LEO VIOX.
Leo Viox is a wholesale and retail dealer in meats and manufacturer of sausage at Green River, where he has developed a business of substantial proportions. He was born in Baden-Baden, Germany, September 10, 1852, and is a son of Bernhardt and Helena (Ell) Viox, who remained in Germany, both being natives of Baden-Baden, where the father followed farming throughout his entire life. He was born February 26, 1799, and died in 1882, having for a decade survived his wife, who passed away in 1872. They had a family of four children, of whom Leo Viox was the third in order of birth.
In early life Leo Viox attended school in Germany and in 1871, when nineteen years of age, he bade adieu to friends and native country in order to come to the United States. Crossing the Atlantic, he landed at New York city and was employed in various ways there, during which time he also attended night school to learn the English language. He afterward began work as an apprentice in connection with the meat business, which he thoroughly learned, acquainting himself with the work in principle and detail. From New York he went to Cincinnati, where he became engaged in dressing meat and in making sausage for the trade. He was employed in that way for some time and afterward removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he worked at his trade, and also at Allentown, Pennsylvania. Continuing his westward journey, he next located at Vincennes, Indiana, where he followed his trade for a year, and then went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was employed in a similar capacity for a time. He embarked in business on his own account in St. Louis, remaining there for five years, when he decided to take Horace Greeley's advice and go west. He arrived in Green River, Wyoming, in 1886, having removed to that city with the express purpose of engaging in the meat business. He formed a partnership with Bernhard Spinner, with whom he was associated for four years, or from 1886 until 1890. Since then he has conducted the business alone. He engages in slaughtering his own cattle and in making sausage with the assistance of men whom he employs, and he is now conducting a large and profitable business which is growing year by year.
Mr. Viox was married in June, 1870, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Miss Josephine Leutner, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leutner, the former a Civil war veteran, serving under General Franz Sigel. He was a cooper by trade and followed that pursuit in order to provide for his family. To Mr. and Mrs. Viox have been born seven children: Mrs. Mayme Kidd, who was born in St. Louis, Missouri, March 17, 1880, and is now a resident of Green River; Charles A., who was born in St. Louis in December, 1882, and there attended school, but now resides in Green River, where he is married and has two children, Josephine and Mary; Mrs. Alice Wilson, who was born in St. Louis in 1885, is now a resident of Cheyenne and has two children, Charles and Marie; Mrs. Ida Nolan, born in St. Louis in 1887, has one child, Norman Nolan: Frank J., born in Green River in 1888, is married and has one child, Francis; Eleanora, born in Green River in 1890, is a graduate of the high school of that city; Mrs. Lois Gillum, born in Green River in, 1892, is a high school graduate and by her marriage has become the mother of two children, Louise and Robert.
Mr. Viox and his family are adherents of the Roman Catholic church. He is a republican in his political faith and for twelve years he filled the office of councilman, doing important public service in connection with the general welfare, his aid and influence being always given on the side of progress and improvement. Fraternally he is identified with the Woodmen of the World. He ranks with the representative residents of his state and belongs to that class of men who are self-made. Unassisted he has worked his way upward and through his business discernment and wise investment he has become the owner of considerable property in Green River.