Bertrand Vogt Explained

Bertrand Vogt
Caption:B.O. Vogt in 1917
Termstart:April 10, 1909
Termend:January 1, 1917
Office:Member of the Grand Council of Aargau
Occupation:President of Hediger Sons
Birth Name:Bertrand Othmar Vogt
Birth Place:Menziken, Switzerland
Constituency:Kulm District
Death Place:Reinach, Aargau, Switzerland
Spouse:Emilie Hediger
Party:Free Radical Liberals

Bertrand Othmar Vogt known bis his initials B.O. Vogt (pronounced as /de/; 1857 - September 23, 1936[1]) was a Swiss industrialist, philanthropist and politician. He served on the Grand Council of Aargau from 1909 to 1917 for the Free Democratic Party.[2] [3] [4] He was controlling shareholder and president of Hediger Sons, a tobacco manufacturing concern, which was later integrated in Villiger Sons.[5] [6] Since 1908 he was also a member of the Aargau Natural Research Society[7] and since 1920 he served on the Board of Directors of Bank in Menziken (a predecessor from Valiant Bank).[8] He has also been a major investor into Fischer Reinach.[9]

Early life and education

Vogt was born in 1857 at Menziken, Switzerland, the second eldest legitimate son of Melchior Vogt, Sr. (1811-1893) and Elisabeth (née Heiz).[10] He had one elder brother and three younger sisters. His father hailed from a well-established family who became affluent operating bath houses and inns before switching into the cotton industry in the late 18th century. Melchior was also active as mayor of Menziken and founder and president of the largest regional bank at the time.[11] [12] He completed the schools in Menziken and Reinach before completing a commercial apprenticeship in a banking house.

Career

See main article: article and Hediger Sons. Initially, Vogt was employed as signing officer with several companies, before taking up residence in Basel, Switzerland working for E. Staehlin-Simon, a tobacco trading company and money change house, near the central station.[13] After the death of his father-in-law he and his wife returned to Reinach, Aargau where he ultimately became a partner in Hediger Sons, back then the largest manufacturer of tobacco in the region, with an investment of 60,000 Swiss Francs. Since 1904, the company was managed as a corporation, which ultimately was presided by Vogt. He also served as board member of Bank in Menziken.

Personal life

Vogt married Emilie Hediger, a daughter of the tobacco manufacturer Johann Rudolf Hediger (1827-1893) who was the proprietor of Hediger Sons (which later merged into Villiger Sons).[14] The couple did not have children. His estate was turned into the Vogt Brothers Fund in 1937 by his younger brother Manfred Linus Vogt (who also died without issue in 1943).[15]

Notes and References

  1. Obituary of B.O. Vogt-Hediger

    https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=NZZ19360925-03.2.30.1&srpos=3&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN--------0-----

  2. Book: Regierungsrat, Aargau . 150 [i.e. Hundertfünfzig] Jahre Kanton Aargau im Lichte der Zahlen, 1803-1953 ]. 1954 . Verlag zur Neuen Aargauer Zeitung . de.
  3. Vogt-Hediger (neu) = Vogt-Hediger (newly elected)

    https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=NZN19090415-02.2.6&srpos=5&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-Vogt%252DHediger-------0-----

  4. re-elected in 1915 (to serve until 1917)

    https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=NZN19150212-01.2.8&srpos=6&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-Vogt%252DHediger-------0-----

  5. May 24, 1899 partner with Fr. 60'000 after the death of Johann Rudolf Hediger (1827-1899), the father of his wife E. Hediger.

    https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1899%3A17%3A%3A885&referrer=search#885

  6. Incorporation, 1904 - B.O. Vogt serves as chairman of the BoD

    https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1904%3A22%3A%3A1045&referrer=search#1045

  7. Web site: Zuerich . ETH-Bibliothek . Mitglieder-Verzeichnis . 2023-07-01 . E-Periodica . de.
  8. Board of Directors, Bank in Menziken (1920)

    https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1920%3A38%3A%3A1453&referrer=search#1453

  9. Thomas Zurfluh: Die Häftlimacher (in German)
  10. Family Registry, Menziken-Burg
  11. M. Vogt (cotton company), commercial registry

    https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=sha-001%3A1883%3A1%3A%3A631&referrer=search#631

  12. Christoph Zurfluh; Die Häftlimacher Die Magaziner, 2017 (in German)
  13. Book: Schweizerisches Finanz-Jahrbuch . 1899 . de.
  14. Web site: lettrafot . 2022-04-25 . Die Anfänge der Tabakindustrie im Aargau . 2023-07-15 . Tabak, Drinks and more . de-CH.
  15. Max Baumann; Ein Menziker Kaufmann in Afrika Historische Vereinigung Wynental (in German)