| Notes |
- Little Chute Historical Society 2010 Cemetery Walk
John Peter Watry
My name is John Peter Watry better known as Pete Watry. I was born on April 26, 1883 in the town of Fredonia, Wisconsin to John Peter and Elizabeth Watry. I have 1 brother Nicholas and 1 sister Elizabeth.
Around 1840 my Grandfather Nicholas Watry came to America from Luxembourg Province of Belgium before the rest of the family to inspect the area and see where the best prospects for the future would be located. My family was well educated and had close ties to the Roman Catholic Clergy. At the churches suggestion he inspected land near the town of Port Washington, and found the land to be well suited for agriculture. After returning to the homeland with a favorable impression he recommended that all of his family immigrate to the Port Washington area. On July 3, 1845 the ship Silvanus Jenkins landed in New York from Antwerp, Belgium with 21 families, consisting of Watry relatives and neighbors. My family was some of the first settlers in Washington and later Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, where they were among the founders of the township of Belgium. They are recorded as having purchased land in that area a few months before Wisconsin became a state in 1848.
About a year after I was born, my family moved the homestead from Port Washington to Freedom, Wisconsin. There they purchased and worked the farmland. It was there that I met my wife Mary (Mamie) Garvey, who was a school teacher. We were married in 1907, and had 6 children.
In 1907 my new wife and I purchased the North Western House in Little Chute, Wisconsin. The building was a tavern, dance hall and hotel. The Chicago North Western Railroad brought customers who stayed the night. The tavern was a central place for many cultural and social activities. The upstairs ballroom hosted such musicians as Uncle Louie and the Town Hall Players. The hall was also the basketball court for the team known as the Little Chute Stars. In addition to community events, private parties such as weddings and coin showers were held. The instinctive cupola atop the building would fly a flag to signal that the judge was hearing court. The tavern was the first home of the Dutch celebration known as Kermis. Since my wife Mamie was of Irish descent, every St. Patrick's Day was a gala event at the tavern.
In 1923 I was also employed at Kimberly Clark mill in Kimberly Wisconsin, in the ground wood department. I was a member of the General Council. During my employment I also had the opportunity to work in the Kimberly Clark Logging Camp. I retired from the mill in 1946.
On December 31, 1952 my wife Mary (Mamie) passed away. I continued to run the bar until 1957, marking a milestone of 50 years in business. In 1957 my son, Giles Watry and his wife Beatrice purchased the bar known as Watry's Bar. I continued to live and work at the bar until my death on May 18,1964 at the age 81.
- December 25, 1908
Little Chute - Nic Schommer sold his hotel and saloon building this week to Peter Watery, a farmer of the town of Freedom, who will take possession January 1. The building is quite large and is located at the head of Depot Street near the Chicago and Northwestern station. The sale was for cash, $7,000. Nic will go back to his old skill of building wagons. John Verstegen, who owns one of the principal buildings on Main Street, in which he conducted a furniture and shoe store, sold out to John Gloudeman. Mr. Gloudeman will continue the run the business at the same stand.
- John Peter Watry
199 S. Taylor St., Little Chute
Age 81, passed away at 10:30 a.m. Monday after a lingering illness. He was born April 26, 1883. Mr. Watry was a tavern keeper for 50 years and a former employee of Kimberly-Clark Corp. of which he was a life member. He was a member of the Holy Name Society of St. John Catholic Church. Mr. Watry is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Mary Beattie, Mrs. Norman (Margaret) Kessler, Mrs. Milton (Evelyn) Johnson, all of Little Chute, Mrs. Martin (Esther) Skell, Kimberly; one son, Giles, Little Chute; 28 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John's Catholic Church, Little Chute with internment in the parish cemetery. Friends may call at the Verkuilen Funeral Home, Little Chute, after 7 p.m. Tuesday where the rosary will be prayed at 8 p.m. Tuesday by the Holy Name Society and at 8 p.m. Wednesday by the parish.
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1883 - 1964 (81 years)
