History of Centerville, Manitowoc County

From "History of Manitowoc County" by Dr. Louis Falge, 1912 Vol. 1, pg. 331

The town derived its name from the fact that it is located half way between the cities of Manitowoc and Sheyboygan.

The first settler of the town was W. N. ADAMS, in 1847, but in a few months after his arrival the land was largely taken up by immigrants from Saxony, Rhenish, Prussia and Lippe-Detmold, the latter locating in the north part of the town.

Among the early settlers were A.W. ROSSBERG, G. PATITZ, E.JAEHNIG, J. AUGUSTIN, D. SCHNEIDER, F. HUGN, A. RETTELE, and L. FRANKE, August MILL and brothers , J. BOGENSCHUETZ, G. LEONHARD, J. SACHSE, C.W. LEITERITZ, H. CARBERRY, C. POHLAND, A. KLESSIG, A. BAHR, Peter REUTHER and F. W. BOETTCHER came in the early 50's.

Centerville first formed a part of Meeme and was organized under the present name, April 1, 1850. The first town officers were: Carl KAEHLER, Chairman; Vitalis MUELLER and Carl TRAUTMAN, supervisors; Edward NEUHAUS, clerk; Bernhard GOLDNER, treasurer; William ROSSBERG, assessor. There were about thirty votes cast. The total tax levy for the town in December, 1850, amounted to $529.35, distributed as follows: State tax, $62.99; town tax, $261.96; road tax, $130.99; school tax, $50.45; general town tax, $80.77; county tax, $163.29; county school tax, $31.50.

The first schoolhouse was erected in 1850, when the town had a population of 210. The first church was of Reformed Lutheran denomination and organized in 1851.

The village of Centerville dates back to the early '60s when a Lutheran and a Catholic church were erected here and several stores and a mill established. At the time two piers were extended into the lake (Bode's and the Farmer's). The erection of Scheibe's brewery also lent importance to the place.

The first postoffice in the town was established in 1855. Later on postoffices were established at St. Wendel and Cleveland. The postoffice at the village of Centerville was given the name Hika, owing to the fact that a Centerville postoffice already existed in the state.

After the construction of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railway through the town in 1873, a depot was established about a mile west of the village of Centerville and called Centerville Station. The name was changed to Cleveland when a postoffice was established there under that name. In the course of years this station has grown to quite a shipping point.

Centerville has the sad distinction of being the first town in the county to record a murder among whites. Because William GERKEN proved to be the successful suitor for the hand of a woman, two young men, EGLOFF and EICHOF, prompted by jealousy, conspired to do away with him. This was in 1851 as the court records show. The three men had been assisting in the erection of a log barn on the premises of Christian HETZEL one day, and on the way home that night Gerken was struck in the back of the head with an ax and the body concealed under a bridge, where it was discovered days later. EGLOFF and EICHOF being accused of the crimer, were arrested and lodged in the jail at Rapids, from whence, several months later, they made their escape into the wilderness. About thirty-five years later one of the fugitives returned to the scene of the crime, but only for a few hours' visit. He was not apprehended, "grass having grown over the affair."

At the time of the Indian scare in 1862, it was suggested that women and children be taken out in one of the piers and the approach to the same barricade. This plan was, however, reconsidered on the grounds that Indians might set fire to the approach and the women and children would then find themselves between the "devil and the deep sea." They were taken to Sheboygan for safety. The fact that an apprentice of J. Sachse still wore his shoemaker's apron upon his arrival in Sheboygan, shows how precipitate was the flight.

The population of Centerville in 1910 was 1,440.

Other tidbits of information:
In 1856, R. BARTHEL built a sawmill in Section 8.
In 1866, C. SCHREIBER moved here from Manitowoc and built a brewery. The capacity of the brewery by 1878 was 1500 barrels a year.
In 1868, Aug. MILL built a grist and planing mill with a lumber yard.
By 1878, the town had several stores:
Peter WERNER, then chairman operated a General Store in the Village of Centerville.
P. HOFFMAN and Company were proprietors of a boot and shoe store on Section 28
M. ROSSBERG on Section 15
KAISER and WEBER owned a saw and grist mill on Section 20

The first trial jury of the town was on 7 March 1856. The case involved Gottlieb THURAW vs. Joseph WOKALECK. The details have been removed from record, but the outcome was Mr. THURAW was awarded $62.50 and Mr. WOKALECK to pay court costs of $3.12. F.N. OTTO was Justice of the Peace for the case.

Cheese Factories in the town

Three of the earliest cheesefactories were operated of Aug. KLESSIG, J. HERTEL, and F.A. KIELSMEIER.

In 1872, August KLESSIG built and operated a cheesefactor on what is now known as Union Road. The family owned Klessig Cheese Factory was in business from 1872-1943. Adolph, August's eldest son learned the cheese making business in Sheboygan Falls, and brought the knowledge back to the Klessig cheese factory. Mrs. KLESSIG managed the factory after August's death. She was head cheese maker until her son, Leo took over in 1913.

The Clover Leaf cheese factory was purchased from Leo KLESSIG and the building was moved to the corner of what is now County Trunk X and Union Road. Robert BARTHEL rebuilt the building. Oscar Barthel ran the cheese factory until 1908, when Ed LUTZE took over the operation until 1914. For six months after that Henry MATTHIAS owned the factory. It was then bought as a farmers co-op. The Farmer owned Co-op remained in operation until the formation of Lake-to-Lake Dairy. The factory was also used as living quarters until 1908.

E. HINGISS started a cheesefactory on the corner of Union Road and what is now Highway 149. It was later run by William SOMMNER, then Walter SOMMNER. John F. HINZ bought the factory on 1 Feb. 1923 and was of the last to close in the town of Centerville in May of 1948.

Arno KOEPPSEL ran a privately owned cheesefactory until fire demolished the building.

F.A. KIELSMEYER was the second cheesefactory to be started in town. Located near Lake Michigan, it was built in the mid 1870s. It was later sold and operated as a private cheesefactory by Otto Sixel until 1932 or 1933.

Pine Grove cheesefactory and MATTHIAS Dairy were two other privately owned cheesefactories in the town.