Biographical Sketches of Monroe County Residents

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Henry J. UTZ

page 1364

Henry J. UTZ, senior member of the firm of UTZ & DUNN, manufacturers of ladies', misses' and children's shoes, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 28, 1850, a son of Andrew J. and Margaret (SCHMIDT) UTZ. The father died in Germany and the mother came to the United States of America in 1880 and remained a resident of Rochester until her decease in December, 1906, when she was eighty-four years of age.

In his native country Henry J. UTZ attended school and learned the shoemaker's trade, after which he came to the United States of America to test the truth of the favorable reports which he had heard concerning the opportunities and advantages of the new world. He was eighteen years of age, when, in 1868, he arrived in Rochester, where he has since made his home. For some time he worked at his trade on the bench and was afterward employed in different shoe factories at Rochester, thus acquainting himself with the manufacturing business in detail. With the savings from his earnings he was at length prepared to start manufacturing in a small way, for his own account. Having made the acquaintance of William H. DUNN, his present partner, who was then engaged in the retail cigar business, an agreement was made to engage in the slipper manufacturing business, Mr. DUNN agreeing to come in when he had disposed of his cigar business. The business was started in September, 1881, on Water street, and Mr. DUNN joined same the following January. By hard work, careful attention to detail, and by Mr. DUNN'S ability as a trade winner and a sales-man, thus providing a market for the product, the business increased and prospered. Later the manufacture of ladies', misses' and children's fine shoes was undertaken, and the firm is today probably the largest in that line in the city of Rochester, their output including such famous makes as the Acme Cushion shoe, St. Cecilia, Little Wanderer, etc. Their trade not only extends to all parts of this country, but also embraces a large export business. They turn out three thousand five hundred pairs of shoes daily and employ eight hundred people. They occupy eighty thousand square feet of flour space, and their products are of a high class of material and workmanship.

Mr. UTZ is a member of Zions German Lutheran church. He is also identified with the Rochester Club and Rochester lodge, No. 660, F. &. A. M.