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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Wilkowski
Bros
111 North First
Frederick
C. Wilkowski
1862
- 1923
Carl
L. Wilkowski
1878
- 1948
c.1890
-- -- LOUIS WILKOWSKI
Louis Wilkowski
in group photo
1895
01 23 It has long been an established fact that the manufacture of
cigars in this city is of no small moment in business circles. A visit to the different concerns by the
average citizen would be one of surprise at the number of men employed and the
amount of material used. There are eight
firms here engaged in this enterprise, whose combined output the past year
reached the enormous total of 3,220,000 cigars.
The old-established house of Wiggenhorn
Bros. took the lead, their manufacture amounting to 1,600,000, and besides
this they sold 500,000 cigars for a Pennsylvania firm. The other firms doing business here are
Wilkowski Bros., Schlueter Bros., Kramer and Neumann, J. S. Miller, William
Buending, Charles Becker and J. Goodnetter . . . WR
09 11 A peach tree flourishing in the rear of
Wilkowski Bros.' cigar factory, laden with upwards of 100 peaches, is one of
the novelties of fruit culture in the Second ward. WR
1898
05 11 Wilkowski Bros. cigarmakers are taking their annual outing to
Knispel's woods, south of the city. They
have excellent camping equipment and are hugely enjoying the fine weather. Engel Zeidler is serving as chef, which is a
guaranty that the boys have good things to eat. WR
1901
05 17 Wilkowski Bros. cigar makers have been enjoying their annual
picnic in Knispel's woods southeast of this city. On Sunday a large number of this city visited
the camp and enjoyed the hospitalities of the cigar-makers. The boys tell some tall fish stories and
evidently have had any amount of fun. WG
1902
Picturesque
Watertown booklet
c.1905
Wilkowski Bros.
Cigar Manufactory / 111 North First Street /
[*] Fred Wilkowski
1906
Wilkowski Bros, cigar manufactory,
cartoonish drawing, WDT series
c.1906
Distant view of
_____________________________________________
Watertown Daily Times, 12 01 1923
Frederick
C. Wilkowski
Frederick
C. Wilkowski, for many years a well known figure in this community and one of
Watertown's best known citizens, died at his home, 822 Main Street, this
morning at 9 o'clock.
Mr.
Wilkowski had been in ill health for the past year suffering from septic
bronchitis but his death was due to a sudden heart attack which he suffered
while sitting in a chair at his home shortly after he had partaken of his
breakfast.
Mr.
Wilkowski passed away possessed of his complete mental faculties and only a
short time before the end he had been shaved by a barber and had finished
breakfast.
Mr.
Wilkowski was born in Bromberg, province of Posen, on
In
1876, on May 12, he was married to Minnie Schroeder of this city who with four
children survive. The children are Mrs. Rose Torstensson of Landskorna, Sweden,
Carl Wilkowski, this city, Mrs. Emma Haes, Metropolis, Ill., and Mrs. Gertrude
Renk, Waterloo, Iowa. Besides, one sister, Otillie Buending of this city and
one brother, William Wilkowski, San Diego, Cal., survive, as do six
grandchildren and Mr. Wilkowski's stepfather, Fred Kuehl.
Mr.
Wilkowski rose to a successful business career by his own efforts, and during
his long business career had helped materially in the industrial growth of
Watertown. A man of strict probity, fine
character and withal possessed of a genial disposition, he made many friends,
socially and among his business associates.
By strict attention to business affairs he built up a large trade
throughout this section of the country, a tribute to the excellence and honesty
of the products of his factory.
Coming
to Watertown when city was but little more than a village, he spent the greater
share of his life here and was probably one of the best known and most
respected of its citizens. The firm of Wilkowski Bros was established in 1882
by Frederick and William Wilkowski. Ten
years later he succeeded to entire control and personally superintended the
operations of the plant. Two years ago
he retired from active business and his son, Carl Wilkowski, succeeded him as
head of the firm.
When
ten years of age Mr. Wilkowski began an apprenticeship in a cigar factory and
learned the details of the business thoroughly, being considered one of the
best judges of tobacco in this section of the country.
Mr.
Wilkowski was an ardent student of nature and was well posted on plant life of
which he made a study for many years. He
was a man well versed on current topics and a student who had the faculty of
retaining the knowledge thus obtained.
He was
a man greatly devoted to his home and family.
Possessed of a kindly nature he spread geniality wherever he went and
his charities were many but never ostentatious. His nature was of the kind that
make and keep friends and the good will of the man was always apparent whether
in business dealings or in his social life.
Mr.
Wilkowski never aspired to a public or political life although he was well
capable to enter such fields and he was often urged to do so. He was a member of the Plattdeutscher Verein.
The
funeral will take place Tuesday afternoon from the home at
_____________________________________________________________________
Carl
L. Wilkowski
1878
- 1948
10 04 1948
Carl L.
Wilkowski, former Watertown business man and well known in the community, died
at St. Mary's hospital Saturday at 2:15 p.m. following an illness.
He was
born in Watertown, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Wilkowski and was for
many years associated as a salesman with the firm of Wilkowski Bros. cigar
factory here. In 1917 he took over the
business as his own and operated it until it was closed. For the past several
years he was employed by the G. B. Lewis Co. here.
Mr.
Wilkowski was a lifelong resident of Watertown.
The
firm Wilkowski Bros. was one of the most widely known cigar manufacturing
concerns in this territory. It was
established in 1882 by two brothers, Frederick and William Wilkowski and ten
years later Fred G. Wilkowski succeeded to entire control of the business. In 1917 his son, Carl L., took it over. The business was located in the building at
111 North First Street.
Surviving
Mr. Wilkowski are his wife, the former Emma Nowack, and one daughter, Miss Ruth
Wilkowski, this city, a member of the Watertown Free
Public library staff.
There
are also three sisters, Mrs. Hans Torstensson, Milwaukee, Mrs. Joseph Hayes,
Toulon, Ill., and Mrs. George Jones, Conrad, Ia.
The
funeral will take place Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the Nowack funeral
home. The Rev. Dr. J. Perry Austin of
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will officiate.
Interment
will be in the family lot in Oak Hill
Cemetery.
c.1945
NEW STORE FRONT FOR WILKOWSKKI
BLDG
MINNING LIQUOR STORE, plan for new store front
111 North First Street (demolished in 1961)
Street view of
this location
Cross Reference:
John
C. Gruel was a salesman for Wilkowski Bros. cigar manufacturers for several
years.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin