ADAM H. BARTEL: One of the largest and oldest firms in the wholesale district of Eastern Indiana is the Adam H. Bartel Company, jobbers of dry goods and notions and manufacturers of workmen’s clothing. The president of this company is a veteran merchant and business man, and has been steadily associated with commercial affairs in Richmond since as a boy of fifteen he was in the employ of a local wholesale house of fifty-five years ago.
Adam H. Bartel (1850 ~ 1942) was born near Osnabruch, Hanover, Germany, in 1850. When he was four years old his parents came to America, settling in Richmond, where his father for a time was an employe of Company, but later bought a farm north of Richmond and for a number of years steadily pursued his interests as an agriculturist. He died in Richmond at the advanced age of almost ninety years. Mr. Bartel’s mother died in 1891, at the age of sixty-seven years.
He had to be content with a common school education and at the age of fifteen was employed as an errand boy and stock boy with the wholesale and retail notions and fancy goods firm of Emsweiler & Crocker. He was with that firm seven years, three years of the time as traveling salesman. He next accepted a position with George H. Knollenberg, retail dry goods dealer, and served there as salesman four years.
In 1877 he associated himself with Christopher F. Schaefer to buy out the interests of his old employer, Mr. Crocker, who had succeeded to the firm of Emsweiler & Crocker, and established the firm of Bartel & Schaefer. For three years they conducted the business at old 49 Main Street, and when the partnership was dissolved Mr. Bartel moved to 210 Fort Wayne Avenue and for five years the business was conducted under his individual name at this location. He then took in John M. Coate as partner, using the firm name of Adam H. Bartel & Company, and in 1885, to accommodate the growing business, the firm put up a three-story brick building, at the corner of Washington and Fort Wayne avenues.
In 1892 the firm of Adam H. Bartel & Company was incorporated, and at that time the business was removed to 911-921 North E Street, where it is established today in a building 118 by 115 feet, four floors and basement. Adam H. Bartel is president, John M. Coate, vice president, Fred J. Bartel, treasurer, Ida E. Bartel, secretary, and Ben C. Bartel, assistant secretary. One hundred and seventy-five people are employed in the office, warehouse and factory, and they do a jobbing business in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. While the jobbing business has always been the chief feature of the company, they have also made overalls, shirts and other workmen’s clothing since 1885.
Mr. Bartel is a director and stockholder in the Dickinson Trust Company and has other local interests, including some real estate. He is president of the board of trustees of the Y. M. C. A., a member of the First English Lutheran Church, the Commercial Club, Country Club, and in politics is a republican. While a busy man, he has neglected no legitimate claim upon his time and energies in behalf of local affairs. His company is a member of the National Association of Garment Manufacturers and the National Wholesale Dry Goods Association.
In 1875 Mr. Bartel married Miss Matilda E. Knollenberg, daughter of Bernhard Knollenberg. To their marriage were born seven children, four of whom are living. Bernhard C. and Frederick J. are both married; Gertrude is a graduate of Earlham College and Florence is now finishing her education at Ward-Belmont School for Girls at Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Bartel has two grandchildren. Source: Indiana and Indianans; Vol. 4; 1919.
Bartel’s South 8th Street factory has been converted to multifamily housing.
The Bartel family plot is located at the Lutherania Cemetery, Liberty Pike, Richmond, Indiana. A. H. Bartel died in 1942. His wife, Matilda E. (Knollenberg) Bartel died in 1926. DT
Adam H. Bartel (1850 ~ 1942) was born near Osnabruch, Hanover, Germany, in 1850. When he was four years old his parents came to America, settling in Richmond, where his father for a time was an employe of Company, but later bought a farm north of Richmond and for a number of years steadily pursued his interests as an agriculturist. He died in Richmond at the advanced age of almost ninety years. Mr. Bartel’s mother died in 1891, at the age of sixty-seven years.
He had to be content with a common school education and at the age of fifteen was employed as an errand boy and stock boy with the wholesale and retail notions and fancy goods firm of Emsweiler & Crocker. He was with that firm seven years, three years of the time as traveling salesman. He next accepted a position with George H. Knollenberg, retail dry goods dealer, and served there as salesman four years.
In 1877 he associated himself with Christopher F. Schaefer to buy out the interests of his old employer, Mr. Crocker, who had succeeded to the firm of Emsweiler & Crocker, and established the firm of Bartel & Schaefer. For three years they conducted the business at old 49 Main Street, and when the partnership was dissolved Mr. Bartel moved to 210 Fort Wayne Avenue and for five years the business was conducted under his individual name at this location. He then took in John M. Coate as partner, using the firm name of Adam H. Bartel & Company, and in 1885, to accommodate the growing business, the firm put up a three-story brick building, at the corner of Washington and Fort Wayne avenues.
Mr. Bartel is a director and stockholder in the Dickinson Trust Company and has other local interests, including some real estate. He is president of the board of trustees of the Y. M. C. A., a member of the First English Lutheran Church, the Commercial Club, Country Club, and in politics is a republican. While a busy man, he has neglected no legitimate claim upon his time and energies in behalf of local affairs. His company is a member of the National Association of Garment Manufacturers and the National Wholesale Dry Goods Association.
In 1875 Mr. Bartel married Miss Matilda E. Knollenberg, daughter of Bernhard Knollenberg. To their marriage were born seven children, four of whom are living. Bernhard C. and Frederick J. are both married; Gertrude is a graduate of Earlham College and Florence is now finishing her education at Ward-Belmont School for Girls at Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Bartel has two grandchildren. Source: Indiana and Indianans; Vol. 4; 1919.
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