Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 967 - 968

EMIL WERNER, capitalist, living at No. 319 South Water street, is one of the prominent and solid business men of Wichita. He is an Austrian, and was born in that country in 1839, being the son of Franz and Frances (Shultz) Werner, natives of Austria. The father was a manufacturer of cotton, his factory having been situated on the Elbe River.

            The subject of this sketch remained at home until eight years of age, when he was sent away to school to complete his education. He entered the college at Hoeniginhof, from which he was graduated at the age of seventeen years. He afterward served three years as an apprentice in the mercantile business, paying for the privilege 400 florins. At the expiration of his term of apprenticeship he became manager of the firm, occupying that position one year. Having now a practical knowledge of a merchant's duties, he embarked in the mercantile business on his own account, continuing until 1859, when he abandoned it to become a soldier in the Prussian army, where he served six months. He enlisted as Second Lieutenant, was promoted to First Lieutenant, and, in case of vacancy, would have become Captain. The following two years our subject traveled as salesman for a silk factory, visiting Italy, France, and various countries of Europe, in that capacity. Subsequently he established himself in business in the capital of Bohemia, but not quite satisfied with his position or future prospects in that country, Mr. Werner decided to emigrate to America, feeling sure that he could better his financial condition in this free Republic. Thus, in May, 1864, he found himself in New York. He traveled throughout the principal cities of the Eastern States, and for a short time was engaged in business in New York City. That did not seem exactly the place for him, however, and in 1866 he bought a ticket for Kansas, and first located in Lawrence. There he purchased a building, and started in trade, remaining there until 1870, when he came to Wichita. His first step toward making a permanent settlement here was to build a brewery and saloon on North Water street. The building was in the form of a right angle, one wing being 16x30 feet, and the other 16x40 feet, each two stories in height. He had in his employ seven men, and at each brewing he turned out nine barrels of beer. He continued thus occupied until 1879, when he relinquished that business and invested some of his capital in real estate, on a part of which he erected buildings, which he afterward sold at a large profit. In this lucrative business he has since been engaged, and being a very sagacious speculator has succeeded where others, less bold and wise, would have made a complete failure. The first brick block he built was on Douglas avenue, between Lawrence and Topeka avenues; soon after he put up six houses on Mosley avenue. In 1885 Mr. Werner built another brick building between Market street and Lawrence avenue, 50 feet front by 100 feet deep. In 1887 he made additions to the first block that he erected. Our subject now owns a large amount of real estate in this city, besides being the owner of thirteen business buildings and seven tenement houses.

            Mr. Werner was united in marriage, in 1873, to Miss Rosa Smarsh, a most estimable lady of Wichita. In politics our subject uniformly casts his vote with the Democratic party. He can justly be ranked among the pioneers of Sedgwick County, coming here while it was in its infancy, and settling in Wichita, where he has since resided. He has been an important factor in the business and industrial interests of the city, and has aided materially in developing its resources. His hand has never been withheld from doing good, and his liberal support of the various industrial and charitable institutions has proved him a truly generous and benevolent man, as well as a citizen worthy of the high respect and confidence ceded to him by the community.

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