History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its cities, towns, resources, people

              MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES OF MENASHA.     693,
ladies' dress goods, sackings and frockings, and has a wide area of domestic trade throughout the temperate zone. The policy of the mills have been to make only "all wool goods and a yard wide." The capacity of the mills is 1,200 yards per day, working sixty people, about two-thirds of whom are girls. The equipment consists of eighteen looms of the latest pattern, thir¬ teen broad and five narrow. It has also the carding machinery, spinning jack, finishing and color machines and vats, and all the equipment necessary to supply the yarn to the looms. The mills are run by water and a steam engine. The wool is mostly purchased at Chicago, though some of the supply comes from the farmers in the county. The company have a large frame wool storage warehouse on the canal bank; and a frame salesf and warerooms with their office on Tayco street on the opposite side of the canal. Their annual output is valued at $300,000. Mr. F. H. Reffelt is the superintendent.
Mr. William P. Hev/itt, the principal in this enterprise in later days, was born in Menasha in 1850, and during his whole business career was connected with the business of making woolens. After the death of his father, Mr. Henry Hewitt, Sr., he became president of the Bank of Menasha, a position he held until his death in 1907. He was a man of most excellent character and led a quiet life, devoting himself closely to his business enterprises.
Mr. John Chapman was born in Leeds, England, in 1828, and came to America in 1847. He came to Menasha in 1865 and formed the partnership as described. He assumed personal charge of the mill, being himself an expert woolen mill man, having learned the trade in England. After selling his interest in this mill in 1882, he moved to Watertown with his family, and, having taken over the woolen mill at that place, he car¬ ried on the enterprise until his death in 1885. Mr. Daniel Priest died at Henoretta, Wisconsin, in 1885.
The Fox River Valley Knitting Company installed machinery for the manufacture of sweaters, socks, mils and other knit goods made from yarn, in the four-story frame iron covered building of the Banner flour mills, on the east end of the water power, which was purchased from the Bank of Menasha in 1903. The enterprise originated with Mr. D. Nottage, who had asso¬ ciated with him his son, Mr. William Nottage, and Mr. John Sternberg. Mr. Nottage was for many years superintendent for the Hamilton Bros. Manufacturing Company of Two Rivers,