Sheboygan Press April 29, 1927 Plymouth 4 HALL 43 YEARS OLD The German Lyceum was organized in 1864, and for a time met regularly in a hall erected by Eberhard SCHLAICH, and which stood next door west of the Central hotel, corner Stafford and E. Mill streets. This hall was later destroyed by fire in 1869. The same year the society was re-organized under a state charter and a new Lyceum hall was built at a cost of $5,500. This hall, which is located across the street directly south of the school campus, has been owned an occupied for the past 43 years by Charles LAUTENBACH. About seventy years ago the German Farmers' verein was organized by a group of farmers and business men in the town of Plymouth, having for its object the mutual advancement of its membership. The verein met twice each month on Sunday afternoons and discussed matters related to farming and business. After the Lyceum hall was completed, the society met there, and each member who was competent led in the various discussions. Later the women became interested and brought produce and fancy work, which were exhibited in the hall, and from this modest beginning, it is said that the county fairs were started in Sheboygan county. The Plymouth Union Cemetery association was organized on November 27, 1854, the first purchase being two acres of land which later formed the east end of the city cemetery. The first trustees were Tunis SWART, George BARNARD, H. N. SMITH, J. F. MOORE, W. D. LIPE, and Enos EASTMAN, Sr. Mr. EASTMAN was secretary and treasurer of the association for many years. Later four more acres were added to the cemetery, and on August 18, 190?. the New Woodlawn cemetery, comprising ten acres, was purchased. In 1890 Charles PFEIFER advocated moving the bodies from Union cemetery to a more favorable location, and converting the ground into a city park. This proposal, however, was rejected at the time. Mr. PFEIFER has been superintendent of both cemeteries for the past few years. PLANK ROAD BUILT IN '51 The Plank road was built to Sheboygan in 1851. The Plymouth fire company was organized in 1867 as a hand brigade, but on October 5, the following year, a company was organized with William ELWELL as foreman, Andrew SCHNEIDER, assistant and Otto PUHLMANN, secretary. The first hand engine was purchased by individual subscription. The first fire test was ROSSMAN's hall on May 7, 1869. August SCHEIBE was the first chief of the department and in regular order of succession, H. C. BADE; A. H. SCHRAM; T. F. ACKERMANN; C. WILKE; and Herman LUEDKE, present city clerk, have acted as chiefs of the efficient fire fighting force. During the early years, county fairs were held first at Sheboygan Falls and then at Sheboygan, but owing to the locations, were not successful. The first meeting of organization in Plymouth was held on October 10, 1896. H. WHEELER, Sr. was elected president; Otto GAFFRON, secretary; and E. A. DOW, treasurer. Twenty acres lying northeast of the city were bought and the grounds improved for the purpose of holding county fairs. Due to illness, Mr. WHEELER resigned and A. H. SCHRAM became president, serving until 1905, when C. D. EASTMAN was elected to fill the office. Other presidents of the Sheboygan County Agricultural association, were: Henry KRUMREY in 1909; P. K. WHEELER in 1917; I. B. WENSINK in 1918; and C. J. NEHRLING in 1923. The late Otto GAFFRON was secretary until his death in 1923, when I. B. WENSINK was chosen to fill the office. FINE PUBLIC LIBRARY The Public Library is the culmination of a movement started by the Hub Club on January 21, 1970(sic), with 750 books, most of which are still in the present library. The books were first kept in rented rooms in the business district, but on March 28, 1900, the Woman's Relief Corps, becoming interested in the welfare of the community, opened the first free reading room to the public. R. H. HOTCHKISS was the first president of the board. G. W. ZERLER has been a member of the board since it was first organized. The Woman's club of Plymouth became deeply interested and started a vigorous campaign which resulted in raising sufficient funds to meet the requirements of the CARNEGIE aid, and the present spacious free library was completed in 1915, at an approximate cost of $10,000. Mrs. P. W. WAGNER has been librarian since November 1, 1922. The Plymouth Reporter was established in 1872 by A. F. WARDEN, and for many years was the only Democratic English language newspaper published in Sheboygan county. The plant changed hands several times until 1926 when it was purchased by H. W. Quirt and merged with the Review and Herald. The first issue of the Plymouth Sun was printed on September 6, 1879, by L. K. HOWE, as an independent weekly newspaper. The name was later changed to Herald and in 1926 was purchased by Mr. QUIRT from Mrs. Otto GAFFRON and amalgamated with the Review and Reporter. The first fraternal society in Plymouth was the Plymouth Union Lodge, I.O.O.F. No. 71, which was organized in 1855. The lodge erected the three-story brick building, one of the finest buildings of its kind in the city, which it sold a few years ago. The Hub club, a literary society, was organized in 1870. This was an amateur dramatic society which gained a wide reputation on account of its excellent performances. The club disbanded soon after the public library was built. Details regarding this club will be found in the biography of G. W. ZERLER. The Bank of Plymouth was established in 1873, with a cash capital of $15,000. The officers were: J. W. DOW, president; and E. A. DOW, cashier. WILLIAM SCHWARTZ PROMINENT In 1867 William SCHWARTZ started the Central Flour Mill which he continued to operate in connection with his many other interests for a number of years. Probably no other man in Plymouth was more active than Mr. SCHWARTZ in building up the city. Besides the Central Flour Mill. he owned a lumber yard, started PREUSSLER Bros. in the furniture manufacturing business, also started another furniture factory at the river on Stafford street, later took over the roller flouring mill built originally for Henry I. DAVIDSON, and aided in many other laudable enterprises which helped to develop the city of Plymouth and vicinity. When the Milwaukee & Northern railway, now the C.M. & St. P. railway, was being constructed through the region, Mr. SCHWARTZ gave the company, free of cost, a large portion of the right-of-way leading into Elkhart Lake, and assisted in grading a considerable distance of the road-bed between Plymouth and Elkhart Lake. Many years ago BRICKBAUER & KLUMB owned and operated the South Plymouth Mills, located about two miles south of Plymouth. For many years this mill did a thriving business in grinding flour, but during the past few years nothing but buck-wheat flour has been ground. The postmasters at Plymouth in regular order of succession since 1846, when Henry I. DAVIDSON was appointed the first, were: P. H. SMITH, John W. TAYLOR, in 1849; William WEST in 1851; W. C. BARROWS in 1852; William D. LIPE, P. H. SMITH (second term) in 1852; John J. HANSEN in 1856; Eberhard SCHLAICH in 1861; Martin M. FLINT in 1862; Henry BROOKS, 1868; Gustavus KARPE in 1869; H. W. HOSTMAN in 1885; Michael SWEET in 1889; Charles D. EASTMAN in 1895; Gustav ALBRECHT in 1899; Charles PFEIFER in 1908; Gus SCHIERECK who served until 1923; when Al. WIGGIN, who is now serving his second term, was appointed. CONOVER HAD FIRST CHEESE FACTORY Hiram CONOVER built and operated the first cheese factory in the city. This was located at the corner of Main and Milwaukee streets on the original site of the Cold Springs tavern. The Phenix Cheese company now occupies the premises. So rapid was the growth of Plymouth in 1870 the village contained five dry goods and grocery stores, two hardware stores, three shoe stores, two furniture stores, two liquor stores, five hotels, three gristmills, three carriage and wagon shops, one foundry and machine shop, one hub and spoke factory and one sash, door and blind factory. The names of the merchants and manufacturers were: P. H. SMITH, H. H. HUSON, and G. W. ZERLER; Otto PUHLMANN and R. H. HOTCHKISS, millers; F. BENFEY; H. BOECHER and R. R. SCHORER; J. MEYER; William BERRY; William SCHWARTZ, miller; J. L. DOCKSTADER, lumber yard; Julius SCHLAICH, drugs; Joseph BEREITER, barber; F. J. DETLING, farm implements; Philip ZINKGRAF, boot and shoe maker; William FISCHER, hotel; D. S. BAGLER & Son, produce dealers; Val KLUMB, cigar manufacturer and saloon; Edward WELTER, meat market; August and Robert SCHEIBE, harness makers; John and Louis ROSSMAN, planing mill; J. F. MEHRMANN, general store; P. H. and Sidney SMITH, general store.