Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 15 - 17 January 1912

Joseph J. Kloeckner, for many years prominent in the public life of this city, died at 5:13 o'clock this morning at his home at the corner of Thirteenth and South Main streets. He was within a day of being sixty-four years of age.

And last night, at 11:30 o'clock, at the Kloeckner residence a young namesake of the ex-alderman and ex-postmaster passed away - Joseph Schneider, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. P. Schneider. Mrs. Schneider was a niece of Mr. Kloeckner, and the lad, who died of diptheria, complicated with pneumonia, with which he had been ill for a week, was a favorite with "Uncle Joe". The boy was four years old.

The Kloeckner residence was fumigated this morning, and the remains of the lad, the first of two to die within a few hours, were laid to rest at Riverside cemetery with brief services, this afternoon.

Joseph J. Kloeckner had not been able to leave his residence since the first days of September, when he suffered the second of two paralytic strokes within a few months. The first stroke came during the last part of June and compelled him to be helpless for several weeks. Recovering slowly, he was able before the summer ended to walk as far as his office in the New German American bank
building and to the city hall. He spent as much of his time as he could at the South Side Exchange bank, of which he had been president for years. He was reelected president of the bank at the annual meeting January 2.

Because of losing strength steadily and notwithstanding occasional rallies - the relatives and friends of Mr. Kloeckner had entertained but little hope for several weeks of his recovery. Much of the time during his confinement to his home he was unable to speak.

The former alderman retired from public life last April, the last council meeting he attended being the one of April 18 at which he made the motion to adjourn sine die, it being the final meeting of the old council. It was Mr.
Kloeckner's intention, upon quitting office, to manage his affairs so that he could go to Germany for a visit which should extend over as long a time as he desired. He had made a trip to Germany several years ago with a party of Oshkosh friends and so enjoyed his visit that he had planned a great deal of his prospective return journey to the Fatherland. The journey, however, never materialized, for he was stricken with paralysis before he could make a start.

For a period of twenty years, Mr. Kloeckner was a conspicuous figure in the political affairs of the community. He was first elected to the common council in 1880 from the Third ward. In 1882 he took a leading part in an act which was accredited with having saved the city $75,000. It was a railroad transaction, the Milwaukee & Lake Winnebago Railroad company [?] the Wisconsin Central having asked the city for bonds in that sum for entering the city. Mr. Kloeckner and Benjamin Doughty discovered enough ineligible names on the popular petition to block the move, and the railroad came without the payment.

In 1882 Mr. Kloeckner ran for the legislature, being defeated by Carlton Foster, a strong Republican, by twenty-nine votes. Mr. Kloeckner served as an alderman
from 1880 to 1885 when he was appointed deputy United States internal revenue collector, holding that office for four years. In 1890 he ran for sheriff and was elected on the Democratic ticket. In 1893, during the second administration of Grover Cleveland, Mr. Kloeckner was appointed postmaster of Oshkosh, holding that responsible position from 1893 to 1897.

After his retirement from the federal position, he was again elected to the common council, beginning his second period in that body in 1899. He became known as the "watchdog of the city treasury" through his careful supervision of all expenditures. He was instrumental in blocking a move to have the city grant a bond issue of $100,000 for the benefit of the Green Bay, Madison &
Southwestern railroad. For a number of years Mr. Klooeckner was chairman of the finance committee. In 1904 John Fridd defeated Mr. Kloeckner in the election for assemblyman from the Third district. Mr. Kloeckner was defeated for the office of mayor in 1892 by Charles Oellerich.

Aside from his position as president of the South Side Exchange bank, Mr. Kloeckner was interested in a number of other institutions. He carried on a business in insurance, real estate and loans under the name of J. & J. Kloeckner, his nephew John Kloeckner being his partner in this business.

The deceased was well known as the agent for the Stringham estate, which at one time owned a great deal of property on the south side. Mr. Kloeckner told one of his friends last summer how many lots he had sold during his connection with the Stringham estate. The number ran into the hundreds.

It was a noteworthy coincidence that had Mr. Kloeckner lived until tomorrow, he would have reached his sixty-fourth year. He was born in Germany, coming to this country when a young man. He settled in Oshkosh, where he was married. He had no children and Mrs. Kloeckner died about six years ago. There were nephews and nieces whom Mr. Kloeckner loved to gather about him, and upon whom he lavished many gifts during their childhood.

The funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. Service will take place at St. Vincent's church, Rev. A. Wibbert officiating. Interment will be at Riverside cemetery.

Mr. Kloeckner was a schoolmate of the late H. P. Schneider, whose funeral took place yesterday. Mr. Schneider was a miller. The two men had been boys together at Heddenheim. Germany, where both were born. Mr. Kloeckner's birth occurred on January 16, 1846. At the age of sixteen he came to the United States, going first into the state of Michigan. Four years later he came to Oshkosh. He married Miss Anna Ruedinger soon after coming here. His brother, Anton Kloeckner, who was for years a well known farmer of Nekimi and who now resides in this city, followed Joseph Kloeckner to this country after several years. The father spent one summer with the Oshkosh man, visiting him, but he never removed from the old country.

The funeral services of the late Joseph Kloeckner, former alderman and postmaster of this city, will be conducted at St. Vincent's church at 10 o'clock Thursday morning instead of of at 9 o'clock as at last decided. There will be a special interurban car to convey the funeral party in Riverside cemetery, where the interment will take place.

Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 15 - 17 January 1912

Joseph J. Kloeckner, for many years prominent in the public life of this city, died at 5:13 o'clock this morning at his home at the corner of Thirteenth and South Main streets. He was within a day of being sixty-four years of age.

And last night, at 11:30 o'clock, at the Kloeckner residence a young namesake of the ex-alderman and ex-postmaster passed away - Joseph Schneider, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. P. Schneider. Mrs. Schneider was a niece of Mr. Kloeckner, and the lad, who died of diptheria, complicated with pneumonia, with which he had been ill for a week, was a favorite with "Uncle Joe". The boy was four years old.

The Kloeckner residence was fumigated this morning, and the remains of the lad, the first of two to die within a few hours, were laid to rest at Riverside cemetery with brief services, this afternoon.

Joseph J. Kloeckner had not been able to leave his residence since the first days of September, when he suffered the second of two paralytic strokes within a few months. The first stroke came during the last part of June and compelled him to be helpless for several weeks. Recovering slowly, he was able before the summer ended to walk as far as his office in the New German American bank
building and to the city hall. He spent as much of his time as he could at the South Side Exchange bank, of which he had been president for years. He was reelected president of the bank at the annual meeting January 2.

Because of losing strength steadily and notwithstanding occasional rallies - the relatives and friends of Mr. Kloeckner had entertained but little hope for several weeks of his recovery. Much of the time during his confinement to his home he was unable to speak.

The former alderman retired from public life last April, the last council meeting he attended being the one of April 18 at which he made the motion to adjourn sine die, it being the final meeting of the old council. It was Mr.
Kloeckner's intention, upon quitting office, to manage his affairs so that he could go to Germany for a visit which should extend over as long a time as he desired. He had made a trip to Germany several years ago with a party of Oshkosh friends and so enjoyed his visit that he had planned a great deal of his prospective return journey to the Fatherland. The journey, however, never materialized, for he was stricken with paralysis before he could make a start.

For a period of twenty years, Mr. Kloeckner was a conspicuous figure in the political affairs of the community. He was first elected to the common council in 1880 from the Third ward. In 1882 he took a leading part in an act which was accredited with having saved the city $75,000. It was a railroad transaction, the Milwaukee & Lake Winnebago Railroad company [?] the Wisconsin Central having asked the city for bonds in that sum for entering the city. Mr. Kloeckner and Benjamin Doughty discovered enough ineligible names on the popular petition to block the move, and the railroad came without the payment.

In 1882 Mr. Kloeckner ran for the legislature, being defeated by Carlton Foster, a strong Republican, by twenty-nine votes. Mr. Kloeckner served as an alderman
from 1880 to 1885 when he was appointed deputy United States internal revenue collector, holding that office for four years. In 1890 he ran for sheriff and was elected on the Democratic ticket. In 1893, during the second administration of Grover Cleveland, Mr. Kloeckner was appointed postmaster of Oshkosh, holding that responsible position from 1893 to 1897.

After his retirement from the federal position, he was again elected to the common council, beginning his second period in that body in 1899. He became known as the "watchdog of the city treasury" through his careful supervision of all expenditures. He was instrumental in blocking a move to have the city grant a bond issue of $100,000 for the benefit of the Green Bay, Madison &
Southwestern railroad. For a number of years Mr. Klooeckner was chairman of the finance committee. In 1904 John Fridd defeated Mr. Kloeckner in the election for assemblyman from the Third district. Mr. Kloeckner was defeated for the office of mayor in 1892 by Charles Oellerich.

Aside from his position as president of the South Side Exchange bank, Mr. Kloeckner was interested in a number of other institutions. He carried on a business in insurance, real estate and loans under the name of J. & J. Kloeckner, his nephew John Kloeckner being his partner in this business.

The deceased was well known as the agent for the Stringham estate, which at one time owned a great deal of property on the south side. Mr. Kloeckner told one of his friends last summer how many lots he had sold during his connection with the Stringham estate. The number ran into the hundreds.

It was a noteworthy coincidence that had Mr. Kloeckner lived until tomorrow, he would have reached his sixty-fourth year. He was born in Germany, coming to this country when a young man. He settled in Oshkosh, where he was married. He had no children and Mrs. Kloeckner died about six years ago. There were nephews and nieces whom Mr. Kloeckner loved to gather about him, and upon whom he lavished many gifts during their childhood.

The funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. Service will take place at St. Vincent's church, Rev. A. Wibbert officiating. Interment will be at Riverside cemetery.

Mr. Kloeckner was a schoolmate of the late H. P. Schneider, whose funeral took place yesterday. Mr. Schneider was a miller. The two men had been boys together at Heddenheim. Germany, where both were born. Mr. Kloeckner's birth occurred on January 16, 1846. At the age of sixteen he came to the United States, going first into the state of Michigan. Four years later he came to Oshkosh. He married Miss Anna Ruedinger soon after coming here. His brother, Anton Kloeckner, who was for years a well known farmer of Nekimi and who now resides in this city, followed Joseph Kloeckner to this country after several years. The father spent one summer with the Oshkosh man, visiting him, but he never removed from the old country.

The funeral services of the late Joseph Kloeckner, former alderman and postmaster of this city, will be conducted at St. Vincent's church at 10 o'clock Thursday morning instead of of at 9 o'clock as at last decided. There will be a special interurban car to convey the funeral party in Riverside cemetery, where the interment will take place.