In 1902, America’s largest malleable iron company located in Bay View on Bay Street opposite Winchester Street, Wisconsin Malleable Iron Company, fell to second-largest.  Its successor as the USA’s largest was in Walker’s Point:  the Northwestern Malleable Iron Company.  Both had one thing in common:  they were both built from scratch by a Prussian immigrant who came to America in 1869 with nothing, William A. Draves. Not only that, but he also co-founded another hugely successful company, The Chain Belt Company, that became a Fortune 500 company and is still headquartered in downtown Milwaukee today, the modern-day Rexnord, Inc. Northwestern Malleable was so successful under Draves that it came to the attention of the infamous New York City financier J. P. Morgan who targeted it for a forced a buyout and takeover and did so.

But success didn’t go to William Draves’ head.  He didn’t build a mansion on Milwaukee’s Grand Avenue like many other industrialists of the time, nor did he buy a magnificent yacht for himself and his family.  He certainly had the money to do both and more.  No, instead, he used his success to help people in need.  He began with his sister, Johanna.  Then he moved on to others, in one instance giving many people interest-free loans when they needed it.  He’d come up the hard way, and he never forgot.  He was always there when people needed him.  He was a hero to many…one of Bay View’s greats! 

William spent nine years in his early days in Bay View, going on to build two houses for his sisters here:  one for Johanna on East Lincoln Avenue and the other for sister Augusta on Mound Street.  He even financed two schooners for his sister Johanna so her husband John would have a ship to captain, thus connecting William to Bay View’s maritime history.  Johanna became Bay View’s first and only female ship owner because of his kindness.  At least two of the five schooners John Brotch captained to become Bay View’s most prolific schooner captain came from William Draves. Until now, William Draves has been completely unknown to Bay View and Milwaukee history, though his family has always known.

Would you like to learn more?  Our 550-page book, “A Brother Helps His Sister:  The True Story of William A. Draves, the Schooner Arctic, and the House at 515 East Lincoln Avenue,” is for sale now on Amazon.com.  You can find the link by going to “YouTube Site/The Books” on this website menu above.  All proceeds go to support Bay View maritime history.  We’ll also have a future YouTube episode about him.