The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-01-12
COL. w. STRONG
CALLEDBY DEATH
Prominent Resident Of Ke-
nosha Died at His Home
Wednesday Night.
WAS LEADER In CITY
Has Been Prominently Indenti-
fled with Balm Wagon Co.
for Forty Years.
(FrOm January 5th issue.l

with the social and industrial life of
the city for over half century, died at
his home on Congress street just after
nine o'clock Wednesday evening at the
age of sixty-nine years.
The announcement of the death of
Col. Strong came as great shock to
his friends and to the city at large as
few people had known of his critical
illness. He had been in failing health
for many months and for the past few
days he had been confined to his bed.
His wife, the sole surviving member
of his immediate family, was with him
when the final summons came.
He is also survived by his half-sister,
Miss Mary Blish, who made her home
The death Of Col. Strong will bring
extended sorrow in the city and county
as few men were more widely known
to the people of Kenosha county. He
had been active in many fields of en-
deavor in Kenosha during his long
residence here and had assumed such
prominent part in these many lines
Of work that his death brings personal
fsofrowa to- hundreds by whom he had
been intimately known and greatly
beloved.
For nearly forty years he had been
one of the leading executives of the
Balm Wagon company and he had been
close personal friend and confdant
of many of the men of larger vision
and wealth who had built up Kenosha.
Was Native of Chicago.
"a William Woleott Strong was a native
of Chicago and he was born there
March 8, 1852. He was a member of
one of the most distinguished of the
families which had part in the de-
velopment of America. His father was
William S. Strong and his mother AIDE
line Irwin Blish Strong, who was
daughter of Robert Irwin, who came
with his family to Green Bay in 1914
nand who was the ofrst man to be named
bpostni astef of wisconsin. aThe father Of
Col. Strong was at one time the partner
of Clarence Stedman, famous as poet
Col. Strong was a great-grandson of
| Governor Wolcott of Connecticut,
whose son, Oliver Wolcott, was one of
the signers of the Declaration of indie
pendence. William Strong, the father,
arrived in Southport in 1916 and was
one of the first presidents of the vii
lage. The father, of aColo Strong, was
prominently connected with the Balm
interests for years and both he and
his wife were prominent in the life
of Kenosha.
Educated at Northwestern.
Col. Strong was educated in the
schools of Kenosha, being one of the
early students of the famous old Ke-
nosha free school. Later he attended
Northwestern University at Evanston.
I'm 1872 he went to New Y ork and for.
Some time was connected with the Uni
versal Life Insurance company until
1879 when he returned to Kenosha and
ISOLATED in the study of law with the
late Joseph v. Quarles and the late
Charles Quarles. He was admitted to
the bar in 1881, but he never practiced
in the legal profession. In 1883 he
became identified with the business of
the Balm Wagon company and he con-
tinued his work with the company un-
til his death, during the forty years
acting as one of the leading officials
of the company.
Leader in Social Life.
The death of Col. Strong leaves a
vacancy in the social life of the city
which will be hard to fill. He was most
active in many lines of work for the
uplift of the city and its people and
gave a great deal of his time to this
work. He was active in the organiza-
ton and the upbuilding of many as
citations of the city. He was prob
ably the most prominent Mason in
Kenosha. His grandfather, Robert
Irwin, was the first Grand Master of
the Masons of Wisconsin and he
held membership in many of the Ma
sonic orders.
i His connection with the families of
the Revolution made him natural
leader in Wisconsin of the members
of the great patriotic organizations,
The Sons of the American Revolution
and the Society of the Colonial Wars,
and he was prominent in the activities
of both of these organizations. He was
the founder of the Kenosha Society of
the. Sons of the American Revolution.
Was Leader of Democracy.
The deceased was for many years
regarded as the leader of the Democra-
tic party in Kenosha and in this sec
ton of Wisconsin. He did not seek
public Office, but was active in the
councils of the party, serving as dele
gate to several national conventions
4 and being for some time member of
the State Central committee of the
Democratic party. When George w.
Peck was elected governor of Wiscon-
sin he named Col. Strong as abide
camp with the rank of colonel
He served as a member of the COM
mon council of Kenosha for a number
of years and one of his most notable
contributions to the life of his home
city was his long and painstaking
/ service as member of the Board Of
Commissioners of the Gilbert M. Sim
mons library. He took great interest
in the DEVELOPMENT of educational