Karl Mathie   1866-1938

 

    

 

Born:   April 12, 1866 in Wausau, Wisconsin

Died:   December 9, 1938, while vacationing in California. 

 

Spouse:          Caroline Hamilton Briggs m. July 27, 1892 in Appleton, Wisconsin      

Children:         Karl Theodore Mathie b. April 25, 1893

                        Elizabeth Katherine (Mathie) Tippet (b. November 5, 1892, d. April 1981, m. Earl Tippett, )

                        Cornelia Zoe (Mathie) Bell  (m. James Bell)

 

Occupation:   Watchmaker

Clergyman

Educator

Businessman

Manufacturer

 

Father’s name:  Frank Mathie                     Birth place:  Wurtenburg, Germany

Mother’s name:  Katherine Mathie              Birth place:  Bavaria (south Germany)

Siblings:         Edward Mathie (b. abt. 1863) (Wife’s maiden name is Sanchez.)

                        Francis Mathie (b. abt. 1867)

                        John Mathie (b. abt. 1869)

                        Otto Mathie (b. after 1870 Census)

 

In the 1870 Wisconsin State Census records, Karl is noted as “Charles”.

He was named after Karl Mathie, his great grandfather, rumored to be a son of a French general under Napoleon.

 

Karl attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin boarding in the city while a student.  He graduated in 1891, with Phi Beta Kappa honors.  He then went to Harvard for two years for his graduate degree in theology and economics.  It appears now that he was done with school he married Caroline.  With his new wife, Karl returned to Wausau, Wisconsin and spent 3 years as the Principal of the high school.  Then he moved back to Appleton where he was pastor at the First Congregational Church for 1 year.  Then it was back to Wausau where he was Superintendent of Schools until 1905.

 

Next Karl went into management within the paper industry.  From 1905 until 1910 he was General Manager of the Watab Paper Co. in St. Cloud, Minnesota, owned by the Wausau Group.  The Wausau Group then formed the Wausau Sulphate & Fibre Co. in Mosinee, Marathon County, Wisconsin and Karl became its first president, which he served until 1917.  This plant later became known as the Mosinee paper Mills Co.

 

When World War I came, Karl served as a member of George Creel’s Public Information Bureau.  He also, along with Otto C. Butz, founded the American Friends of German Democracy, a society composed of German-Americans loyal to this country.  Afterwards he returned to business with the Wausau Motor Parts Co. and the Wausau Citizens’ Loan and Investment Co.

 

Karl kept his first interest of education by becoming president of the Northeastern Teachers’ Association in 1899.  He also served as a regent for the Minnesota state normal schools while in St. Cloud, as president of the Wausau Industrial Board of Education in 1913, and as a trustee for Lawrence University for many years.  Karl also served as the Wisconsin chairman of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Found.  He was also a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America in Wausau.  In 1918, Karl made an address to American Citizens of German Origin which was published by The Friends, ISBN B00089ZO54.  (I do not have a copy of this.  Can anyone help me?)

 

Karl and Caroline’s Mosinee home at 202 Water Street was added to the register of historic buildings in 1980.  Originally built in 1898 and renovated in 1928, it still stands as an example of a Craftsman Bungalow.  At the time of Karl’s death, they were living at 516 Franklin Street.

 

    

 

    

These photos are all from A Photo Album of Marathon County: 1850 – 1925, by Malcolm Rosholt.  Top left is Boy Scout Troop 2 of Wausau taken in 1915.  In the close-up I’ve tried to highlight the Mathie family with Scoutmaster Karl on the left, daughter Cornelia in back center, daughter Elizabeth 2nd from right and Karl’s wife Caroline (Briggs) Mathie on far right.  The bottom left picture is the graduating class of Mosinee High School in 1917.  Daughter Elizabeth is seated front row left.   The bottom right picture is an aerial view of Karl’s Wausau Sulphite & Fibre Company in Mosinee, Wisconsin taken in 1925.

 

Daughter Elizabeth and her husband Earl Tippet appear to have lived in 8 various communities around Marathon County, Wisconsin.  I have not learned of any children.  The couple apparently retired in Zephyrhills, Florida with Earl passing in April of 1975.  Elizabeth passed in April of 1981.

 

A check for death records for the daughter Cornelia and her husband James Bell yielded nothing.  The family appears to have moved away from the Marathon County area.  I have no other information about them.

 

I’d like to thank Shelly Green and the Marathon County Historical Library for their assistance in helping me find material on the Mathie family.

 

 

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