Frederick J Sulzbach

SULZBACH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/18/2010 at 21:49:52

History of Woodbury Couty, Iowa 1984

Frederick J Sulzbach
By Marian R Sulzbach

Frederick J Sulzbach was the son of Joseph and Caroline (Wegener) Sulzbach.

Joseph Sulzbach was born February 17, 1829, in Rockenberg, Germany. He came to the United States in 1851. He had learned the stone mason trade while in Germany and this was a great advantage to him, along with the fact that while on the three months’ voyage from Germany he learned the English language. In hopes of better work, he and a friend, left New York and worked their way to the Mid-West, building culverts for the Illinois Central Railroad.

He first stayed in Rockford, Illinois, where he worked until the railroad again started West. From there he went to Galena, Illinois, and finally to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he settled and where his son, Frederick J Sulzbach was born. The other five children of his family were: Julia, Katherine, Caroline, Pauline and Henry. It was in 1880 when he brought his family to Sioux City, Iowa, where he lived the remaining years of his wife.

Frederick J Sulzbach was born November 27, 1869, in Fort Dodge, moving to Sioux City with his parents in 1880. On December 20, 1894, he married Anna M Holdenried.

Anna M Holdenried was the daughter of another pioneer couple, John and Minnie (Schumacher) Holdenried. She was born in Sioux City, September 21, 1872. She was a life-long resident of Sioux City.

They were the parents of ten children: Louise M, 1898-1965; John F, 1897-1909; Frederick P, 1899-1972; Helen M, 1901- ; Frances K, 1903-1971; Wilbur R, 1904- ; Dorothea L, 1907- ; Anna J, 1908- ; Harold J, 1911- ; and Marian R, 1913- . The family was of the Lutheran faith.

Frederick J Sulzbach was only a boy of eleven years of age when he came to Sioux City. He continued his education in the Sioux City Public Schools and the local business college. He had learned the mason trade from his father and after serving an apprenticeship of four years, he started in as a general contractor on his own in 1888. At this time his father retired.

His first contract was the Wales Hotel at the corner of 10th and Pearl Streets. Following that he built many structures, such as the addition to the Haskins Soap Company and two buildings for A Groninger. In 1892 he built the Warren Block in Doon, Iowa. In Rock Valley he built the Mulhall bank and hotel building, the Post Office, and a store building. He also built the Blue Valley Creamery, Hanford Creamery, the Tackaberry Building, the Kalish and Nash Apartments, and the foundation for the Scottish Rites Temple. In the later years, he built Morningside Presbyterian Church, St Pauls’ Lutheran Church, and the Rigadon Ballroom. For his family he built a beautiful brick home at 2423 Jackson Street. These are but a few of the construction projects he built during his career.

In reading notations Frederick J Sulzbach had written, it is interesting to learn that at the time he came to Sioux City there were no paved streets or sewers. The only sewer he knew of was a wooden box sewer from the old Hubbard House, now the Martin Hotel, which went from there to Perry Creek. Later, he built a manhole at 4th and Pearl Street and it was then he discovered the wooden sewer.

The population of Sioux City in 1880 was about 8,000 and by 1890 it had increased, according t the records, to a population of 39,000. By 1925 this growth had not been duplicated in any ten year period. He also notes by 1888 the city began to expand. Morningside and Hornick were the first additions and then the North side with Rose Hill, Pierce, Hedges, and many others. He built masonry foundations as far out as 28th and Nebraska Street, also on Jones and Jennings Streets before the city had any water out that far. Water for the masonry work had to be hauled by wagon, six barrels at a time. Many times the cows would drink the water or tip the barrels over before morning and they would be without water for the masonry work.

In further notes he mentions such events as the first electric light plant, bicycle racing on 4th Street, the first Corn Palace, President Cleveland’s visit, the cable car up Jackson Street, and the elevated train out to Morningside. However, de does not elaborate on any of them.

Frederick J Sulzbach was a charter member of the Sioux City Kiwanis Club and the Master Builders Association. He also enjoyed his membership in the Boys of ’68, which he joined about the turn of the century. He remained active in these organizations. He and his family were members of St Paul’s Lutheran Church. He died June 22, 1933, at the age of sixty-three.