WI BIO - Dane Co - HEIM, John B.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 425-427

John B. HEIM, Superintendent of the Madison City Water Works, now serving his 
tenth term, a man who has been identified with most of the public enterprises 
of Madison, WI, was born in Rochester [Monroe County], NY, 15 Jul 1848, and 
came to Madison 22 Apr 1858 with his parents, Conrad and Anastacia (AUT) 
HEIM, natives of Bavaria and of Hesse, respectively. Conrad HEIM came to the 
U. S. in 1846, and a year later was followed by the lady who became his wife 
and the mother of our subject. They were married in Rochester [Monroe 
County, NY], and after coming to WI, located in Madison, Dane County, and 
here the wife and mother died in 1865, aged 42 years. Conrad HEIM is now 
living with his third wife at Springfield Corners [Dane County, WI], and in 
Nov 1892 was 71 years of age. He and his three spouses have all been Roman 
Catholics.

John B. HEIM is the eldest in the family of ten children. One brother, 
Joseph J., is the foreman of the Oakland Tribune, in Oakland [Alameda 
County], CA, and one other, F. G., is the head of a cigar manufactory in 
Urbana [Champaign County], OH, while the youngest brother, Ferdinand, is a 
farmer of Middleton [Dane County], WI. At the age of ten years, John B. HEIM 
came to Madison, WI, where he was chiefly educated. When 13 years of age he 
was apprenticed to the trade of bookbinder, and served his term of six years, 
and later became foreman for W. J. Park & Company, general bookbinders and 
publishers of Madison. He managed his department, the firm flourished, and 
he remained with them until called to his present position. In 1881 he was 
elected Alderman of the 2nd Ward, which election was a triumph which showed 
his personal popularity, as he is politically a Democrat and received the 
election in a Republican ward. On account of having the largest number of 
votes of any Alderman in the city, he was called the Senior Alderman, and was 
entitled to hold office for two years without re-election.

The subject of the building of the waterworks was being agitated during his 
term of office, a company desiring the franchise. He was largely 
instrumental in securing the present practical and successful system of water 
supply to be owned by the city. This was a system which places the water 
supply under the entire control of the city, rather than a monopoly, and as 
this has saved the city many thousands of dollars, his services are 
appreciated. In view of his good work and honest labors, he was made 
Chairman of the Committee on Construction. He was the youngest member of the 
committee at that time, being not many years past his majority, but was 
earnest, thorough, and did his work satisfactorily.

After the completion of the works, in 1882, at the earnest solicitation of 
the people, he accepted the superintendency of the works, and was at the head 
of its management until Apr 1889, when he resigned, and then opened up a 
plumbing business. He was too valuable a man in his former position, and at 
the request of the commissioners, in Oct 1890, he again accepted the 
superintendency, and has held that important office ever since. He sold his 
plumbing business, and has since given his whole time to the proper 
management of the waterworks. He has been interested in local [p 427] 
societies, and was made Secretary of the society known as the Relief No. 2, 
for 18 years successively, and has been re-elected for the 19th time. In 
political life he has been an important factor in Dane County, having been 
many times a delegate to the local, county and State conventions.

John B. HEIM was married in Madison, Dane County, WI, to Miss Mary E. 
RICKENBACH, who was born in Blooming Grove Township, Dane County, WI, in 
1853, and was reared and educated here. She was a very bright, intelligent 
and agreeable lady, and a good wife. Her parents and grandparents were all 
natives of PA, and her father, Abraham RICKENBACH, died in Dane County, WI, 
in 1878, aged 72 years. His wife is yet living, active although in advanced 
age, and both parents belonged to the Lutheran Church. Mrs. HEIM died in 
this city [Madison, Dane County, WI], after living an invalid for eleven 
years, her demise occurring 14 May 1889, at age thirty-six years. She was 
the mother of four children, two of whom are deceased, Oliva and John B., Jr. 
Those living are Kate and Petronella, both bright children.

John B. HEIM was married later to Miss Prudence RICHENBACH, a sister of his 
first wife, and they have one daughter, Mary Prudence. They are among the 
leading people of the Roman Catholic faith in Madison, belonging to the Holy 
Redeemer Church. John B. HEIM is a member of the building committee of the 
new Holy Redeemer Church parochial school, [which] cost of $32,000. He 
supports liberally both church and school, and is a trustee of the former, a 
prominent member of St. Michael's Society, its Secretary, and represented the 
[p 426] society at the National Convention held in Louisville, KY, in 1891, 
and in Dubuque [IA] in 1892. He is Treasurer of the Catholic Knight branch, 
No. 88, a charter member of the same, and was a delegate to the last State 
Convention at Waukesha [WI], and is a member of the executive committee of 
the Catholic Benevolent Societies of WI. He is a prolific writer for the 
various waterworks journals, and writes with ability.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly