My Genealogy Hound

A. Koppitz, of the firm of Koppitz & Smith, proprietors of the “Banner Roller Mills” of Pacific, was born April 27, 1852, in Kuttelberg, Austria. When thirteen years old he learned the blacksmith’s trade, and two years later his father took him into the mill to learn the milling business, which he followed for the following two years. From the time he was seventeen years old until he was twenty he traveled quite extensively through several of the European countries, to post himself on the different systems of milling. He then emigrated to the United States, settling first in Chicago, Ill., where he resumed the blacksmith’s trade for about one year, and subsequently engaged in the saloon business three years. He then moved to Edwards County, Kas., and engaged in farming three years, when he returned to Chicago and worked in a flouring-mill; six months later he went to Lawrenceburg, Ind., and was placed in charge of the flouring-mill of Roots & Co., in which capacity he was employed two years, The firm then built a mill in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mr. Koppitz was given general super vision of the mill for about two years. He then moved to Columbia, Ill., and took charge of the “Columbia Flouring Mill,” where he remained until June, 1885, when he came to Pacific and purchased his present mill property of Davison &Co., in partnership with W. B. Smith. They repaired and refurnished the mill, and have more than trebled its capacity, and for the past two years, excepting about three months before harvest, have been running the mill night and day. The mill is supplied throughout with rolls. Beside one-half interest in his splendid mill property, Mr. Koppitz owns one-half interest in the “Pacific Grain Elevator.” He was married July 26, 1873, to Miss Babeth German, a native of Bavaria, Germany, who came to this country with her uncle when fifteen years old, settling in Chicago, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Koppitz have had five children: Conrad (deceased), Albert, William, an infant unnamed (deceased), and Tillie. Mr. Koppitz is a member of the Protestant Church, and is Independent in politics. He was elected city alderman in the spring of 1887. He is a Master Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W. He was the sixth of ten children of Benjamin and Johanna (Pfleiger) Koppitz, natives of Austria, where they now reside.