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Koser’s Bakery
109-111 S.
Second
1900
1905
11 01 PLANS FOR
ENLARGED BAKERY
F.
J. Koser is having- plans and specifications prepared fora new business
building on Second St. on the lot which he recently purchased just south of his
bakery. The building is to be 32x69 feet
and two stories high and when completed will be occupied as a bakery, store and
tenement, in addition to the building which he now occupies. The Watertown
News, 01 Nov 1905
1906
07 20 CONSTRUCTION
OF NEW BAKERY
Work of excavating has commenced
for a new business building on Second Street, which, when completed, will be an
ornament to that section of the city and a credit to the enterprising gentleman
who is erecting the same. Reference is
made to the new 32x70, two story brick building which will be erected on the
vacant lot on the above named street, between Main and Market streets, by F. J.
Koser, the baker.
The plans for the new building
were drawn by F. L. Lindsay, the architect.
It is to be finished in hardwood, with metal ceilings. John Deihl has the contract for the mason
work, while the contract for the carpenter work went to a Jefferson man. The building is to be completed and ready for
occupancy by the first of November.
Mr. Koser’s present quarters
[known to be 109 S. Second] will be used for the bakery property while the new
structure [109-111] will be used for a sales room and living apartments. The Watertown News, 20 Jul 1906
1908
04 04 NO DANGER
FROM CONTAGION
The undersigned physicians wish
to state that the Koser Bakery on Second Street has been thoroughly fumigated
and put in a cleanly and healthy condition and assure the public that there is
no danger from any contagion owing to the recent quarantine. The public can be assured that there is not
the slightest danger of any contagion and that when the bakery opens on next
Tuesday the public need have no fear of withholding the patronage accorded this
business place previously.
C. R. Feld
Health Commissioner.
Dr. T. F. Shinnick
In this connection, I wish to
return my thanks to the physicians for their care and treatment at my place and
to also emphatically deny the statement circulated that I intended to institute
suit against the city or others owing to the quarantine at my place. Nothing
was further from my thoughts and I can only add that I have been treated fairly
and manly in the matter.
F. J. Koser
1915
01 28 ALBERT KOSER PURCHASED NEENAH BAKERY
Albert Koser went to Neenah last
Friday, where he purchased a large bread bakery and will operate it in the
future. His brother Leo will assist him
in operating it. Their many Watertown
friends wish them success. WG
c.1915
01 22 COMMENCES
BAKING AFTER FIRE
Damage Done by Fire of January 9 Repaired
Steel Ceilings and Walls and
Proof Box
After two weeks enforced rest from
baking, the Koser Bakery, 111 S. Second Street, is now prepared to resume. The baking room which was badly damaged by
fire on Sunday, January 9, has been fully repaired and in a manner that makes
it one of the best and most serviceable departments of its kind in any
bakery. The ceiling and walls are now
entirely of steel and painted a pure white which gives it the appearance of
ideal sanitary conditions. The fire
started in the “proof box,” a wooden structure which was destroyed in the
blaze. The new box is made entirely of
steel and is much more serviceable. The
baking room is very spacious and well arranged.
Bakers who have looked it over say that it can hardly be improved
upon.
On account of the improvements made necessary,
the Koser bakery had to suspend baking in its plant, but through Herbert Pagel of the West Side bakery, they were able to
turn out barely enough to keep up with the trade.
The bakery, recognized as one of
the best and most up-to-date to be found anywhere, is now better prepared than
ever to serve its large and growing trade.
Mr. Koser went in business here
23 years ago and has been at the present location, 111 Second Street for the
past 14 years.
The building is splendidly
adapted to the bakery and confectionary business on a large scale and under the
present efficient management of Mr. and Mrs. Koser and their children, the
business has grown to large proportions.
The Koser Bakery is the
manufacturer of the celebrated “Golden Crust Bread,” and specializes in rolls,
pies and cakes.
The result has been a large
shipping for foreign trade as is evidenced by the fact that numerous school
girls are employed after school in wrapping food parcels to be forwarded to
distant points.
The improvements just made as a
result of the fire have added materially to the value of the bakery, which will
commence to operate the ovens Monday morning.
c.1930
1931
03 05 PURCHASED
BEAVER DAM BAKERY
Miss
Florence Koser, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Koser of Koser’s bakery of this
city, has purchased the Model bakery at Beaver Dam of S. H. Collingsworth. She will make many fine improvements in the
plant, and give the people of that city up-to-date service. She has been employed for a number of years
in the bakery of her parents in this city, and knows the bakery business
thoroughly. Four members of the Koser family now are proprietors of
first-class bakeries, F. J. Koser in Watertown, Alex Koser at Neenah, Mark
Koser at Fort Atkinson and Miss Florence Koser at Beaver Dam.
1932
11 05 KOSER’S SUPREME BREAD
1934
11 05 Mrs. F. J. KOSER DIES
Widely
known woman expires at hospital this forenoon
Mrs. F.
J. Koser, one of Watertown's most widely known women residents and long
identified in the bakery business here, died at St. Mary's Hospital at 10:30
o'clock this forenoon. She had long been
suffering with a heart ailment and entered the hospital Friday after her
condition had been critical for some time.
Born in Jefferson 68 years ago,
her maiden name was Catherine Spangler.
She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Spangler. Forty-seven years ago she married Mr. Koser
and for a time they lived on a farm near Sun Prairie. Then they moved to Minnesota and later
returned to Wisconsin. For the last 38
years they lived in Watertown, having taken over a bakery establishment here
[assumed to be that of Charles Herger].
Surviving are her husband and
seven children, Mrs. A. Brechtl of West Allis, Mrs. Ben Neumann and Miss
Florence Koser of this city, Mrs. Mike Heilmeier of Fort Atkinson, Albert Koser
of Neenah, and Leo and Mark Koser of this city.
There are ten grandchildren. Two
sisters and four brothers also survive, Mrs. Anna Miller of Beloit, Mrs. Hubert
Krusing of West Allis, Andrew Spangler of West Allis, Peter and Lawrence
Spangler of Jefferson and Arthur Spangler of Beaver Dam. Three children preceded their mother in
death, Miss Agnes Koser and Arthur and Clarence Koser.
Mrs. Koser played a prominent
part in developing the bakery establishment which she and her husband operated
for many years, starting in a small way, until it became one of the foremost
businesses of its kind in this section, serving not only Watertown but
surrounding communities as well.
Mrs. Koser had a talent for
business and the home and could divide her time between the two with equal ease
and ability.
It is no exaggeration to say that
she was one of the city's most beloved women, a woman who had friends in every
walk of life and acts of charity and kindness endeared her to countless numbers
of people. Her death removes a woman who will be missed in the community and
news of her passing came, as a shock to people throughout the city today.
She was a member of St. Henry's
Catholic Church, the American Legion auxiliary and the Christian Mother's
Society.
The
body was taken to the James W. Boyle chapel and will be returned to the home,
111 Second Street, tomorrow. The funeral will be held from there Thursday
morning with services in St. Henry's Catholic Church at 9:30 o'clock. A solemn high mass will be sung by the Rev.
Dean F. X. Schwinn. Burial will be in St.
Henry's Cemetery. WDT
1939
“THE SIGN OF
QUALITY”
1943
07 16 EDWARD MEYER,s formerly a driver for Koser’s, took over the
management and operation of the Cities
Service station on N Fourth.
1951
06 29 DISTRIBUTORS FOR KOSER”S BAKERY
1956
02 10 
1962
01 05 KOSER’S CLOSES
Koser’s Bakery, 111
South Second, has closed its doors and the last owner and operator, Ernst
Stellbrink, has gone out of business.
The bakery, one of the oldest and most widely known of its kind, was
founded by the late Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Koser, who operated it for many
years. Both died here. It was taken over by the family and the last
family owner and operator, Miss Florence Koser, sold the business to Mr.
Stellbrink who came here from Marshfield and has operated it for the past 12
years, continuing the fine quality baked goods for which it was known. Equipment in the bakery has been purchased by
Pagel’s Bakery of 114 West Main Street. WDT
1963
10 26 FORMER KOSER BAKERY PROPERTY
PURCHASED by Fin & Tail Foods, Inc.
Fin
& Tail Foods, Inc., announced plans for expanding its operations by
franchising additional stores dealing in fish, sea foods, and a variety of food
products, sauces, etc. The announcement
was made by Robert Franz who has purchased the former Koser Bakery property in
South Second Street and converted it into wholesale office quarters for the
organization, renting it to Fin & Tail Foods, Inc. The building also has been remodeled to
provide a large and modern kitchen on the second floor where the line of
sauces, foods and fish are prepared. WDT
1981 MARY ENGELHART [1887-1981]. Was employed at Koser's Bakery for 45 years.
2009 ROSE
M. CHRISTIAN, 70, of Watertown, passed away Nov. 18, 2009, at St. Mary's Hospital in
Madison. Funeral services were at St.
John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Watertown. Burial in Ixonia Lutheran Cemetery. The former Rose Marie Kohls was born on May
14, 1939, in Watertown, daughter of George and Katherine (Kaiser) Kohls. On
Nov. 10, 1956, she married Willard E. Christian at St. John's Lutheran Church
in Watertown. Rose graduated from St.
John's Lutheran Grade School and attended Watertown Senior High School. She
worked as a clerk at Koser Bakery
and as a waitress at the Beaver Hotel Dining Room in Beaver Dam. Rose and her
husband moved to Milwaukee where she worked at Johnson Cookie Factory.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin