Draft:Harry Wellnitz


Harry Wellnitz
Born
August Albert Wellnitz

(1893-11-26)26 November 1893
Pembroke, Ontario
Died12 May 1966(1966-05-12) (aged 72)
Columbus, Ohio
Other nameHarry "Fritz" Wellnitz
OccupationGerman/Canadian Brickmason
Known forInventor of concrete block forming machine


Harry Wellnitz: Life & Legacy

Harry was one of twelve children and was born in Pembroke, Ontario, a small Canadian town nestled in the Ottawa River Valley. His mother, Mary Isabella Mohns, was the daughter of two German immigrants who relocated to the small town of Petawawa amidst the great German migration from Germany to Canada. Her parents, August Mohns and Louise Norenbeic , left Germany around 1862 with their first son, Frederick. August was a tailor and Louise was a housewife.

Influencing their move, whispers promising work traversed the ocean and into the ears of poor German farmers, who were intrigued by Canada’s offering of cheap and abundant land. However, what many of these German immigrants failed to notice, including August and Louise, was that Canada was not as arable as it was made out to be. These Germans were not accustomed to the brutal Canadian winters and came to find that maintaining crops long-term would be more challenging than originally assumed. When they arrived to Canada, hopeful to farm, they settled in the town of Petawawa with many kin. Many of the new residents of the Ottawa River Valley were German and French immigrants who were enticed by the Canadian government to write letters home to friends and family, convincing them to relocate to Canada. In exchange, the Canadian government would offer a cash sum and a generous amount of land.

Land in Canada as part of the Canadian Homestead Act of 1872. It stated that 160 acres of land would be given for free to any male farmers who agreed to cultivate at least 40 of their acres and build a permanent homestead within three years. The act was repealed in 1930.

For a time, the Ottawa River Valley was swarming with Germans. In Pembroke, church services were in German and there was even a weekly, German newspaper. Unfortunately, none of them have been saved.

Harry’s father, Michael Wellnitz, was also a German immigrant. Michael and his seven siblings were all born in the Pösen Province of the German Empire. At this time, the German Empire was called Prussia. As a young man, Michael was a member of the Imperial German Army, which was under rule of the Kaiser, who was Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig “The King of Prussia” and “The Iron Chancellor,” Otto von Bismarck.

Otto von Bismark was appointed Chancellor of Prussia by Wilhelm Ludwig I and is remembered as the man who united the German states into one nation. He is widely celebrated for his leadership skills and for his authoritarianism. However, Bismark was known to suppress minorities, such as the Catholics and Jesuits. He believed that Catholics devoted more faith towards the pope rather than Germany and that their religion was becoming too influential. He enforced “Kulturkampf” (culture struggle) upon the minorities and decided to place all the Catholic schools under state control and expelled the Jewish children from education. For the Wellnitz family, who were strictly devout Catholics, this did not bode well.

Michael’s parents, Michael Sr. and Mary Robeck, living under German rule as a part of the suppressed Catholic minority, were unsatisfied in the way Germany was progressing politically. Unpleased, they initiated their move from their hometown in Pösen, Germany to Canada. Today, Pösen no longer exists, but was once a province of the Kingdom of Prussia that occupies most of today’s Poland. In 1871, it was annexed to the German empire. Nine years later, around 1880, Michael and his family left Germany and traveled to the United States through Ellis Island.

Michael Wellnitz and his father were both tradesmen and were talented masons. When the Wellnitz family disembarked in Ellis Island, their skills were instantly noticed by the Canadian government, and they were bribed with jobs northward. So, with no knowledge of the newfound Canadian land or the unfamiliar terrains of the Americas, they accepted the offer and moved to Canada.

In 1885, when Michael was 26 years old and living in Pembroke, he married Mary Isabella Mohns. At the time, Isabella was only eighteen years old, and was also a recent convert to Roman Catholicism to align with the standing of her husband. She was raised as part of the Mount Zion Church and was disowned by her family after her conversion in faith. Over the course of eleven years, the couple had twelve children – one was Harry Wellnitz.

Harry Wellnitz was born in 1893 to the name August Albert, that of his mother’s father, August Mohns. It was only after he naturalized as a United States citizen in 1944 that August Albert Wellnitz legally changed his name to Harry. In Pembroke, where Harry grew up, many children were uneducated – he was one of them. For the time, it wasn’t uncommon. Many of the families were immigrants and work came before education.

Despite Harry's ambition and drive towards earning proper schooling, he only reached the third grade. Around age 10, Harry went to work with his father, laying steel on the Trans-Canadian railway, never finishing elementary school, and never attending middle or high school.

Harry worked for the rails until he was 20 years old and had earned enough money to move out of Canada to Michigan. He stayed in Detroit, Michigan for a short time, living with his uncle, Joseph Wellnitz. During Harry’s stay in Detroit, he was unhappy. His uncle recognized this and packed up his bags and took him to Chicago. Harry’s daughter, Evelyn Wellnitz Reeder said:

“Oh, he loved Uncle Joe, but I just visualized Dad sitting on a bed, with his head down. He was very depressed.
And Uncle Joe said “What’s the matter Fritz? Aren’t ya’ happy?” Everybody called Grandpa Fritz, and I’m told he hated it. Dad couldn’t answer him, because he was too choked up, and all he said was “No…”
“Don’t you like it here?”
“…No”
“Well, pack your bags! You’re coming with me.” So, he took him to Chicago, and he was in Chicago a couple of years. He taught him how to be a bricklayer. Dad knew how to work with concrete blocks because that’s what Grandpa Wellnitz did in Pembroke. So, he knew all about that, but he didn’t know anything about laying brick, and that’s quite a different profession. And then he worked on the railroad for a while.”

Evelyn’s sister, Judy Wellnitz Baltimore commented:

“Uncle Joe was related to Harry’s father, Michael Wellnitz – a brother. There were some members of the family who settled in Chicago. I believe that they came down to Janestown, Wisconsin, having crossed from Canada at that point. Dad was very close to Maria Mohns who was a sister of Harry’s mother, Mary Mohns, and she lived in Chicago. She must have helped Dad when he came over from Canada in early 19’s. He always spoke so highly of her.”

In 1918, while Harry is living with Joseph Wellnitz, his wife Mary, and their children, James, Elenora, Joseph, Evelyn, and Albert (his first cousins), the FBI searched the apartment after a complaint from a recently evicted tenant. The complaint reads:

“There was a report made to this department by Ed Edgerton and a Mr. Baker who lived at the same address and stated that the subject, Joseph Wellnitz, would knock the damn American Flag and spit on President Wilson’s picture, also played German hymns from time to time in the flat, also wife of the subject being Pro-German. Agent called the address and found that the two parties who were complainants in the case had been put out of the place, which is owned by Mr. Wellnitz, for not being able to pay their rent. […] Both are men which are considered to be troublesome and always trying to look for trouble.
Mr. Wellnitz came from Canada but has been in this country since he was eight years old, has five children and he and his wife have always been loyal to the United States. They own the building, and they are still working to pay a small mortgage that they now have on the building. Mr. Wellnitz showed the agent that he was having difficulty in meeting his obligations, as his business which has been a harness maker, has been practically put out of business on account of these conditions.
Agent is satisfied that this is nothing more than spite work on the part of the two parties who made the complaints, and as they have moved, the agent was unable to locate them. There will be no further investigation made.”

For the next few years, Harry lived in Chicago, working with his relatives and mastering his skills in cement. Evelyn said, “Daddy made lots of money in Chicago in those early teen years, and he got into this real rich crowd, and this girl wanted to marry him. Either he didn’t like her, or maybe he did, but she was too rich for him, and he got scared. Eventually, he left Chicago and came to Columbus.”

However, when Harry came to Columbus, it wasn’t because of the pretty women and flashy night clubs. No – it was the mafia, and not just any mafia either. It was the bootlegging, gambling-driven mafia of Al Capone. In the 1920s, concrete was like gold for the mafia, especially in Chicago. In fact, the mafia made a killing out of it and eventually the term “Chicago Overcoat” was born. Carol Brookshire Reeder, said, “They’d take the people, and they’d throw them in cement. Sometimes, they’d cement their feet and throw them out in the river to drown. It wasn’t pretty.”

Over time, Harry became more involved in the cement industry, to which he eventually opened his own practice. As he grew his block production, he also became a more prominent target on the mafia’s radar. He began to have a fair share of threatening encounters. “They went after his men,” Joe Altman, Harry's grandson said. “They slashed all four of his tires, and Grandpa wanted nothing to do with it. He moved to Columbus.” “Grandpa Harry started his business in Chicago,” my second cousin, David Crites, said. “But he was told that something could happen to his drivers. That they may get beaten up, or the trucks may get some flat tires – and it’s all from Al Capone’s mafia. So, he said, ‘To hell with that,’ and moved to Columbus. He only had a dime in his pocket. He either spent it on a cigar, or a donut and a cup of coffee. Then, he told me that he worked for two weeks, and he was the best worker at the plant. He was a good worker, and he knew what he was doing. Then, he became a supervisor – the rest is history.”

Awards, achievements, and honors

  • In 1916 at 23 years old, Harry Wellnitz opened his own concrete construction plant in Franklin, Ohio. The company would be called Wellnitz Tru-Block.
  • Jan. 20, 1942 - Awarded patent for “Machine for Forming Building Blocks”[1]
  • Jan. 12, 1943 – Awarded patent for “Light Well Lighting” [2]
  • Nov. 2, 1943 – Awarded patent for “Block-Mold Pallet Cleaning Machine”[3]
  • In 1944 at age 50, Harry Wellnitz was naturalized as a US Citizen in Columbus, Ohio.[4]
  • April 21, 1964 – Awarded Patent for “Control System for a Concrete Block-Forming Machine”[5][6]
  • Aug. 2, 1957 – Harry Wellnitz completed construction on new St. Brendan's Church in Hilliard, Ohio where his nephew Fr. Michael Wellnitz was the first pastor.[7]

Mildred Waters Wellnitz

When Harry moved to Columbus, he was 25 years old and married Mildred Waters. Mildred was a fourth generation Ohioan, after following the footsteps of her great grandfather, Israel Waters, who moved relocated to Ohio from Massachusetts. The Waters’ lineage dates back to James Waters (1570-1617) in London, England. James’ son, Richard Waters, was the one who immigrated with his family from England to Massachusetts. Upon further research into the Waters family lineage, a few distant relatives prove interesting leads:

Richard’s son, John Waters, was called to testify at the Salem witch trials in 1692 against George Jacobs Sr., who was later hung after his trail.
Mildred’s great-great grandfather, Joseph Waters, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
A telegram reads: “Joseph Waters served as Corporal in Captain Andrews Eliot’s company, Colonel Ebenezer Learned’s regiment, which marched from Sutton, Massachusetts on the alarm of April 19, 1775. Eight days service, with two days allowed to return home. Travel – 90 miles.
Nathanial Waters, who is Mildred’s grandfather’s great-grandfather, had a brother named Jonathan Waters. Jonathan’s son, Asa Waters, married Sarah Goodell, whose gave birth to Asa Waters II – the great grandfather of William Howard Taft, meaning that Harry's wife Mildred and William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States, were 5th cousins. The connection is quite distant, but present nontheless.

Mildred’s parents, Joseph Waters and Ella Miller, married in Ohio and gave birth to eight children. Unfortunately, five died in infancy. Two sons, Wilbur and Leon “Dewey” died as teenagers through unfortunate accidents. Dewey died after skating on ice and drowning in the Scioto River and Wilbur died from extensive burns while lighting a gas stove. Joseph Miller was a member of the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal and secret society built upon the values of friendship and peacefulness. Ella Miller was born to an Ohioan father and Virginian mother.

A family letter upon her death said,“Her family moved to Tennessee by covered wagon when she was nine, then moved back to Raymond, Ohio, when she was 19 years of age. She loved life and people and was an active member of member of many organizations, and her home was always open to all. Her husband passed on in 1935 and for the past 10 years she has made her home with her daughter, Mildred. She has been ill for many years, but on March 8th she suffered away in her sleep Monday morning.”

Mildred graduated elementary school at age 14, and by 17, she was married to Harry Wellnitz in St. Aloysius Church in Columbus, Ohio. Harry was 25. They continued their lives in Columbus together and Harry opened his own concrete business. He worked at the plant and hired many of his relatives to work with him. He was awarded five patents in his lifetime. One patent led the way for a thinner, more durable mold for concrete block and another for a machine to build said brick. He fathered seven children: June, Evelyn, Harry, Jean, Jack, Irene, and Judy. After he earned enough coin from the cement plant, he headed back up north to Canada, where he built himself a haven – a log cabin. He would spend every summer at the cabin, telling stories, drinking whiskey and fishing from a silver boat. He didn’t know it at the time, but he created a legacy. Harry passed away in 1966 at age 73, one year after his wife. My great grandfather has been gone for almost 60 years, and though I never had the chance to meet him, his spirit will continue to live on through the pictures on the wall, the stories echoed around the fireplace and by the log cabin that stands as a lasting ode to hard work, dedication, and family – forever.

TruBlock by Harry Wellnitz

"Like father, like son, is the success story of Board of Trader Harry Wellnitz who came over the Canadian border at the age of 17 with nothing more than a strong and willing backbone and a hankering for things mechanical. Mr. Wellnitz began his work life as a farm hand, but soon drifted into the building game to follow in the footsteps of his father, a contractor of enviable reputation among those who knew and competed with him. Today, no one will wish to question Mr. Wellnitz’ position among the top manufacturers and distributors of concrete building blocks. Since the day Mr. Wellnitz began by producing 200 blocks, his business has expanded to its present daily capacity of 16,000 “Tru-Blocks”, the trade name of Mr. Wellnitz’ leading product which results from a patented process to guarantee uniform size and density or quality building block. Among other accomplishments of Mr. Wellnitz is an agitator for mixing concrete and stone materials, which now enjoys wide usage around these parts. Under present contracts, Wellnitz is providing the building blocks for the deaf and blind schools being constructed on the old Wyandot Golf Course. And “Tru-Block” has gone into a whole host of school buildings in Columbus, Bexley, Granville, and other Central Ohio cities. In the past four or five years, the “Tru-Block” business has forged ahead at a lively pace, and according to Mr. Wellnitz, “We see nothing in the years ahead which points to anything but a busy prosperous time for all.” Wellnitz “Tru-Block” is located at 231 N. Princeton Avenue." [8]

In October 1946, Charles E. Otterbein, a 24-year-old Navy veteran from Bexley, Ohio, was charged with robbery after being accused of holding up Darrell Mace along a rural road near Lancaster. Otterbein pleaded not guilty and was bound over to the Fairfield County grand jury. Police alleged that a vehicle linked to the incident. A yellow truck reported missing by Columbus businessman Harry Wellnitz was being driven by Otterbein at the time of his arrest. Authorities stated that tire tracks at the scene matched the vehicle. Otterbein denied any involvement, and police continued their investigation.[9]

The Legacy of Harry's Haven

The Legacy of Harry's Haven is a 2024 oral history book by Virginian author Kyle Reeder. Self-published through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, the book documents the multigenerational history of the lives of the Wellnitz family and their family cottage along the Ottawa River. Blending interviews, archival stories, and personal reflections, the book serves as a historical keepsake for future generations of the family.

On August 2, 2024, the book was featured on 104.9 myFM Pembroke, where reporter Emma Butler highlighted Reeder’s work as a young debut author and the historical significance of the Wellnitz' story.[10] The book also received coverage in the North Renfrew Times, which described the project as “a labor of love” and emphasized Reeder’s longstanding connection to the Ottawa River region.[11]


References

  1. ^ Wellnitz, Harry. "Harry Wellnitz - Machine for forming building blocks". Google Patents.
  2. ^ Wellnitz, Harry. "Harry Wellnitz - Light Well Lighting". Google Patents.
  3. ^ Wellnitz, Harry. "Harry Wellnitz - Block-Mold Pallet Cleaning Machine". Google Patents.
  4. ^ Wellnitz, Harry. "Harry Wellnitz US Naturalization". Ohio, U.S., Southern District Naturalization Index, 1852-1991.
  5. ^ Wellnitz, Harry. "Harry Wellnitz - Control System for Concrete Block-Forming Machine". Google Patents.
  6. ^ Zirbel, Tammy (April 25, 2025). "Tru-Block Data Sheet". Kovalus Company: 2.
  7. ^ Wellnitz, Harry (August 2, 1957). "Lay Cornerstone Sunday for First St. Brendan's Church". Catholic Times.
  8. ^ "Successful Business by Following in Father's Footsteps, Concrete Block Manufacturer Harry Wellnitz Has Built". Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. 1951. p. __.
  9. ^ "Identified as Robber, War Veteran Pleads Not Guilty". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Lancaster, Ohio. October 17, 1946.
  10. ^ Emma Butler, "A young author has released his debut book called 'The Legacy of Harry’s Haven'," 104.9 myFM Pembroke, August 2, 2024.
  11. ^ North Renfrew Times, "New book tells history of family’s Ottawa River retreat," Pembroke, Canada.

Category:2024 non-fiction books Category:Canadian non-fiction books Category:Family history books Category:Oral history

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