The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-12-25
JOHN SCHUETTE DEAD


at the home of Otto Alter, his own
home near by being under quarantine
because of the illness of a maid Mr..
Schuette had been sick only one day,
the end coming through an attach OF
heart failure. He had just completed
plans for severing all business connec-
tons and was planning to spend the
rest of the winter in Florida with his
daughter Gesine. He was in the har-
ness to the last, and had been at the
bank Friday transacting business, APP
parently in his usual health.
Mr.. Schuette was born at Delman-
horst near Bremen in September, 1887,
and came to America and to Manlto-
woe with his father in lSf9. lie has
ever since resided here. He assisted his
father in little store when boy and
at an early age assumed charge and
ever since, for sixty years, shas been
active in management of business en-
terprises. He, years ago, severed his
connection with the big department
store he had founded and confined his
activities to banking, -four milling and
the electric utility business. He built
the electric lighting system of the city
and it was model, as was his bank, IN
its treatment of patrons. He sold the
utility to the city in 1912 and long
since turned his Touring mill interests
over to his sons. But he seemed re-
luctant, as age overlook him, to let go
at the bank, an institution that was his
pride. He also retained place on the
directorate of the East Wisconsin
Trustee company and took an active
interest in its affairs.
He never lost his keen interest in
public affairs. He never followed a
beaten track of thought unless it ap-
pealed to his reason and the originality
of his ideas on many public questions,
were sometimes surprising. His logical
habit of mind and independent initi-
ative that made him success in every
field of business activity that he en-
tered, made his expression of opinion
on matters of public concern usually
unassailable. He delighted in later
wears to give expression to these opin-
ions formed in the contemplative at
mosphere of a partial retirement with
an unusally long lifetime of varied ex-
perience to draw on. He served many
years ago as state senator and served
the city five terms as mayor in his
middle years.
He loved and believed in his city and
of his many philanthropies the public
knows little. They know he donated
and kept up the beautiful little River
view park near his home but of his
private benevolences he made no
parade.
His wife, formerly Rose StauSS,
welded to him in 1867, died in 1904.
She was the "Rose" of his volume of
"reminiscences published to teach thrift
to the young some years ago. His de
votion to her memory has been touch
ing to his intimates.
He is survived by five children;
Louis, Edwin and Gesine of his city,
Mrs. Robert Walker of Menominee,
Mich, and Mrs. Charles Babcock of
Milwaukee.
The funeral was private and was
held from the late home Tuesday with
interment at Evergreen.
The last two years has seen many
of the leaders in Manitowoc business
and professional life pass from the
scene only few of whom had attained
tothe prophets three score and ten.
3 Among them were Fred Schuette, Al
bert Schuette, Thomas Torrlson,
Isaac Cratic, William Rahr, DR.. l..
Falge and Cornelius Madison and now
the dean of the city's business circle
moves on. He was the sole figure link
with the "before the war" era. John
was the real founder of the present
Schuette interests. The business was
laid on the foundation of stern probity.
You did not deal with John Schuette
many times before you knew instinct
lively that honor was his watchword'
In banking his reputation for scrupu-
lous righteousness made him an instant
success and his practical mind and
astute business sense maintained the
success. When banking institutions
went down around him, in the early
9O's his bank rode the hurricane un-
scathed. As the bank grew to be big
institution it never lost what one might
vaguely describe as the human ele-
ment. In its walls you were not in the
presence of an impersonal, systematic
money making machine, but in the
company-of friends who seemed to
deem it favor to be permitted to be
of service.
1t bewilders one to try to picture the
development of Manitowoe and Wis
consin from lS49 to 1919 which John
Schuette saw and to which he in no
small measure contributed. From tiny
frontier settlements in the wilderness
great hives of industry have grown,
and it was no doubt largely because of
his supreme love for America, the