Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

William Bramwell Sizer Diaries
January 1892

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 1892

1-1-1892
Commenced raining last night about 6 o'clock. Rained all night and all day today. No arrests on the west side during the night. Eddie went to the watch meeting at the West Side Church last night. Ed. Zillmer came up this PM. We played from 4 till 6 o'clock. Weather cloudy and growing colder.

1-2-1892
Commenced snowing last night about 8 PM. Snowed all night. Met (Pinkerton) and had a talk with him. 5 PM growing colder all day. Wind- NW. Went downtown with Helen to get her deed and make her final payment on her lots 12 1nd 13, Block 5, Columbia Park. Took the deed to the court house but had to return it. The date was wrong. Electric cars commenced running on Walnut St. yesterday.

1-3-1892
Very cold all night. Then 3 degrees above at 4 PM. Wind NW. Weather fair. Got up at 12:30 and went to sunday school with the children. Took my violin along for the first time. Used Zellmers before. 4 PM looks like snow.

1-4-1892
Commence snowing last evening at 7:30. About an inch of snow fell. Eddie went home to-day. I took him to the train art 11:40. Came home and went to bed at 1 PM. Slept till
5PM. Weather fair through the day and evening.. Clouded over again at mid-night.

1-5-1892
Cloudy this morning. Looks like snow. Wind SW. Went to Shroeders and settled our grocery bill. Went to Zillmers and met Rev. White. Cloudy all day. Met our old neighbor, Scholz and had a chat with him.

1-6-1892
Light snow last night. Turned colder. Took Walter to the Drs. and then went to the courthouse with Helens deed. Got a letter from Ma.

1-7-1892
Walters birthday - 8 years old. Weather cold. 2 degrees below zero. Attended a fire at Bremer and Wright Sts at 2;45 AM. Drill again to-day. Went to see Mrs. Briggs. Got home 1t 6 PM. Looks like snow.

1-8-1892
Cloudy. 3 general orders read off last night. Roundsman Guguequeme's children
are sick with diptheria. 6 degrees above zero. Commenced snowing at 2:40 AM, Wind SW. Turned colder and cleared up before morning. Lizzie Warren and Chas. Kellers wife came up and spent the PM. I had permission to go in citizens clothes. Zero weather tonight.

1-9-1892
Ma's birthday. 58 years old. Church at 6th and Sherman burned at 8:15 last night. John Lutfrins folks had to get out and save what they could, Coffey sent me away at 9:20. I got a soaking and had to get dry because the water froze all over me. Weather cold at zero during the fire. 10 degrees below at 3:30 AM. Got up at 3 PM Fred sent over a pair of overshoes for me. Began freezing in our cellar. Had to pack away our canned fruit and cover the potatoes up. Put the coal grate in the cook stove this AM.

1-10-1892
Weather fair and cold. 6 degrees below this morning. We all went to Chas. Kellers, 9th and Lloyd, and spent the PM. Got supper and went to the station. Ed and Lizzie Warren were there. They went home on the 4PM train.

1-11-1892
Dance at the Vorwaert last night. Light snow. Growing warmer. 4 AM snowing hard. 5 PM snowed all day. Otto Klitzke came to see me. Had dinner with us. I sent Walter up stairs and got Mrs. Guitar and we played until 4 o'clock. Good sleding tonight. Thermometer at 10 degrees above zero. Everybody sleighing tonight.

1-12-1892
Stopped snowing at 11 o'clock last night. Weather faired up and clouded over again at mid-night. Went to court this morning as witness in the old Wendelburg case - continued until Friday. Get home and went to bed at 2:30 PM. Got up at 5:30. Minnie and the children went to Helens. Zero weather this evening.

1-13-1892
8 degrees below zero this morning. Home all day. Cut some wood and practiced my violin.

1-14-1892
Drill day today. Cold this morning. 3 degrees above during the night. Went down to the courthouse and paid ours and Helens taxes . $8.42 on each lot. Total $22,36. Got my watch timed this AM. Cold 3 degrees below at 9 PM. Cars run very irregular on Walnut St. today. New orders on drilling today. All those who go to court must drill the next drill day if it comes twice a week.

1-15-1892
12 degrees below zero this morning. Water pipes all froze up in our house this morning. Went to court in the Wendelburg case this this morn. The old man was acquitted of the charge of Assault and Battery with out calling a witness for the defence. Minnie and the children went down to Helens this PM. I slept from 1 o'clock till 5:30. Warmer this evening. Thermometer at zero.

1-16-1892
Cleared up during the night. Weather quite cold. Got up at 1:30 PM. Helped Minnie clean the sitting room and then went down to Third st. and back. When I started for the station I found Jaunke at the cor. at Lambrechts with a man that got hurt by an electric car
(Hinseys). I telephoned for the wagon and went on tho the station and lect J, to care for the man. Weather warmer tonight. Wind SW. Recvd a letter from C. W. Van Horn with Charles and Maudes photos.

1-17-1892. Went to sunday school with the children. It snowed all night and flurried all day. I took Ada on the sled. Weather at zero. Christie Rodes and her cousin Annie came up to supper. Helen came at 3 PM.

1-18-1892
Dance at the Vowaert last night. Snowed all night. Home all day. Got up at 2 PM. Minnie did her washing in the laundry today. Weather cloudy and above zero tonight.

1-19-1892
Weather faired up and everything looks like a nice winter day. Got up with a headache. Got dinner and went down to Helens and got her satchel. Rev. Weigand called this PM. I went down to Zillmers and had an hours practice on our violins. Minnie feels bad tonight. Hope nothing will happen to her during the night. Zero weather tonight.

1-20-1892
Sick all night but stuck it out till morning. Went to bed at 6:30 and got up at 3 PM. Went down to 16th and Galena to see Mrs. Schultze. She csme up and called on Minnie at about 4:30 PM. Pauline Maechtle came over a while this PM to see how we were getting along. Weather warmer tonight - 10 degrees above zero.

1-21-1892
Drill day. On the way to the station last night I was called to 9th and Sherman. Met F.A. Miller and afterward Haase came. We made an arrest. Miller took the case with the prisoners Brought ..... for complaint. Miller got a blow in the face which made him feel a little bit angry. Mrs Scheibe and Miss Mary Scheibe came up and staid to dinner wit4h us. After drill I went to see Miss Sund, 540 Jefferson St. Got .... picture, Got home at 5 o'clock Weather very fine all day. Thawed some. Colder tonight. Wind south. Met Henry Vogt on his car at 11:40 tonight.

1-22-1892
Thermometer 20 degrees above. Zero at 112 last night. Mrs. Killian is very sick. Minnie called me at 10 AM to go and telephone for her husband. He brought the Dr. in the PM. Dr. Wick bought another fool with him. If the two together don"t kill the woman it won"t because they didn"t try hard enough. Minnie was up and down stairs all day. Went to Zillmers at 4 PM. Mailed some letters and practiced till 5:45 PM Went home to supper. Weather warmer to-night.

1-23-1892
I have a very bad cold. Coughed all night. Minnie feels miserable. Mrs. Killian is very low. I called the Dr. for her. He seemed to be at his wits end. Helen came up for a while this PM. Weather very fine. Snow going fast. I washed the windows this PM. Helped around the house all I could.

1-24-1892
Minnie feels very bad. I got up at 10 AM and helped get the children ready for Sunday School. I said home with Minnie. Helen came at 4:30 and will stay all night. Weather very fine and fair.

1-25-1892
The Tanners Verein Coopers hada dance at the Vorwaert last night.
They are a tough crowd. At 12 o'clock one of them got a black eye and a broken nose. They brought him down to Hensels and got him patched up so he could go home. Met Jos. Nickel at the Halls. Helen staid with Minnie all night. Went down to her place and came back at noon. I went down to Brochmanns and got a bundle for her. Stopped at Jaunkes and at aid a while. Evening. Delivered a letter to Ald. Kopmeier at 8:10 PM. Weather is growing colder. Made an arrest at 10:45 to-night. Plain drunk at 3rd and ,Sherman Sts.

1-26-1892
Court this morning. Took my prisoner down on the car. His name is Theo. Kasten at Port Washington. Fined $5 and the cost. Total $6.58. Got home at 11:30 AM. Got dinner and went to bed at 12:30. Got up at 5:30 PM.

1-27-1892
Slept all day. Weather fine. Wind south, chilly tonight. Went to the fire last night at 6th and Walnut. Missed one report. 9:35. Nothing but a small barn burned art the rear of 527 Walnut St.

1-28-1892
Drill day but I did not go. Minnie was taken sick at 10 PM. A dark haired boy was born to us at 10:30 AM. Everything passed off quickly and in good shape. Both Minnie and child are doing "as well as can be expected." Mrs. Schultz attended Minnie and made her as comfortable as one could wish. The youngster has lung power that will satisfy a deaf man. Pretty quiet for a boy. Weighs about 10 lbs. or over. Mrs. Scheibe called this PM. Walter and Ada went to Freds until everything was over. Pauline called this evening.

1-29-1892
Slept till 3 o'clock today. Minnie feels quite as well as could be expected. Mrs. Schultz came up twice today. Met VanEchterm this eve. Called at his house a few minutes. Weather fair. Wind West. Katie Laubenstein called this eve.

1-30-1892
Masquerade at the Vorwaert tonight. Wish I could be there. Got excused from station duty today. Still traveling the 9th ward. Minnie feels pretty well. Think I'll go back to the 6th ward tomorrow night.

1-31-1892
Called out this PM in citizens clothes. Jaunke and I traveled together in our beat. Took in the entertainment at the Vorwaert. We are to go home between 3 and 6 PM every day until further orders. Looking for tramps and beggars. Took my own beat again to-night. Decided on Arthur as the name for our boy.

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