Henry Vogt is a name shared by at least two notable American historical figures: a Wisconsin politician and a Kentucky industrialist.
1. Henry Vogt (May 5, 1853 – October 21, 1934) — Wisconsin Politician
Henry Vogt was born Heinrich Vogt in Prussia to Christopher Vogt and Anna Maria Tolle. He received a common school education in Prussia before emigrating to the United States, settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1874, where he worked as a cigar maker. He served as a police officer in Milwaukee from 1882 to 1883. Vogt was among the labor leaders indicted for their roles in the labor unrest that culminated in the Bay View Massacre. In 1886, he was elected as a People's Party member to the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 9th Milwaukee County Assembly district (the 9th Ward of Milwaukee). He won with 1,119 votes, defeating Republican John Deverth and Democrat Mathias Humann. He served one term (1887) and did not seek re-election in 1888.
2. Henry Vogt (1856 – December 27, 1936) — Kentucky Industrialist
Henry Vogt was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1856 to German immigrant parents. In 1880, he opened a small machine shop on Main Street in Louisville, founding the Henry Vogt Machine Company. In 1885, he added a boiler shop and foundry, and pioneered the development of the Absorption Refrigeration and Ice Making Machine, used for producing "artificial" ice. The company's need for reliable valves led to the creation of the Vogt Valves division in the late 1890s, which became a major manufacturer of forged steel valves for the petroleum industry. Vogt served as president of the company until his death from a heart ailment at his home in Louisville on December 27, 1936, at age 80. The Henry Vogt Machine Company continued operations for decades; in 2017, Vogt Valves joined the OMB Group, with manufacturing facilities in Stafford, Texas, and Milan, Italy.
