SILVER BOW COUNTY, MONTANA Jacob Osenbrug Transcribed & submitted by: Lorene Frigaard, great grandniece. Extracted from: A History of Montana, by Helen Fitzgerald Sanders, Published 1913 by Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago, Illinois. Page 1128. JACOB OSENBRUG. Among the pioneer business men of Butte, Montana, who have been active participators in the growth of the city from a small town to an important commercial center of metropolitan proportions such as it now stands, is Jacob Osenbrug, president of the Home Baking Company of Butte. Mr. Osenbrug was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, on January 28, 1860, the son of a prosperous merchant in the province of Hanover, near Hamburg. His parents, Klaus Osenbrug and Elizabeth (Stockmann) Osenbrug, were both born in Germany and passed their lives in that country. The father died at Hollern in 1881, having reached the age of seventy-two years, while the mother survived him one year and was sixty-six years of age when she died. Jacob Osenbrug attended the public schools of Hollern as a child and later was sent to a private school where he continued to pursue his studies until he reached his fourteenth year. He was then apprenticed to learn a trade, as is the invariable custom in Germany in the case of the sons of the family, whether rich or poor, and the trade he elected to master was that of a baker and confectioner. After a three years' apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman for less than a year in Germany, then went to England, where he was similarly employed for six months. In the spring of 1879 he decided to seek his fortune in the western world, and embarking, was three weeks upon the ocean in the vessel "Mosel." Arriving in America, he made his first objective point St. Louis, Missouri. He remained in that city but a short season, however, and in spite of the fact that he had insufficient funds in hand to properly finance the journey, determined to come to Butte. When he reached Ogden, Utah, his money was entirely exhausted. He sought and secured employment there, earning a sum sufficient to buy a pony, having in the meantime walked a portion of the way to Idaho Falls. From that point he made his way more easily on horseback and finally arrived in Butte, possessed of a fund of experience he could in no other way have obtained, and undaunted determination to work his way to a position of success and honor in his new home. There was no bakery in Butte at the time Mr. Osenbrug arrived here and he was accordingly obliged to turn his hand to whatever kind of lucrative employment he could find. In a short time, however, he succeeded in interesting Joseph Pitzer in the establishment of a bakery and undertook its management. The enterprise represented a struggle from the beginning, with limited capital and a change in partners at intervals, but all united in demonstrating Mr. Osenbrug's fitness for business, and in 1882 he was able to purchase an interest in the establishment. This acquisition was the nucleus for the foundation of what afterwards became known as the Home Baking Company, as now reads his firm name under which he at present operates. His first little shop was located at No. 13 East Granite street and was known as the Eagle Bakery, and the pioneers who remember the place years ago find it difficult to believe that the present immense plant is its immediate successor. In 1884, when Mr. Osenbrug had become sole owner, he bought the property at No. 15-17 east Granite, and in 1885 he built the building that still stands there. The Home Baking Company is known to be the only machine bakery in the JACOB OSENBRUG, History of Montana, Continued: state, and it has a capacity of thirty thousand loaves of bread daily. Twenty-one people are employed in operating the bakery and attending to the trade. Not only are local sales large, but an extensive shipping business is also done, many stores in other parts of the state being supplied with products from the Butte plant. Home Baking Company bread and other bakery products are known for their superior quality throughout Montana and the business which is already so extensive is constantly increasing. The company was incorporated in 1904 with Mr. Osenbrug as president; H.J. Rathmiller, vice president, and John Haller, treasurer. In addition to his connection with the Home Baking Company as its executive head, Mr. Osenbrug has other financial interests which mark him as one of the substantial elements of the city's commercial and industrial life. He is an extensive owner of valuable city and country real estate, and is also a financial factor in the ownership of several valuable mining properties. Throughout his residence in the country and city of his adoption he has manifested a marked interest in public and civic matters and discharged his duty as a conscientious citizen with intelligence and integrity. He was a member of Company F, First Montana State Militia for eleven years. In political matters he advocates Republican principles, but takes no active part in party affairs. He holds membership in several of the leading clubs and fraternal orders of the city, including the Silver Bow Club, the Masonic fraternity, in which he is a member of Butte Chapter No. 24, R. A. M., the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Sons of Hermann. On March 9, 1883, occurred the marriage of Mr. Osenbrug to Miss Mary M. Heinbockel, a native of Germany. Six children were born of this union, five of whom are living, named as follows: Henry Jacob, Lydia, Rudolph P., Edward and Albert M. Another son, Albert by name, died when nine months of age. The mother of this family died October 18, 1900. Mr. Osenbrug married again on December 5, 1901, to Mrs. Anna Kroeger, a sister of his first wife. She had one son by her first marriage, William Kroeger. The family home is maintained at No. 825 West Broadway, where in 1895 Mr. Osenbrug built the fine residence which they occupy. Mr. Osenbrug is a citizen who is held in the high personal esteem of all who know him, because of his many fine qualities and he has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, in which he is known as a gentleman of liberality and the strictest integrity, and as one who stands always ready to lend the weight of his influence to any project that has for its object the greatest good of the community in which he resides. _________________________________________ USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format forprofit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. 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