Jacob F. Schoellkopf

Jacob Friedrich Schoellkopf (November 15, 1819 – September 15, 1899) was a pioneer in harnessing the hydroelectric power of Niagara Falls.

Early life Jacob F. Schoellkopf was born on November 15, 1819, in Kirchheim Unter Teck, a small town in the Kingdom of Württemberg. He was the son of Gottlieb Schoellkopf and Christina Maier. He was educated in the town schools and at the age of 14 began learning about tanneries with his father, a large leather manufacturer, who had learned the trade from his father.

Career After completing five years of apprenticeship, he became clerk at a mercantile house in Strassberg where he worked for two years. In 1841, he decided to leave Germany and try his fortune in the United States. He landed in New York City at 22 years old in December 1841, From 1853–54, he established tanneries at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and North Evans, New York, operating the latter for 20 years, and in 1857, he made his first large investment outside the tanning business, erecting the "North Buffalo Flouring Mills," which proved so profitable that he continued his investments with flour mills, ultimately becoming one of the largest operators of flouring mills in the Empire State.

In 1870, he bought the "Frontier Mills of Buffalo," and later erected extensive mills in Niagara Falls, New York. He did not retain many of these interests long after setting them up. His approach was to ensure they were successful and sell them at a profit to enable him to seek out new outlets for his increasing capital. However, he owned the later milling and tanning interests until his death, some being held in his own name and others as senior of the milling firm of "Schoellkopf & Matthews." Schoellkopf was president of the company at the time of his death, Their children who lived to adulthood were:

Henry Schoellkopf (1848–1880), who married Emily Vogel in 1875. Louis Schoellkopf (1855–1901), who married Myra Lee Horton (1861–1910). Arthur Schoellkopf (1856–1913), who served as the 5th mayor of Niagara Falls Jacob F. Schoellkopf Jr. (1858–1942), who married Wilma Spring. Alfred Schoellkopf (1860–1901), who married Emily R. Graebe (1869–1951). Charles Philip Hugo Schoellkopf (1862–1928), who married Emily F. Annette of Fort Lee, New Jersey. Helen Schoellkopf (1870–1962), who married Hans Schmidt (president of "J.F. Schoellkopf Co.") in Buffalo, New York on September 15, 1899.

Legacy

The Schoellkopfs lived in a large mansion at 553 Delaware Avenue at Allen Street on the southeast corner. Their daughter, Helena, who married Hans Schmidt, and their three children lived in the mansion until they moved to a new mansion in Derby, New York, in 1914. The house was sold to Harlow C. Curtiss, who transformed the home into a boarding house.