Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Weber, Dairy Company ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 28, 2008, 11:53 pm Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907 WEBER DAIRY COMPANY. The business of the Weber Dairy Company has grown to extensive proportions, being one of the leading enterprises of this character in Will county. The partners are John J. Weber and F. X. Assmann. The business was established by John Jacob Weber, who came from Switzerland in 1881 and in 1882 located at Channahon. He was a farmer in Switzerland, his native country, and ere his emigration to the new world he wedded Ida Brandle, who was born in Germany. Jacob Weber and his eldest son, Al J. Weber, preceded the other members of the family to America by some months. In 1883 the father came to Joliet and located at the corner of Wilcox and Exchange streets. He began the dairy business with two cows, selling milk to his neighbors. Later he bought property on Exchange and John streets. For three years he worked in the steel mills and during that period developed his dairy business by the purchase of an additional cow as his financial resources permitted. In this way he secured seventeen cows and then, determined to give his entire attention to dairying, he removed to the Julian Kraus farm on Chicago street, residing there for a year. This was about 1886. He then had twenty-six cows and he removed to the Lochran farm three miles northwest of Joliet on the Plainfield road in 1889. There he resided for fourteen years, after which he again took up his abode in Joliet, establishing a milk depot in 1891 on North Hickory street, which is the headquarters of the present firm. John Jacob Weber remained active in business after his return to Joliet but for the past three years has been retired. He and his wife are yet residents of this city, however, aged respectively seventy-one and fifty-eight years. They have seven living children: Al J., Joseph A., John J., Anton, Mrs. Hildegard Assmann, Anna and Mary, all of whom are residents of Joliet with the exception of Joseph. The eldest son, Al J. Weber, became active in business, managing the depot alone at Joliet from 1895 until 1897. He was then joined by his brother, Joseph A., who was with him for two years, but in 1899 Joseph A. Weber took up the study of law and is now a practicing attorney in Chicago. In 1898 he sold his interest to his father, who in turn sold an interest to John J. Weber of the present firm. Al J. and John J. Weber then continued the business from 1899, running separate routes, however, the latter having the North Hickory street stand at No. 411, while Al J. Weber is still operating a milk dairy on Exchange street. John J. Weber conducted the Hickory street depot alone until May 1, 1906, when he formed a partnership with F. X. Assmann under the name of Weber Dairy Company. Since that time they have purchased several routes and greatly enlarged the business, now utilizing five wagons for the delivery of milk and handling from forty to forty-five cans of milk daily. The depot is equipped with up-to-date modern machinery, including separators, pasteurizers and bottling apparatus, as most of the retail customers are supplied with bottled milk. Both partners devote their attention to the business. Mr. Assmann acts as business manager and in the office are employed four men beside a lady clerk in a confectionery and ice cream parlor, which feature of their business was established in 1904. They own seven horses and rigs and stables which are convenient to the dairy. They also use a wagon in securing milk from the farmers and have on hand a continual supply of fresh milk. This is one of the largest enterprises of the kind in the county. F. X. Assmann was born in the state of Oldenburg. Germany, in 1877. He has a brother, Bernard Assmann, living at Portland, Oregon, and his parents were Henry and Bernardina (Robke) Assmann. The father died about twenty years ago, but the mother is still living in Germany. F. X. Assmann is the youngest of eight children. On coming to America he located in northwestern Iowa in 1894 and there taught school and engaged in bookkeeping for a few years. In 1897 he removed to Chicago, where he completed his own education. He spent six years as bookkeeper there and was thus engaged until he embarked in the present line of business as a member of the Weber Dairy Company. He married Miss Hildegard Weber, who was born in Switzerland, and they now have two children, Marguerite and Hildegard. John J. Weber is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Weber and Assmann families are communicants of the German Catholic church. The partners are men of good business enterprise and discernment, who are meeting with large and gratifying success in their undertaking. Additional Comments: PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/weber2706nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb