Inventors and Entrepreneurs
John Wesley Carhart
John Wesley Carhart invented a buggy powered by a two-cylinder steam engine called the Spark. Aided by his uncle, former Michigan State University professor H. S. Carhart, and financed by George W. Slauson, a wealthy lumberman, Carhart's Spark proved successful. However, he was pressured by townspeople to dismantle the machine after it caused the death of a valuable horse that had been frightened by the noise. Nevertheless, Carhart's invention was recognized years later by the American Manufacturers' Association as a forerunner of the automobile.
Jerome I. Case
Jerome I. Case developed a threashing machine that would beatthe kernels of wheat and separate them from the straw. He moved his company to Racine in 1844.
Albert J. Dremel
Albert J. Dremel was the inventive genius who founded the Dremel Company back in 1932. The company was, and still is located in Racine, Wisconsin.
Dremel held a wide range of patents, 55 in all. They included everything from electric erasers to the first design of the now standard walk behind rotary lawn mower. He formed the Dremel Company in 1932 with an electric razor blade sharpener as his first product. Before the advent of disposable razors, this little device was a real money saver.
Dremel then came up with perhaps his greatest invention ever. A high-speed rotary tool dubbed the Dremel Moto-Tool. Compact, lightweight and incredibly versatile, it was an instant success with hobby and craft people.
Stephen Freeman
Manufacturer of boilers, steam engines, ornamental gray castings ornamental florists' goods, etc.; was born in Wales, and came to America in 1856, locating at Rome, N. Y.; he afterward went to St. Louis; was several years in Centralia, Ill., and went to Milwaukee in 1864. Previous to that, he had served two years with Admiral Porter as constructor; he came to Racine in 1867, and worked as boiler-maker until he established his present business, 1870; he employs about ninety-five men, and his goods find a market in Europe, as well as in this country. Mr. Freeman's son Charles is associated with him in business, under the firm name of S. Freeman & Son.
In 1869, Stephen Freeman established a shop for repairing biolers, and the following year he found himself authorized to build machine shops and a foundry. To this, in 1874, he added a department for florists, ornamental iron work, aquaria, brackets, etc. The capital employed in the business in 1869, was $1,500; in less than ten years, it has been increased to over $80,000. The firm employ 100 men. The annual production of biolers is 350. The works are located on Bridge street.
John Hammes
He invented the garbage disposer in 1927 and founded the In-Sink-Erator company.
Samuel C. Johnson
(1833 – 1919) created Johnson's Prepared Paste Wax Company of Racine, Wisconsin.
Herbert Fisk Johnson
When he became a partner in 1906 Johnson's Prepared Paste Wax Company was renamed S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
Jim Jorgensen
(1948-) Creator of Discovery Zone, an indoor active play center for children. AllAdvantage (cofounder) an Internet infomediary community. And over 25 other enterprises.
William Horlick
Horlicks Malted Milk was the first dried milk food successfully marketed throughout the world. In 1869, William left for the United States and worked for a year or two with a distant cousin in the quarrying business in Racine, Wisconsin.
In 1883 Horlick was issued a patent for first malted milk drink mixing powder with hot water.
During 1933 and 1935 Rear Admiral Richard Byrd explored the Antarctic using aircraft and powered sleds. Horlick was so appreciated that Admiral Byrd named a mountain range for William Horlick in recognition of their consistent support of his Antarctic expeditions. The Horlick Mountains rise to a height of 9000 feet (3000m) toward the southern extreme of the Ross Ice shelf and can be found at 86oS, 115oW.
William Horlick died in 1936, aged ninety. In 1945, Horlicks Malted Milk Corporation (USA) was acquired by the English Company SmithKline-Beecham. Horlick's Malted Milk is no longer prioduced in Racine. It is still made in parts of India, Pakistan and Bangledesh with using Buffalo milk rather than cows milk.
Ernst Klinkert
Klinkert Brewing Company. Until prohibition, Racine's largest brewery.
Henry Mitchell
The Henry Mitchell Wagon Works in Racine later went on to produce the Mitchell automobile.
Arthur B. Modine
Entrepreneur and inventor who founded Modine Manufacturing Company of Racine. He formed Modine Manufacturing Company in 1916 and produce "Spirex" radiators for farm tractors. Modine Manufacturing pioneered the development of the unit heater and the room heating convector, and became a leader in a broad range of heat-transfer products for auto, truck, tractor, and industry. With patents for over 120 items, he was named to the United States Technical and Industrial Intelligence Commission to Europe at the end of World War II. He served as his company's president to 1946, as chairman to 1961, and as a director to 1972.
Frederick Osius
Inventor of electric appliances.
John Oster
John Oster Manufacturing Company
The first product of this new company was a hand held hair clipper specially designed to cut and style the hair of women during that time.
By the advent of World War II, the company had established itself as a serious manufacturer of various motors. This led to contracts awarded by the U.S. Government to produce motors for gun operations and to operate radio radar. With the War Production Board prohibiting the manufacturing of barber equipment in 1941, the company diversified into more extensive motor production.
At war's end, John Oster decided to develop a line of small electrical houseware appliances. The company purchased the Stevens Electric Company, a manufacturer of drink mixers for the soda fountain and bar, in 1946. Stevens' president had invented the drink mixer in 1922 to make malted shakes in drugstores. It was this product that led the company's engineers to successfully develop the first blender.
Edward J. Pennington
There was speculation as to the origin of the 'Airship' reported over the midwest in 1897 believed to have been invented and flown by Pennington. He has patented a reciprocating head for planing machines, the first balloon tire, The first ignitor for gasoline internal combustion engines and indeed did submit a patent for an Airship.
Dr. Clarendon I. Shoop
Patent Medicine King.
George W. Slauson
Partnered with George Murray in Murray, Slauson and Co. in lumber. Murray named his 380 acres of very fine land west of the city he called Slausondale.
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