Biography: Fred G. Stroehmann

- from Callahan, J. M. (1923). Vol. II. In History of West Virginia, old and new (p. 543). Chicago: American Historical Society.
 

Stroehmann's Vienna Bakery

FRED G. STROEHMANN has been a business builder, creator of a large and valuable industry for the City of Wheeling, and just thirty years ago founded what is now the Stroehmann Baking Company, incorporated, and in all its successive improvements it has never failed to keep the lead in the matter of quality and wholesomeness of product.

Mr. Stroehmann has been an American by residence and in fact and in loyalty for forty years. He was born in the City of Leun, Kreis, Rhine Province, Germany, August 3, 1866, son of Jacob and Catherine (Lotz) Stroehmann. He attended the common schools, served the apprenticeship at the baker's trade, and at the age of sixteen reached the United States, September 22, 1882. After four years at Parkersburg he moved to Wheeling and was a journeyman for six years at the Wheeling Baking Company.

Mr. Stroehmann established a business for himself in April 1892, his first shop being 2211 Market Street, quarters which he subsequently used as a retail store. Several successive additions were made, beginning about ten years after the opening of the first plant, until Mr. Stroehmann acquired for the use of his business all the ground from the corner of Twenty-second up to and including his original shop. On this ground was erected in 1911 a large four-story baking plant, equipped with every facility known to the baking art. This business was one of the first in the Upper Ohio Valley to introduce not only the mechanical devices for the utmost efficiency in the baking of bread and other products, but also in the sanitary handling of the product and in measures and safeguards for the health and welfare of the employees.

On the basis of the large business which Mr. Stroehmann had built up the Stroehmann Baking Company was incorporated in 1905. The executive officers were: Fred G. Stroehmann, president; L. F. Stroehmann, vice president; W. H. Tuschel, secretary and treasurer; R. M. Truschel and C. H. Stroehmann, directors.

The Stroehmann Baking Company built a large plant in 1916 in Huntington, West Virginia, also bought a plant in 1919 in Ashland, Kentucky, which are all successfully operated through the Wheeling main office, and are all under the personal direction of Mr. Stroehmann.

Mr. Stroehmann is now one of the older active business men of Wheeling, and his citizenship has been on a par with his commercial success, revealing his public spirited attitude again and again. He has been a member of the Board of Trade and the Business Men's Association, and is a member of various Masonic bodies at Wheeling, affiliated with Ohio Lodge No. 1 A. F. and A. M., Union Chapter No. 1, R. A. M., Wheeling Commandery No. 1, K. T., Wheeling Masonic Club, and is a thirty-second degree Mason, and a member of Osiris Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of Wheeling Lodge No. 28, B. P. O. E. He is a republican and he and his family are German Lutherans. Mr. Stroehmann married Miss Louise Koehler, a native of Wheeling. The five children of their marriage are: Carrie, Freda, Carl, Harold and Irene.

Biographies Index  |  People of Wheeling Home  |  Wheeling History Home  |  OCPL Home