Fred J. Biel and Punch

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference

Description:	One typed page including photograph of Punch; brief history of Friedrich J. Biels cigar factory and the wooden sculpture of Punch. WABASHP R OFIA hometown h heroes who h difference. A seriies of ttributes tto h f ib t t h have made a diff dVALLEYL E SFred J. Biel and Punchor more than eight decades, a colorfullypainted wooden harlequin named Punch occupied a prominent station on Wabash Ave. in downtown Terre Haute. It was the namesake of a puppet featured by a popular British humor magazine of the same name first published in 1841. Punch guarded the front door of Friedrich J. Biels cigar factory, successively located from 1867 until 1951 at 409, 322 and 420 Wabash Ave. The eldest son of Henry and Augusta (Hessland) Biel, Fred was born in Prussia on March 6, 1843, migrating with his parents to America in 1854. The Biels initially resided in Sheboygan and Port Washington, Wis., where Fred first learned cigar making. Locating in Terre Haute around 1861, he worked for other cigar makers. In 1866, however, he embarked on his own. Seeking something more creative than a standard cigar store Indian to draw attention to his storefront, Biel engaged a woodcarver in New York City to sculpt Punch and his female companion in the magazine, Judy, using the butt of the mast from an old ship. The magazine Punch, which featured the two jesters, was near its peak of popularity. Mounted on a platform with roller skate wheels, the large hand-crafted figure was delivered to Terre Haute in 1867. The nameless artisan who created him died before Judy was finished. The mobility of Punch sometimes caused havoc. On the occasions when employees forgot to roll him back into the store at closing time, Punch might be seen accompanying locals on a tour of downtown saloons. Punch certainly did not hinder Biels business. The cigar factory was quite successful. Fred was active in Masonic circles and served as a Republican on the Terre Haute City Council. Between 1871 and Oct. 27, 1917--the day Fred died following a stroke--F.J. Biels Cigar and Tobacco Store was largest of a dozen local cigar factories, employing as many as 60 and focusing almost exclusively on the wholesale trade. Meanwhile, in 1866, Biel wed Anna Seeman of Terre Haute, born Nov. 7, 1846. The couple raised three children: Margaret, Amanda and Charles. Anna died Oct. 16, 1917, 11 days before her husband. Son Charles became the proprietor after his parents deaths. When Charles died on Aug. 5, 1933, his widow Ethel and later Fred Bradford, Charles son-in-law, managed the business. In 1951 Mary R. Williams and Anna J. Bradford, Freds granddaughters, donated Punch to the Vigo County Historical Society, where he now stands guard in the gift shop.FAlways Close to Homewww.first-online.com MEMBER FDICARTSILLIANA LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES Sponsored by First Financial BankThird in aSept.series of Friday FREE LIVE MUSIC concerts Bring your lunch and enjoy a performance by Women of Erin8perf rm N o o n to 1:30 p.m. Crossroads PlazaoStage(in front of parking garage on Wabash)
Origin:	2006-09-07
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/1544
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Punch and Judy Biel, Friedrich J., 1843-1917 Cigar store Indians Scuplture F.J. Biel Cigar Factory (Terre Haute, Ind.) Business & Industry

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