The Rhomberg Families of Dubuque County, Iowa

Alphons L. Rhomberg, president of the Dubuque Star Brewing Company, and a man whose career has been intimately interwoven with the commercial interests of Dubuque, is a native of this city, his birth occurring November 2, 1857, an the eldest of four sons born to the old pioneer, Joseph A. Rhomberg, and wife, Catherina, appropriate mention of whom is made elsewhere in this publication. Alphons Rhomberg received his early education in the public and parochial schools of Dubuque, and later entered the Christian Brothers' College, now known as the Sacred Heart College, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He then went abroad and pursued his studies in the institution known as Stella Matutina, at Feldkirch, Austria, after which he returned to America and for a year had charge of a silver mine in Park county, Colorado. He then came back to Dubuque and established himself in the wholesale wine business on Main street, manufacturing also an artificial champagne, from 1879 to 1881. In 1884 he journeyed south to Texas and for three years occupied the position of general superintendent of the Austin & Northwestern railroad, built and partly-owned by his father. In 1887 this road was sold to the Houston & Texas' Central Railway Company, but Mr. Rhomberg remained in Texas until 1895, engaged in the buying and selling of Texas land. He platted Aspermont, from which the name Rhomberg is derived, and which town is the county seat of Stonewall county, and also laid out the village of Clairemont, the county seat of Kent county. Upon his subsequent return to Dubuque Mr. Rhomberg associated himself with his father in the management of the Dubuque Street Railway, remaining thus until it was sold by them. In 1900 he became one of the organizers of the Eagle Point bridge, which crosses the Mississippi river to Wisconsin, and until 1907 was president of same. In March, 1910, he became president of the Dubuque Star Brewing Company, and has since been thus connected. In religious views Mr. Rhomberg is of the Roman Catholic faith, being a member of St. Mary's church, and socially is identified with the Dubuque Club. He is residing with his mother in the old Rhomberg homestead on West Seventh street.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Joseph H. Rhomberg, general manager of the Dubuque Star Brewing Company, was born in this city July 31, 1863, and the

% /(Z--7 greater part of his life has been spent here. He was the third in order of birth in a family of four sons and one daughter born to Joseph Andrew and Catherina Rhomberg, an account of whom appears elsewhere in this publication. His early schooling was acquired in the public and parochial institutions of this city and later he entered the old Christian Brothers' College, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Desiring to take up the study of engineering, he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1881 was graduated from the Washington University. He then went to Texas and for a time was master mechanic of his father's railroad, the Austin & Northwestern line, but in 1885 returned to Dubuque to assume the position of general manager and superintendent of the Dubuque street railway, then controlled and operated by his father. In 1898, however, he built and was one of the organizers of the Dubuque Star Brewing Company, one of the largest concerns of its kind in the state, and has been the general manager of same ever since. Aside from the above, Mr. Rhomberg deals somewhat extensively in real estate. He is an independent Republican in politics, voting for the man rather than the party, and socially is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In religious views he is a Roman Catholic and a member of the Sacred Heart church of this city. On May 17, 189 1, at Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth H. Meuser, daughter of William and Margaret Meuser, and to them three children have been born, named: Joseph W., attending St. Mary's High School; Marie and John, each attending Sacred Heart School.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Titus E. Rhomberg, secretary, treasurer, manager and director of the Iowa Coffin Company, was born in the city of Dubuque, March 18, 1865, the youngest son of Joseph Andrew and Catherina Rhomberg, who came to Dubuque in 1852 and did much toward its advancement and progress. Appropriate mention of the elder Rhomberg appears elsewhere in this work. His son, Titus E., the immediate subject of this memoir, was educated in the public and parochial schools of this city, also St. Joseph's College, which latter institution he left to attend Canisius College, at Buffalo, New York. He then went abroad and for five years studied in the Royal Saxon School of Mines, Freiburg, Saxony, but in 1891 returned to Dubuque and later went to Argentine, Kansas, as assayer and chemist for the Kansas City Smelting & Refining Company. There he remained but a short time because of ill health, and then came back to Dubuque, where after recuperating he became associated with the Dubuque Street Railway, controlled by his father, and remained thus until same was disposed of. This line has since made several changes, but is now being operated by the Union Electric Company. In 1899 Mr. Rhomberg acquired by purchase an interest in the Iowa Coffin Company and has since been identified with this concern, the largest of its kind in the state. He is also a director of the Citizens' State Bank. Although favoring the policies of the Republican part, his vote is usually independent and cast in favor of good men regardless of party affiliation. In religious views he is of the Roman Catholic faith, being a member of St. Mary's church; socially he is identified with the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Dubuque Club. January 9, 1899, in Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Mamie E. Simones, daughter of Joseph and Victoria Simones, the father being the founder of the Iowa Coffin Company. Mr. Simones passed away November ijr 1893, at the age of forty-seven years, but his widow still survives, aged sixty-one, and resides in this city. To Mr. and Mrs. Rhomberg the following named children have been born: Joseph Andrew, attending St. Mary's parochial school; Albin Anthony, attending same; Edward Bideaux; Ludmilla Athalia; Victoria Marie, and Louis Alphons. The family residence is on Prospect Hill and was erected by Mr. Rhomberg.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Frank M. Rhomberg, president of the wholesale wine and liquor firm of Rhomberg Brothers Company, is one of those men who came to America and Dubuque early in life and have had honorable and successful business careers. Born in the city of Dornbirn, near Lake Constance, Austria, on January 25, 1869, he is the oldest son born to the union of Jacob and Rosina Rhomberg, both natives of that country. The father first immigrated to the United States in 1861, but in 1867 returned to Austria, and there conducted a hotel and brewery until his death in 1896, at the age of fifty-eight years. His wife passed away in 1887, aged forty-six.years. After attending the public schools of his native country Frank M. Rhomberg came to America and Dubuque, at which time he was but eighteen years old. Shortly thereafter he went to St. Paul and for two years was shipping clerk in the furniture establishment of his uncle, Mr. John Luger. In the winter of 1889 he returned to Dubuque, and for nine years traveled for the wholesale liquor establishment of L. A. Rhomberg, another uncle. In the fall of that year, however, in partnership with his brother, Alphonse J., Mr. Rhomberg embarked in the same line of business on his own account, and through shrewd business management their concern prospered until in time they were forced to organize a company, which later became known as the Rhomberg Brothers Company. This has since become one of the solid commercial houses of Dubuque and is one of the largest of its kind in the county. Mr. Rhomberg is also president and manager of the Dubuque Tanning & Robe Company, vice president and director of the Union Transfer Company, and is identified with various other local concerns of importance. He is a Democrat in politics and for some years has been secretary of the Dubuque County Democratic Central Committee. Socially he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1894 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary H. Altman, daughter of Theodore Altaian; she died February 16, 1907, aged thirty-seven years, leaving two children, Karl and Eleanor. On August 10, 1910, Mr. Rhomberg married Miss Mary, daughter of Charles and May Kruse, and they are at present residing in the Dellenfundt flats.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Alphonse J. Rhomberg, vice-president of the wholesale liquor firm of Rhomberg Brothers Company, was born in the city of Dornbirn, Province of Vorarlberg, Austria, January, 1872, and is the youngest son of Jacob and Rosina Rhomberg, appropriate mention of whom appears elsewhere in this publication. Our subject received his education in the public and high schools of his native country, and in 1888, when but sixteen years old, came to America and joined his brother, Frank M., in Dubuque. For about three years he was connected with his uncle's furniture establishment in St. Paul, Minnesota, but then returned to Dubuque and in partnership with his brother embarked in the wholesale wine and liquor business on Main street. They started out in a small way, but by conscientious dealings with the people built up a large and profitable business, and in time were forced, for want of capital, to form a company and issue stock. Their concern is now known as Rhomberg Brothers Company, and its remarkable success is due to the excellent business management of Messrs. Rhomberg. A goodly portion of Mr. Rhomberg's time is spent in traveling throughout Europe, as his health requires. He is an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and in religion is an adherent of the Roman Catholic faith. In 1900, at Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Gebhardina Kopf, daughter of John and Catherine Roesch, and to them one son, Armin, has been born, now in Europe.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.