Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 4 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 31

For many years William M. Wolfe has been identified with the leading merchants of Milwaukee as president of the Wolfe-Sakols Company, formerly the Paris Skirt & Coat Manufacturing Company. Like many other prominent and successful men of Milwaukee he is a son by adoption, for his birth occurred on his father's farm in Germany, near the Belgian line, on Christmas day of the year 1875. His father, Leonard Wolfe, passed away in 1890. He was born in Lodz, Poland, and operated a large farm near there. He was an extensive cattle owner, having several hundred milch cows and was considered the largest farmer and cattleman in the district wherein he made his home. His wife was, before her marriage, Esther Rosenberg, a daughter of George Rosenberg, a prominent and successful merchant. Her family resided near Warsaw in Poland.

William M. Wolfe received his education in the local schools and under private tutors, his mother having brought him to the United States when he was five years of age. After putting his textbooks aside he made his initial step into the business world as clerk in a retail general store and remained in that connection until reaching man's estate. He then became a traveling salesman for a ready-made clothing concern, his territory including Texas and other southern states and he was active in that capacity for various concerns until 1908, when he determined to enter the business on his own account and located in Milwaukee and organized his present business. Until 1921 the business was operated under the name of the Paris Skirt & Coat Manufacturing Company, of which he was president, but the name has now been changed to the Wolfe-Sakols Company, with an increase in capital from twenty-five thousand dollars to fifty thousand dollars. Louis Sakols is secretary and I. G. Strauss, treasurer. When the company was first organized it occupied but two hundred square feet of floor space and employed but four men but later the business became so extensive as to necessitate larger quarters and the concern now occupies five thousand square feet and gives employment to seventy-five persons, besides four traveling salesmen. It turns out garments of a popular price and stylish make and profiting by its belief that satisfied patrons are the best advertisement, the company has built up a high-class and steadily increasing trade.

On the 28th of December, 1907, Mr. Wolfe was united in marriage to Miss Clara Strauss, a daughter of William Strauss. Her father was born in Germany and coming to this country at an early age located in Milwaukee, where he has won prominence and substantial success as a genera! merchant. Two sons have been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe: Leonard S. and Harold, both attending the public schools. Mrs. Wolfe is musical, being a pianist and vocalist of ability and she has often sung at the Temple and private gatherings. She is prominent in the club ana social circles of Milwaukee and devotes a great part of her time to the promotion of charitable and church work.

Since age conferred upon Mr. Wolfe the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the republican party but has never taken an active part in any of its affairs. The family are consistent members of the congregation of the Temple Emanuel and fraternally Mr. Wolfe is identified with Gillet Lodge, B'nai B'rith; Kilbourn Lodge, No. 3. P. & A. M., Masons; Kilbourn Chapter, No. 1, R. A. M.; and Milwaukee Lodge, No. 46, B. P. O. E. Mr. Wolfe has in every way identified his interests with those of his community and can be counted upon to do his part in furthering the public welfare. Thoroughness is one of his marked characteristics and as president of the company there is no phase of his business with which he is not familiar. He has a very wide and favorable acquaintance and occupies a position of prominence by reason of his business ability and standing, his social qualities and his public spirit.