History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Schwartz, John G. prominently associated with the business interests of Oneida Country and chairman of the town of Hazelhurst, was born at Hartland, Waukesha County, Wis., July 8, 1881, son of Carl and Elizabeth (PUTZON) SCHWARTZ. The father died in April, of 1922; the mother is still residing at Hartland. John G. SCHWARTZ was educated in the grade and high school of Hartland, and in 1898 he and his brother Charles came to Oneida County, and bought property on Garth Lake, purchasing also the old townsite of the Garth Lumber Co., with several buildings thereon. At the time the fame of Oneida County as a vacation land was just beginning to spread, and inquiries from those who wished to rent for the summer the old vacant buildings which Mr. SCHWARTZ owned brought to his attention the possibilities of the summer resort business. A man of vision, he perceived that the real future of this region lay in its attractiveness of those seeking recreation in the great outdoors, and that facilities for taking care of these people should be built up at once. Accordingly he established Birchwood resort on the shores of Garth Lake, which resort became one of the most popular in the county; Mr. SCHWARTZ conducted it until 1918, when he sold to Edwin L. COLBY, the present proprietor. During all this period Mr. SCHWARTZ continued to buy lake frontage; the property thus acquired he would subdivide, and on it he would build cottages to suit the individual purchasers, selling cottage and lot together and thus building up a flourishing real estate and contracting business. He has practically built up Hazelhurst to what it is today, a modern, well-kept village. He conducts a retail lumber yard and has built practically every new residence and building in Hazelhurst Township. When the Takey-Bissell Lumber Company finished its operations in this locality Axel ANDERSON and Mr. SCHWARTZ purchased their general store, and this they conducted in partnership for a year and a half, after which Mr. SCHWARTZ sold his interest in this enterprise to Mr. ANDERSON. Eugene E. TERRILL is Mr. SCHWARTZ' partner in a number of operations, the firm being known as the Lake Katherine Improvement Company. One of their joint holdings is "Sylvan Shores" a highly attractive summer resort on the north shore of Lake Katherine, one mile from the village of Hazelhurst. A striking feature at this resort is the quaint and artistic designs of the bungalows, no two of which are exactly alike. They are constructed of logs, and each has a screened front porch and a massive stone fireplace; the floors in all these buildings are of hard wood, and the whole arrangement is comfortable and pleasing. The bungalows are about 200 feet apart and are located in a beautiful stand of white birch and pine timber, on a gentle slope extending to the short of the lake. Each bungalow has its own private boat landing, and a good row boat is furnished free with each. Sylvan Shores is an ideal place for a quiet outing amid the beauties of nature, in an atmosphere of refinement and congeniality. Mr. SCHWARTZ is a man who takes great pride in his work and in his community, and is held in high esteem for his worth as a man. He has served his township as chairman for nine years, and for eight years he was on the road and bridge committee in the county board. He is a member of the Minocqua lodge of the Masons, and is a stockholder in the Oneida County National Bank at Rhinelander. His religious affiliations are with the Congregational Church. Mr. SCHWARTZ was married June 5, 1906, to Mrs. Gladys AREY, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. C. M. SKINNER of Hartland, Wis. Mrs. SCHWARTZ died Feb. 8, 1913, leaving one child, Chester, who was born of her previous marriage to Chester AREY. Chester is now in the electrical and radio business at Chicago.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 308-309 (with picture), History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.

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