Niles Township Florists and Vegetable Growers
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NILES TOWNSHIP FLORISTS AND VEGETABLE GROWERS
The plant and ranges and acres of the Poehlmann Brothers, of Morton Grove, have made that beautiful village rank as the first in the world. It is generally conceded that the Poehlmann Brothers’ plant has grown and developed from a modest greenhouse to that ranked as the largest in the world. There are three plants, A, B, and C.
Mr. Joseph P. Brooks, humanitarian and special State Officer for the Prevention of Cruelty, grows all kinds of bedding plants besides tomato seedlings. You should see the wonderful snapdragons that he can grow, and these are some of the most beautiful beyond description. He can cultivate, like Luther Burbank, special varieties, and also originate strains. He is a real pioneer, being a son of Joseph Brooks and Miss Mary (Paroubek) Brooks, who cart here from Bohemia. At the tender age of seven, he began his present career, pulling weeds in the florist greenhouses of M.E. Page, Forest Glen and Chicago. The place has now changed hands.
He demonstrated his reliability and soon worked to the position of foreman for florists, one of which was Weiland & Resch. After being foreman at the Poehlmann Brothers' plants he started in the business for himself. Mr. Brooks on account of his honesty has unlimited credit, owns a fine concrete home, is famous for his fragrant stocks, snapdragons and mignonettes. He can scientifically graft any plant or tree as well as understand the most intricate mechanical machinery run in a greenhouse.
He is ably assisted at his wholesale outlet, 56 East Randolph Street, Chicago, by his wife, who is the daughter of Valentine Gabel, his son Harvey representing him at the neighboring cemeteries. Harvey always carries off prizes at the school exhibits, and is an amateur photographer.
Mr. George Harrer “grows a little of everything,” according to his partner wife. He is the grower of own seedlings, and assisted by two sons, although he prides himself upon a larger family.
He owns a well located spot and comfortable home. In his greenhouses he raises carnations, “mums”, callas, potted plants, sprengeri, ferns, mignonettes, and other growing plants. In 1886 he married Miss Mary Yehl, daughter of George Yehl who came here from Bavaria, Germany, in the fifties. He owns about 20,000 square feet of glass on an acreage of three and one-half, is a hard worker, and always for the interests of the town which he organized. Elsewhere is given more history of the family.
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Mr. and Mrs. William Fluegge, Jr., have been florist for more than twelve years. They are especially noted for the brilliant pansies and geraniums. Mr. Fluegge grows a side issue, besides all kinds of bedding plants. They have a comfortable and hospitable home.
Mrs. Fluegge is a decidedly humane woman, and her kindness and generosity are recognized. She has been appointed a special State Officer for the Prevention of Cruelty in this locality. Her pet, a well groomed Angora cat, is a prize winner.
Kroeger and Teegen understand the growing of potted plants. Mr. Teegen is an especially progressive man. Their nurseries and greenhouses are in a prospering state. Mr. Teegen has a fine daughter.
John Melzer has been collector and school director and a carpenter for twenty years. He is a son of the John Conrad Melzer who came from Bavaria, Germany, in 1853. He is a farmer and a florist on a small scale.
Fred M. Krueger, of Morton Grove, and former trustee and commissioner of public works, remembers the flag pole which was the mark of the center of Niles Township. It stood between Klehm Brothers’ Store and the Niles Center State Bank, that is, where the latter now stands. Mr. Krueger has always stood for good schools, and has been director for 26 years. He insists upon impartiality of the teachers toward pupils. His own family consists of six fine children. Mr. Krueger owns 32 acres of well tilled land. His specialty is onions and pickles. These are much in demand among the Chicago markets.
At the age of seventeen he, with a patched suit and well worn one, started out to make his fortune. He earned $120 per year and gradually reached $200. This man knows the value of a dollar, and now in the busy season employs sixty workers. His mother, a widow, came from Mechlenberg, Germany, in 1870, when the Franco-Prussian war was at its worst.
Mr. Krueger first rented the John Schwartz farm, constantly improving it. He has now 32 acres, all tiled, paid for, and is a good example as a self-made man. He married the daughter of "Old" John Bruhn.
Mr. Edward H. Blameuser, son of the pioneer mentioned in the early history, owns one of the finest greenhouses in Niles Center. He has the reputation of being one of the most liberal hearted and
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sympathetic. His specialty is developing new varieties of flowers yearly. The one that has gained the widest popularity is his “Scarlet Joy”. He is also a grower of fine chrysanthemums. His family consists of five bright girls and two handsome boys. Christian Blameuser is also a greenhouse owner. John Reitmeier, east of Lincoln Avenue, grows carnations and sweet peas. Philip Trausch, Albert Lies, Nic Dahm, Peter Dahm, Peter and Nic Kircht, George Harrer are noted elsewhere. William Kutze, Nic Schuller, and Mike Zimmer, Luxemburgers, are here three years from Evanston. Henry Miller, the vegetable grower, and Cornelius Kellen, Emil Blameuser, Jacob Meyer, Emil Nelson own large places.
The Stielow Florists, pioneers in floriculture, are well known throughout this country. Mr. Fred Stielow, father of Fred, Walter, Arthur and William, comprise the firm of Stielow Brothers. He is a native of Prussia, Germany, and came to the United States 1869. He was an active florist in Boston for six and one-half years, when flowers were shipped from there to Chicago. He decided that it would be an economical venture to save express, and moved to Niles Center. He is now considered the pioneer grower of cut flowers as well as one of the first for the Chicago market.
March 14th, Mr. Stielow magnanimously turned the business , now grown to large proportions, over to his four capable sons. Plant A is devoted to carnations, callas, mignonettes, “mums” and bedding plants. Plant B, erected in the summer of 1911, is given entirely to roses. There were originally five houses, but they are being enlarged and added to continually.
Two of the Stielow sons are engaged at the rose garden greenhouse, while his remaining son is at the carnation plant in the heart of Niles Center. The new plant near the limits is filled with roses. Mr. Stielow is a large stockholder of the Chicago Flower Growers’ Association.
Toward Tessville, we visit the prosperous greenhouses of John Meier, who is the Village Clerk. Mr. Meier deserves to be esteemed, has a fine home and family. He has been in the business ten years, is public spirited. There is a spot in Niles Center, called “Lauterbach” where the ground was so wet that one was apt to lose shoes and stockings. This is where are found the ranges of Ludwig Schmitt and Herbert Baumann, the latter is assisted by his father, is growing high grade carnations in his own houses, having previously rented from Emil Blameuser, 1914-15. He is happy with his wife and little girl in his own, and deserves success.
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Herbert Baumann, who was born here, is the son of Bonifatz, now 73 years old, who has the distinction of being the first fisherman on the Chicago River. He came among the early settlers to a farm in Niles Township.
Ludwig Schmitt, the florist famous for carnations, is pronounced by Mr. Guy Fridley, the expert, as grower of the finest carnations in this section. He came here with his brother Hugo, some five years ago. The second day after their arrival here, the brother died, which was a most grievous loss, at this time, since the brothers were such warm friends. Mr. Ludwig Schmitt has been worthy of Hugo's confidence, since he has perpetuated his memory by producing the finest carnations that are grown anywhere. His son, Charles August, has made quite a local name for himself as an amateur photographer, some of the views in this book being his work, as well as the story of the florists and vegetable growers.
Michael Weber, of Tessville, is one of its organizers. Being an employee of the N.W.R.R., making runs between Fond du Lac and Chicago, he decided to locate here, and chose Tessville as a likely place for the future.
He is a trustee, and married into the family of early settlers, Miss Carrie Becker, daughter of Nicholas Becker. The Becker Ready Roofing and the Becker Asphaltum Roofing are well known for its good qualities. These young men are brothers of Mrs. Weber. Mr. Michael Weber is a successful, florist and vegetable grower of Tessville.
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Joseph Webber, former police magistrate, is recognized as a grower of fine radishes, celery and cabbages, although he is a regular truck gardener. He came here some 20 years ago, from Summerdale, Ravenswood, and rented property here.
He is now the owner of three acres of valuable land, which he bought from Frank Meier, corner East Prairie Avenue and Touhy. He is well pleased with the work of the Truck Gardeners’ Association, especially the good roads, which were impassable in the beginning. His sons, Theodore J. and Bernard J., are with him in his business. They have one daughter, Mrs. John Origer.
Nicholas Platz, assisted in the vegetable growing by his sons, Paul and Victor, came here in 1890 from Luxembourg. He is the owner of seven large greenhouses, each of which are 210 feet long. He has the largest vegetable houses in Niles Township, came here without a cent, and says that anyone who is willing can succeed in Niles Township.
Xavery Wojtkiewicz has been a florist for twenty-five years and he thoroughly understands his business. He grows some of the best cut flowers, which he supplies for the wholesale trade in Chicago. Mr. Wojtkiewicz came to America from Poland in 1888 and has been in Niles for eight years. For years he has been the official grave decorator of the St. Adalbert Cemetery, which is one of the largest Polish cemeteries in the West. Mr. Wojtkiewicz is a village trustee and has just erected some fine greenhouses, having sold his 'mer location to the Cemetery Association. He is a trustee and his new greenhouses were erected by the John C. Moninger Company.
He has a family of equally divided three boys and three girls, keeps the entire family busy in their employment. They have a prosperous business and he has worked and developed until he is considered wealthy. His lettuce and cucumber beds under glass are a picture for any artist to paint.
Mr. Franz O. Schroeder and his sons, Theodore F. and Arthur E., have one of the best managed and beautifully located nurseries around here. This 40-acre spot on Dempster Street embraces a miniature lake, alive with fish. The land is well drained, and formerly belonged to John Hoffmann.
After being a properly discharged officer with two years in the Franco-Prussian war, Mr. Schroeder came here in 1871, from Pomerania. Among his former acquaintances in Germany he recalls Otto von Bismarck, the late Iron chancellor, and von Moltke, both of who were his superiors in the army. He has a delightful Chicago residence at 2218 Clifton Avenue and one in Evanston. His honesty and reliability have established both a splendid reputation and business. His nursery contains thousands of rare and imported stock from Japan, France and other countries. There are thousands of perennials and hardy plants, to which he adds continually.
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He counts among his clients the best and most well known men, recommended by the State Entomologist for clean and healthy stock. His beautiful blue spruces and pines are admired at the Bismarck Gardens, at the homes of the German bankers and brewers as well as congressmen. George E. Adams will always have a word of praise for him.
The Frey Brothers, of Chicago, are well known in Niles Township. They have been in the coal business since 1892. These men have gained a reputation for honesty, good weight and coal. They supply the florists and vegetable growers with more coal than all other firms, outside of Springer Coal Company put together.
George and William Frey were born and raised near Wheeling and have warm friends all through Niles Township. George Miller, grandparent on the maternal side, came from Alsace Lorraine, and sd on the homestead which is now the Grove School, at Schermerville, or rather just west of it. He came in 1845, born 1816 and died in 1902. John Frey, their father, came from Germany at the age of sixteen, died in Northfield, 1912, much regretted by a host of good friends. The Frey Brothers have always enjoyed the respect of their friends because of their progressiveness.
The greenhouse and vegetable ranges of Niles Township have made this truly a garden spot of Cook County. Because of the soil conditions for carnations, it is safe to say that the Chicago market is supplied the finest carnations from this locality.
Everything is favorable for the best production possible for flowers of all kinds. This part of Cook County has always been remarkable for its beautiful and natural groves. It was an inspiration to florists and the choice of location for a settlement of them. These citizens do much to advertise their township beyond its confines.
It would not be amiss to include Hon. Peter Reinberg, as one of the earliest florists here, since he has many friends among the Luxembourg growers and others. He has one of the largest floral establishments in the world, his greenhouses alone covering 25 acres of ground. His specialty is growing carnations and roses. His “Marshall Field” rose has acquired wide popularity. He was elected president of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County in November, 1914.
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