Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 4 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 17

A representative business man of Milwaukee is Harry Banks Mortimer, vice president of the American Electric Motors, Incorporated. He was born in Milwaukee, on the 24th of January, 1895, a son of Arthur and Rosalind (Kohlman) Mortimer, both natives of this city. The grandfather, Charles Mortimer, was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to the United States with his wife and family in 1850. The Mortimer family were prominent in England for many hundreds of years. Charles Mortimer was a veteran of the Civil war, having served throughout that conflict in the Union army. Mrs. Mortimer was a daughter of Anton Kohlman, a native of Berlin, Germany, who came to the United States about the year 1840. He was for many years captain of a ship plying between New York and Bremen.

Harry Banks Mortimer received his early education in the Milwaukee public schools and after graduating from the East Side high school with the class of 1914 he enrolled in Marquette University and remained a student there for two years. He left the university to enter the army, enlisting on the 31st of May, 1917, before the draft. He was assigned to Base Hospital, No. 22, at Milwaukee, and sent to France after a short period of training at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. He sailed for France on the 2nd of June, 1918, on the Baltic and landing at Liverpool, proceeded to La Havre and thence to Bordeaux. He was then assigned to camp headquarters and had charge of the telephone station for about eleven months, or until April, 1919, when he returned to the United States on board the transport, Henderson. From Camp Merritt he was sent to Camp Grant, where he received his honorable discharge. Mr. Mortimer has always been interested in electricity and in 1916 and the early part of 1917 was an employee of the Allen-Bradley Company, receiving training in every department until he was promoted to the position of assistant sales manager. The experience received in that connection and from his previous work well fitted him for the duties given him in the army. Upon his discharge he returned to the Allen-Bradley Company, in the same capacity and remained with them until September, 1919, when he became associated with the Milwaukee Tank Works in a like position. In July, 1920, upon the organization of the American Electric Motors, Incorporated, he resigned that position to become vice president of the new concern. The business is incorporated and the company manufactures alternating current, squirrel cage, induction type motors, ranging from one to twenty horsepower inclusive, in five different types, viz: Sleeve bearing, enclosed; sleeve bearing, open: ball bearing, enclosed and open and the vertical type enclosed and open. The big feature of the motor is the removable stator, a single piece, non-freezeable bronze bearing without set screws and improved end ring details. Carl L. Daun is president of the company and Walter M. Sprinkman, secretary and treasurer.

On the 16th of December, 1919, Mr. Mortimer was united in marriage to Miss Adelaide Kasten, a daughter of Oscar Kasten, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Milwaukee. Her grandfather was Charles Kasten, a brother of Fred Kasten. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer, James Kasten Mortimer, whose natal day was the 26th of November, 1920.

Mr. Mortimer gives his political support to the republican party but has never taken an active interest in its affairs, preferring to cast his support with that party having the soundest principles, in his humble estimation. His religious faith is that of the Immanuel Presbyterian church and fraternally he is a Mason, having membership in Lafayette Lodge, No. 265. He is likewise a member of Omicron Kappa Pi, a national college fraternity. He is president of the Junior Division, Milwaukee Association of Commerce, which he and a few of his associates organized in 1920, and from a membership of six it has increased to over twelve hundred. He is a director in the Milwaukee Association of Commerce and third vice president of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Mortimer turns to the great out-of-doors for his recreation and his hobby is trout fishing. He is a typical business man of the present day, alert and enterprising, determined and prosperous, and in the midst of his important and growing business interests he finds time for the social pleasures of life.