Francis S. “Frank” Mathie 1826 - 1900

Born: November 4, 1826 in Ellwangen, Wurtenburg, Germany

Died: June 30, 1900 in Marathon County, Wisconsin, buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau, WI.

Spouse: Catherine or Katrina (Tischer) Mathie, b. abt 1832 in Bavaria (south Germany), m. March 10, 1862. She away July 13, 1887 in Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Children: Edward Mathie (b. abt. 1863) (moved to Los Angeles, California.)

Karl Mathie

Francis “Frank” Mathie (b. abt. 1867) (Also lived in Wausau, Wisconsin)

John Mathie (b. abt 1869) (Moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Otto Mathie (b. after 1870 Wisconsin Census) (Moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

The 5 Mathie boys. I’ve only identified Karl, seated front right.

Photocopy of original photo from Ed Mathie, courtesy of

Marathon County historical Society

Occupation: Blacksmith

Mechanic

Brewer

Investor

Father’s name: Birth place: French heritage, German born

Mother’s name: Birth place: German

Siblings:

Other Mathie names from a summary of death records in Marathon County, which I have not looked into detail yet. I suspect these would be Frank’s siblings and their wives.

Joseph Mathie, d. April 1, 1888

Charles Mathie, d. September 24, 1898

Martha M. Mathies, d. February 14, 1890

Walter P. Mathie, d. March 10, 1892

Joseph Mathie, d. May 27, 1907

While I do not know who Frank Mathie’s parents were, I do have an article about him that says he was of “French and German parentage.” The article continues with, “His grandfather served under Napoleon during the French Revolution, taking part in some of the most important actions of that period.”

Frank Mathie and his brothers were early settlers in the Marathon County area of Wisconsin, including Wausau, then known as Big Bull Falls. They arrived in America in 1854. Frank first worked as a blacksmith in New Amsterdam (New York City), New York, then moved to a carriage shop in Troy, New York followed by a couple jobs in Canton and Crystal Springs, Pennsylvania. His arrival in Wisconsin started in the Fox Valley followed by a move to Milwaukee where he eventually built safes for Jacob Best, a brewer known for his Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Frank went to Waupaca in 1857 working for the Silverton Brothers blacksmith shop, then to Wausau in 1858 making machinery for I. E. Thayer’s Grist Mill, the first flour mill in Wausau. He eventually opened his own shop and did repair work for sawmills and was Wausau’s first wagon maker. In 1869, Frank sold his blacksmith business to Capt. August Lemke and started the Mathie Brewery, which grew and eventually became the Frank Mathie Brewing Company with its own brand of German style beer. Prohibition severely affected the business. Frank Mathie retired in 1892.

This photo is likely from 1886 and is a picture of a gun club or Schuetzen Verein

of Wausau gentlemen. Frank Mathie is in the back row, far left.

I’ve enlarged his image, on right.

Photo is from:

A Photo Album of Marathon County: 1850 – 1925, by Malcolm Rosholt

Here’s more information regarding Frank Mathie as a Brewer from Wisconsin’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs: Searching for the Perfect Pint, by Robin Shepard, available in Google Books. About 1870, Frank Mathie set up his new brewery next door to George Ruder’s in Wausau, WI. The two merged in 1918 to form the American Brewing Company and later changed its name to Mathie-Ruder Brewing Company. Prohibition caused them to change the name and focus on other products, but they restarted the brwery in 1933. The Mathie-Ruder Brwery eventually closed in 1955. On July 18, 1958, Lester J. Snapp purchased the properties. The buildings, located at 505 through 516 Grand Avenue, Wausau, WI no longer exist. The Marathon County Historical Society adds that in 1892 Frank sold his interests in the brewery to his sons.

Various artifacts from Frank’s Brewery. (Images all found on eBay.)

In 1888, Frank made a trip back home to Germany which helped him appreciate America, especially its craftsmen. “This is the only country for a poor man,” was his comment.

The historical Society notes that Mr. Mathie was widely appreciated by the business community. He held many offices of trust and confidence and was very interested in the development of the area. He studied with Judge Bartholomew Ringle in the evenings to learn English and study the U. S. Constitution. He had two mottos: “Give the boys a chance.” And “Keep your credit good.”

Sons Frank and Otto became investors in 1909 of the newly formed Marathon Paper Mills Co. (Not to be confused with their brother Karl’s Mosinee Paper Mills Co.)

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