Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 4 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 36

Milwaukee numbers among its progressive and representative business men, Bert Adam Stenz, president of the Stenz Electric Company, with headquarters at 455 East Water street. He is Milwaukee's son by adoption, his birth having occurred on his father's farm near Fond du Lac, this state, on the 26th of March, 1890. His grandfather, John Stenz, was born in Germany and came to this country as a boy with his parents. They located in Winnebago county and took up the land which is now being cultivated by August Stenz, who is one of the best known and most highly respected agriculturists of the community. The father of Bert Adam Stenz is August Stenz, who is now residing at Fond du Lac and is still active in his agricultural pursuits. He was born in Winnebago county in 1864 and has been a resident of Wisconsin since that time. He has taken a prominent part in public affairs and in addition to serving as road commissioner and a member of the school board, he was county clerk and has held various other offices of local interest. He is now financially independent, receiving a substantial income from his farms in Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties. Mrs. Stenz was, before her marriage. Miss Helen Braun. She is still living. She w-as a daughter of Peter Braun of Eden. Wisconsin, in which place she was born. Her father was a native of Germany, from which country he came to the United States as a boy and located in the town of Eden, Fond du Lac county.

Bert Adam Stenz received his education in the public schools of Fond du Lac county until he was thirteen years of age, when he put his textbooks aside and entered the employ of the Eastern Wisconsin Railroad & Light Company. Although employed throughout the day he devoted his evenings to the study of electricity, taking a correspondence course, and after two years of association with the company resigned and removed to Milwaukee. His ability and energy had won him constant promotion and when he severed connections with the company he had charge of the meter reading and testing department. He arrived in Milwaukee in 1906 and immediately entered business with the Herman Andrae Electrical Company as electrician. He remained in that capacity for but a short time when he was put in charge of construction of different jobs and after three years with the company resigned to go on the road for the Heil & Patterson Engineering Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, having charge of its electrical construction on coal rigging equipment. He was with this company for twenty-three months, when he returned to Milwaukee and for three years had charge of construction for the Milne Electric Company. In February, 1913, he and his brother, Paul H., organized the Stenz Electric Company and on the 1st of January, 1920, the company was incorporated with a capital stock of forty thousand dollars. Mr. Stenz became president of the organization and a brother, Peter R.. is treasurer. The corporation specializes in motors and power equipment, likewise motor repairing. They are distributors for the Western Electric, for whom they handle labor saving devices. They furnished the electric installations for the Ford Motor Plant in Milwaukee and the power plant for the John Obenberger Forge Company and their work is carried on extensively throughout the county. The corporation has just finished the installation of a power and lighting plant for the Belgium Shoe Company. When Mr. Stenz first launched into his business venture quarters were established at 68-70 Mason street, with a very limited capital. The business grew rapidly, however, due to his indefatigable energy and sound judgment and the business of the year 1920 totaled over a quarter of a million dollars, a more than substantial increase over the first year's volume, which amounted to thirteen thousand, eight hundred dollars. Six hundred square feet of space was all that was required upon organization but now the corporation occupies three floors at 455 East Water street, with sixty-eight hundred square feet of space.

On the 16th of June, 1915, occurred the marriage of Mr. Stenz and Miss Katherine Kristan, a daughter of Bernard Kristan of Chicago, Illinois, a retired farmer of Lake county, that state. He was born in Germany and came to this country at an early day. He was prominent in the public affairs of the community in which he resided and was mayor of North Chicago, county clerk and held various other offices. He is still living. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stenz two children have been born: Elizabeth Helen and Paul Peter. Mrs. Stenz is a woman of refinement and culture and highly educated. She attended a convent school at Waukegan and early began the study of the piano. She is likewise a painter in oil and water and has done some creditable portrait work. In the club and social circles of Milwaukee she is well-known and belongs to many women's organizations for church work and charity.

Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Stenz has been a stanch supporter of the republican party, in the activities of which he has, however, never taken an active part. The family are communicants of St. Sebastian's parish and fraternally Mr. Stenz is identified with the Knights of Columbus, Pere Marquette Lodge of Milwaukee and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. Along social lines he is a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Ozaukee Country Club and also the Electrical League and Jovians. For recreation he turns to hunting, fishing and golfing and he is likewise a great lover of music. Thoroughness is one of the marked characteristics of Mr. Stenz and he has mastered every detail of his own business. 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.