John Blaul

As printed in 1915

JOHN BLAUL.

No history of Burlington and Des Moines county would be complete were there failure to make reference to John Blaul and the family of which he is a most worthy representative. The name has long been associated with the commercial development of Burlington and has ever been a synonym for enterprise and honorable dealing. It is true that he whose name introduces this review entered upon a business already established, but in controlling and enlarging this many a man of less resolute spirit and of more limited business capacity would have failed. The wholesale grocery house of the Blaul Company is today the result of the cooperation, enterprise and business capacity of the father and sons and at the head of the business at the present time is John Blaul of this review.

Mr. Blaul was born in Boston, Massachusetts, February ii, 1853, but from the age of four years has been a resident of Burlington. The family name indicates his German lineage. The American progenitor was the Rev. John Blaul, a native of Germany and a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He did not himself come to the new world but his son, John Blaul, crossed the Atlantic and was the founder and promoter of the large wholesale grocery enterprise now conducted under the name of the John Blaul Sons' Company. His birth occurred in Hesse-Darmstadt on the 18th of December, 1826, and he was educated for the profession of school teaching, but he heard the call of the west and could not remain content in his native country with the alluring opportunities of the new world before him. As a passenger on a sailing vessel in the year 1850 he spent three or four months upon the broad Atlantic before reaching the American coast. After a brief period passed in Norwich, Connecticut, he went to Bangor, Maine, and also resided for a time in Boston, Massachusetts, before coming to Burlington. While in Bangor he worked for sixty cents per day and was ready to perform any service that would enable him to earn a living while he was mastering the English language and acquainting himself with the methods and customs of the new world and its trade conditions. For a time he occupied a position in a machine shop in Bangor, from which he removed in 1856 to Boston. It was through the influence of an old friend, August Poehler, a mechanic, who was employed in Burlington, that he came to this city. Soon after his arrival he secured a position in a tin shop but in 1857 embarked in the retail grocery business on Front street as a partner of Theodore Poehler. These gentlemen were also closely associated through the fact of having married sisters. Their business relations continued harmoniously and uninterruptedly for a number of years but eventually Mr. Poehler withdrew and joined his brother August in business, while Mr. Blaul continued alone in the retail grocery trade until the close of the Civil war in 1865. He then sold out to his former partner and in 1866 reentered the trade as a wholesale and retail grocer at No. 113 Jefferson street. Through the two succeeding years he had as a partner Philip Hoerr and while one was upon the road building up a trade the other managed the business in Burlington. After Mr. Hoerr sold out in 1869 Mr. Blaul was alone until he admitted his oldest son to a partnership in 1882 and later the other sons became members of the firm, at which time the business was conducted under the style of John Blaul & Sons, and the trade was confined exclusively to the wholesale business. The father remained as the administrative head of the business until his life's labors were ended in death on the 27th of January, 1885.

A contemporary biographer has said of him: "He was a prudent, conservative man, whose advancement came through his own untiring efforts, keen discernment, and the careful husbanding of his resources. He concentrated his energies upon his business affairs, and his name became a synonym for honorable dealing and commercial success. He was plain and unostentatious in manner, but possessed the worth of character that won him the confidence of the entire business community. He was married first in Germany to Miss Maria Anna Neufeld, who died in Boston, Massachusetts, in December, 1854. The children of that marriage died in infancy, with the exception of John Blaul, who is now at the head of the grocery house. In 1857 John Blaul, Sr., was again married, his second union being with Caroline Knoener, a daughter of Charles and Katherine Knoener, who were natives of Germany and came to Burlington early in the '50s from Lippe-Detmold. Her father was a school teacher and taught in the parochial schools of Burlington, in connection with the carrying on of agricultural pursuits. His daughter, Mrs. Blaul, died in

August, 1902. The children of this marriage were: Charles; Theodore; Louis; Amelia; Pauline, who died in 1901; and two who died in childhood."

Of this family Charles Blaul was born in Burlington, July 28, 1860, and entered the firm in 1882. He spent eight years as a traveling salesman and then took charge of the coffee and spice mills of the company. In Wapello, Iowa, he wedded Miss Jessie Stephen, a daughter of Levi and Jane (Dickeson) Stephen. Theodore Blaul, born February 23, 1862, was also admitted to partnership in 1882 and in the following year became the representative of the house upon the road, thus remaining until 1886, when he was placed in charge of the canning plant owned and controlled by the firm. On the lath of October, 1886, he wedded Miss Emma Unterkircher, a daughter of P. F. Unterkircher. The birth of the youngest son, Louis Blaul, occurred October 16, 1863, and after attending the public schools until 1879 he entered the store and was admitted to partnership in 1885. He was head bookkeeper and cashier for a number of years, but in 1902 took up his above upon a farm south of Burlington. He is still financially interested in the business and has other extensive connections with commercial enterprises of this city.

The eldest son of the family is John Blaul whose name introduces this review and who is now at the head of the business established by his father. At the usual age he became a pupil in the public schools, passing through the grammar grades and taking up the work of the high school. His business training was received in the employ and under the direction of his father and after reaching the age of si.teen years his entire time and attention were given to the grocery trade. In 1882 he was admitted to a partnership and following the demise of his father succeeded to the presidency of the company.

The business is one of far-reaching scope and importance. Theirs was primarily a wholesale grocery house but their trade relations have constantly broadened in scope and for a considerable period they have made a special feature of importing coffee and spices and in their factory they grind their own spices and also manufacture flavoring extracts and baking powder. In 1891; they established a canning factory and are now engaged in canning tomatoes, pumpkins, hominy, apples and baked beans. Their employes in these two connections number one hundred and fifty, two-thirds of the number being in the manufacturing department and one-third in the canning department. They have a large force of city and traveling salesmen and every phase of their business is being most carefully conducted with the result that greater success is constantly accruing. The family still own the business block in which the father established his store at No. I 13 Jefferson street. In 1880 he built a store at No. 1 13 North Third street, between Valley and Market, and in 1892 the brothers erected a part of their present fine business block, to which an addition was built in 1903. "I'his is a stone and brick structure, the two upper stories being of brick. Excellent railroad facilities have been secured, a track extending to the doors so that cars can be loaded and unloaded without the nee.d of teaming transfers. With the incorporation of the business on the ist of February, 1903, under the name of the John Blaul Sons' Company the oldest brother, John Blaul, became the president, with Charles as vice president, Theodore as treasurer and E. G. Koonz as secretary. The four Blaul brothers, together with W. H. Ripley, A. H. Riepe and E. B. Kerns constitute the board of directors and several of these gentlemen represent the house upon the road as traveling salesmen. They have altogether eighteen traveling men, who cover a large territory in the west and northwest, beside a portion of Illinois. Their business has now reached extensive and gratifying proportions. In this connection it has been said: "From a small retail grocery trade the enterprise has developed until it has reached extensive proportions, covering many branches, each one supplying a large patronage. The annual business has reached a very large figure, and the house has ever maintained an unassailable reputation, the straightforward policy inaugurated by the father being maintained by the sons. They are men of resourceful business ability, who have found in the business conditions of the present opportunity for advancement and successful accomplishment, and their position in commercial circles of Burlington is second to none."

Having spent practically his entire life in Burlington, during much of which time he has been a prominent figure in commercial circles, John Blaul is widely known, and the consensus of public opinion places him high in the regard of his fellow citizens. He was married on the 13th of May, 1877, when Miss Louise Dewein, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Meier) Dewein, became his wife. Her parents arrived in Burlington in 1841 and her father here followed shoemaking. Mrs. Blaul was born April 13, 1853, and by her marriage became the mother of seven children, but three of the number, Clara, Louise and John, died in early life. Those who survive are Milton, Mark, Robert and Selma.

Mr. Blaul holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, yet for four years filled the position of alderman and exercised his official prerogatives in support of many progressive public movements. He belongs to the Business Men's Association and cooperates heartily in all of its efforts for the improvement of commercial and industrial conditions and the extension of Burlington's trade relations. His name is synonymous with progress. Character, balance, harmony and sound judgment are his native traits, and evenness and poise are also features in his makeup. Anyone meeting Mr. Blaul face to face would know at once that he is an individual embodying all the elements of what in this country we term a "square" man — one in whom to have confidence, a dependable man in any relation and any emergency. His quietude of department, his easy dignity, his frankness and cordiality of address, with the total absence of anything minister or anything to conceal, foretoken a man who is ready to meet any obligation of life with the confidence and courage that come of conscious personal ability, right conception of things and an habitual regard for what is best in the exercise of human activities.

As printed in History of Des Moines County, Iowa (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.