This file part of www.watertownhistory.org website
The Schmutzler’s
Leopold
Schmutzler
1894
Ferdinand
Schmutzler is a product of the town in which he now resides,
and as he has resided here all his life, it is, perhaps, not to be wondered at
that he is a public-spirited citizen, and is interested in all that tends to
improve and benefit the section.
He was
born March 14, 1858, a son of Christian and Caroline (Seitz) Schmutzler, and grandson of Leopold Schmutzler,
who was born in Saxony, Germany, and followed the occupation of farming. After
a voyage of eight weeks he landed in the city of New York, in 1851, and came
almost immediately to Watertown, where he resided until his death, a few years
later. He brought with him to this country his wife, five sons and three
daughters, the names of the latter being:
Leopold (deceased); Christian; Frederick, who served in a Wisconsin
regiment and died after the war was over; Ferdinand (deceased); August also
served in the war and now resides in Wisconsin; Christina (Ferge)
died in Watertown; Mary (Vinz) resides in Green Lake
County, Wis.; and Hannah (Ferge).
Christian
Schmutzler
Edward Schmutzler
Christian
Schmutzler was born in Saxony, February 24, 1830,
came to this country with his parents, and having
learned the carpenters' trade, followed it until 1888. He then assisted in
founding the Watertown Shoe Company, in which
he is a stockholder, and was made its secretary and treasurer, which positions
he still holds. He has always been a Democrat in politics, and was one of the
organizers and now a member of the Evangelical Church. Socially he is a member
of the I. O. O. F. He was married before leaving Saxony, and the children born
to himself and wife are as follows: Charles, who died at the age of sixteen;
Edward lives in Watertown; Ferdinand; Minnie; Ulrich; Emma died at the age of
twenty-nine; and Lydia, who died at the age of twenty-five. Both parents are
still living, and are highly honored citizens of Watertown.
Christian Schmutzler Home 1902, Picturesque Watertown
booklet
Ferdinand
Schmutzler
Ferdinand
Schmutzler was reared in the town of his birth and
was given a good practical education in the public schools. He started out in
life for himself as a clerk in a dry goods store at a salary of $100 per year,
and this occupation he followed for twelve years, the last year receiving $45
per month for his services. He then went
to Winneconne, where he opened and conducted a meat market for two years, but
in the spring of 1885 returned to Watertown, and entered the employ of Weber & Son
as a bookkeeper. In January of the following year he became a partner in this
business, and since that time has had charge of the books. This firm is doing a
profitable business, and the proprietors have shown themselves to be able and
experienced business men and strictly honorable in their treatment of their
many patrons.
Mr. Schmutzler was the founder and the first stockholder in the
Watertown Shoe Company, in which he still has an interest, and he is also one
of the organizers and directors of the Merchant's Bank, in fact he is one of
the most useful and enterprising citizens of the place, and is deserving of all
respect for he has made his own way in the world without help from any one. In
1887 he was elected by his Democratic friends as supervisor of the Third Ward,
and for the past two years has been one of the city aldermen. Socially Mr. Schmutzler is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and at the
present time is holding the position of worshipful master. He was married
September 4, 1880, to Miss Augusta Weber, a daughter of Jacob and Minnie (Gloger) Weber, and five children have been born of this
union, three of whom are living: Walter
C., John J., and Lydia.
1909
07 02 A Fine Doll
House.
Ferd. Schmutzler has built a fine doll
house for his little daughter Marie; it is a facsimile of Paul Thom’s residence, [at 209 South] Washington
Street, in all its details, inside and outside, paint, architecture, etc. It is furnished throughout and Miss Marie’s
dollies have a very beautiful home.
During the day time it occupies a conspicuous place on the porch at Mr. Schmutzler’s home and is admired by everybody who sees
it. Ferd. Is certainly a genius
and must have had a great deal of patience while putting together this
miniature doll house. WG
Ferdinand
Schmutzler, Mrs, nee
Augusta Weber
Watertown Gazette, 08 15 1929
At one
o'clock on Saturday, August 10, 1929, Mrs. Ferdinand Schmutzler,
wife of Justice of the Peace Ferdinand Schmutzler,
died at her home, 115 Washington Street. For several months she had been in
poor health, but her death came rather suddenly, her condition on Friday
becoming serious and grew suddenly worse till death set in February 17,
1858. She was born in this city, her
maiden name being Augusta Weber, daughter or the late Ex-Mayor Jacob Weber and
prominent business man.
On
September 4, 1880, she was married to Mr. Schmutzler,,
who survives her, also one son, John Schmutzler, of
Mitchell, South Dakota, and two daughters, Mrs. Ary
G. Keel and Mrs. Sidney C. Northrop, both of Watertown. She is also survived by four grandchildren,
one brother, Frank B. Weber, and two sisters, Mrs. Edward C. Schmutzler and Mrs. Paul Thorn, all of Watertown.
Tuesday
afternoon her funeral was held from her late home, Rev. Ware Foster of
Wauwatosa, former pastor of the First Congregational Church of this city,
conducting the services. The interment
was in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Schmutzler was a woman of a peculiarly sweet and beautiful
character, so that she bore with uncomplaining cheerfulness the illness which
afflicted her for several months before her death. These characteristics made her many life-long
friends who feel the most sincere grief at her death. A kind and loving wife and mother, a good
Christian woman now sleeps in peace.
The
sympathy of all who knew her is extended to her surviving family, by whom she
will be so badly missed, but it is a great consolation to feel that the final
summons to this good lady was, ”well done, good and faithful servant, enter
thou unto the joys of thy Lord.”
Ferdinand Schmutzler Home, 1902, Picturesque
Watertown
Edward
Schmutzler
Oscar Schmutzler, Sr
Donald Schmutzler
Oscar Schmutzler,
Jr (Hap)
Robert Schmutzler
1954
(09
22) Two grandsons of the late Edward Schmutzler who
founded the Schmutzler Furniture Co. and the Schmutzler Funeral Home here now are members of the Schmutzler Furniture Co. which is continuing the family
business interests. The two, along with
their father, have formed a three-way partnership. They are Oscar E. Schmutzler,
Jr., and his brother, Donald L. Schmutzler. They have joined their father, Oscar E. Schmutzler, Sr., in business. Another grandson of the
company's founder, Lt. Robert Schmutzler, is serving
in the U.S. Air Force.
1976
A wealth of detailing went into the
facade of the early Christian Schmutzler home, built
as a replica of the family home in Bavaria in the early 1850's. Although the house is still located at 614
Cleveland Street, there have been some structural changes since its erection
125 years ago.
Christian
Schmutzler was one of Watertown’s early builders. He
made extensive land purchases and began his building operations. His first
building was a two room bungalow on the site of the present home of Oscar Schmutzler, Sr. (721 N Fourth), Christian Schmutzler's grandson. He then completed the family home on
Cleveland Street. This stone house has pillars inset at the corners and
extensive window ornamentation, both on the lintels and below the windows.
The
present large brick home of Oscar Schmutzler is over
100 years old, completed in 1873 and remodeled extensively at later dates.
Watertown's
first City Hall on North First Street was
completed by Christian Schmutzler in 1884. Others of
his buildings include the first Webster School on Western Avenue, the large John Cole home,
now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Schultz at 802 North Fourth Street, and the
home owned by Leo Bargielski at 501 South Fourth
Street.
All
brick for the Schmutzler buildings was Watertown
brick.
The Schmutzlers are one of Watertown's few five generation
families who have been active in the Watertown community.
In
2004 the former Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home was
converted
into the
offices of the Pitman, Kyle & Sicula law firm
Schmutzer-Vick
1987
01 24 Raymond G. Vick Jr. will begin as an associate of Schmutzler Funeral Home as of Feb. 7, according to owners
Bob and Don Schmutzler. A native of Genesee Depot, Vick resides in
Waukesha with his wife, Janet, and 4-month-old son, Justin. The family will move into an apartment above
the funeral home at the beginning of February. Vick is a 1976 graduate of Milwaukee Area
Technical College-Milwaukee funeral service program and has 12 years of
experience in funeral service. WDT
1998
Watertown
Daily Times,
Schmutzer-Vick
will break ground for a new building at 500 Welsh Road on the city's west side
in August.
The
announcement comes as the firm celebrates its 125th anniversary as a family
owned and operated business in Watertown.
The firm
was founded in 1873 by Carl Nowack and Edward Schmutzler as a furniture and
undertaking establishment, a common business combination at that time. In 1935, Edward's son, Oscar Sr., converted
the family home on Fourth Street into a funeral home. Oscar's three sons, Oscar Jr
"Hap", Donald and Robert as well as Hap's wife, Kate, operated the
firm for more than 40 years.
The
new one-story brick funeral home will be located on land purchased by Schmutzler-Vick in 1997.
The funeral home is the first parcel on the land to be developed. Other sites will be available for future
development. The recent construction of
nearby homes, a retirement home, two churches and future housing developments
signal significant growth in the area.
The building plans call for more than 7,000 square feet for two chapels,
a family lounge/arrangement room, a children's room, casket and cremation
display areas, a crematory, work rooms and offices.
When
the new facility opens, it will be the third location for the funeral home
since it was opened 125 years ago. The
first building was located at 401 E. Main St., the present site of Red Apple
Antiques. The current facility is at 721
N. Fourth St. That building will be sold
in the future.
Reference:
Portions
of above derived from Memorial and
Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago; Goodspeed Brothers, 1894.
Cross-References:
Schmutzler family members buried in Oak Hill Cemetery
