Gettleman Brewing Company
Compiled and Edited by Michael R. Reilly,copyright 1996
Last Revised 08/16/2015
GETTELMAN, Adam, a resident of Wauwatosa, and presidentand treasurer of the A. Gettelman Brewing company, was born in Germantown,Washington county, Wis., April 27th, 1847. His father, Peter Gettelman, was anative of Germany, a farmer by occupation, and, with the thrift so oftenexemplified among people of his nationality, prospered in material matters, andat the time of his death was in very comfortable circumstances. A. Gettelman’smother, whose maiden name was Catherine Holl, was also a native of Germany, andthe worthy companion of her prosperous husband.
A. Gettelman received his education in thepublic schools of his native place, which seem to have been efficient, as he hadno other school training, and as he seems to have there [image: ADAM GETTELMAN.]laid the foundation of a successful business career. After leaving school hebegan, in November, 1865, an apprenticeship at the brewing business, andmastered all departments of beer-making; so that when the company wasestablished for the control of the Menomonee brewery he was placed at its head.This company has attained a prominence among Milwaukee breweries as themanufacturer of a superior quality of beer, for its “natural process bottlebeer” and for its “hospital tonic.” While the plant is by nomeans as large as some of Milwaukee’s notable breweries, it is steadily makingits way toward the front rank among establishments of the kind, and is doing alarge and prosperous business.
Mr. Gettelman was married November 24th,1870, to Miss Magdalena Schweickhart. Six children have been born to them, theeldest of whom, Katie, is married to Albert J. Kraatz, and Mr. Gettelman is nowa grandfather. The other children are Misses Emma, Amanda, Elfrieda and MastersWillie and Frederick, and a very happy household they form.
Other Reference Sources: AmericanBreweries II by Dale P. Van Wieren; The Register of United StatesBreweries 1876-1976, Vol. I & II, by Manfred Friedrich & DonaldBull; The Pabst Brewing Company – The History of an American Brewer byThomas C. Cochran; Breweries of Wisconsin by Jerry Apps; BadgerBreweries: Past & Present by Wayne L. Kroll.; Men of Progress.Wisconsin. (pages 115-149) A selected list of biographical sketches andportraits of the leaders in business, professional and official life. Togetherwith short notes on the history and character of Wisconsin.
Some Göttelmann history: (Researched by Donald Joseph Schulteis with assistance from Emmy (Jung) Kinkead and Donna (Gettelman) Kleinmann)
Peter and Katherine (Holl) Göttelmann
Peter Göttelmann married Catherine Holl about 1836 in the old country, Hesse-Darmstadt. To this union were born Jacob in 1837 and Katherine in 1840. It is reported in a family publication that Peter, Catherine, their son and daughter, and Katherine’s father Jacob Holl emigrated to the new world arriving in Milwaukee and on to the Township of Germantown. On 1 November 1841 we find Peter and Catherine purchasing 80 acres of land in Township 9 North, Range 20 East, Section 26 identified as the W1/2 of the NE quarter. A land patent was issued for this land on 3 March 1843. The land today would be identified to the southeast corner of Mequon and Pilgrim Roads. Catherine’s father, three days before had purchased 160 adjacent acres to the west in Section 27 known as the NE quarter. We also find Jacob’s wife Maria and their son Jacob Jr. in Germantown at this time.
In the Township of Germantown were born their sons Peter, Ludwig, Adam, and Johannes and a second daughter Elizabeth. Peter died in 1887 and Catherine in 1883. Both are buried in St. Paul United Church of Christ Cemetery in Menomonee Falls under the name Gettelmann.
The family name changed over the decades. Upon entry to the United States you will find it as Göttelmann. In 1892, plat maps show it as Goettelmann but more likely you will see it as Gettelmann. In 1915 it had become Americanized to Gettelman and by which spelling we know the family today.
Jacob, the first born in 1837 in Hesse-Darmstadt, had a falling out with his father and departed the homestead when he was 24 years. He was known to have lived in Iowa and Arkansas. Jacob married and to he and his wife were born five children the last named Lawrence. His wife died in 1882. Sometime after leaving the homestead, Jacob changed his name to Ilea and in 1889 he died and was buried in Huntington, Arkansas. For many years the father Peter and later his brother Adam had attempted to find him and reconcile the situation but to no avail. On his deathbed, Jacob asked his youngest son Lawrence to contact the family and let them know he had died. It was at this time Jacob’s family became aware of their father’s birth name. A grave marker was erected by his brother Adam with the inscription reading Jacob Ilea Gettelman.
Their second child was Katherine born in 1840 in the old country.
Peter was their first child born in the Township of Germantown in 1843, married in 1868 to Charlotte Jung, daughter of Johann Jung and Eva Marie Borngasser, at Christ Evangelical Church in Dheinsville. To this family were born: Katharine 1868-1869; Justine Lina who married William Schuckmann; Johannes who married Anna Hubenthal; Philipp who married Amanda Rosener; Adam; Eva who married William Wetterau; Jacob who married Helen Severenz; and Louisa who married Charles Wiskershen. The homestead land passed into the hands of his son Peter Jr. In 1915 it was in the hands of his grandson John Gettelman and by 1929 was no longer in Gettelman hands. Peter died in 1896 and Charlotte in 1912. Both are buried in St. Paul United Church of Christ Cemetery, Menomonee Falls.
Son Ludwig, the fourth of their children, was born in 1846. He was also known as Lewis. Ludwig married Bertha Petzold, daughter of Andreas and Justine Petzhold of the Town of Granville. In 1873 we find the family owning a farm along Mequon Road located a quarter mile west of the Gettelmann homestead. A plat map would have 80 acres identified as the W1/2 of the NE quarter in Section 27 along with an adjacent 40 acres to its west known as the SE quarter of the NW quarter. The 80 acres had belonged to his grandfather Jacob Holl. To this family were born: John who married Ida Kolb; Louis who married Emma Hahndorf; Louisa who married George Pritchard; Peter who married Katie Henrich; Katherine who married Marshall Connors; George who married Elsie Kletti; Edward who married Anna Klug; Ira who married Anna Umhoefer; Henry who married Maria Dhein, daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth (Schowalter) Dhein, and who together established a farm in Dheinsville at the southwest corner of Maple and Holy Hill Roads. (a portion of this Dheinsville farm remains in the hands of Gettelman descendants); and the twins Alvina and Alfred. Ludwig died in 1912 and Bertha in 1932. Both are buried in Last Home Cemetery, Germantown.
In 1892 Ludwig’s land had been divided and was in the hands of his sons Lewis and Peter. In 1915, Lewis’ land had passed on to Edward and Peter’s land to Ira. Edward remained in possession of his land in 1929 while Ira’s land, at that time, was no longer in Gettelman hands.
Adam was their fifth child and born in the Township of Germantown in 1847. He married Magdalena Schweickhardt, daughter of Georg, in 1870 and to them were born: Katherine who married Albert Kraatz; Emma who married Mr. Steinman; Amanda who married Mr. Wollaeger; William; Frederick who married Louise Starke; Elfrieda who married Herbert Currie; and Johannes. Adam went on to take over control of the Schweickhardt Brewery (1877) and renamed it A. Gettelmann and later A. Gettelman Brewing Company, Milwaukee. William succeeded his father as the brewery director (1925), then came his son Fred (1929) and his sons Fred (1939)/Tom(1941) assuming the duties. Adam died in 1925 and was buried under the name Gettelman.
Next came Elizabeth in 1849 followed by Johannes, the last child of Peter and Katherine. Johannes was born 1855. In 1880 he married Mary Graf, daughter of Georg and Mary, and to them were born five children: Elsa Maria in 1882 who married Edward Schmidt; Juliana Christine in 1884 who married Henry Pickhardt; G. Maria in 1886, Josephine in 1887 who married Chester Henrizi; and Helena Louise 1890-1893. Johann died in 1915 and his wife Mary had died in 1886. Both are buried in St. Paul United Church of Christ Cemetery in Menomonee Falls under the name Gettelmann.