I’m in the thick of researching and writing several series of illustrated posts for the blog, as well as for some upcoming public talks that I’m giving this spring and summer, and it’s kept me from posting lately. And as is often the case with these big projects, I find I have so much fresh material, and so many interesting, interconnecting, events and stories, that the problem becomes sorting and organizing all that information, and all those images, into coherent and not-overwhelmingly-long posts and presentations. (Heh. We’ll see about that…)

Anyway, while I continue my writing and editing behind the scenes, I thought you might enjoy this random bit of Mequon history I found while looking for some other, entirely different, information. It’s an advertisement originally dated May 21, 1855; this copy was published on page 3 of the Milwaukee Banner und Volksfreund [Banner and People’s Friend] on February 6, 1856. The ad announces a new business venture by one of Mequon’s earliest and most influential German settlers, Wilhelm Ferdinand “William F.” Opitz (1813 or 1816 – 1882):

How’s that? Your German language and Fraktur-reading skills are a bit too rusty to enjoy this historical advert? Well, just click and read on for all the details!

Ach, Fraktur!

For those of you that are not at ease with the old German gothic font known as Fraktur, here’s a transliteration of the original:

Land–Agentur von W. Opitz in Mequon.

Nachdem ich meine Wirthschaft verkauft, habe ich unterm heutigen Tage eine Land-Agenteur am hiesigen Platze errichtet, und erfurcht diejenigen Farmer, welche Ländereien verkaufen wollen, sich bei mir zu melden, un ebenso Diejenigen, welche Farmen u. kaufen wollen, sich ebenfalls meiner Vermittelung zu bedienen.

Mequon, Ozaukie-County, Mai 21, ’55. W. Opitz.

Or, in other words

Land–Agency of W. Opitz in Mequon.

Having sold my farm, I have today established a land agency in this place, and I respectfully invite those farmers who wish to sell land to contact me, and likewise those who wish to buy farms to make use of my services.

Mequon, Ozaukee-County, May 21, ’55. W. Opitz.

Opitz was not the first person among the early Mequon settlers that did business as a land agent. CHH readers may remember that future Clark and Turck in-law, Densmore W. Maxon opened a similar land agency in Mequon in 1844. See our post Elizabeth Turck’s husband: Densmore W. Maxon (1820-1877) for an image of his newspaper ad and all the details.

And that’s not all…

William F. Opitz was a man of substantial talents and energy. It is generally believed that he, his brother-in-law Adolph Zimmerman, and their families, were the first German immigrants to T9N-R21E, the future Town of Mequon. Opitz went on to establish—at various times—a farm, a tavern and a brewery, as well as playing a substantial part in local politics, and holding various appointed and elected offices. Here’s Opitz’s brief biography as published on page 762 of the History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties […] Illustrated (1881), from the “Town of Grafton” section:

WILLIAM F. OPITZ, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Saukville; one of the early pioneers; is a native of Saxony, born in 1816. In 1838, he was married to Wilhelmini Graff, and in the following year emigrated to the United States, and settled in the town of Mequon on the 6th day of August, 1839. Here he purchased 160 acres of Government land, and 146 acres of land partially improved. In 1857, in partnership with Adolph Zimmermann, he built the Mequon Brewery, and was connected with the same until 1859. In 1866, he purchased his present farm of 200 acres, and has since resided on the same. Mr. Opitz is a Democrat in politics, and, besides holding the various town offices, has been County Sheriff and member of Assembly. His children are Herman, Richard, Frank, Henryette (now Mrs. Nicolaus Stine, of Sauk Co.), Matilda (now Mrs. Ernst Alden, of Mequon), and Thekla.

That’s only a brief, incomplete—and not entirely accurate—sketch of the life of William Opitz. For a somewhat more complete survey of his life, see his obituary, transcribed at his FindaGrave memorial.

We will hear more about Opitz—and his brother-in-law Adolph Zimmerman—and their interactions with our other Washington/Ozaukee county pioneers in some upcoming posts. And I’ll have more Clark House history—of all sorts—for you all in just a while. See you then.