SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Joseph Wolter, Page 641

JOSEPH WOLTER, of the firm of Rieboldt, Wolter & Co., shipbuilders of Sheboygan, and Secretary of the Sheboygan Dredge and Dock Company, has been a resident of the Chair City since 1885.  (For description of shipbuilding business, see sketch of the senior partner, August Rieboldt.)  The subject of this sketch was born in Milwaukee, Wis., May 17, 1837, and is a son of William and Catherine Wolter.  His parents were born near Minster, Hanover, and emigrated to America in 1844.  They settled in Milwaukee, where the father still resides, the mother having died in 1890.

    Joseph Wolter was educated in the parochial schools of his native city, and served a regular apprenticeship to the trade of ship-carpenter in the yards of Wolf & Davidson, of that city.  He was employed with that company for fourteen years, and for six years of that time held the responsible position of foreman.

    On the 18th of May, 1880, he was married, in Milwaukee, to Miss Regina Sery, who was a native of the Cream City, and a daughter of Henry Sery.  Mrs. Wolter died May 18, 1888, leaving three children:  Agnes, Charles and Joseph.

    Mr. Wolter was again married, in Milwaukee, on the 24th of September, 1890.  His present wife was Miss Augusta Ferger, her birthplace being Chicago.  Two children were born of the latter union, daughters, Katie and Eleanore.  Mr. and Mrs. Wolter are members of the Catholic Church.  In politics, he is independent.

    Mr. Wolter was one of the incorporators of the Sheboygan Dredge and Dock Company, of which he is Secretary.  That company was incorporated in 1890, with a paid-up capital of $80,000.  Their plant includes two barge-dredges, six scows, one tug, and a general outfit for dredging and harbor-making.  The officers are as follows:  Oley Groh, President; Conrad Starcke, Vice-President; Joseph Wolter, Secretary; and E. E. Pantzer, Treasurer.  This company gives employment to about thirty men.

    While Mr. Wolter was been a resident of Sheboygan but eight years, he has won a foremost place as an enterprising and reliable business man, and is actively identified with two important industries of the city that furnish employment to a large number of men, as before stated.