Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-02-24
DEATH OF JACOB k0LTEK,

wednesday morning at about nine
o'clock, Jacob Kolter, who had been q
resident of this county for the past forty
six years died of pneumonia at his home
west of the city. He wasill but short
time and few days previous had been
hauling ice and caught severe cold.
which dev .loped into the fatal disease
which put an end to his earthly career,
and from the time be was taken sick he
failed rapidly.
Jacob Kolter was one of the best
known men in this city and county
He was born in the village of Rhein,
Province of Bavaria, Ger, Aug 10, 1884,
and at the age of twelve wears, emf
grated to this country. He came to
Wausau in 1857, remaining two years
and then went to Missouri and Illinois,
where he spent two more years. Re-
turning he engaged in the bakery busi-
ness and later established drug store
and then bought stock of agricultural
implements. In all of these enter
prises. he was successful At chat time
the town was lackingin hall of ade-
quate proportions for public entertain
ments and amusements and realizing
this, ne in 1869 built a hall at the cor
ner of Third anu Maashington streets.
known as Music Hall and which served
it's purpose and for number of years
was one of the most imposing structures
in town. 1t was at that time removed
from the business portion, but Mr.
Kolter foresaw what afterwards proved
true, that the block would in time be
located in the city's business centre.
La his business ventures up to this time
Mr.. Kolter was successful and made
money and acquired great deal of
property. He owned the Music Hall
site, handsome home on Grand Ave,
and farming lands east and west of the
city.
la the early SOS, by chance, some iron
was found on his property north of
town and this proved his undoing. He |
began to prospect and for time it ap |
peared that iron in paying quantities
could be mined on this property and
he sunk much of his capital in develop |
ment At one time, enough ore was
taken out to make up car load. The |
ore was loaded into wagons, gayly be- |
decked, and hauled through the town |
in parade formation, MIR. Kolter lead
ing The day was made one OF holiday. |
Bands played, cannons doomed. speech
es were made and the citizens saw
vision of development such as later
and Bessemer, following the discovery |
of iron on the Gogebic range. After a
little further work, however, the ore
played out, but Mr. K0lter did not be-
come discouraged and from time to
time prosecuted further operations,
shaking much money and getting no
returns. His accumulations of years
were swept from him, and he had
reached that period where the chances
of regaining his fortune in other pur
suits were few He turned his energies
toward establishing quartz mill, but
there WAS little demand for the product |
was elected city treasurer and served |
three years when he retiredfrom politics.
He still retained ownership to little |
property west of the city, and settling |
on this with his family, he endeavored
to cut a farm out of wilderness and |
had partly succeeded, when he died.
He had excellent buildings, good stock
and was getting along nicely
Few men coming into this section
were more worthy of the esteem, friend
ship ard respect with which Mr. Kolter |
was neld by our people. In prosperity
or i'll fortune he WAS the same genial /
Jacob Kolter, never losing courage, |
and in adversIty's darkest hour he bore
his feelings with fortitude seldom
witnessed. AS citizen he was allied |
To public enterprises and when able, |
gave his time and money to their sue
cessful working out. As a neighbor he |
had few equals and the memory of his |
charitable acts will be lasting testi
monial of his worth. AS father and
husband ne was the personitication of
home love and felicity. He was married I
to Miss Bertha, Janke Dec. lst, 1867, who
survives him as do six children, whose |
names are as follows Mrs. +. Z. |
Werhahn. Mrs. Otto Erueger, Emma
( Rosa A George r and jacob II
All are residents of the city except |
Jacob who lives at Racine, aud who
did not reach home before his fathers /
death. The funeral was held Saturday /
AFTERNOON from the home, and the re-
mains were followed to the cemetery by |
a large concourse of Sorrowing friends /
Rev f Schaer coeducled the services,
and the pail bearers were all old citi-
zens.