website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Habhegger Cold Storage
John Habhegger, Jr
1844 - 1919
Royal Meats
Johnsonville Sausage, LLC
1981 - 2015
Founded in 1898
c.1897
12 22 COLD STORAGE SUPERSTRUCTURE
The contract for the superstructure of the Watertown
Cold Storage building has been let to Ferdinand Behlke. It must be ready for the reception of ice by
January 15. Watertown Republican, 12 22 1897
1898 HARTIG BREWERY ICE HOUSE became HABHEGGER
COLD STORAGE
Ice house behind the Hartig Brewery. Later became the Habhegger
Cold Storage plant.
1899
PAINTING
BY JANETTE JOHNSON
1902
1903
04 11 HABHEGGER STORE ON
SOUTH SECOND
Engages in Cheese
Business - M. Fitzgerald of Neosho, who some time ago purchased the Habhegger
store building at 110 Second Street (*), has taken possession of same and will occupy it as
headquarters for his large cheese business, wholesale and retail. Mr. Fitzgerald has moved his family here and
occupies the residence at 702 Sixth Street which Mr. Fitzgerald recently
purchased of John G. Conway. WR
1899-1900 City Directory
(*)
A week later (04 18) the Republican
lists the transaction as involving “part of block 11, First ward” indicating
that 110 is that of South Second.
04 18 paper
1912
02 08 OFFICERS ELECTED
At a recent meeting of
the Clyman Star cheese factory stockholders the following officers were elected
for the year 1912: James Caughlin,
president; J. T. Walsh, secretary; John Langer, treasurer; Frank Klait, trustee
for three years. The patrons again sold
their milk to John Habhegger, of
Watertown, as they know when they are well taken care of. The price of milk for the season will average
$1.15 [per hundred]. WG
1914
02 19 MAY ERECT COLD STORAGE PLANT IN JUNEAU
At the meeting of the
Northwestern Cheesemakers Fire Ins. Co. held at the city hall last Monday, Max
Radloff, John Habhegger and Christ Indermuehle were elected directors for the
term of three years. The above named are
among the largest manufacturers and wholesalers of cheese in this part of the
state and it is reported that there is a possibility of erecting a large cold
storage plant at the city of Juneau in the near future, which will be of great
benefit to all our merchants and the surrounding country.
At a meeting of the Board of
Directors the officers of 1913 were re-elected.
President — A. F. Westphal; Vice-Pres. — M. Fitzgerald; Treasurer — John
Habhegger; Secretary and General Agent — George W. Morse. The company starts out the new year with a
prosperous outlook. WG
c.1925
-- -- BUTTER, CHEESE, EGGS
John Habhegger Co. Sweet Auburn Brand Creamery Butter
John Habhegger Co.,
"Sweet Auburn Brand Butter" c1934, WHS_006 296
1951
1952
07 12 COUNTY LINE CHEESE FACTORY CLOSED
The
County Line Cheese factory, which has been in operation since Oct. 24, 1881,
closed on July 1. More new equipment was
needed to continue in operation and a decision to close the factory was reached
by officers after it was concluded that the cost of the equipment would run too
high for the few dairymen who haul their milk to the factory.
Jacob
Jossi was the first cheesemaker, serving in that capacity for four years. Mr.
Jossi played an important part in Watertown’s early history. He built up a tremendous cheese business in
this area. His storage plant was located
on North First Street, the building now occupied by the Marek Distributing
company.
1953
11 10 DISTANT VIEW
1954
06 26 THE PAST IS HISTORY . . . . WE'RE LOOKING
TO THE FUTURE
Habhagger Cold
Storage
Established
in 1898 as the Watertown Cold Storage Co., this company’s operations were
confined to the storage and sale of eggs and dairy products until 1912, when it
was incorporated under the name of John Habhegger Co.
Mr. Habhegger had long been a successful businessman and under
his management the company expanded its operations and began producing ”SWEET
AUBURN BRAND” BUTTER, a high score sweet cream butter which soon gained wide
acceptance because of its superior quality.
In
1939 the company again expanded its operations by being one of the first in
Wisconsin to install a frozen food locker plant with complete service to
patrons. This proved to be a popular
move and locker facilities and service have since been increased several times
to accommodate the growing list of patrons.
1965
09 24 ALEX BAYERLEIN HOME
An
office building of the Habhegger Co., Watertown cold storage concern, along the
banks of the Rock River, is in two counties.
The north half is in Dodge county and the south half in Jefferson
county. The address is 104 Division Street,
and Division Street divides the city into the two county area. Years ago the building was the home of the
Alex Bayerlein family. Mr. Bayerlein was
a brewer and was employed at the William Hartig Co. brewery, located on the
site of the National Food Store in Cady Street.
The family slept in Jefferson County and had its meals in Dodge County.
01 11 PURCHASED
BY LOWELL PRITCHARD
Lowell
Pritchard, owner and operator of the Royal Meat
Market, 405 East Main Street, announced today the purchase of the Habhegger
Company cold storage plant at 104 Division Street from Max Faller of
Mequon. The plant is one of the city’s
oldest and most widely known business concerns.
Mr.
Faller has been owner and operator of the plant for the past eight years,
having purchased the facility from the late Omar L. Gaston, 413 South Fifth
Street, who headed and managed the company for many years.
The
purchase includes the four-story cold storage unit, a slaughter house, a
completely equipped and modernized sausage kitchen and an office building.
Founded
in 1897. The late Mrs. Omar Gaston was a
daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Habhegger, her father having founded the
business.
1973
Jan ASSESSOR PHOTOS
ASSESSOR NOTE: “This is a pistol to measure”
BOTTOM
CENTER: Alex Bayerlein home became
office bldg of Habhegger Co
1970’s
Royal
Meats slaughter house, retail butcher shop, 1970’s
Current
site of Johnsonville pig slaughter house
John
Habhegger, Jr
Being
one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of Watertown, John Habhegger,
Jr, engaged in business as a member of Jossi & Habhegger, manufacturers of
cheese. He is a native of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, born
His
parents immigrated to the United States in 1853 and took up their residence in Watertown. The father engaged in farming for two years,
after which he carried on merchandising in Watertown for some time. In 1877 he
left that place and removed to Fort Atkinson, Wis., where he was engaged in the
insurance business until his death, which occurred in 1890.
In his
family were eleven children, eight of whom are yet living, four sons and four
daughters: Ulrich, Mrs. E. Lehmann, Fred, Godfrey, Barbara, Margaret, John and
Lena. All are now married.
The
gentleman whose name heads this record was a lad of nine summers when, with his
parents, he crossed the Atlantic. Since
that time he has been a resident of Jefferson County, and has become widely and
favorably known. His early education was
acquired in the schools of his native land, and was supplemented by study in
the public schools of this locality.
After coming to Wisconsin he aided his father in the cultivation of the
farm, but subsequently learned the butchers' trade, which he followed until
1862.
In
that year Mr. Habhegger laid aside all business pursuits to enter the service
of his adopted country. He joined the
Union army, becoming a member of Company D, Twenty-third Wisconsin Infantry,
and served until the close of the war with the rank of corporal. He participated in the battles of Chickasaw
Bayou, Arkansas Post, Greenville, Cyprus Bend, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson,
Champion's Hill, Black River Bridge, the siege of Vicksburg and others. At Vicksburg he was wounded by a
gunshot. He afterward participated in
the battles of Jackson, Carrion Crow Bayou and Mansfield, La., and at the last
named was again slightly wounded by a gunshot in his right side. Among the last engagements with which he was
connected were the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley.
On the
4th of July, 1865, he was honorably discharged at Mobile, Ala., having for three
years, on many a Southern battle-field, faithfully followed the old flag which
now floats triumphantly over a united nation.
After
his return home Mr. Habhegger worked for his brother a short time, and in 1867
he embarked in merchandising in Watertown, continuing business along that line
until 1892. In 1890 he became associated with
Jacob Jossi (b. 1849, d. 1907) in the manufacture of
cheese, and is now giving his entire time and attention to that enterprise.
Mr.
Habhegger was married in 1868 to Miss Lena Schultz, a native of Watertown, and
six children have been born of their union:
Emma, Charles J., Bertha, Hattie, Anna and Margaret.
Mr.
Habhegger has led a busy and useful life, but has found time to devote to
public interests, and has served as alderman and supervisor and was
deputy-collector of internal revenue under President Cleveland's first
administration. He is now a member of
the school board and is recognized as one of the leading and enterprising citizens
of Watertown. He holds membership with
several civic societies and also belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic.
Memorial and Genealogical Record of
Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers, 1894
Buried in Oak Hill
Cemetery.
Portrait not reproduced.
Portion
derived from Memorial and Genealogical
Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Chicago; Goodspeed
Brothers, 1894.
HABHEGGER HOME
1981
04 17 ROYAL MEATS
Royal Meats,
Inc., 104 Division Street, will close its slaughter, boning and store
operations in the near future, according to Lowell and Marilyn Pritchard,
owners. Although the store has been
successful, it accounts for only about 20 percent of the business. The income there could not cover the losses
from the other operations, Pritchard explained.
Royal was killing 300 to 400 head of cattle or about 160,000 pounds
weekly. This resulted in substantial
weekly losses. Because of extremely high
fixed costs caused by government inspection and energy, it was impossible to
keep the store operating while terminating the other portions of the
business. WDT
08 18 Royal Markets, Inc., 104 West Division
Street, will reopen as a retail meat market on September 1. The announcement was made by Ralph Stayer,
president of Johnsonville Sausage, Inc., Johnsonville, Wis., and Merle Draves,
manager of the local operation. Royal
was closed earlier this year by Lowell and Marilyn Pritchard after changes in
market conditions caused heavy losses.
Stayer said the new operation will be under two corporations. One will be Royal Markets, Inc., which will
operate the retail business, and Bratco, Inc., which will operate the
slaughtering business. Stayer said one
change will be that the new operation will no longer do custom slaughtering as
had been the case with Royal in the past.
WDT
1983
11 15 The
Royal Meats retail business will soon become part of Tom’s United Foods,
according to Tom and Lynn Frakes, owners of the food store. Frakes said he has purchased the assets of
the Royal Meats retail and wholesale operation and has also employed several
members of the Royal staff. Earlier this
year the Royal Meats retail and wholesale operation was closed. The business operated at 104 West Division
Street, north of the Tom’s United Foods Store.
WDT
2006
02 23 While
obesity rates around the country are reaching epic proportions, Johnsonville
Foods of Watertown is giving its nearly 100 employees and their families more
options to live healthy lifestyles. The
local meat plant held its third annual Johnsonville Health and Wellness Fair in
hopes of enticing its employees to take more responsibility with their health. Brenda Cancel-Bratberg, human resources
coordinator and safety business partner for Johnsonville, said the main focus
of the fair, which is part of the company’s wellness initiative, is to give
employees the resources to take better care of their bodies. WDT
2015
05 11 JOHNSONVILLE FOODS
FIRE
Firefighters responded at 12:57 a.m. on
05/10 to Johnsonville Sausage, 104 E. Division St., for a structure fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene smoke
was coming from the building and fire was seen on the roof. The fire caused extensive damage inside the
building. The building was unoccupied at
the time of the fire, and there were no injuries. The blaze was under control in about an hour.
Johnsonville
sausage makers use downtime productively
10 16 JOHNSONVILLE BROKE GROUND FOR NEW FACILITY
Johnsonville Sausage, LLC broke ground at the site of its new Watertown
facility at 1222 Perry Way Thursday morning.
The building is just a few miles from 104 E. Division St., where the
company had operated a plant since 1981.
The East Division Street location suffered a fire that forced it to
close its doors in May.
Johnsonville plans to expand the building on Perry Way to 117,000 total
square feet and will also add 30 jobs.
Completion of the facility, which supports Johnsonville’s fresh sausage
business, is expected in spring 2016.
WDTimes story
2016
11 01 JOHNSONVILLE SAUSAGE HAD A DISASTROUS FIRE BUT KEPT ITS EMPLOYEES WHOLE
“Johnsonville Sausage defined, followed and acted upon its
organizational purpose. Its mission is
to make sausages for its customers, but not at the expense of disenfranchising
Johnsonville employees or the communities it serves.” Online
Forbes article
2017
03 30 JOHNSONVILLE TAKES ITS
EMPLOYEES ON A 'CULINARY ADVENTURE'
12 15 DEMOLITION
OF FORMER JOHNSONVILLE PLANT
Cross-References:
John Habhegger, 1902, Library formation committee member
John
Habhegger's petition, 1908, that he be discharged
as trustee of the John W Cole estate
Emil Doerr, printer, tinfoil cheese wrappers for the
Jossi-Habhegger firm
Joseph Lindon,
beef and pork packing establishment
OMAR GASTON, Sec-Treas-Mgr
c.1940 photo
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin