Samuel Frey

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Samuel Jacob Frey (September 7, 1850 – February 26, 1934) was a Swiss industrialist, financier and politician. He is best known for founding the Freya Paper Company, today known as Elco, in 1884. Frey served as a member of the Grand Council of Aargau from 1901 to 1919.[1][2]

Early life and education

Frey was born in Gontenschwil, Switzerland into an old-established family in the village. His father John Jacob Frey (Hans Jacob Frey)[3] operated a weaving mill and a modest farm on Obere Egg, a small hamlet on a hill outside the main village, which he inherited in the second generation. His mother Elizabeth (née Haller) also hailed from a farming background. He had eleven younger siblings. The family was strictly religious and belonged to the Protestant Church of Switzerland.

From 1866 to 1868 he completed a commercial apprenticeship at Locher & Cie in Aarau, a major construction company which would be taken over by Implenia, and has been under the management of Olivier Zschokke since 1859 Die Papierfabrik Frey und Wiederkehr, Rolf Bolliger (2005)

Career

Early professional life

After Frey completed his commercial apprenticeship in 1868, he initially worked as a bookkeeper for the same employer, until 1875. In 1876, he started to work for the Aargau legislature as a warden at the Cantonal Penitentiary in Lenzburg, were he was first introduced to the manufacturing industry, as he worked with the inmates.

Freya Manufacturing Company

In 1883, at 32 years old, Frey decided to start his own manufacturing business. Through his experience he gained he saw a market niche in paper manufacturing and paper processing. He inherited land from his grandfather in the Kirchdorf section of Gontenschwil, through savings he was able to afford the construction of a simple manufacturing building. In 1884, production started with several dozen women, who glued paper bags for local grocery stores as well as produced packaging for the tobacco industry which was prevalent in the Wynental region at the end of the 19th century. The company grew and the success turned Frey into one of the wealthiest citizens in the Kulm District. He was a patron for the poor and supported various charities and was engaged in the reformed church as well as town government.

His youngest brother, Heinrich Frey-Zschokke (1871–1960), absolved a commercial apprenticeship at Freya. In 1895, he would become a partner in his own paper manufacturing company, Haeusler Frey & Co AG[4][5], in Lenzburg through capital provided by his brother.

Frey, Wiederkehr & Co AG (Elco AG)

In the later years of the 1880s he got introduced to his neighbor Hermann Wiederkehr-Schmid. They became partners for the further development of the company which promised a lot of growth. On August 27, 1892,[6] Frey partnered with Hermann Wiederkehr-Schmid due to expansion plans and the forthcoming mechanization of production. The new general partnership Frey & Wiederkehr was founded. In addition, one of the first Printing|commercial printers in Switzerland is set up. The provincial location became an increasing problem and the rapidly growing sales figures ensured that the company moved to rented premises at Werdgasse 41–43 in Zürich|Zurich on January 12, 1904. The growth also ensured that building plots were soon acquired and own production buildings were built in the city of Zurich (today Weberstrasse 5–7). On May 10, 1909, the company was converted from a general partnership to a limited partnership and renamed Frey, Wiederkehr & Co. On July 6, 1917, the company was converted into a Stock Corporation|stock corporation with a share capital of 1,000,000 Swiss francs[7], which still exists today as FWC Verwaltungs AG and manages the former manufacturing properties, which are privately owned by the Gassmann family (descendants of Wiederkehr)[8][9].

Board memberships, other activities

Frey retired from business life in 1915 but remained a silent partner until his death. He also sat on various committees and boards of directors. Between 1901 and 1919 he was a member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Aargau. Frey was a member of the board of directors of the Bank in Menziken (1892–1920)[10], president (1904–34)[11], Wynental and Suhrental Railway (1920–1934)[12] and also on the board of trustees of the Oberwynen- und Seetal Health Association (1927–1934)[13], today's Asana Hospital Menziken, which was founded by Jacob Irmiger. Frey was considered a benefactor and always had an open ear for less well-off fellow citizens. According to his personal record book[14], he supported several of his siblings emotionally and monetarly. He was invested in a vineyard in Tolochenaz[15], which was leased by one of his brothers and held interest in the paper factory of his youngest brother.

Frey also commissioned the Historical Society of Gontenschwil and represented the village at events throughout Switzerland Article in Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), 100th anniversary of Jakob Frey in 1924

Politics

Frey was elected in Grand Council of Aargau, serving until 1919. He presided several commissions and was an active member of the Cantonal legislative[16][17][18].

Private life

Frey married Rosette Frey (1855-1924), a daughter of Wilhelm Frey and Anna Maria Merz, innkeepers on Bad Schwarzenberg near Gontenschwil, on March 25, 1879.The couple had four children;

  • Samuel Victor (September 15, 1879 - June 17, 1953)[19][20]
  • Oswald (December 22, 1882 - 1886)[20]
  • Laura Valerie (July 4, 1888 - January 1, 1973 in Menziken)[20][21] married Guido Ernst Gyssler (May 16, 1881 - February 7, 1950)[22], owner of Hoch- und Tiefbau AG associated with Zschokke Holding AG, which became part of Implenia[23]
  • Johanna Helene (July 1, 1902 - December 12, 1988 in Zürich)[24] married Max Hermann Vogt (December 20, 1895 - March 7, 1952)[25], owner of the Vogt wire mills in Switzerland and France.

Initially, the Frey family lived in a house on Obere Egg, before commissioning Villa zur Freya around 1890 (completed in 1893) on the premises of the paper mill. The house was one of the most modern at the time featuring bathrooms with running water, electricity and an English architecture inspired garden with a swimming pool. Frey's eldest son was an early adapter of aviation and traveled worldwide by plane or Zeppelin, his world tours starting around 1911.

Death

Frey, who was in generally good health, died from natural causes on September 7, 1850 at Villa zur Freya. He was buried on the Old Cemetery in Gontenschwil.

Literature

References

  1. ↑ "Neue Zürcher Nachrichten". Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 2022-12-15. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  2. ↑ "Records of Grand Council Samuel Frey, State Archives of Aargau (Sig. AG.70.1934)". State Archives of Aargau. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  3. ↑ Archive of the Civil Registry Office, Menziken-Burg
  4. ↑ Heinrich Frey becomes partner in Häusler & Cie, name incorrectly spelled Frei https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1895%3A13%3A%3A934&referrer=search#934
  5. ↑ Zuerich, ETH-Bibliothek. "Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt = Feuille officielle suisse du commerce = Foglio ufficiale svizzero di commercio". E-Periodica (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  6. ↑ "History of Elco AG". Elco AG. Retrieved 2022-12-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ Der Papier-Fabrikant (in Deutsch). O. Elsner. 1917.
  8. ↑ Arbeitgeber-Organisationen, Zentralverband Schweizerischer (1957). Journal des associations patronales: 1906-1956 (in Deutsch). Buchdr. E. Rüegg.
  9. ↑ Die Papierfabrik Frey und Wiederkehr, Teil 2:https://www.hvw.ch/die_papierfabrik_frey_und_wiederkehr.137de.html
  10. ↑ Zuerich, ETH-Bibliothek. "Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt = Feuille officielle suisse du commerce = Foglio ufficiale svizzero di commercio". E-Periodica (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  11. ↑ Obrist, Karl (1952). Denkschrift zum 100 jährigen Bestehen der Bank in Menziken (in Deutsch). Bank in Menziken.
  12. ↑ Zuerich, ETH-Bibliothek. "Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt = Feuille officielle suisse du commerce = Foglio ufficiale svizzero di commercio". E-Periodica (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  13. ↑ Samuel Frey in the Hospital chronicle, Menzikenhttps://www.spitalverein.ch/images/downloads/allg/10567_Spitalchronik.pdf
  14. ↑ Sam. Frey, Records (1883-1934), Private Archive
  15. ↑ "Ami Schneider". notrehistoire.ch (in français). 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  16. ↑ State Archive of Aargau, Aarau (acceptance letter, see photograph, 1901)
  17. ↑ Badener Kalender oder Richtiger Bote: 1915 (in Deutsch). Sauerländer. 1914.
  18. ↑ Mittler, Otto (1958). Biographisches Lexikon des Aargaus, 1803-1957 (in Deutsch). H.R. Sauerländer.
  19. ↑ "Neue Zürcher Zeitung 17 July 1953 Edition 03 — e-newspaperarchives.ch". www.e-newspaperarchives.ch. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Family Registry, Sam. Frey, Civil Office Archive, Menziken-Burg AG (Switzerland)
  21. ↑ Registration card, Aarau City Archives
  22. ↑ "Neue Zürcher Zeitung 8 February 1950 — e-newspaperarchives.ch". www.e-newspaperarchives.ch. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  23. ↑ "Neue Zürcher Zeitung 15 February 1950 — e-newspaperarchives.ch". www.e-newspaperarchives.ch. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  24. ↑ Archives of the Civil Registry Office, Menziken-Burg (AG), File Max Hermann Vogt-Frey
  25. ↑ "Neue Zürcher Zeitung 9 March 1952 — e-newspaperarchives.ch". www.e-newspaperarchives.ch. Retrieved 2022-12-27.

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