George Giebler and Meaty Facts from the Past

With Thanksgiving approaching, families are shopping at gleaming, bright, and well-equipped supermarkets, stocking up on turkey and trimmings in preparation for the big day.  I reflected on this iconic family ritual as I recently reviewed some old, historic Washington County photographs.

While exploring the Washington County Historical Society’s extensive photograph collection, I discovered some black and white images of the old meat markets that once provided our ancestors with holiday sustenance.

Maybe you’ve heard stories passed down by your parents or grandparents about the early grocery stores in Washington County. Far from the modern supermarkets we enjoy today, these early businesses probably had sawdust on the floor, with slaughtered pigs hanging on hooks in the butchering area, as ungloved clerks busily cut unrefridgerated meats.

Anyone hungry?  What struck me is how far we have progressed in one hundred years in terms of food handling and food safety.

One of the best-known meat markets in Washington County was owned by D.J. Hooley, whose family went on to create a grocery dynasty that became Consumers United in Buying, now called CUB Foods.
Another meat man, who actually worked for Hooley for a short time, was George Giebler. Later, the Giebler Meat Market would become a mainstay on South Main Street in Stillwater for more than four decades.

Immigrant Meat Cutters

Giebler was born in Germany on October 6, 1866, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Giebler. At age 22, George immigrated to the United States and settled in Stillwater. He was employed in the meat business for several years until he opened his own shop with John W. Robinson. This partnership lasted only a short time, however. Giebler, needing work, found gainful employment as a butcher and sausage maker for the enterprising Dennis J. Hooley. Also working at Hooley's was George’s brother, John, who served as a delivery driver, clerk and meatcutter.

Both Gieblers worked hard and gained experience.  Soon, their paths were set.

About 1904, George Giebler teamed up with Charles Heitman and the duo launched the Union Meat Market at 308 South Main Street in the Union Block. The market sold "fresh and salt meats of all kinds, sausages, poultry, fish and game," according to an old advertisement. The Union Meat Market continued for some time and George's brother John eventually left Hooley’s place and again teamed with his brother.

It was about this time that the City of Stillwater published a brochure to attract new businesses to the area. The promotional literature listed some of the major businesses in the city and among those was Giebler & Co. Meats.
The brochure said of the company, "the market is a model of cleanness and order. Everything about it is up-to-date. Only the best grades of goods are carried. The members of the company are both well known in business circles in Stillwater and are listed among the progressive and substantial merchants of the city."

Back and Forth

About 1912, brother John purchased the market from George and named it Giebler Meat Market. Then, a couple of years later, George bought into John’s business and it was renamed Giebler Bros. Market. 

In January 1930, George Giebler was elected as a director of the Washington Federal Savings and Loan Association, and on June 17, 1932 he was elected its president, a position he would hold the rest of his life. George also was elected to serve several terms on the Stillwater City Council. His brother John Giebler died in 1936, but George kept the market going as long as he could.  In October 1944, he closed the market and sold the building to M.A. Brekke.

George Giebler married Emelia Erickson on April 15, 1893. Together they had five children and lived at 404 West Churchill Street. Mrs. Giebler died on November 10, 1951.

On Saturday morning, June 13, 1953, George Giebler took suddenly ill. He was rushed to Lakeview Hospital where he died that evening.

His death was sudden and unexpected. What we don’t know is the cause of death. Did food poisoning play a role? It’s a mystery.

With George’s passing, one of Stillwater's foremost butchers and leading citizens was  gone, committed to the pages of history.

So the next time you step into CUB Foods, Len’s or Brine’s (celebrating their 50th anniversary this year), and purchase some potato sausage or hamburger, you can think of the butcher shops of an earlier era and remember that some of the "good old days" are better off on the pages of our history books.

Brent Peterson is the Executive Director of the Washington County Historical Society

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Please visit www.wchsmn.org throughout the year for the latest exciting news about sesquicentennial activities commemorating our shared heritage.

Founded in 1934, the Washington County Historical Society is a donor-supported, nonprofit organization with more than 700 individual, family, and business members. WCHS is supported by individual gifts, memberships, earned income, and foundation grants.For more information, please visit www.wchsmn.org.