| Additional Information: | A TRANSOM LIGHT ABOVE THE ENTRANCE AND RECTANGULAR OPENINGS WITH STONE LINTELS AND SILLS ARE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THIS BRICK RESIDENCE, WHICH COULD BE CALLED A "SALTBOX" BECAUSE OF THE LONG REAR SLOPE OF THE GABLED ROOFLINE. IT HAS ALSO BEEN INDICATED THAT THE SILLS AND LINTELS ARE HEWN. BUILT IN C. 1845 (SEE BIB. REF. A), THIS ONE AND A HALF STORY DWELLING IS SIDE GABLED IN STYLE AND IS RECTANGULAR IN ITS PLAN CONFIGURATION. IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION.
INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BUILDING WERE TERENCE CLARK, WHO LIVED THERE FROM C. 1845 TO 1849, ORASMUS COLE, WHO LIVED THERE FROM 1849 TO C. 1855, AND CELESTIN KALTENBACH, WHO LIVED THERE FROM 1855 TO 1891.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
CELESTIN KALTENBACK, WHO LIVED IN THIS HOUSE FROM C. 1855 TO 1891, WAS BORN IN GERMANY IN 1813. HE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES AS A YOUNG MAN AND AFTER A SHORT STAY IN DUBUQUE, HE MOVED TO POTOSI, ENGAGED IN MINING, AND OPENED A GENERAL MENCHANDISE ESTABLISHMENT WHICH HE MANAGED FOR MORE THAT FIFTY YEARS. A DYNAMIC PERSONALITY, KALTENBACK ASSUMED THE POSITION OF POSTMASTER IN 1837 AND REMINIED IN THAT OFFICE (EXCEPT FOR THE YEARS 1862 TO 1870) UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1891. HE ALSO SERVED AS TOWN SUPERVISOR IN 1855 AND 1856 AND AS TOWN TREASURER IN 1853, 1862-63, AND 1869-1878. (SEE BIB. REF. C).
A PREVIOUS OCCUPANT OF THE KANTENBACH HOUSE WAS ALSO A DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN. ORASUMUS COLE (1819-1903), A NEW YORKER WHO SETTLED IN POTOSI IN 1845, RESIDED IN THE HOUSE FROM 1849 TO C. 1855. A LAWYER AND A MEMBER OF THE WHIG PARTY, COLE SERVED IN THE STATE'S CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (1847-1848) AND IN 1848 WAS ELECTED THE SECOND DISTRICT'S REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS. HE SERVED ONLY ONE TERM, RETURNED TO POTOSI, AND DURING THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, RAN UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR VARIOUS STATE OFFICES. DESPITE THESE DEFEATS, COLE IN 1855, WAS ELECTED ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE STATE DEMOCRAT. HE WAS RE-ELECTED AND SERVED AS ASSOCIATE JUSTICE UNTIL NOVEMBER 1880 WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED CHIEF JUSTICE UPON THE DEATH OF E. G. RYAN. COLE'S POSTION WAS CONFIRMED IN THE ELECTION OF 1881 AND HE CONTINUED AS CHIEF JUSTICE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1892. (SEE BIB. REF. E, F).
THE PERSON WHO BUILT THIS HOUSE WAS ALSO ITS FIRST RESIDENT, TERENCE CLARK. HE LIVED THERE FROM C. 1845 TO 1849. AN HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH OF THE HOUSE, KNOWN HISTORICALLY AS THE CELESTIN KALTENBACH RESIDENCE, IS INCLUDED IN OLD POTOSI. (SEE BIB. REF. B). THE FORMER KALTENBACK SMOKEHOUSE IS LOCATED AT 187 MAIN STREET, 49/22.
HISTORICAL STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:
IN THE VILLAGE OF POTOSI THE KALTENBACH HOUSE IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH CELESTIN KALTENBACH, WHO AFTER SETTLING IN POTOSI IN 1832, "BECAME THE DEAN OF POSTMASTERS IN THE UNITED STATES," SERVING FROM 1837 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1891, EXCEPT FOR THE YEARS 1862 TO 1870. (SEE BIB. REF. C, D). IN ADDITION TO THIS POSITION, THE GERMAN-BORN RESIDENT FILLED THE OFFICES OF TOWN TREASURER AND TOWN SUPERVISOR ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND OPERATED A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS. THESE MULTIPLE AND HIGHLY VISIBLE PURSUITS CONTRIBUTED TO KALTENBACH'S PROMINENCE IN THE MINING COMMUNITY WHICH SO VALUED HIS PRESENCE THAT "TO HUNDREDS HIS ADVICE OR ADMONITION WAS LAW." (SEE BIB. REF. C). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. GRANT COUNTY HERALD, 7 FEBRUARY 1923. (NOTE: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS A FACTUAL ERROR IN THAT IT STATES ORASMUS COLE WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN 1852).
B. CELESTINE AND GWENDOLYN KALTENBACH, OLD POTOSI (POTOSI: PRIVATELY PUBLISHED, 1976).
C. CASTELLO HOLFORD, HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY, WISCONSIN (LANCASTER THE TELLER PRINT, 1900), PP. 515-516, 525-530.
D. HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY, WISCONSIN (CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL CO., 1881), P.939.
E. DICTIONARY OF WISCONSIN BIOGRAPHY (MADISON: STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 1960), P. 82.
F. WISCONSIN NECROLOGY, 7:115-126. |
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