THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

February 23, 1928

 

SECOND OLDEST LANDMARK IS OLD TANNERY

 

WAS BUILT IN 1863 AND OPERATED FOR TANNING OF HIDES

UNTIL ABOUT THE YEAR 1890

(D. F. Burnham)

 

            Two weeks ago we gave something of  the early history of the first grist mill in Waupaca, which in the early ‘70’s was converted into a woolen mill and operated as such for some 34 years by the late John W. Evans, since which time it has served as a felting mill, hat factory, etc.

Next Oldest Land Mark

            Next in years of continuous service as a business place, is the Old Tannery, which for the past 24 yeas has been operated by the late J. Peter Johnson and his son Waldemar G. Johnson, as dealers in hides, furs, wool and farm seeds.

            The land on which the Old Tannery now stands was purchased by Silas Miller in 1853 for $88.40, or two years before Waupaca’s first grist mill was built and put into operation.

            The following year the land along the East side of Waupaca River, opposite the falls and including the site of the old tannery, was purchased by Putnam and Baker for $3,000.  Doubtless these men had visions of utilizing the waterpower at Waupaca Falls for the operation of a grist mill, but as we have seen Redfield and Marshall beat them to it and built he first mill at the falls of Pearl (now Crystal) river.

Has Stood Sixty-Five Years.

            The records show that the Old Tannery was built in 1863, by Timmee and Zahl, and run by them for several years for the manufacture of leather from hides.

            In 1870, Mr. Timme sold his interest in the tannery to Mr. Zahl, and for years, Mr. Timme confined his attention to converting of leather into harness at his harness shop on Main Street.

            Three years later, in 1873, Mr. Zahl sold a half interest in the tannery to Chris Johnson, and in 1878 sold his remaining half interest to his partner, Mr. Johnson. The connection of Chris Johnson with the Old Waupaca Tannery, doubtless accounts for the fact that his four nephews, Alfred, J. Peter, John and Chris Johnson, all came to Waupaca when they immigrated to the United States.

            In 1881, Chris Johnson sold a half interest in the tannery to M. E. Hansen and during the partnership of Johnson and Hansen, the competition of larger tanneries proved too strong for the smaller ones and the business of the Old Tannery gradually drifted to that of dealer in hides instead of the manufacture of hides into leather.  In 1893, Mr. Hansen sold his half interest in the business to Mr. Johnson, and a year later, in 1894, purchased the entire property and extended the business from dealer in hides and wool to include farm seeds.

            In 1900 Mr. Hansen sold the property to Alfred and J. Peter Johnson and after four years the former sold his interest to his brother, the late J. Peter Johnson, who did an extensive business in shipping of wool, hides, furs and clover and timothy seeds.  He also catered to the local needs of this community in supplying first class farm seeds which business is now being handled by his son, Waldemar G. Johnson.

Another Tannery

            At one time Waupaca boasted of two tanneries, both doing a thriving business.  One was located on the west bank of Waupaca River on land now occupied by Fuller Goodman Lbr. Yard.  That tannery was the property of the late David Parish, who also ran a boot and shoe shop on west side of Main Street, where several men were employed n making boots and shoes as well as repairing all kinds of foot wear.  Some of the older boys can recall going to the shoe sop to have the measure taken for the copper-toed boots that were popular before the time of the factory-made article.

            The Parish tannery was destroyed by fire years ago and the few remaining fragments of the foundation down the river from the Fuller Goodman planing mill, have lost their significance to any but some of the older inhabitants of Waupaca and community.