Weier Brothers Company

John and Henry Weier started a salvage business in the early 1880s at 922 Hancock Street. After the street numbers changed in 1915, the Weier Brothers Company’s address changed to 1024 Hancock Street. The brothers came to the United States in 1843 from Baden, Germany. The business started small, but grew to become a profitable establishment. The scrap yard dealt in waste materials of all kinds, but it specialized in steel and other ferrous scrap. The January 25, 1908 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal ran this advertisement from the Weier Brothers, in which the brothers encouraged local farmers to sell their scrap materials to their company.

The business was located close to the railroad tracks, which expedited shipping and receiving of materials.

In March, 1925, both John and Henry Weier died. The business was passed down to John Weier’s son J. Leroy Weier, who continued the family business until shortly before his death in 1971. During World War II, the Weier Brothers Company advertised for patriotic workers who could work in the scrap iron trade. Materials from Weier Brothers was sold to industries involved in making goods to contribute to the war effort.

After the deaths of J. Leroy and Laura Weier, money from their estate was bequeathed to several charities.  The $600,000 was distributed to three area hospitals, the Firelands Council of Boy Scouts, Firelands Council of Camp Fire Girls, and the Sandusky Y.M.C.A. What started as a small business founded by two German immigrants, became a vital business in Sandusky. The Weier Brothers Company employed hundreds of local residents through its many years of operation, and after the company ceased operations, the local community benefited from the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. J. Leroy Weier.