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Louis Herman Cordes
1852 – 1922
Cordes
Brick Co
1888
ADVERTISEMENT, Cordes & Co.
1889
Joseph Terbrueggan,
W. J. Toussaint and L. H. Cordes
established the Watertown Electric Light plant;
disposed of in 1906 to the John I. Beggs interests.
1894
05 11 L. H. CORDES & Co.
began making brick at their brick yards in the 7th ward on Monday with a force
of 75 men. WG
1912
05 23 KILLED IN RUNAWAY
Wm.
Schroeder, 1201 Rockwell Street, teamster for the McGolrick
Fuel Co., was killed in a runaway accident this morning near the 3d Street
railway crossing. He was hauling a load
of brick with his team from the Cordes
brickyard, and when near the 3rd Street crossing his team got scared, ran
away and threw him to the ground, the wagon passing over his head and crushing
it, causing death almost instantly. He
leaves a wife and family. WG
___________________________
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 3
o’clock.
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 417 Seventh Street, in this city.
Mr. Cordes was united in marriage
to Miss Mary Staats of this city, on November 28,
1889. She died July 4, 1909. The couple had no children. He is survived by his aged mother, one
brother, Ernst Cordes, for many years railway station agent at Sparta and four
sisters, Mrs. Edward Specht of this city, Miss Minnie Cordes, who resides with
her mother here, Mrs. William Winkenwerder and Mrs.
George Winkenwerder of Chicago. The deceased was prominent in social and
fraternal affairs, being a charter member of the Elks, and holding membership
in Watertown Chapter No. 49, F and A. M. and No. 11, R. A. M., and Olivet
Commandery No. 18 K. T. Another
fraternal affiliation was the Modern Woodmen of America.
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 July 29, 1852, where he
spent his youthful days, Mr. Cordes came to Watertown with his parents in
1860. He attended the public schools and
his natural inclination to acquire knowledge of a beneficial nature, caused him
to progress rapidly in his studies.
After leaving school he decided to learn the trade of a tinsmith and
entered the employ of the D & F Kusel
Co, of this city, in which he continued until 1872, a period of five years.
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 Main Street (the present location of Otto G. Schott’s
place). [ 116 E Main ]
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 Third Street, near
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway depot, and the two businesses
were joined and operated together for sixteen years. During that period the firm also secured by
purchase the Boomer and Quentmeyer yards nearby and
for five years of this period, the same was operated in conjunction with the
other two.
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 bricks 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 May 27, 1889, and at once proceeded to
install.
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
Third, S, 406 1912, Home of L H Cordes
Sprague brickyard, 1899 mention of
John Koehler
associated with company
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin