’s emphasis is on quality over quan ty. His beers are tradi onal style,
nothing new, but he considers himself to be best at what he does. Mike Zamzow and his father have
brought back a tradi on of brewing beer locally that has not been seen since the Mathie‐Ruder brew‐
ery closed in 1955 and the Wausau Brewing Company in 1961.
24
Herbert Kolbe
Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Company
Herbert Kolbe was born in Marathon on October 15, 1920, the third of four sons of Ern‐
est and Louise (Renata) Kolbe. He spent his younger years working on the farm, at local
sawmills and doing carpentry work. He married Marian Kozlowski in Wausau on Sep‐
tember 5, 1942. Together, they raised two daughters. During World War II, Mr. Kolbe
was exempt from service due to his occupa on as a farmer.
In 1946, Herbert Kolbe and his brother Ervin, both in the carpentry business, saw a need for windows
since they had a hard me buying them. They soon began what is known today as Kolbe & Kolbe Mill‐
work Company. Its founding began in their mother’s Marathon wash house (on an 80 acre dairy farm)
with a Sears & Roebuck table saw. They repaired windows screens and built door frames and win‐
dows from rough lumber. For the first two years they were the only employees un l the youngest
brother Walter joined them in a sales capacity. Later, the fourth and oldest brother, Arnold also
joined the company. The company grew and was later relocated in 1950 to a 2100 sq. feet building on
Wausau’s southeast side. It began with two employee to 250 in 1978.
Mr. Kolbe had a par cular interest in sawmills and logging opera ons, visi ng many sites as he trav‐
eled around the country. Many days were spent at the company’s sawmill, rekindling the memories
of his younger days. He also loved providing input into the design and overseeing the construc on of
the 25 addi ons made to the original Wausau factory. He also designed several log cabins, as well as
the company’s conference and mee ng facility called “The Lodge.”
Herbert Kolbe, at the age of 82, died on December 30, 2002 at his winter home in Boca Raton, Florida.
He is buried in Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau, Wisconsin.
Ervin William Kolbe
Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Company
Ervin Kolbe, co‐founder of Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Company, was born on December 8,
1918, the second son of Ernest and Louise (Renata) Kolbe. He was united in marriage on
December 17, 1979 to Vie a Cihaski. Mr. Kolbe served in the U.S. Army in the Aleu an
Islands from 1941‐1945 and was a member of the Veterans Post #388, Wausau.
In 1946, Mr. Kolbe and his brother Herbert, both in the carpentry business, saw a need for windows
since they had a hard me buying them. They soon began what is known today as Kolbe & Kolbe Mill‐
25
work Company. Its founding began in their mother’s Marathon wash house with a Sears & Roebuck table
saw. They repaired windows screens and built door frames and windows from rough lumber. For the
first two years they were the only employees un l the youngest brother Walter joined them in a sales
capacity. Later, the fourth and oldest brother, Arnold, also joined the company.
Mr. Kolbe was senior vice president of the family business and was considered “the catalyst over the
years for the company’s growth.” In addi on to his responsibili es to the company, Mr. Kolbe was a
faithful servant of the Lord and as a lifelong Marathon resident, was involved with a Bible Study group,
cooked maple syrup, planted trees for the city, logged and harvested trees and operated a bulldozer to
create scenic trails and ponds. Ervin Kolbe, at age 81, died on August 4, 2000 at his Wausau home. He is
buried in Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau, Wisconsin.
George Silbernagel
Silbernagel & Doan Company
George Silbernagel was born in Madison, Wisconsin on March 4, 1870, a son of Jacob J. and Caroline Sil‐
bernagel, a partner in the Silbernagel & Doan Company, a sash and door manufacturer and general con‐
tractor. At age 13, George began to learn the business with his father. Eager to advance in the industry
“on his own,” he moved to Wausau in 1899 to accept a posi on with Cur s & Yale Company as an es ‐
mator. He was later promoted and put in charge of sales for the company and was also the head of the
es ma ng department. He stayed with Cur s & Yale for thirteen years.
In 1912, he and fellow employee J.M. Kuebler, started the J.M. Kuebler Company, taking over the plant
of the Werheim Manufacturing Company. George remained here un l 1925 when he disposed of his in‐
terests in the company. Determined to own and operate his own factory, Mr. Silbernagel incorporated
The George Silbernagel & Sons Company in 1925, and began building a facility on Lemke Street. In 1934,
the factory was completely destroyed by fire and George then purchased the vacant factory buildings of
the Wausau Novelty Company on Rosencranz Street. During good mes, the business expanded far be‐
yond its original size and employed upwards of 200 people.
George Silbernagel was married in Madison on November 17, 1894 to Miss Katherine W. Nienaber. They
had five children. They were prominent members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and took an ac ve role in
the affairs of the church.
George Silbernagel died on May 7, 1936 and is buried in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Wausau, Wis‐
consin.
26
Edward Silbernagel
George Silbernagel Company
Edward Silbernagel was born in Madison, Wisconsin on August 21, 1898, a son of
George and Katherine Silbernagel. The family moved to Wausau, Wisconsin in 1900
and Edward gained his preliminary educa on in St. Mary’s Parochial School and
Wausau High School, a er which he became a student at the University of Wisconsin.
While a student at UW, Edward worked summers at the J.M. Kuebler Company, where
his father was an officer.
At the onset of World War I, Edward enlisted in the Coast Ar llery and spent one year in France with
the Fi h An ‐Aircra Sector, First Army Corps. Following his return to the United States he finished
college at the University of Wisconsin, where he was awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree with the
class of 1921. He next entered the employ of the Marathon Sawmill Company in the town of Texas in
Marathon County, Wisconsin, where he remained from 1921 un l 1924. He then became connected
with the Fort Wayne Building & Supply Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, working as an order clerk and
es mator un l 1926.
In that year he returned to Wausau and joined his father, who in 1925 had founded the George Sil‐
bernagel Company. His first job was as his father’s assistant in the office management and direc on of
produc on, and served as secretary and treasurer. A er his father’s death in 1936, he con nued as
general manager of the business and also as secretary and treasurer of the company, con nued under
the name of the George Silbernagel & Sons Company, engaging in the manufacture of sash, doors and
millwork. In 1942, the plant was converted to the manufacture of wooden ammuni on boxes for the
Government. When the war was over it once again took up its former line in connec on with the lum‐
ber industry. Silbernagel operated the company un l 1946 when he sold it to Crestline Millwork.
From 1953 to 1966, Mr. Silbernagel was superintendent of transporta on at the University of Florida
in Gainsville. While there he was also director of the campus credit union.
On November 19, 1924, Edward Silbernagel married Clara Wightman of Superior, Wisconsin. They had
three children. Mr. Silbernagel was a trustee of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, ac ve with the American
Legion, the Veteran of Foreign Wars, the Chamber of Commerce, the Wausau Board of Educa on, the
Wausau Booster Club and the Marathon County Educa on Commi ee.
Edward Silbernagel died on July 18, 1970. He is buried in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Wausau,
Wisconsin.
27
Anton Hoffer
Wausau Glass Company, Hoffer’s, Inc., and Marmet Corpora on
Anton Hoffer was born in Athens, Wisconsin on November 18, 1904, the son of
Ma hew and Mary (Lo er) Hoffer.
In 1928, Anton Hoffer went to Milwaukee to become a butcher, he quit early on and
became involved with a specialized business; auto glass replacement. A er gaining experience as a
glass cu er in Milwaukee, he returned to the Wausau area.
In 1929, at age 24, Anton Hoffer started a small business, the OK Glass Company to serve the window,
automobile and plate glass needs of Wausau. His shop was located at Fourth Street just north of his
later retail outlet. Hoffer in those days went out to measure each job in order to cut and custom fit
the glass he supplied to his customers. The OK Glass Company soon became the Wausau Glass Com‐
pany, and later renamed Hoffer’s, Inc., which had with retail outlets that sold glass products, Hoffer’s
paint and paint products throughout the Midwest. The original formula on of Hoffer’s paints began
when Alex Radant joined the company in 1938. It was his efforts and Hoffer’s quality conscious man‐
agement that helped build Hoffer’s posi on in the paint industry. Hoffer began manufacturing paint in
1940 and opened a glass fabrica ng plant in 1975.
In 1946, Mr. Hoffer founded Marathon Metal Manufacturing Company, which was later renamed Mar‐
met Corpora on. It had only 5‐6 employees with Mr. Hoffer as president, Arthur D. Woldt as vice‐
president and Alex W. Radant as secretary and treasurer. Mr. Hoffer was a past president and a co‐
founder of the First Na onal Bank of Wausau, and a former chairman of its board of directors. He was
a member of the Knights of Columbus, third and fourth degrees, and a member of Serra Club and the
Knights of St. Gregory. His hobbies included raising Holstein ca le for sale locally and in Florida. He
operated orange and grapefruit groves in Florida.
Mr. Hoffer was married on October 26, 1929, in Athens, to Amanda Geib. Together, they had six chil‐
dren.
Anton Hoffer died on February 11, 1986, at Marywood Convalescent Center in Wausau at the age of
81. He is buried in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Wausau, Wisconsin.
28
Alexander W. Radant
Hoffer’s Inc. and Marmet Corpora on
Radant worked with Anton Hoffer at his Wausau Glass Company. Radant’s interest in
paint encouraged Hoffer get into paint manufacturing and eventually, he opened a fac‐
tory in 1941. Radant was a salesman in hardware. No other informa on could be found
for Alexander Radant.
Earl Schuette
Wausau Homes Earl Walter Schue e was born in the town of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin on July 19, 1917,
the son of August and Elizabeth (Weyneth) Schue e.
In 1935, Earl Schue e began work as a driver on a milk‐truck hauling route. In 1937 at
age 19, he bought the route marking the beginning of his business career. Earl and his
brother Cliff ran this business successfully for five years. In 1939, Earl bought components of a sawmill
where he and his brothers gather logs to produce framing lumber. They built 22 houses in the sum‐
mers from 1939 to 1942 in addi on to running a milk route. During World War II, there was a freeze
on construc on, and all materials went to the war effort. Earl sold his milk route business and began
Schue e’s Lumber Co. With Robert Stephan. Cliff bought his share of company and joined his broth‐
ers, they formed Schue e Builder’s Co. He and his brother Cliff were pioneers in sawmills, building
materials, building moving and home building in the early 1940s. Mr. Schue e founded Wausau
Homes, Weston Homes, Schue e Metals, Schue e Movers and Schue e Building Company along
with his brothers. These businesses led to the founding and development of Schue e Builders Com‐
pany in 1954. Their first large building project was the Wesley United Methodist Church in 1956. Mr.
Schue e was a recognized leader in the manufactured home industry and, as such, was awarded the
Eugene Kurtz Award from the Na onal Associa on of Builders and selected to be a representa ve of
the U.S. Government to the Soviet Union as an expert in the field.
Earl Schue e was united in marriage in Wausau on September 10, 1938 to Carol Bauman. Together
they had three children. A er Mrs. Schue e died, Earl was married to Marie Grimm on December 24,
1977. Mr. Schue e was a director of Product Fabrica on Services, was ac ve in the local and na onal
An que Automobile Associa on, ac ve in the Wausau Curling Club and a member of the Wausau Ar‐
ea Chamber of Commerce. He was a past director of First American Na onal Bank and Central Wis‐
consin Bankshares.
29
Earl Schue e died at his summer home in Minocqua, Wisconsin on November 1, 1991. He is buried in
Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, Wisconsin.
Marvin Schuette
Wausau Homes Marvin C. Schue e was born on a dairy farm in Marathon, Wisconsin on October 27,
1931, the youngest son of August & Elizabeth (Weyneth) Schue e. As a young man,
Marvin with his brothers started a saw mill and a lumber yard. In 1957, Marvin married
Ruth Janick, an English teacher at Wausau High School. Together they raised three children.
A er gradua ng from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a BA in Economics, Mr. Schue e
became the first in his family to earn a college degree. He then joined his brothers Earl and Cliff, and
brother‐in‐law Jack Peterson, in the expanding family business as a salesman. By 1978 Wausau
Homes had grown and occupied a 330,000 square‐foot facility covering 80 acres, producing 4,000
homes per year. Mr. Schue e bought out his brothers’ interests just in me for the worst housing re‐
cession in history. Today, Wausau Homes and its affiliates have eight plants in Wisconsin, Georgia,
Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, Iowa, and two in Ohio, servicing a network of 700 builders.
Long known for his philanthropic involvement, Mr. Schue e and Wausau Homes gave Wausau East
High School technology educa on students the building materials to use in Habitat for Humanity
homes. He also donated $30,000 towards the wood shop equipment at the school. Since Mr.
Schue e was extremely modest about bringing a en on to himself, personal contribu ons were usu‐
ally made under the auspices of “the employees of Wausau Homes.”
Over the years Mr. Schue e received numerous recogni ons and made important contribu ons to
many organiza ons, such as: President, Na onal Associa on of Building Manufacturers; the James R.
Price trophy; Builder of the year 1997; Wisconsin Builders Associa on Hall of Fame and Junior
Achievement award for Outstanding Service 2007.
Marvin C. Schue e died at his Wausau, Wisconsin home on September 14, 2007 at age 75. He is bur‐
ied in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau.
30
Clifford Schuette
Wausau Homes Clifford Alexander Schue e was born August 29, 1919 in Wisconsin, a son of August and Elizabeth
(Weyneth) Schue e. The second oldest son. He joined his brothers in sawmill and lumberyard busi‐
ness as a young man. Later, he joined his brothers; Earl, Marvin, and Arnold and his brother in‐law;
Jack in the Wausau Homes business. Clifford Schue e was married to Ellen Mae Schue e on October
18, 1941. Mr. Schue e died February 22 1988 and is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau,
Wisconsin.
Frederick John Zimmermann
Zimpro Inc./Siemens Frederick Zimmermann was born in London, England on May 4, 1899. He was a
graduate chemist of the Polytechnic Ins tute in Zurich, Switzerland. He came to the
United States in 1929 and became a U.S. ci zen in 1938.
He was at one me director of development for Burroughs & Wellcome Company,
Inc. He later became an independent research consultant to the petroleum, chemical and paper in‐
dustries. He published numerous ar cles in professional and technical journals and held a number of
patents in the drug and waste disposal field. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the
Chemical Society of London, the Chemist’s Club of New York City, the Wausau Club, Wausau Country
Club, and a director of Murray Manufacturing Inc., in Wausau.
In 1936, Marathon Paper Mills had completed a plant for produc on of vanillin, a synthe c vanilla fla‐
voring obtained from pulp mill waste liquor. A new concern, the Salvo Chemical Company, was
formed to operate the facility. A newcomer to the area headed the corpora on; a young English
chemical engineer named Frederick John Zimmermann. The 1942 takeover of Salvo by the Sterling
Drug Company proved no hindrance to his considerable abili es, as he was chosen to supervise the
firm’s postwar expansion program. The Zimmermann‐Sterling combina on would have great signifi‐
cance for the advancement of pollu on control. His direc on of the company’s research led to the
inven on in 1954 of a wet air oxida on dubbed the “Zimmermann Process.” A new Zimpro Division
was created at Rothschild to develop and market the revolu onary system,” with its namesake serv‐
ing as president.
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At the me of Mr. Zimmermann’s death in 1976, his technology was being used in over 150 ci es
worldwide. Sterling’s decision to build its Engineering Development Center at Rothschild was
a ributed to “Ted” Zimmermann’s influence, and was seen as having “far‐reaching and permanently
desirable effects upon the en re community.”
Mr. Zimmermann was united in marriage to Gertrude Lynds in 1940. Together they had one daugh‐
ter. He passed away at his winter home in Naples, Florida on March 3, 1976. He is buried in Pine
Grove Cemetery in Wausau, Wisconsin..
Thomas H. Jacob
Hammer Blow Tools
Thomas Hugh Jacob was born in Schoenbrunn, Ohio on March 18, 1869. He was educat‐
ed in the public schools in New Philadelphia, Ohio, living on the family farm un l he was
eighteen years old. His boyhood ambi on was to be a mechanical engineer and his first
job was as a clerk in a hardware store for two years.
He moved to Lamont, Illinois and worked for H.S. Norton General Store & Bank as bookkeeper. He
next spent two years as a cket agent with the Wisconsin Central Railroad at Waukesha.
Thomas Jacob soon moved on to Cleveland, Ohio, where he signed on as a traveling salesman for the
Cleveland Bicycle Company for two years. He le there to join another bicycle company in Syracuse,
NY for the next two years, then moved on to the World Bicycle Company in Grand Rapids where he
was in charge of the district agency for eight years. Moving again, he landed a job as a salesman for
the American Bicycle Company, went from there back to Grand Rapids as a salesman for the Rambler
automobile, then transferred to Milwaukee as Assistant Manager for three years.
Thomas Jacob was married to Lucille B. (Lula) Cloyd of Decatur, Indiana.
Mr. Jacob came to Wausau in 1906 and founded the Marathon Motor Car Company as a private ven‐
ture distribu ng the Chevrolet automobile. Thomas was a mechanic, as most car dealers were in
those days, and in his spare me he nkered in his shop. Dissa sfied with the tools he had to work
with, he set out to design high‐quality tools of his own, and in 1923, formed a company with his wife
to produce and market the tools.
The Jacobs loved hun ng and o en had a trailer in tow. On one of those trips the trailer hitch cam
unhooked from their car, the trailer was wrecked and a favorite hun ng dog was killed. Indignant at
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the poor hitch design, he immediately set out to make his own. The result was the first drop‐forged
ball and socket – today found on all trailers. It was called the “Bull Dog” with the jaws of a tenacious
bulldog clamped ghtly around the hitch. Its slogan was “never lets loose.” This was the driving force
behind the founda on of Hammer Blow, the interna onal tool company. Hammer Blow began in the
third floor room over the Marathon Motor Car Company. The company suffered a fire which ruined all
but some opera ons, and was only partly insured. In all, Mr. Jacob was a noted inventor and held sev‐
eral patents in the trailer industry.
Thomas Jacob passed away at the age of 75 at his home on January 8, 1945.
Lawrence T. Riordan
Harris Brothers Co., Silcrest, and Crestline
Lawrence Riordan was born December 24, 1922, in Chicago the youngest of seven chil‐
dren. He was a son of Thomas Lawrence Riordan and Ma lda Josephine Kroepel, Larry was
a member of St. Ambrose Parish in Chicago, and he a ended De La Salle Ins tute. Following his high
school gradua on in 1941, he con nued his educa on at St. Mary's College in Winona, Minn., where
he received a Bachelor of Social Science degree in 1947, majoring in economics and philosophy with a
minor in English.
His studies were interrupted from 1943 to 1945 when he was called to serve as a C‐47 pilot in the U.S.
Army Air Corps during World War II sta oned in England and France. He held the rank of 1st Lieuten‐
ant in the 82nd Squadron, 436th Troop Carrier group, 53rd Wing of the First Allied Airborne Army. He
was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement in aerial flight and par cipated in the Inva‐
sion of Holland, Opera on Market Garden.
He married Virginia Anne McElligo on June 12, 1948, in Ryan, Iowa. To this union were born five chil‐
dren, Thomas, Mary, Anne, John and Patrick.
His wife Virginia passed away in April 1990. On April 30, 1993, he married Kathy Marie Lawrence of Big
Piney, Wyo., at St. James Church in Wausau.
Riordan came to Wausau in 1947 as an employee of the Harris Brothers Co. of Chicago (a large con‐
struc on firm) following their purchase of the window manufacturing company previously owned by
George Silbernagel and Sons, which later became Silcrest. In 1958 Silcrest became Crestline. Although
Riordan originally came to work as a trainee, he quickly rose within the ranks of the company, serving
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as secretary and general manager of Silcrest, vice‐president of Silcrest and the Harris Brothers Co.,
and eventually president, director and chief execu ve officer of the Harris‐Crestline Corp., a posi on
he held un l November 1981, when Crestline was sold to Sentry Insurance Co. of Stevens Point.
He then served as vice‐president of Acquisi ons for Sentry Insurance, a posi on he held un l his re‐
rement in 1984. During his business career, he was also ac ve in local banking, holding posi ons as
president of Central Na onal Bank and member of the Board of Directors of Central Wisconsin Bank‐
shares. Under his leadership, Crestline became one of the top three window companies in the United
States.
He was ac vely involved in many civic and religious ac vi es during his 50‐plus years in Wausau, in‐
cluding past service as director of the Wausau Area Chamber of Commerce, president and chairman
of the United Way, and on the Board of Directors of St. Mary's Hospital and Catholic Social Services.
He had also previously served on the boards of St. Mary's College and St. Teresa's College in Winona,
Minn., and Regis College in Denver, past director of the Na onal Woodwork Manufacturer's Associa‐
on, and president of the Friends of the State Historical Society and member of the Wisconsin State
Historical Society Board of Curators.
He also served on the board of directors of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse for nine
years un l his re rement from the board in July 2010. He was an ac ve member of St. James Parish in
Wausau for more than 50 years, having served as a trustee on the parish council and as chairman of
the St. James Restora on Appeal in 1976. He had also been involved in Serra Club and was a fourth
degree Knight of Columbus. In 1982, he was honored with an award as "Boss of the Year" by the
Wausau Area Jayce es.
Lawrence Thomas Riordan, 87, died Monday, Nov. 1, 2010, in Wausau of complica ons due to pro‐
longed hospitaliza on. He is buried in the Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau, Wisconsin.
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About the Author
Camille Pope was born in Wausau and grew up in Eau Claire. She currently lives in Wausau where she
graduated from Wausau West High School. She attended the University of Wisconsin‐Marathon
County from 2008 to 2011 where she earned an Associate of Arts and Science Degree. Later she at‐
tended the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Ameri‐
can Studies and a minor in History. She is currently taking courses at Northcentral Technical College
in Wausau. She was a volunteer at United Way’s 211. She wants to obtain her master’s degree in
Library Science. Camille credits her history professors at UWMC and UWSP for her interest in history
and research. She says; “They have taught me how to think and write critically about history beyond
just names and dates.” She recalls one professor telling the class to forget everything that they have
ever learned from the History Channel in regards to learning about history. In her spare time, Camille
likes to read, draw and do yoga as well as spend time with family.
Camille would like to thank the staff of the Marathon County Historical Society for their invaluable
help with the research that went into compiling a biographies booklet on the German immigrants
and descendants featured in Generations of Progress: The Industrial History of Marathon County.
These biographies are based on the work of Bill Hart who authored numerous biographies on the
people in Marathon County.
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