Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
January 1899

Milwaukee County Police Department

These diaries are a mixture of work and family affairs of William Bramwell Sizer. William was on the Milwaukee Police Department and a member of the Sherman Street Methodist Episcopal Church, later transferring their membership to Kingsley Methodist Episcopal Church and died in 1916. The diaries give a pretty good view of life in the years involved. The diaries were given to me for presentation on this site by family members see contributors page.

Back to the Index
Key to names and places in this diary

JANUARY 1999

1-1-1899
No Snow. Roads rough. Can't ride wheel. Watch night service at Kingsley last night. Half hour extra for dinner. 11:00 to 12:30. Johnnie Maechtle came yesterday morn. Will go home with Monroe and Dora Tuesday morn. Expo tonight. The temperatures in this record are the average in the early morning. Cool. 3 deg. below zero. Wind NW.

1-2-1899
Cloudy, Raw SW wind. Got home from Expo at 11:10. Zillmers to supper & spend the Eve.

1-3-1899 Fair, SW wind. Thawing. Johnnie, Monroe and Dora went home this morn. We got home from Zillmers at 11 PM.

1-4-1899
S. wind. Rain 11 AM. NW wind, clearing, cold and cloudy. Weather changeable. Rain in AM. PM clearing, cold.

1-5-1899
6 deg. Cold. NW wind. Clear. Drill day. Warmer toward Eve.

1-6-1899
Snowing this morn. W wind. warmer. Had to walk because cars were late. Got to Sta. 13 min past 7. Letter for Oswald Jarger, 1334-34th Str. this morn. Dead goat at 24th Auer Ave. PM clearing, colder, High NW wind. 4 in. snow.

1-7-1899
Temp. zero. Clear. High NW wind. Walters birthday today. 15 yrs old. Zillmer gave me a clock this morn for Christmas present. I gave it to W. Rev Sprowls & E. Galaher took supper with us.

1-8-1899
22 deg. SW wind. cloudy. Looks like snow.11:10 AM- Fire in wood shed at 976-24th St. Owned by Carl Koepsel. Damage $25.00 Officer Jahnke present. Caused by smoking meat. Stolzenfeld came as fire was about out. Warmer, clearing toward noon. W. wind. Notbohm gave me a poor list.

1-9-1899
Investigation of the 20th Ward Supt. C.F. Winkelmann before the Bd. of P.W.. Resigned, steps out Feb. 1st. Defective walk- SW cor. 28th & Hadley missing planks. Paul Guino joined the regular army, 3rd Regt.
At about 3 PM I found an old lady on st. at 20th & Center. Took her into Singers Bakery and called the wsgon. She couldn't tell her name & didn't know where she lived. Must be about 85 yrs. old or more. Mrs. Dick, 26th & Hopkins came to Singers with "Oscar". Had a hole in her head. Said her husband struck her with a dipper and told her to get a warr.

1-10-1899
NE wind. Cloudy. Snow flurries this morn. Old lady I found yesterday lives on 11th near Garfield. Name is Rolaff. Went to Grand Ave. ME Church last night. 1:45 PM- Got Warr. for Jul. Dick, 1092-26th. A&B, wife Pauline, comp. Called wagon to 27th & Fond du Lac. Subp. witness Oscar Helmrick. Missed 2:45 PM.

1-11-1899
22 deg. Raw SE wind. Cloudy but slearing toward noon. Went to court with Dick.(walked down). Found guillty, Fined $1.00 & costs or 10 days in H of C. Got back to beat at 9:50 AM. Pd. Stolzenfeld water bill. 45 cts. Letter for Winkelman atr 1:45.

1-12-1899
Foggy. S wind. Rain and sleet. 30 deg. Drill day:- Heavy fog, Very wet.

1-13-1899
40 deg. Southerly wind. Foggy & cloudy. Clearing. Mrs. Lieke's son, 11 yrs. old committed suicide by jumping into cistern yesterday. Dead dog, 2029 Center St. Foggy and colder toward Eve.

1-14-1899
32 deg. W wind. Colder. Foggy. Frost drawing out of the ground. Clesring PM. Thawing & muddy.

1-15-1899
32 deg. SW wind. Pleasant & Fair. Bad cold. Bronchial trouble. White frost on ground this morn. Went to Dr. Boemer at 9:45. Got prescription. Reportefd sick from 21st & Center at 10 AM. Went to Meiers Drug Store. Got prescp. filled and got home 11:45. Went to bed.

1-16-1899
40 deg. Fair & warm. Sick. Jaunke came in. Said Stolzenfeld was sick.

1-17-1899
32 deg. Snow flurroes. Cloudy. Sick Jaunke called again.

1-18-1899
32 deg. Southerly wind. Partly cloudy. Sick. Several Callers, Mr. Lindow, Mr. Nordeen, Mrs. Chapman, Mr. Galaher, Mrs. Bachmeyer, Mr. & a farmer from Inn., Sergt. Schneider, Mrs. Winter, Bro. Sprowls, Mr. Saemann and Dr. Boemer at 11 AM. Postal from Hattie McHy. Lee saying Mr. Karker was dead. Minnie and Walter went down there this Eve.

1-19-1899
Southerly wind, fair. Sick. Minnie & Walter went to McHenrys to attend funeral service of Grandpa Karker last night. This morning they took him to Saukville to bury him. Several callers. Minnie went to Ladies Soc. Union.

1-20-1899
40 deg. Southerly wind. Fair. Worked downatairs awhile this forenoon. Weak can't stand much. Mrs. Taft called this morn. Callers in PM. Mrs. Bloomer, Mildred Maechtle and Alma Streiber, also Geo. Killian and Gracie, Mrs. Bow, Chas. Jaunke, Lillian Hamilton and Sprowls.

1-21-1899
32 deg. NW wind. Fair. Cough more this morn. Several callers. Went down to see Sprowls. Resigned as leader of the choir. Told him to appoint Gallaher.

1-22-1899
36 to 40 deg. Southerly wind. Partly cloudy. Went out this PM for a walk with Walter. Went to Dr. Boerners office at 4 PM. Went to church in the Eve.

1-23-1899
32 deg. SE wind. Cloudy. Went to work this morn. Still hsrd snd cought some. Letter for Wd. Foreman. Snow flurry AM. Rode my wheel this PM.

1-24-1899
18 deg. NW wind. Fair. Colder. Sick headache & vomiting in the night.

1-25-1899
22 deg. southerly wind, cloudy. Looks like snow. Chilly. Still coughing, feel misersble.

1-26-1899
18 deg. High NW wind. Fair. Growing rapidly colder. Signed payroll this morn. Drill day: PM Snow flurries, blustering. Bo't cloth at Winkels for pr. over drawers. Lessons at Central but no drill. Found Conrad Scneider, 1178-17th at 94 Oneida St. Took him to Central & then home. He is 15 yrs. old not of a sound mind. Orders to go to Expo at 7 PM. Roller rink masquerade..

1-27-1899
-8 deg. NW wind. Clear. Got home from Expo at 12:35 AM. Overslept and had to go to sta. without breakfast. Got there after roll call as the men were ready to march out. Estimated to be 6000 people at the Roller Rink masquerade.

1-28-1899
14 deg. Westerly wind. Cloudy. Snowing. Pagenkopf & Prillwitz suspended last night for disobeying orders & drinking. PM Clearing, colder. Met Sergt. S. at 9:45, said P&P were both discharged. He had been up to get their city property.

1-29-1899
16 deg. Westerly wind. Fair. Cold & frosty. Epworth League Rally at Kingsley last night and all day today. Zero weather all day.

1-30-1899
-14 deg. High NW wind., fair. growing colder. -8 deg in some places all day. Colder in the Eve.

1-31-1899
-18 deg. Westerly wind. Fair. Promise of warmer weather. Quarles home from U.S. service. Dead dog, 1196-27th. 5PM: Rob't Schokow, 1165-22nd. while driving out of Ihlenfeld's yard, 1163-23rd, fell off the wagon and struck his head breaking right cheekbone & receiving a bad cut over right eye. Dr. Boerner was called. Horse ran away and was found at Gottschalks Livery, 1220 Garfield Ave.

Back to the Index
Key to names and places in this diary