Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 2 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 25

The history of business enterprise in Milwaukee would be incomplete were there failure to make reference to Frank P. Ziegler, who is the president of the George Ziegler Company, manufacturing confections, and who in the development of his trade has established a business that is notable among the interests of the kind in the middle west Mr. Ziegler is a native of Milwaukee, his birth having here occurred on the 9th of October, 1856, his parents being George and Barbara (Boll) Ziegler, both of whom were natives of Germany and are mentioned elsewhere in this work. Frank P. Ziegler was their second son and third child and was reared at the family home on the west side of the city, acquiring his education in parochial and public schools. He entered the factory of Boll A Ziegler in 1871, when only fifteen years of age, as an apprentice and applied himself so closely to the business that he soon acquainted himself with the various methods of manufacturing candy and steadily worked his way upward, stimulated by a desire to one day engage in business on his own account One of his early experiences was that of selling candy from a wagon from store to store. Inside of three years he had acquired such knowledge and efficiency in the work that he was able to assume control of his father's factory and it was not long before he was able to teach those who had previously instructed him. He had acquainted himself with every practical phase of the business and his initiative enabled him to bring forth new and valuable ideas in connection with candy manufacturing. Associated with his father, he was active in developing the factory until the small establishment, which had originally forty employees when Frank P. Ziegler became connected therewith, had become one of the foremost establishments of the kind in this section of the country. On the 30th of June, 1882, disaster overtook the business, a fire entirely destroying the plant, but with characteristic energy the firm sought new and larger quarters and the factory at Nos. 233 to 239 East Water street was then established. It was a difficult task to get the factory in operation by the time of the fall trade, but with determined purpose this was accomplished, although the health of Frank P. Ziegler was greatly impaired by the nervous strain which he put upon it and he was finally forced to seek a change, going on a trip abroad in 1887. When the business was incorporated in 1887, he was elected vice president of the company and continued to act in that capacity and as superintendent until the time of his father's death, which occurred on the 24th of February, 1904. Frank P. Ziegler was then elected to the presidency and has continued to act in that capacity, the business being now carried on under the name of George Ziegler Company, manufacturing confectioners.

The story of the development of this business reads almost like a romance. It was founded by George Ziegler, a farm boy, who, tired of the work of the fields, went to Milwaukee, where he was bound out to an innkeeper for three years and then obtained a position in a shoe factory. Thrift and economy were among the marked characteristics of his early years and he carefully saved something from his earnings week by week, until when his brothers-in-law, John and Andrew Boll, candy makers, were thrown out of work in Chicago and came to Milwaukee, Mr. Ziegler was able to start them in business, the brothers manufacturing candy in the former home of Peter Boll at Thirteenth and Vliet streets. This constituted the nucleus of the present mammoth establishment which has since developed. George Ziegler continued to furnish the capital for some time while the business was carried on under the firm name of Boll Brothers A Company, the practical candy makers caring for that end of the business. After seven years the firm name was changed to Boll & Ziegler and in 1874 Mr. Ziegler took over the entire business. As his sons attained sufficient age to take up business responsibilities they became associated with him in the enterprise. George Ziegler remained at the head of the business until his death, at which time Frank P. Ziegler became the president, with Andrew I. Ziegler as vice president and Charles I. Ziegler as secretary and treasurer. A third generation of the family has now become connected with the business, which is today one of the most important productive industries of Milwaukee. The present plant was erected in 1907 — a seven-story and basement building containing one hundred and twelve thousand feet of floor space. It was believed that this would be adequate to the growth of the business for many years, but in 1920 an addition was made in the erection of a building eighty by one hundred and twelve and a half feet, seven stories and basement, containing seventy-two thousand square feet. Frank P. Ziegler is today at the head of a mammoth enterprise, to the success and continued growth of which he has made valuable contribution as the years have passed.

On the 22nd of January, 1878, Frank P. Ziegler was united in marriage to Miss Mary Klein of Milwaukee, a daughter of Joseph and Madeline Klein, and they have become parents of six children: Margaret, who was born in 1880; George, born in 1881; Josephine, born in 1883; Clara, born in 1885; Lillia, born in 1886; and J. Edmund, born in 1890. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church, they being communicants of St. Joseph's church. Mr. Ziegler is also identified with the Catholic Order of Foresters and St. Joseph's Sodality. His political support is given to the democratic party and he keeps thoroughly informed concerning the vital questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire office. He is a member of the Merchants & Manufacturers Association and he concentrates the greater part of his time and attention upon his business affairs. He has always continued in the line in which he embarked on starting out in the business world, his enterprise and determination have carried him to the goal of success and today he enjoys a well-earned reputation as being one of the foremost confectioners of the upper Mississippi valley.