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John Muth
1838 - 1922
1895
01 23 FOREMAN AT WIGGENHORN BROS.
In taking leave of their old quarters last evening, after a hard day's work of moving, the employees of Wiggenhorn Bros. formed a procession, headed by the Watertown band, and marched to the new factory on the west side. This was in the nature of a pleasant surprise to the firm, the senior member of which, C. Wiggenhorn, extended to the employees a warm welcome, and feelingly expressed the thought that the congenial relations existing would ever be so. A response was made for the men by John Muth, the firm's trusted foreman, with a few well-chosen words, and the men forthwith made themselves at home in their new quarters. It was a happy moment for all concerned. WR
04 05 RETIRED
FROM WIGGENHORN BROS.
Held Position 32 Years.
After having served in the capacity
of foreman of Wiggenhorn Brothers’ cigar factory for
a period of thirty-two years, John Muth last Friday
severed his connection with the above firm and retired from active labor, and
will now enjoy the remainder of his days in the rest he so well deserves.
Mr. Muth
took leave of the men who had worked under him for so many years most
affectionately and invited them to a “smoker” at William Dickoff’s
place. Not one of the “boys" were
missing, and the event was made a most memorable one. Nor were the girls employed in the stripping
department forgotten by Mr. Muth, for they were
royally entertained at Radtke’s ice cream parlor. The high esteem in which Mr. Muth is held was fittingly demonstrated by the gift of a
handsome reclining chair from the cigarmakers, and a pretty foot rest from the
strippers; and that his employers appreciated their old foreman was evidenced
by the gift of a handsome gold watch.
A service covering so many years
certainly shows rare faithfulness for the company's interests and a little
biographical sketch of Mr. Muth will be read with
interest by our readers.
Mr. Muth’s
connection with cigarmaking dates back to his boyhood
days when he began work as an apprentice, at the age of eleven years, and he
has continued at the business ever since, with the exception of a few years
during the Civil War. He was born in Birlenbach, Germany, October 16, 1838, and came to America
with his mother when a
infant two years old, landing at New Orleans.
The family returned to Germany in time to celebrate his third birthday
anniversary and again returned to New Orleans, reaching that city in 1848.
The family moved to Watertown the
following year and Mr. Muth secured a position as apprentice
in the cigar factory conducted by Rothe &
Bernhard. He later worked for Grossmann
Bros, and in 1858 began work for Eugene Wiggenhorn,
the business practically continuing until the present time.
In March, 1862 he opened a factory
for himself but after a few months sold to Eugene Wiggenhorn
and enlisted in Co. E. 20th Wis. Infantry, August 10, 1862, known as Siegel’s regiment. He served during the war and was mustered out
at Galveston Texas, July 14, 1865.
In 1869 he resumed work for Wiggenhorn Bros, as a maker and on May 10, 1873, was
appointed foreman and has held that position ever since. He has practically been in the cigarmaking
business fifty five years. The present force over
which Mr. Muth has been foreman for so many years,
consists of forty-eight men at the bench besides the strippers, and the oldest
bench employee in point of years of service is John Kuester,
who began as an apprentice in 1863 and still works there.
Mr. Muth
was married in Watertown in 1861 to Mary Beisner, who
is still living, and they are parents of several grown up children. WR
1916, assumed
JOHN MUTH APPOINTED
County Judge C.
W. Lamoreux on Tuesday last appointed John Muth of Watertown, as a member of the Soldier’s Relief
Commission.
John Muth was born in Germany in the year 1838 and came to this
country in the year 1840 and has lived in Watertown for many years and has at
different times represented this ward on the county board. Mr. Muth served in
the Civil War and was a member of Co. E.,
20th Wis. Inf. He served three years and
was in the battles at the siege of Vicksburg, Prairie Grove, Fort Morgan and
many others.
Watertown had
never been represented on this commission and the friends of Mr. Muth are very much pleased to have him receive the honor of
a place on the commission which was made vacant by the resignation of Casper Buerger of Lomira who resigned on
account of illness. We congratulate Mr. Muth and know that he is well qualified for the position.
This Soldier’s
Relief Commission is composed of three members and the law now provides that
two of them must be honorably discharged soldiers of the civil war of veterans
of the war with Spain.
In many of the
counties of the state the commission is now composed of two civil war veterans
and one Spanish war veteran. In the city
of Beaver Dam there is now an association of Spanish war veterans and it is
probable that sometime in the future the association will be given
representation on this commission.;
The other members of the commission are E. J. Tyler of Horicon and John Seward of the town of Trenton, both being veterans of the Civil War.
Is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery
1918
10 16 IS 80 YEARS OLD
John Muth Observes Anniversary with his Daughter.
John Muth, veteran cigarmaker and veteran of the Civil war, is
80 years old today.
In honor of the
event he went to Janesville this morning to spend the day with his daughter,
Mrs. G. D. Cannon. Mr. Muth is probably the oldest cigarmaker in the city, but he
has not followed that occupation for several years since he resigned the
foremanship in Wiggenhorn Bros. factory, which he
held for many years.
He enlisted in
Co. E, 20th Wisconsin Infantry, August 13, 1862, and followed the regiment
during all its battles as corporal and sergeant. He was mustered out July 14, 1865.
Although four
score years, he enjoys good health and is a familiar figure on the streets of
the city. WNews
Cross References:
Mrs. John Muth
1841 - 1915
Mrs. John Muth, 608 Division Street, died of diabetes on Monday,
August 9, 1915. Deceased’s maiden name
was Mary Beisner.
She was born in New York City on May 15, 1841, and came west with her
parents when only four years old, locating at Columbus, then at Golden Lake,
coming to Watertown in 1858. On April
15, 1860, she was married to John Muth, who survives
her and five children, also four grandchildren, and two brothers, John Beisner of Milwaukee and Henry Beisner
of this city. Her funeral took place
from her late home Wednesday afternoon to Oak Hill cemetery.
1883, Pease Post charter member
1908, Caroline Moser obit, son
Civil War veteran, GAR Personal War Sketch, 1890
History of Watertown, Wisconsin