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Louis Herman Cordes
1852 - 1922
Louis H Cordes, b. Jul 29, 1852,
d. Mar 2, 1922, Buried in Oak
Hill Cemetery
Joachim C Cordes, saloon and billiard hall, Main, W
3rd, res same, 1875-76 Watertown City
Directory
LOUIS H. CORDES
DIED AT HOSPITAL ON THURSDAY
Established Large Brick Industry in This City
Also Instituted Electric Lighting Plant
Funeral Will Be Held Saturday
Louis Herman Cordes, a leader in the business
life of Watertown for almost half a century and a citizen of great nobility of
purpose, died at St. Mary’s hospital yesterday afternoon about
Mr. Cordes went to the hospital about three
months ago and submitted to an operation for bladder trouble. It was entirely successful and he was
preparing for a second operation, which was decided upon by the surgeons. In the meantime, he was taken ill with
pneumonia and the operation was abandoned at the time. He recovered from the attack of pneumonia and
on Wednesday underwent the operation.
The result was pronounced very successful and attending physicians and
members of the family entertained high hopes for his ultimate recovery. However, it was soon discovered that his
general debilities were such that recovery was questionable, and the gradually
sank until the final dissolution.
The deceased was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Joachim Cordes, who came to this country from Canen, Hanover, Germany,
in 1846. The family settled on a farm in
the town of Farmington, Jefferson County, where the subject of this sketch was
born. In 1860 they came to
Watertown. The father died a number of
years ago, but the mother, whose maiden name was Minnie Hoefer, is still in
fair health at the age of 93 years, her residence being at
Mr. Cordes was united in marriage to Miss
Mary Staats of this city, on
Mr. Cordes took a deep interest in everything
that pertained to the welfare of Watertown and was generous in dealing with the
public and his fellowmen. He possessed a
kind hart which moved him to the performance of many deeds of kindness and
charity. Loyal in his friendships, he
was in turn loved by a large circle of personal friends who mourn his death.
The deceased was for twenty years a director
of the Merchants National Bank of this city.
Mr. Cordes may be truly classed as one of the
foremost builders of Watertown, having during his lifelong residence here,
contributed much to the industrial advancement and civic improvement of this
community. He was for over forty-five
years actively identified with various business enterprises of Watertown, where
he had carried on his operations honestly and prosperously during that
time. Believing that the success of a
business should redound to the benefit of all connected with it, Mr. Cordes
paid good wages and was always regarded highly by those in his employ.
Born upon his father’s farm in the town of
Farmington, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, on
Leaving Watertown, he went to Oshkosh where
he was employed at his trade and later went to Appleton where he secured a more
remunerative position. After a few
years, finding a still more lucrative job in Chicago, he went to that
city. In about the year 1878, Mr. Cordes
decided to enter upon a business career of his own, and returning to Watertown,
associated himself with William Schulte in the handling of farm implements. At that time his father, the late J C Cordes,
was in engaged in the general store, grocery and saloon business in
Mr. Cordes, Sr. was anxious to retire and the
son bought out and took charge of the business and conducted it until 1881 when
he sold out to Wenzel Cech. Speaking of
his intentions at the time, Mr. Cordes said that he had satisfied himself that
the brick business, properly managed and developed, would become a great
industry and he was determined to adopt the enterprise.
Main, E, 100, 1909c but pre 1935, L H
Cordes & Co., brick mfg.
Main, E, 100, 1913, Cordes, L H & Co,
brick mfgs
In that year Mr. Cordes acquired the brick yards on Utah Street and was preparing
to take charge, when the late Joseph
Terbrueggen became interested in the venture and offered to become an equal
partner, which proposition was accepted.
Together they operated the yards for six years and then purchased the
present yards at the foot of
Two years ago this month Mr. Cordes sold his brick
yards and business to Omar Gaston, the present successful proprietor.
In conversation with a Times reporter not long ago, Mr. Cordes spoke feelingly of his long
business connections with his late partner, saying that they were entirely
agreeable and satisfactory. The first
brick was manufactured in 1882 and it marked the beginning of a successful
enterprise. The product was of
recognized and established high quality and found a ready market. The firm had regular customers in six states
outside of Wisconsin and turned out an average of 4,000,000 brick a year. The St. Paul Railway Company got most of the
brick from the Cordes yards, and the material for its big railway shops in
Milwaukee were furnished from here.
The sale of the yards marked the retirement
of Mr. Cordes after thirty eight continuous years in the brick business, during
which time it developed steadily. The
firm furnished employment to a large number of men, sometimes the pay roll of
the month containing the names of eighty workers. A number of the men were with Mr. Cordes
during all of the time he was in charge of the business.
Started
Electric Light Plant
Mr. Cordes became greatly interested in electric lighting, a subject which he studied with
great enthusiasm. Coming to the belief
that Watertown could support a plant, the partners secured a franchise from the
city of Watertown on
Business men and the public generally know
little about electric lighting systems and rather doubted its success in a town
of this size. However, they did not
allow themselves to become discouraged and went to work to secure contracts
from business men and others. The city
contracted for twenty street lights, and a number of business men agreed to
take a few lights, the late Joseph Salick, the
jeweler, being the first to commend the lights and signing a contract for a
substantial number of lights. Most of the
business men were indifferent but became convinced of its feasibility as soon
as a few were put in use.
Miss Louis H. Cordes [Mary]
1860 – 1909
Watertown Gazette, 07 09 1909
At 8:30 o’clock on
Sunday morning, July 4, 1909, Miss Louis H. Cordes died at St. Mary’s Hospital
in this city. The previous Wednesday she
went to the hospital and on Thursday a Chicago specialist operated on her for a
tumor. The operation was performed
successfully, but complications set in that weakened the heart action and
resulted in death. On learning of her
death our people were greatly shocked, for only a few of her intimate friends knew
of her illness, and expressions of sincere sorrow were heard on all sides. A peculiar coincidence in connection with her
death was that she died on her birthday anniversary.
Mrs. Cordes was born in Watertown July 4,
1860, and has always made this city her home.
She was a daughter of the late Christian Staats, and was universally
esteemed here, for she was a lady who possessed a kind heart and a pleasant and
agreeable disposition, her presence adding sunshine and pleasure wherever she
chanced to be.
Her death is the first that has occurred in
the family circle, hence it all the more keenly felt by the other members of
the family.
She is survived by her husband, her mother,
Mrs. Mary Staats of Milwaukee, Max and William Staats, Mrs. N. Simon, Mrs.
Gustav Schemmal, Mrs. William Jaedacke and Mrs. Belle Staats of this city, and
Edward Staats of Merrill.
Wednesday afternoon
her funeral was held from the family home, 406 Third Street, and her remains
were interred in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
In the death of Mrs. Cordes Watertown has lost a
most excellent citizen and her husband a devoted wife and companion. Her presence will be greatly missed in
Watertown and all our people mourn sincerely with the afflicted family.
Cross references:
Fire at L. H. Cordes’ home on Third
Street
70th birthday anniversary of Joseph
Terbrueggen
