Henry Vits Monument Dedicated 95 Years Ago
The Manitowoc Aluminum Novelty Co. (later merged to form the Aluminum Goods Mfg. Co.) was founded in 1898 by Henry Vits in his former tannery at Franklin and 15th Streets, Manitowoc.
On the afternoon of Saturday, August 6, 1927, a large audience gathered in Washington Park on 12th Street in Manitowoc to dedicate a stone monument with a bronze tablet inscribed “In memory of Henry Vits Who So Lived As To Enrich Our Community. Educator and Industrialist.”
Henry Vits was one of Manitowoc’s most prominent and successful businessmen.
The memorial was unveiled by Catherine Vits, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Vits and granddaughter of Henry Vits. The monument and dedication were organized by Manitowoc Lodge No. 55 of the International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.).
The hour-long ceremony opened with the German song “This is the Day of Our Lord” by the Freier Saengerbund directed by Milton Detjen. Following the unveiling, Judge Emil Baensch spoke about the life of Henry Vits, one of Manitowoc’s leading pioneer industrial leaders. Another song in German was followed by an address by Rev. W. E. Schilling, son of a pioneer resident from Maple Grove. The program closed with a song.
Henry Vits was born in Rheydt, Rhine Province, Prussia on January 21, 1842. At the age of 12, his mother, Henrietta Laufs, died. The following year, he came to the United States with his father William and sisters Anna, Mary and Wilhelmina. The family settled on 80 acres near School Hill in the Town of Meeme.
In 1866, Henry, age 24, married Mary Hockemeyer (1844-1933). She was born in Germany and came to Manitowoc in 1859 with her parents Friedrich and Charlotte Hockemeyer. In 1868, the Henry Vits family moved to a 40-acre farm in the Town of Newton. Between 1867 and 1886, the couple had nine children: Mary, William, Albert, Emma, Lydia, George, Hugo, Hattie and Henry.
Bronze tablet on the Henry Vits monument in Washington Park.
After teaching school for a few years, Henry decided to learn the tanner’s trade and went to work at the Bean & Schultz tannery in Manitowoc. During the 1870s, he became a partner in a tannery with Martin Vollendorf, then worked with Louis Sherman. In 1879, he bought the Vollendorf tannery on the southwest corner of Franklin and 15th Streets, operating it until 1898, when he formed the Manitowoc Aluminum Novelty Co. Henry was president; his son William, vice president; and William F. Pflueger, secretary. The old tannery was remodeled to make combs, hair pins, toys and small novelties from the soft, nonferrous, white metal, aluminum.
In 1909, Vits merged the business to form Aluminum Goods Mfg. Co., making cookware and other products. The name was changed to Mirro Aluminum Co. in 1957. The story of the success of the company is an important part of the history and economic development of Manitowoc.
Besides being one of Manitowoc’s most prominent and successful businessmen, Henry Vits served as Manitowoc postmaster (1894-1898) and a member of the state legislature, county board of supervisors, city council, school board, park commission and county asylum board of trustees. He helped organize the Manitowoc Gas Co. and Manitowoc Mutual Fire Insurance Co. He was an active member of the Odd Fellows and Concordia Singing Society.
Henry Vits died on December 7, 1921, age 79, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.