As the U.S. entered the 20th century, surprising
as it might seem, tobacco growing was one of the country’s largest cash crops.
It is also surprising that around the same time, tobacco was also one of
southern Wisconsin’s largest cash crops, a crop that had its origins with
the Norwegian immigrants who came to the state around the outbreak of the Civil
War. Tobacco grown in the Badger State was suitable for the manufacture of
cigars, and cigars had been growing in popularity since the Civil War. By 1885
roughly 27,000 acres were devoted to the crop, and although Richland County was
a minor tobacco-growing county, its farmers grossed $40,000 – nearly 2 million dollars in 2020
- when Kewaunee Enterprise said
that figure showed just how important tobacco was to the state.
Again in 1924, tobacco was one of Wisconsin’s cash crops,
however returns were disappointing. The growing season was cold and wet, thus
affecting the yield and quality of most the crops. Peas were the single money-making
cash crop exception that year.
In September 1934, Algoma Record Herald told
its readers that in 1929, ’30 and ’31, Wisconsin produced about 60 million
pounds of tobacco, however in 1934, the crop shrunk to about 13 million pounds.
Surpluses brought price declines, although Mother Nature also played a part.
Droughts and early frosts prompted farmers to turn to more profitable crops. Tobacco loses were significant in Vernon and other northern counties, but southern
Wisconsin was also affected. Stories that there were, few could beat that of a
Montpelier farmer.
Hard as it is to believe, one Town of Montpelier farmer
traded twin calves for a cigar. Proud papas often gave out cigars at the birth
of a baby, however Ellisville farmer Fred Post was given a cigar following the birth of
twin calves. As a January 1933 Enterprise reported the unusual story,
farmers were realizing $6-$8 from the sale of a good cow. It was during the
depths of the Depression and when a Green Bay butcher offered Post one cigar
for the two calves, Post took it.
When the calves were born, Post felt calves were so cheap
that it wouldn’t pay to raise them. Furthermore, if he kept the calves, he’d
lose the cow’s milk. The butcher who looked at the calves felt the
cost of one cigar was all he could pay. Mr. Post said the cigar was a new brand
and at least he enjoyed the smoke.
As late as 1954, the Enterprise
still wrote about tobacco, saying then that Wisconsin tobacco was primarily
used for cigar manufacturing, for chewing and for smoking products, however
tobacco stocks were decreasing. Quality was low and the market was saturated.
Still, there was a need for good grades of binder leaf tobacco for cigar
manufacturing.
If Kewaunee County farmers were growing tobacco, it wasn’t
in such numbers that brought newspapers to report on it. The men – and some
women – of Kewaunee County enjoyed their cigars and the cigar makers of Kewaunee
County made sure the county was well supplied.
Numbers of cigars smoked in
Ahnapee were felt to be overwhelming by the editors of the Sturgeon
Bay Advocate. Readership was told
in September 1884 that 3,500 cigars had been consumed in Ahnapee during the
previous week. Anyone who thought about it would have realized the article was dumbfounding. When City Clerk J.L. McDonald finished the
July 1885 city census, he said its population stood at 1063 residents, 545 of
whom were males, which included male children. Did each male in town – infants
to the elderly – average 7 cigars a week?
The Record mentioned cigar maker Frank Neuzil in May 1888. At issue was Neuzil’s health when his friends were so concerned that Neuzil was brought before the board of examiners for an assessment. It is unclear what happened next. Peter Hagman moved into the 3rd St. Melchoir building on April 1902, moving to the Bastar Hotel building on 4th in October. John Boehm also manufactured cigars in Ahnapee prior to 1900, although he opened his new Algoma cigar factory in April 1907 after filing an application for the certificate authorizing him to open his business in his grocery store building at what became 520 Mill Street. Boehm’s business appears to have been in the same building that his father, Frank Boehm, purchased as a dwelling in 1895. The older Boehm converted part of the dwelling – now 520 Mill Street -to a new grocery business a short time later. That property was part of the Detloff estate, which has its own significant history.
Well-known Fred Boesenberg manufactured cigars in Ahnapee in the early 1890s, and when he transacted business in Kewaunee, it made the news. Boesenberg was still manufacturing in Ahnapee in June 1894 when he seemed to just disappear. What happened to him? In October that year, the Boesenbergs moved to California because of Mrs. Boesenberg’s health. Boesenberg (sometimes written as Rosenberg) conducted his business in the small addition William Bastar added to his hotel, exclusively for Boesenberg’s manufactory. Boesenberg’s departure left Ahnapee without a cigar maker and when Jacob Schmetzer came from Escanaba in April 1895 to manufacture and sell cigars, the Record looked forward to his establishment. The area claimed a large market, but there was no such manufacturer in town. Schmetzer rented manufacturing space on the second floor of George Blaha’s 2nd Street saloon, the second door south of State Street.
William Boldt opened his factory in 1896 and built such a
large trade that he and his skilled workmen could not manufacture cigars fast
enough. By August 1897, Boldt’s factory was manufacturing more cigars per capita than any other cigar maker on the peninsula. Boldt’s well patronized business
extended north to Sturgeon Bay, Baileys Harbor and beyond, prompting him to
introduce new brands as other manufacturers were trying to imitate his popular
older brands, including cigars with such
names as Lake Shore League, Air Ship, Boldt’s Plantation and The North Star, known
as “the great wonder.”
As fast as Boldt was manufacturing, he felt if he could find
a competent cigar maker, he could travel to take orders. As it was, in 1897
when David Youngs ll went to Iron River, Michigan, he carried Boldt’s samples
with him. When, at the same time, Boldt received a $47 order from a dealer, the
paper mentioned it. Even at a dime a piece, that's a lot of cigars! Boldt’s
employees included at least one woman. When Sarah Mickelson returned to Boldt’s
employ in January 1915, the Record said she was no novice and had worked
in Boldt’s factory for several years previously.
Boldt’s cigar factory operated in one of Algoma’s storied
locations. In 1903 Algoma boasted the opening of the new Steam Laundry in a
structure known as the White Front building on the south side of the Ahnapee
River in Block 1 of the Youngs & Steele Plat. The brick building once held Rod
Berrio’s, John Barrand’s and Jim McCulfor’s saloons, Cameron and Nelson’s
marble shop, John Charles’ blacksmith shop and Boldt’s cigar factory. In more
recent generations, the building was Ralph Hubbard’s welding shop. Hubbard was
followed by Kurt Braun.
It probably did not surprise anybody in September 1897, when a new cigar factory opened in Algoma,
the new name for the City of Ahnapee. Since William Boldt could scarcely keep
up with demand, the Record thought the company would be prosperous. John
Benoit of Menominee had just married city resident Julia Charles and it was
Benoit who opened the new factory at 150 Steele Street, in a room in the Swaty
building that was formerly Jeff Teweles’ office. Benoit’s factory was
kitty-corner across the street from Boldt’s. Recommended as a first-class cigar
maker, Benoit let it be known he would provide a 5-cent cigar that would
compete with anything on the market.
Benoit was joined by his brother John, however the men did
not stay in business long. In mid-December 1898, William Boldt bought boxes and
other material from the Benoit Brothers, including their Cadet
Brand cigar which Boldt took over. Boldt manufactured until 1928 when he
retired and moved to Racine where he died at 80 years old in July 1948. Boldt
served Algoma longer than any other cigar maker and is buried in the
Evergreens.
Boldt had the market covered, however Sawyer’s (now the west
side of Sturgeon Bay) H.H. Kelley & Company salesman Fred
Warner’s route took him through Algoma during the World War l era. One might
have thought that company would have had trouble penetrating Boldt’s market,
but Warner had relatives in Algoma and knew people. No doubt, Warner did sell
some cigars in town.
Just after Benoits opened, J.H. Hagman of Iron Mountain rented the small building on 3rd, just behind Mike Melchior's store, for use as his cigar factory and residence. Hagman's tobacco was known to be purchased in Milwaukee.
Found in the Cox-Nell House
Histories at Algoma Public Library are curious records. In 1921-22, William
Boldt was the owner of a dwelling worth $350 on the West 74’ of Lots 15 and 15,
at the southeast corner of 5th and Steele Streets, a property that
had been part of the Paarman estate. Frank Boehm bought the home in 1923 and
owned it for about 5 years. In 1928, John Boehm became the new owner. He sold a
year later. Was there a connection other than cigars between Boldt and Boehm?
During September 1900,
Algoma Press called attention to Luxemburg cigar manufacturers Martin
Kumbera and Jacob Ribly who were in Algoma calling on customers. A few years
later, the Record told readership how the men in the Luxemburg area enjoyed
J.B. Balza’s cigars. Balza located in a section of the Famaree block (building)
in January 1908 and had no trouble selling the popular product.
Part 2 follows in a separate post..
Sources: Ahnapee Record, Algoma Record, Algoma Record Herald, An-An-api sebe: Where is the River?; Commercial History of Algoma, Wisconsin, Vols. 1 & 2; Kewaunee Enterprise; Cox Nell House Histories; Kewaunee Enterprise; Sturgeon Bay Advocate
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/cigars/index.htm
