This firm was established in 1871 or 1875 by brothers Nicholas and Mathias Remmel, as Remmel Brothers Manufacturing Co. In late 1879, the brothers Remmel were granted a patent on a drill press, which they manufactured. In 1894, Nicholas was granted a patent for an improved drill press, the improvements including an improved table-raising mechanism plus mechanisms to allow either hand or line power and manual or power feed.

It seems that by the time of the 1894 patent, Mathias was no longer active in the business, and the business seems to have operated as Nicholas Remmel. It was a small operation; in 1905 it had three employees and a couple of years later there were four. In 1911, Nicholas Remmel renovated his machine shop and began manufacturing corn huskers and cement mixers; gas engines and powered farm implements were added to the line at some point. A couple of years later, he again expanded, this time to handle automobile repairs, primarily Studebaker. In 1919, the business was incorporated as Remmel Manufacturing Co. with a capital stock of $50,000, and Nicholas Remmel as general manager. Emery grinders were also included in their product line at this time, but the drill press line seems to have disappeared. With the additional capital, the business expanded their foundry and machine shop. By 1920, the product line had consolidated down to corn huskers, power emery grinders, and portable concrete mixers.

Nicholas Remmel died, age 80, in 1931. In 1937, a grandson of Nicholas, Louis L. Bath, purchased the business; Bath had been with the business since 1912. The product line remained basically unchanged through the decades, with the company keeping a generally low profile. In 1972, Bath closed down the business.

Information Sources

• Thanks to Philip Sponem for bringing this maker to our attention. Phil has a drill press made by "Remmel Brothers Mfg Co., Kewaskum Wi". He reports the following:

  Kewaskum Historical Society Museum has the sign from the factory that says Remmel Brothers Mfg Company est 1871. The Sheboygan Press [Sheboygan, Wisconsin] dated Friday, Oct. 27, 1972 has an article about Remmel Mfg. Co. closing. That article says it was established in 1875. The business was started by Nicolas & Mathias Remmel. The company primarily made concrete mixers and corn huskers. The company closed in 1972. At the time of the closing, the company was owned by Louis L. Bath [ grandson of Nicholas Remmel ]. Louis Bath started working for the company in 1912, and he purchased the business in 1937.

• The 1880-02-14 Scientific American has this new item:

  An improved drilling machine has been patented by Messrs. Nicholas Remmel and Mathias Remmel, of Kewaskum, Wis., for operating drills for drilling holes in metal, and also for holding auger bits and other tools for boring wood. It consists in a drill stock connected with a shaft rotated by a crank or band wheel and gearing and held In a stationary frame, and in a device for feeding the work to the drill by means of a table placed on a shaft held in vertical guides and connected by levers with a treadle.

• The has a list of factories that were visited by state inspectors, including "Remmel, Nicholas, machine shop", who had one building (which had fewer than three stories), and three employees (all male, none under age 18).
• The has a list of factories that were visited by state inspectors, including "Remmel, Nicholas, machine shop", who had one building (which had fewer than three stories), and four employees (all male, none under age 18).
• The 1910-03-31 edition of Iron Trade Review has a news item that may well be unrelated:

  It is reported that the Gilson Edy. Co., of West Bend, Wis., will remove to Kewaskum, Wis., about the middle of April. An up-to-date foundry will be operated in the Matthew Remmel sawmill property, which is now being remodeled. The property consists of two main buildings and a warehouse.

• The 1911-10-07 Implement Age has this news item:

  Nick Remmel, of Kewaskum, Wis., has remodeled his machine shop, installed new equipment, including a gasoline engine, and is now manufacturing a line of corn huskers, cement tools and castings.

• A 1912 edition of The Municipality has a news item:

  The Kewaskum Advancement Association has secured an option from Nic Remmel for the purchase of his foundry, machine shop and hardware store. The concern will be organized into a stock company with a capitalization of $40000.

• The 1913-02-27 issue of Motor Age has this news item:

  Kewaskum, Wis.—A Studebaker agency has been taken over by Nicholas Remmel, head of the Remmel Machine and Foundry Co. A garage will be operated In connection with the agency.

• The 1913-02-27 issue of Iron Age has this news item:

  Nicholas Remmel, owner of the Remmel machine shop and foundry at Kewaskum, Wis., is building an addition to serve as a garage. He will operate a repair shop in the present quarters and handle automobiles.

• The October 1919 issue of Automotive Manufacturer has this item:

  Remmel Mfg. Co., Kewaskum. Wis., has been incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000 to take over and develop the foundry and machine shop business of Nicholas Remmel, and enlarge the present line of products from gas engines and farm implements to include concrete mixers, corn huskers, grinders and other power farm machinery. Mr. Remmel continues his connection with the business as president and general manager.

• The 1919-10-30 issue of Automotive Industries has the following news item:

  REMMEL ADDS NEW PRODUCTS

  KEWASKUM, WIS., Oct. 25—The reorganization of the foundry and machine shop business conducted for many years at Kewaskum, Wis., by Nicholas Remmel, under the name of Remmel Mfg. Co., with a capital stock of $50,000, presages the establishment of a large power farm machinery industry in Kewaskum. Officers of the new corporation are: President, L. P. Rosenheimer; vice president and general manager, Nicholas Remmel; secretary, George H. Schmidt; treasurer, Otto E. Lay. The plant will be enlarged and in addition to gas engines and implements, power corn huskers, concrete mixers, spray pumps, etc., will be made.

• The December 1919 Motor Record also reported on the incorporation:

  The gas engine and power farm machinery manufacturing business conducted for many years at Kewaskum, Wis., by Nicholas Remmel has been incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000 as the Remmel Mfg. Co. The foundry and machine shop will be enlarged and several new lines of products put into production during the winter. The incorporators are Nicholas Remmel, Otto E. Lay, ?. ?. Rosenheimer and George H. Schmidt.

• The 1919-12-11 Iron Age has a brief news item on the post-incorporation business:

  The Remmel Mfg. Co., Kewaskum, Wis., the incorporation of the foundry and machine shop business of Nicholas Remmel, is building a one-story foundry addition, 40 x 80 ft. and a one-story machine shop extension, 35 x 120 ft.

• The 1920 edition of Farm Implement News Buyer's Guide lists Remmel Manufacturing Co. of Kewaskum, Wis., as makers of power emery grinders, two-row corn huskers, and portable power concrete mixers.
• A 1926 edition of Building Age lists this firm as a maker of concrete mixers.
• A circa 1949 edition of Southern Planter has an ad from this firm for their two-roll corn husker.
• A circa 1970 edition of Hardware Age lists this firm as a maker of corn huskers.
• A genealogy of the Remmel family tells us that the sons of Nicholaus (1816-1891) and Johannette Remmel were John (1842-1933), Jacob (1844-1895), Nicholas (1851-1931) and Mathias (1855-1938).