Adolph Wahle

This house at 98 Broad Street was built between 1870 and 1874 by Adolph Wahle

ADOLPH WAHLE, a well known flour and feed dealer of Menasha, was born in the city of Niedermarsberg, province of Westphalia, Prussia, September 4, 1838, son of Anton and Frederica Wahle. His father and mother were natives of Prussia, in which the former died in 1861, and where the latter is still living. He attended school between the ages of six and fourteen, and soon after quitting school he began to learn cabinet-making. At the end of three years he passed a successful examination, and at then age of nineteen he began to learn the trade of a millwright. He worked at this in summer and in winter was employed at architecture and draughting, and continued in that way three years. This brought him up to the year 1860, when he returned home, and for a period of seven years operated a grist mill which was owned by his father, and which was left by him when he died, in 1861. In 1867 he emigrated to America, and after a few weeks spent visiting friends in New York city and Buffalo, N. Y., he came to Wisconsin and joined his brother, Frank Wahle, at Stevens Point. A few weeks later he accompanied his brother to Oshkosh, where the latter built the present Union brewery of that city. Our subject, however, did not remain at Oshkosh, but in the course of a few days he went to Menasha and there became employed in a grist-mill. At the end of three years he became one of the owners of a grist-nill at that plce. His partner's name was Alexander McGinty. After renting a mill two years, they purchased the Coral Flouring Mill at Menasha, and operated it until the fall of 1881 when they sold it to Alexander Syme. That same year,  Wahle, along with McGinty, would receive a patent for an improvement in roller-grinding milling of cereals.  In the meantime in the latter part of 1879, and the early part of 1880, they built a grist-mill at Marinette, this state, to which place Mr. Wahle, moved and took charge of the property in the fall of 1881. In 1886 he sold his interest in that property and at once returned to Menasha. On July 1st, 1887, he opened up a flour and feed store in Menasha, which he has since conducted. He was married in June, 1868, to Matilda Muelenbein, who is also a native of the city of Niedermarsberg, Prussia, born in 1839, daughter of Bernhard and Gertrude Muelenbein. Mr. and Mrs. Wahle were acquainted in the old country, and were engaged to be married before the former eame to America. It was arranged by them that Mr. Wahle should find a home for himself in America and then send for his future wife, which he did. They have had three children: Minnie, Katie and Rosa, of whom Rosa died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Wahle are members of the Catholic church. He belongs to the Catholic Knights, and in politics is a staunch democrat. He possesses industry, honesty and integrity, and other qualities which are necessary to an upright and successful life. He is a genial, sociable man and a first class citizen.

 

Wahle died in 1901.

 

from Randall, Geo. A. / Illustrated Atlas of Winnebago County, Wisconsin : containing outline map of the county, map of each township in the county, with village and city plats. (1889)

 

US Patent Office graphic of Adolph Wahle's patent