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H. C. Christians and Ada Schempf Christians
Source: Memorial
and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin,
Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, 1894.
H. C. Christians [Henry
Charles]
Few
articles in the food line are so valuable to mankind as butter, from the simple
fact that no other substitute can so thoroughly and satisfactorily fill the
demands, and a pure article is of the utmost importance. The house wife has come to be a connoisseur
in this respect and will have nothing to do with an inferior article, hence
creameries all over the country are put upon their mettle and use every
exertion to produce a superior grade of butter.
Among
the manufactories that have attained perfection in this respect is that of
which H. C. Christians is the proprietor at Johnson’s Creek, Wis. He also deals extensively in cheese, eggs,
etc. The business was established in
1882, and in connection with his fine manufactory, he has a three-story cold
storage warehouse and freezing rooms, a most necessary adjunct to his important
business.
Mr.
Christians is a product of this county, born June 16, 1862, his father being
Fred Christians of Johnson’s Creek.
He
came to this county in the forties and for some time past has lived retired
from the active duties of life. The
early training of the subject of this sketch was received on a farm and his
literary education was obtained in the village school of Johnson’s Creek, but
he afterward took a private course in book-keeping. At the age of twenty years he engaged in the
general mercantile business at Johnson’s Creek, where he continued in business
five years, but during that time he gradually worked into his present business,
and in 1887 sold his stock of general merchandise and gave his entire time and
attention to his present business.
He
has four butter factories, one in the village of Aztalan,
one each in the town of Aztalan, Farmington and
Jefferson, and the average output of butter per day is 1,200 pounds. The factories are all fitted up with the
latest improved appliances, and none but experienced persons are employed. He buys and handles a great deal of butter
that he does not make, and does a business in eggs amounting to 175,000 or
200,000 dozen per year.
Mr.
Christians’ main office is in Johnson’s Creek and is handsomely and
conveniently fitted up and contains a large fire-proof vault and burglar-proof
safe. The capacity of his cold storage warehouse is 5,000 cases of eggs and
150,000 pounds of butter, and the building is substantially built of
brick.
Mr.
Christians has a handsome residence — one of the most beautiful in the county —
and has a magnificent plumbing system of hot and cold water and spacious and
convenient bath rooms. He has always
been a Democrat in politics, has held a number of town offices and for some
time was postmaster of Johnson’s Creek.
He
was married to Miss Ada J. Schempf, a native of Watertown, Wis., and their
union has resulted in the birth of one child, George F. [Frederick]. Mr. and Mrs. Christians are well known
throughout Jefferson County, and have gathered about them a wide circle of warm
friends. He took premiums on his
articles at the World’s Fair and has also carried off the blue ribbon at state
and county fairs. He has always found a
ready market for his goods all over the country and may be said to be an expert
in his line of work. He was elected a
member of the Assembly in the Second District of Jefferson County, November 6,
1894.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin