Bio: Kraatz, Louis (1852 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kraatz

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

Kraatz, Louis (1852 – 19??)

LOUIS KRAATZ President of the Wausau Foundry and Machine Shops, at Wausau, is at the head of a large business enterprise, in which he is mainly interested with other members of his family. He was born in 1852, in the city of Milwaukee, Wis., and is a son of Manoel Kraatz. After his school days Louis Kraatz entered his father's machine shop at Milwaukee and in his native city learned his trade in a very thorough manner and prior to coming to Wausau, some ten years ago, was engaged there as a machinist. On June 18, 1903, the John A. Frenzel Iron Works were purchased, the name changed the same year, and the concern incorporated as the Wausau Foundry and Machine Shops, the officers of the company being: Louis Kraatz, president; Mrs. Bertha Kraatz, vice-president; Albert J. Kraatz, secretary and treasurer; Carl Kraatz, the second son, is also a member of the firm. The plant is finely equipped, fitted with expensive modern machinery. In the woodwork department skilled workmen make all the patterns and frames for their machines and gasoline engines are also built, the plant turning out all kinds of machinery and doing repair work of every description. Mr. Kraatz and sons are all practical machinists and they keep a force of nine men employed in the works. The younger son, Carl Kraatz, is a graduate of the engineering department, of the class of 1911, of the University of Wisconsin. This is one of the most stable and prosperous industrial plants at Wausau.