Bio: Kreutzer, Hon. Andrew Lawrence (1862 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kreutzer, Johnson, Rietbrook, Halsey, Bird, Rosenberry, Knox

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Kreutzer, Hon. Andrew Lawrence (30 August 1862 - 19??)

 Hon. Andrew Lawrence Kreutzer

Of the younger set of men who became prominent in the political and business life of Marathon County, none achieved more distinction than Hon. A. L. Kreutzer. After entering public life as district attorney, having been elected as a Republican in a strong Democratic county, he rose steadily to higher honors. Elected as senator for the twenty-fifth senatorial district of Wisconsin, composed of the counties of Marathon and Clark, he encountered the opposition, not only of the Democratic party, but of a faction of his own party, because of his refusal to yield blindly to the behest of some self -constituted party leader, and evincing a commendable spirit of independence in matters not strictly party affairs. His course having been vindicated by a second nomination and reelection to that high office, he withdrew from political life after the expiration of his second term, for a time at least, giving his undivided attention to the organization and the management of the business of the Wisconsin Valley Trust Company, in which he was singularly successful.

The establishment of the Marathon County Training School for teachers and the Agricultural School is his work, for which he cannot be too highly commended. He belongs to that class of young men who are pushing ahead in public business affairs to make Wausau and Marathon county one of the wealthiest in the state.

He was born in Germantown, Wis., August 30, 1862, a son of Andrew Kreutzer. In 1865 his father removed with his family to Grafton, Wis., where he was engaged in the milling and lime business, remaining there until 1879. He then removed to Athens in this county, being accompanied by twenty-five or thirty young men, residents of Grafton, who assisted him in building the first sawmill at Athens. He was a pioneer of that locality and was interested with Johnson, Rietbrook & Halsey, who were the owners of large tracts of timber lands in the western part of the county. He established a large farm, the old homestead of which is now within the limits of Athens, and in which one of his sons now resides. He came to an untimely death in 1896, owing to an explosion of dynamite. Of his family of nine sons and three daughters all are now living with the exception of two.

Andrew Lawrence Kreutzer was educated in a common school of the state and taught school from 1884 to 1888. He commenced the study of law in Wausau, to which city he came in 1888, attended the State University in 1889 and 1890, being admitted to practice in the latter year. He is a senior member of the well known law firm of Kreutzer, Bird, Rosenberry & Okoneski, president of the Bank of Athens, president of the Wisconsin Valley Trust Company, and connected with many other business enterprises. He is a member of a good many social clubs. A Republican in politics, he has taken a prominent part in the councils of his party and has served as a member of the Legislature, as State Senator. Few men are better known or have taken a more prominent part in promoting the commercial development of this section.

In 1 89 1 Mr. Kreutzer was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Knox, daughter of Samuel Knox, who was then engaged in the lumber business in the city of Wausau. They have two children living ? Ruth Knox Kreutzer and Samuel Knox Kreutzer. Mrs. Kreutzer, a graduate of the State University herself, is a prominent member of the Ladies' Tuesday Musical Club, of the Ladies' Literary Society, and also of the Ladies' Club of her church society.