This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Habhegger Slaughter House & Cold Storage
John Habhegger, Jr
1844 - 1919
Ulrich Habhegger
1834 - 1912
Royal Meats
c1934
John Habhegger Co., "Sweet
Auburn Brand Butter" c1934, WHS_006 296
1950’s
Former
Habhagger slaughter house, 1950’s
1970’s
Royal
Meats slaughter house, retail butcher shop, 1970’s
Current
site of Johnsonville pig slaughter house
John
Habhegger, Jr
Being
one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of Watertown, John Habhegger,
Jr, engaged in business as a member of Jossi & Habhegger, manufacturers of
cheese. He is a native of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, born
His
parents immigrated to the United States in 1853 and took up their residence in Watertown. The father engaged in farming for two years,
after which he carried on merchandising in Watertown for some time. In 1877 he
left that place and removed to Fort Atkinson, Wis., where he was engaged in the
insurance business until his death, which occurred in 1890.
In his
family were eleven children, eight of whom are yet living, four sons and four
daughters: Ulrich, Mrs. E. Lehmann, Fred, Godfrey, Barbara, Margaret, John and
Lena. All are now married.
The
gentleman whose name heads this record was a lad of nine summers when, with his
parents, he crossed the Atlantic. Since
that time he has been a resident of Jefferson County, and has become widely and
favorably known. His early education was
acquired in the schools of his native land, and was supplemented by study in
the public schools of this locality.
After coming to Wisconsin he aided his father in the cultivation of the
farm, but subsequently learned the butchers' trade, which he followed until
1862.
In
that year Mr. Habhegger laid aside all business pursuits to enter the service
of his adopted country. He joined the
Union army, becoming a member of Company D, Twenty-third Wisconsin Infantry,
and served until the close of the war with the rank of corporal. He participated in the battles of Chickasaw
Bayou, Arkansas Post, Greenville, Cyprus Bend, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson,
Champion's Hill, Black River Bridge, the siege of Vicksburg and others. At Vicksburg he was wounded by a
gunshot. He afterward participated in
the battles of Jackson, Carrion Crow Bayou and Mansfield, La., and at the last
named was again slightly wounded by a gunshot in his right side. Among the last engagements with which he was
connected were the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley.
On the
4th of July, 1865, he was honorably discharged at Mobile, Ala., having for
three years, on many a Southern battle-field, faithfully followed the old flag
which now floats triumphantly over a united nation.
After
his return home Mr. Habhegger worked for his brother a short time, and in 1867
he embarked in merchandising in Watertown, continuing business along that line
until 1892. In 1890 he became associated with
Jacob Jossi (b. 1849, d. 1907) in the manufacture of cheese, and is now
giving his entire time and attention to that enterprise.
Mr.
Habhegger was married in 1868 to Miss Lena Schultz, a native of Watertown, and
six children have been born of their union:
Emma, Charles J., Bertha, Hattie, Anna and Margaret.
Mr.
Habhegger has led a busy and useful life, but has found time to devote to
public interests, and has served as alderman and supervisor and was
deputy-collector of internal revenue under President Cleveland's first
administration. He is now a member of
the school board and is recognized as one of the leading and enterprising
citizens of Watertown. He holds
membership with several civic societies and also belongs to the Grand Army of
the Republic.
Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge
and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers, 1894
Buried in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
Portrait not reproduced.
Portion
derived from Memorial and Genealogical
Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago; Goodspeed
Brothers, 1894.
Ulrich
Habhegger
To
supply the community in which he resided with the necessaries of life was the
business to which Mr. Habhegger devoted his time and attention, and it is no
more than justice to say that he made it a point to keep an extensive and pure
line of goods and to sell them at prices within the reach of all. His emporium
was popular and well patronized for obvious reasons, and to his credit be it
said that his patronage was constantly on the increase.
He is
a product of Canton Bern, Switzerland, the eldest of eleven children born to
the marriage of John Habhegger and Barbara Luethy (*), with whom he came to the
United States of America in boyhood and with them settled in the town of
Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., in l853.
(*)
name does not agree with that in John Habhegger bio
He
continued to remain with his parents until 1856, when he decided to make a start
in life for himself, and for this purpose went to Iowa and bought a farm in
Polk County, which he tilled with reasonable success for five years. He then
returned to the Badger State and turned his attention to the grocery and
commission business, as a more congenial (to him) and profitable employment and
was successfully engaged in this occupation until 1893, with the exception of
two years, which were spent in farming in Emmet Township, Dodge County, Wis.
(**)
(**)
Emmet Township, Sec 27, 153 acres, 1910 plat map
In
1893 the infirmities of increasing years, and the fact that he had accumulated
a comfortable competency, caused him to retire from the active duties of life,
and he took up his residence in the city of Watertown where he had so
successfully conducted his mercantile operations. The prosperity of the section
in which he has made his home for so long has always been of great interest to
him and he has done all in his power to aid improvements and enterprises that
had for their object the good of the county, and has been elected to various
honorable official positions, such as alderman, supervisor and school
commissioner, positions which he filled several terms each.
He is
president of the Watertown Shoe Company.
At the
Democratic convention held September 21, 1894, he was nominated for county
treasurer of Jefferson County, and was elected to that office November 6, 1894,
by a large majority, a fact which spoke eloquently as to the popularity and
esteem in which he was held. He was a faithful and capable official and won
universal respect as an office holder.
On the
31st December, 1857, he was united in marriage with Miss Lina Gfeller, and
their union has resulted in the birth of six children, four daughters and two
sons: Sophia, Eliza, Lina, Lillie, Emil and Albert.
Mr.
Habhegger and his family are members of the German Protestant Church, and
socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F. at Watertown.
He is
of the material of which useful and honorable citizens are made, and it is to
such men as he that Uncle Sam extends a cordial welcome to this country.
Buried in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
Portrait
not reproduced.
Portion
derived from Memorial and Genealogical
Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago; Goodspeed
Brothers, 1894.
Habhegger Home
1981
Royal Meats
04 17 Royal Meats, Inc.,
08 18 Royal Markets, Inc.,
1983
11 15 The
Royal Meats retail business will soon become part of Tom’s United Foods,
according to Tom and Lynn Frakes, owners of the food store. Frakes said he has purchased the assets of
the Royal Meats retail and wholesale operation and has also employed several
members of the Royal staff. Earlier this
year the Royal Meats retail and wholesale operation was closed. The business operated at 104 West Division
Street, north of the Tom’s United Foods Store.
WDT
Cross-References:
Habhegger family history;
origin of the family name
John Habhegger,
1902, Library formation committee member
John
Habhegger's petition, 1908, that he be discharged as trustee of the John W
Cole estate
Emil Doerr,
printer, tinfoil cheese wrappers for the Jossi-Habhegger firm
