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William Buchheit, Sr

1827 - 1911

William Buchheit (1) , grain dealer; born in Bavaria, August 15, 1827; came to America in 1851; landed at New York City April 8, 1851; came to Milwaukee in May of the same year; came to Watertown and located in August 1852.

Engaged in the liquor business for a number of years; carried on a rectifying establishment and did a large wholesale business after doing a retail business for some years.

Plank Road Brewery

He also built and carried on a brewery for awhile (2).

In 1860, he commenced business as a commission and produce merchant; in 1865, he commenced buying grain and is now one of the largest and most prosperous grain dealers in the West.

On July 30, 1857, he was married in Watertown to Helena Weis, a native of Prussia; they have ten children living - Anna, Helena, Mena, Amelia, Josephina (Mrs. William Sproesser), William Jr., Alexander, Henry, Gustav and Albert.

(1) “The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, Chicago: Western Historical Company. 1879.
 

(2) Corner of Dayton and W Main St. In 1852 William Bucheit and Charles Reidinger opened a small brewery on this site, called the Plank Road Brewery, near the Mud Tavern. In 1865 it was acquired by Friedrich Schwartz of Milwaukee who brewed “weiss beer” or wheat been in this plant and in 1867 it closed. Afterwards the buildings were used as a glue factory, before burning to the ground in 1871.

Cross-References:

No 1: 1911, Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery

No 2: 1902, William Buchheit home, S. Fourth St

No 3: 1919, William Buchheit home purchased; site for Trinity Lutheran Church

No 4: Ignatz Mallachowitz, employee

No 5: Partnership with Fred Miller