William Mueller

Source: https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio12inbeer
Scan label: 939
OCR: uncorrected; verify against page image.

760 COMMEMORATIVE  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. West  Cemetery.  He  was  a  faithful  member  of  the Lutheran  Church,  and  was  noted  for  his  integrity and  honesty. Mr.  Mueller  was  married  in  Germany,  to  Caro- line W'ilhelmina  Senkel,  who  is  still  living,  and  has her  home  in  Ateriden.  In  1874  she  came  to  this country  with  four  children,  to  make  her  home  in Meriden,  where  she  has  lived  to  the  present  time. She  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  reared her  children  to  be  upright  anil  useful  meml^ers  of the  conmiunity.  She  was  a  devoted  wife,  and  of  her only  the  best  and  kindest  words  are  spoken.  She is  the  mother  of  the  following  family :  Richard  W. ; Emma,  who  married  Lewis  Krober,  of  ]\Ieriden ; Frederick  J.,  who  is  connected  with  the  Interna- tional Silver  Company,  of  Aleriden ;  Helen,  who married  Otto  George  Hirschfeld,  of  Aleriden ;  and William  C,  an  attorney  of  Meriden. Richard  W.  Mueller  attended  school  in  his  native town,  where  he  received  a  good  German  education. He  was  also  given  a  good  business  school  training, and  was  employed  in  the  office  of  his  father  until  the removal  of  the  family  to  Meriden.  There  young Richard  was  employed  for  a  time  in  the  finishing department  of  the  \Voolen  mill,  where  he  rose  to  be assistant  foreman.  For  a  short  time  he  was  em- ployed in  Philadelphia,  and  also  at  Holyoke,  Mass. In  1S78  he  turned  to  the  grocery  trade,  buying  out the  establishment  of  W.  Balzer,  which  he  conducted for. seven  years  with  somewhat  indifferent  success. In  1885  he  bought  the  interest  of  George  Stuck,  who was  engaged  in  a  bakery  business  on  East  ]Main Street.  There  Mr.  [Mueller  was  located  until  1890, when  he  built  his  present  place,  a  large  brick  struc- ture on  East  [Main  Street,  which  cost  over  Sio.ooo. It  is  one  of  the  finest  bakeries  in  New  England. Here  Mr.  [Mueller  has  carried  on  his  work  to  the present  time  and  has  built  up  a  verv  extensive  pat- ronage. His  supplies  are  bought  in  car  load  lots from  the  flour  mills,  and  all  his  transactions  are  on a  most  extensive  scale.  He  also  has  a  confectionery business  of  considerable  importance. Mr.  Mueller  was  married  in  1878  to  Tina  Tartter, of  [Meriden,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  where .  she  was  bdrn.  a  daughter  of  Frederick  Tartter.  To this  union  have  come  four  children:  (i)  Emily, who  married  George  F.  Winslow,  a  foreman  of  the International  Sihxr  Company,  at  Wallingford, where  he  has  a  verv  pleasant  home:  (2)  Lucy,  who died  young;  (3)  Helen  died  young:  and  (4)  Will- iam F.,  who  is  at  home,  and  is  engaged  in  the bakery  business  with  his  father. Sociallv  [Mr.  [Mueller  is  a  niemlier  of  Alfred  H. Hall  Council,  Xo.  1423,  R.  A.,  [Meriden:  of  [Meriden Lodge,  No.  276,  D.  O.  H. :  of  the  local  Turnverein and  Saengerbund :  and  of  the  Cosmopolitan  Club. He  takes  a  lively  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Ger- man-American School,  and  for  ten  years  was  its treasurer.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  and  his family  belong  to  St.  .Vndrew"s  Episcopal  Church. Mr.  [Mueller  has  reason  to  felicitate  himself  upon his  career.  Starting  poor,  he  has  steadily  worked himself  up  through  his  own  i)luck  and  energy  to  a very  conunendable  place  in  the  world.  Men  respect him  for  his  integrity  and  business  ability,  and  like him  for  his  manly  ([ualities  and  kindly  disposition. Domestic  in  his  habits,  he  sticks  closely  to  his  busi- ness, and  gives  to  the  world  a  most  inspiring  ex- ample of  true  worth  and  character. William  C.  Mueller,  brother  of  Richard  W., is  a  lawyer,  and  a  man  of  mark  in  Meriden.  Born in  Spremberg,  Prussia,  April  2j,  1864,  he  came  to this  country  with  his  parents  when  ten  years  old, and  here  he  continued  his  education  in  the  Corner and  Prattsville  District  Schools  of  [Meriden.  From 1878  to  1884  I'lc  clerked  for  Howard  Brothers,  ap-  • plying  his  leisure  moments  to  the  study  of  law  at home.  Fittmg  himself  for  entrance,  he  became  a student  in  the  Yale  Law  School  in  1884,  and  was graduated  from  that  institution  in  1886.  Immediate- ly he  became  associated  with  W.  F.  Davis,  forming the  law  firm  of  Davis  &  [Mueller,  which  still  exists. At  the  age  of  twenty-three.  [Mr.  [Mueller  was  elected collector  of  town  taxes,  defeating  the  occupant  of  the office  for  the  ten  years  previous  by  the  handsome majority  of  534,  and  carrying  the  strong  Republican ward  in  wdiich  the  candidate  resided  by  60  votes. In  1888,  and  a  third  time  in  1889,  he  was  again elected  to  that  office,  which  then  became  appointive. In  1890,  1891  and  again  in  1892,  he  was  chosen  by the  board  of  selectmen  to  fill  the  position.  In  1888, 1889,  and  in  1892  and  1893,  he  was  city  collector, over  a  million  dollars  passing  through  his  hands without  the  slightest  blunder  or  mistake.  For  eight vears  he  was  a  ward  committeeman  in  the  Third ward,  and  he  also  served  two  years  as  chairman  of the  Democratic  town  and  city  committees,  having full  charge  of  the  campaign  of  1892.  The  following year  he  was  appointed  by  Judge  J.  P.  Piatt,  city attorney,  a  position  which  he  had  not  sought,  but which  he  has  so  admirably  filled,  that  he  is  still  re- tained therein,  and  his  conservative  and  careful  ad- ministration of  the  affairs  of  the  office  is  recognized and  highly  commended.  In  1900  [Mr.  Mueller  was appointed  water  commissioner  by  [Mayor  West,  and for  two  years  has  filled  that  position  with  dignity and  marked  ability.  Mr.  [Mueller  has  built  up  a good  private  practice  in  his  profession,  and  in  the management  of  the  cases  which  have  been  intrusted to  him  has  been  very  successful.  Socially  he  l)e- longs  to  the  various  German  societies,  and  he  is  also affiliated  with  seve.-al  of  the  Masonic  bodies  of  the city. Mr.  [Mueller  was  married  in  June,  1895,  to  [Miss Agnes  Yost,  a  daughter  of  August  Yost,  a  well- known  citizen  of  [Meriden. FREDERICK  S.  WARD,  one  of  the  prominent business  citizens  of  New  Haven,  and  a  member  of a  familv  distinguished  in  the  Revolutionary  war. successfullv  conducts  a  business  in  real  estate  and insurance  in  that  city.