Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

valuable commodity in the market; it
cost something to get either." In the
history of Oscar F. Schultze, one of the
enterprising business men of Norwalk,
it is seen that his success has been the
result of constant effort and diligent purpose.
Mr. Schultze was born February
8, 1885, in New York City, son of Oscar
Douglas and Mary (Baker) Schultze.
His grandfather, George Schultze, was
born and reared near Stettin, Germany,
and came to America about 1858, settling
in West Cromwell, near Westfield, Connecticut.
He was born in 1803, and was
a baker by trade, but worked most of the
time after coming to this country in the
shops of the J. O. Smith Manufacturing
Company, Westfield. He died in 1874,
at the age of seventy-one years. George
Schultze married Wilhelmina , also
a native of Stettin, and she died in 1864.
They were Lutherans and attended worship
in the Congregational church, West-
field.
Oscar Douglas Schultze, youngest of
a family of ten children born to George
and Wilhelmina Schultze, was born January
4, 1859, town of Cromwell, and grew
up in the Westfield section, attending
the country school until he was thirteen
years of age during winter terms. He
was accustomed to labor during the summer
at an earlier period. His first efforts
were on farms, but later he became a
butcher and followed this occupation for
many years. For a period of seventeen
years he was engaged in the meat
business in Middletown, until he was
compelled by broken health to retire
in April, 1919. Mr. Schultze is a
member of the South Congregational
Church, and has always endeavored to
fulfill the duties of a good citizen. Politically
he has affiliated with the Demo-
cratic party, and has served two years
as a member of the City Council and a
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
405
like period in the Board of Aldermen.
Mr. Schultze married, May 3, 1882, Mary
Becker, a native of New York, daughter
of Philip and Caroline Becker, both of
whom came from Germany. Of the fif-
teen children of Mr. and Mrs. Schultze,
six are now living. The second and eld-
est son receives extended mention below.
Oscar F. Schultze was eight years old
when his parents returned to Westfield,
Connecticut, and there he attended the
public schools and later a private school
in Meriden. He then entered the employ
of S. E. Bailey & Son, of Middletown,
and learned the meat business. In 1914,
Mr. Schultze began business on his own
account by establishing a market at No.
39 Main street, Norwalk, and another at
the corner of Washington and Railroad
avenues, South Norwalk. Afterward he
added a market in Stamford, but sold this
after a year. About two years ago he es-
tablished a market in Bridgeport, in part-
nership with a Mr. Keane. This was incorporated
under the name of The Keane
& Schultze Company, of which Mr.
Schultze is president. This company
now has three markets in Bridgeport,
and in March, 1920, he formed a partnership
with Charles Preusser, who had
been in his employ for several years, and
under the firm name of Schultze & Preus-
ser started another market in Bridgeport.
Aside from his market interests, which
would seem fully to occupy the time and
energy of an average man, Mr. Schultze
has become deeply interested in breeding
poultry and hares. He is president of
The Southern New England Breeders &
Fanciers Association, is state secretary
for Connecticut of The National Federa-
tion of Flemish Giant Breeders, and is
president of The Norwalk Poultry Asso-
ciation. Mr. Schultze makes a specialty
of breeding Cornish Games, Black Cochin
Bantam, Flemish Giants and Belgian