Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 2 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 6

William Watson Allis was a man of most scholarly attainments and patriotic devotion to community, commonwealth and country. Milwaukee profited largely by his efforts in many directions and mostly along those cultural lines which lift the individual above the merely sordid things of life. He was a native son of Milwaukee, born November 14, 1849, and his entire life was passed in this city, where from early youth to the time of his demise he commanded and enjoyed the respect and confidence of all. He was the eldest son of Edward Phelps Allis, one of Milwaukee's honored pioneer business men and manufacturers, and he carried to still larger fields the business instituted and directed by his father. His public school education was supplemented by study in Markham's Academy and in Little Blue Academy at Farmington, Maine. For a time he was also a student in Franklin, New York, under his uncle, Henry Callahan. He then entered into business with his father, and after assuming the duties of a salesman for a short time he was promoted to sales manager of the flour mill department of his father's institution. After the death of his father William W. Allis became president of The Edward P. Allis Company, due to his alertness in matters pertaining 10 sales and finance, and after The Edward P. Allis Company sold its interests to the present Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Mr. Allis was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, which position he resigned in a short time on account of his health.

On the 14th of November, 1877, Mr. Allis was married to Miss Mary Simmons Phillips, a daughter of George A. and Mary (Nazro) Phillips, who were natives of Boston and came to Milwaukee soon after the close of the Civil war. They cast in their lot with the pioneer residents of the city and long occupied a position of social prominence here. Mr. Phillips, too, was a dominant figure in business circles. He was associated with a Mr. Stone in the hardware trade under the firm style of Stone & Phillips, recognized as leading merchants of the city.

Mr. Allis was distinctly a home man and found his greatest enjoyment at his own fireside with his family. During the summer and autumn months they spent their time at their beautiful summer home, Alden Wood, on the banks of Nemahbin lake, in one of the most picturesque spots in all Wisconsin. Upon the grounds are found nearly all varieties of timber native to this section of the country. Mr. and Mrs. Allis were members of the Unitarian church and the former was a lifelong republican, giving unfaltering allegiance to the party and its principles. He passed away October 10, 1918, but many years will have been added to the cycle of the centuries ere his name ceases to be a household word among the many friends who knew, loved and honored him. He was a man of most kindly disposition and refined taste. He found the greatest enjoyment in literature and in his home at No. 526 Marshall street he had a splendid library, containing one of the finest collections of rare editions and autographed copies of books in the country, including one which bears the autograph of Queen Victoria. He read most widely and along many lines. He contributed most generously to all patriotic calls and there was no good work done in the name of charity or religion that sought his aid in vain. There was no resident of Milwaukee who took a more intense and kindly interest in educational problems and in all the questions relative to the school system of the city. Nor was he unappreciative of the social amenities of life. On the contrary, anything that pertained to his fellowmen was of interest to him. He belonged to the Milwaukee Club, the Town Club, the Milwaukee Country Club and the Athletic Club. Because of the natural refinement of his nature he shunned anything gross or common and sought out those things which add to the beauty and to the cultural values of life. Association with him meant expansion and elevation.