USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 42
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On November 15, 1874, Gottlieb Oswald was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Wolfe, who was born in Prussia, daughter of William Wolfe and wife, who came to the United States in 1872, settling at New Ulm, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Fred, a post- office clerk at New Ulm, who married Eliza Helman and has five children; Otto, laundryman, of New Ulm, who married Florence Gilley and has five children; Emilia, who married Charles Rice, a New Ulm laundryman, and has four children; Albert, who married Barbara Abrosh and lives at Minneapolis, where he is employed as a letter car- rier. Mrs. Oswald died on December 10, 1910, and Mr. Os- wald now lives with his son, Otto. Mrs. Oswald was a mem- ber of the Lutheran church and Mr. Oswald still takes an active part in the good works of that church. Mr. Oswald is a Socialist in his political views and takes an active inter- est in the extension of the cause of that party in this part of the state.
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THEO WIEBEL.
Theo Wiebel, a well-known farmer and stockman of Cottonwood township, this county, proprietor of a well-kept farm of three hundred and nineteen acres a little more than seven miles from New Ulm, his trading point, is a native son of Brown county, born on the pioneer farm on which he still makes his home, August 22, 1872, son of Alexander and Cecelia Wiebel, natives of Germany and pioneers of this county, for years regarded as among the leading residents of Cottonwood township.
Alexander Wiebel was trained as a harness-maker in his native land. He came to the United States in 1853, land- ing at New York City, proceeding thence to New Jersey, where he workd as a farm hand for a year, at the end of which time he came West and for a short time was employed as a farm hand in Iowa. In 1855 he joined the considerable German colony that even then had gathered in the New Ulm settlement and homesteaded a quarter of a section of land in Cottonwood township, this county, thus having been one of the very earliest settlers of that part of Brown county. There he made his home for thirty-nine years, retiring from the farm in 1894 to a pleasant home in New Ulm, where his death occurred shortly afterward. To him and his wife twelve children were born, namely: John, Margaret, Alex, Caroline, Edward, Bernard, Benedict, Henry, Mary, Theo, Cecelia, deceased, and one who died in infancy.
Theo Wiebel was reared on the homestead farm and
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received his schooling in school No. 4, in the neighborhood of his home. He quit school when about thirteen years old and thereafter gave his whole attention to the work of help- ing develop the home farm. He married in 1893 and upon his father's retirement the next year rented the home place and there has ever since continued to make his home. After his father's death he bought the farm from his mother and has been the owner of the same since 1896. He has put most of the present improvements on the place, has a comfortable brick house and is very pleasantly situated, an excellent automobile adding to the comfort of himself and family. Mr. Wiebel has given a good citizen's attention to local po- litical affairs and is the present supervisor of Cottonwood township, an office he has held for more than ten years. He also has been treasurer of the school board for three years.
In 1893 Theo Wiebel was united in marriage to Anna Liesenfeld, who was born in Sigel township, this county, daughter of Peter and Gertrude Liesenfeld, natives of Ger- many and early settlers of Brown county, pioneers of Sigel township, who were the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters. To this union was born one child, Oscar. Mr. and Mrs. Wiebel are members of the Catholic church at Searles and take an active part in parish affairs.
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JOHN GAETKE.
John Gaetke, well-known farmer and stockman of Cot- tonwood township, this county, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres situated eight miles from New Ulm, and one and one-half miles from Searles, on the main highway, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on the homestead farm where he now makes his home and where he has lived most all his life, September 15, 1861, son of Christian and Sophia (Ballou) Gaetke, natives of Ger- many and early settlers in Brown county.
Christian Gaetke came to the United States in 1855, landing at the port of New York, whence he came West without delay, to Watertown, Wisconsin, and worked at different work for about two years, and then came to Min- nesota, locating in Brown county, thus having been among the earliest settlers of this county. He homesteaded a quar- ter of a section of land in Cottonwood township, married a daughter of one of the pioneers of that section and there established his home, spending the rest of his life on that homestead farm, his death occurring in 1895. To him and his wife three children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch is the youngest, the others being Louis and Caroline.
John Gaetke grew to manhood on the homestead farm on which he still lives and assisted very materially in the development of the same. He quit school when thirteen years of age and thereafter devoted himself to the assist- ance of his father. After his father's death he assumed the
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management of the farm and remained there until 1897, in which year he moved to New Ulm, where he remained for six years. He then bought the interests of the other heirs in the home farm and returned there and has made that place his home ever since. Mr. Gaetke has added about three thousand dollars worth of improvements to the place and in 1911 erected a new brick house, which is equipped with a hot-water heating plant and many conveniences for comfortable housekeeping. He has given considerable at- tention to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and has done well in that line of agriculture. He has an excellent automobile, a great convenience to himself and family, and is looked upon as one of the most energetic and progressive farmers in his neighborhood.
In 1891 John Gaetke was united in marriage to Ida Scholtz, who was born in Sigel township, this county, daugh- ter of Christian and Mary Scholtz, natives of Germany and pioneers of Brown county, substantial farming people of Sigel township and the parents of thirteen children, three sons and ten daughters, and to this union three children have been born, Elmer John, Armin Henry and Lucila Ida. Mr. and Mrs. Gaetke attend the Methodist church at New Ulm and are properly interested in community good works. Mr. Gaetke is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organiza- tion. He has for years taken an active interest in local civic affairs and for nine years served as treasurer of his school district. He is an "independent" voter.
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WILLIAM BACKER.
William Backer, city clerk of New Ulm and one of the best-known and most popular young men in Brown county, is a native son of that county, having been born on a farm in Cottonwood township, June 9, 1886, son of August C. and Martha (Pfisterer) Backer, the former a native of Ger- many and the latter of the state of Wisconsin, former well- known residents of Cottonwood township, now living com- fortably retired in the city of New Ulm.
August C. Backet was about seven years of age when he came to the United States with his parents, the family first settling in Wisconsin. Besides himself there were three other children in the family, he having two brothers and a sister, Charles, Fred and Emma. Later the family came to Minnesota and located at LeSueur, where Grandfather Backer and his wife spent their last days, both living to ripe old ages. August C. Backer married Martha Pfisterer, who was born in Wisconsin, third in order of birth of the four children born to her parents, who were natives of Ger- many, the other children of the Pfisterer family having been Henry, William and Louise, and in 1875 came to Brown county. He bought a farm of two hundred acres in Cottonwood township and there he established his home and reared his family, he and his wife remaining there until 1901, in which year they retired from the farm and have since been making their home in New Ulm, where they en- joy many evidences of the high regard in which they are held by the whole community. In their religious persuasion
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they are of the Evangelical faith and for years have been warmly interested in the various beneficences of the church of that denomination. To them seven children have been born, all of whom are still living, namely. Henry, of Sunny- side, Washington; Esther, wife of William Humann, of Cottonwood township, this county; Louise, wife of August C. Dahl, of New Ulm; Harry, of Jamestown, North Da- kota; Dora, wife of Michael Werner, of Cottonwood town- ship; William, the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, and Caroline, who is at home with her parents.
William Backer lived on the old home farm in Cotton- wood township during his early youth, receiving his ele- mentary education in the district school in that neighbor- hood. He was about fifteen years old when his parents moved to New Ulm and he completed his public-school course in the high school in that city, supplementing the same by a course in a commercial school at Mankato, after which he began clerking in a grocery store in New Ulm. He was thus engaged for awhile and then took employment with the wholesale produce house of Stuebe Brothers as a bookkeeper, remaining with that concern for five years, at the end of which time he transferred his services to the offices of the roller mills company at New Ulm and was en- gaged there until he entered upon his official duties as city clerk of New Ulm, to which important public office he was elected on the Republican ticket in the spring of 1914, and in which capacity he is now serving in a most satisfactory manner.
On June 20, 1911, William Backer was united in mar- riage to Hedwig Janke, who was born in New Ulm, daugh- ter of William Janke, a well-known wagon-maker of that
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city, and wife, who have been residents of New Ulm for years. Mrs. Backer is the second in order of birth of the nine children born to her parents, her brothers and sisters being Helen, Martha, Louise, Herman, William, Waldemar, Hilding and Elda. Mrs. Backer is a member of the Luth- eran church and both she and her husband take a proper part in the various social activities of their home town, being held in high esteem by their many friends there and throughout the county generally.
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GEORGE W. MAUCH.
George W. Mauch, farmer of Milford township, Brown county, Minnesota, held in high esteem by his fellow citizens not only because of his excellent personal characteristics, but also because of his ability as a business man and up-to- date farmer, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Addison town- ship, Washington county, on September 9, 1865, a son of Mathias and Margaret (Moll) Mauch, both natives of Wurt- emberg, in Germany. Mathias was sixteen years of age when he was brought to this country by his parents and they settled in Wisconsin near the place where the Moll family located upon coming to this country, when Margaret was twelve years of age. Both families entered land in Wash- ington county and there the young people were married and later came to Brown county, this state, in 1868. Mathias Mauch bought a farm of five hundred and twenty acres in Milford township, there being at that time a small log cabin on the land and about twenty acres under cultivation. Mathias farmed here until 1896 when he retired and took up his residence in New Ulm, where he died on January 9, 1912. Subject's mother is living at New Ulm. Mathias Mauch was one of the citizens of this section who took an active in- terest in the development of community life and for many years served as a member of the school board. He was the father of four children: Henry, Victoria (Mrs. Hille- sheim), George, the subject of this sketch, and Lawrence.
George Mauch received his earlier schooling in Milford township, later going to Sleepy Eye for higher studies and
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GEORGE W. MAUCH AND FAMILY.
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became associated with his father in the management of the extensive farm home. At the time of his father's retire- ment, he rented the place until 1914, when he bought out the interests of the other heirs. He has long since demonstrated unusual business ability and his method of farming is that approved by the latest scientific research. He balances his grain production with the live stock raised in a way to gain the best returns, putting about one hundred and eighty acres per annum to corn and smaller grains and producing from eighty to one hundred hogs annually for the markets, also a carload of cattle in addition to what he keeps on the place. He has a silo of two hundred tons capacity in addition to all necessary barns and other buildings of latest approved type and a residence which is up-to-date in every way. Mr. Mauch is well worthy in every way of the esteem accorded him by his fellow citizens who have known him through a long number of years.
On November 26, 1892, George W. Mauch was united in marriage with Louise Haengartner, daughter of Andrew Haengartner, and to their union one child, a daughter, Esther, has been born. Politically, Mr. Mauch is an inde- pendent voter and one who takes more than a passive inter- est in the administration of local affairs.
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THEODORE MOHR.
Theodore Mohr, well-known and well-to-do farmer and stockman of Cottonwood township, this county, proprietor of a well-kept farm of four hundred and eighty acres lying a little more than five miles from New Ulm, on the main highway, is a native son of Brown county, having been born on the farm where he still makes his home, July 22, 1858, son of Martin and Caroline (Rein) Mohr, natives of Aus- tria, who came to America in 1854.
Martin Mohr landed at the port of New York, proceed- ing directly thence to Ohio, where he stayed about a year, at the end of which time they moved to Iowa, making his home for awhile in the neighborhood of Dubuque. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and homesteaded a tract of land on the outskirts of New Ulm, in this county. A year later Mar- tin Mohr sold his homestead right there and moved over into Cottonwood township, where he homesteaded a quarter of section 18 and there established his home, living there until 1893, in which year he retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1894. Martin Mohr was one of the pioneers of Brown county and was widely known throughout the county. During the troublous times of the Indian uprising in 1862 he and his family fled from the homestead farm and found refuge in St. Peter until the trouble was at an end. He and his wife were the parents of but two children, the subject of this sketch and a daughter, Sophia.
Theodore Mohr completed the course in the local
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schools at the age of eighteen. He was a valuable assistant to his father in the labors of developing the home place and after his father retired from the farm assumed the manage- ment of the same. Upon his father's death he inherited the home farm, which he still owns and operates and to which he has added by purchase until he now is the owner of a fine place of four hundred and eighty acres, upon which about eight thousand dollars has been spent in improve- ments; and is regarded as one of the substantial farmers of the county.
In 1885 Theodore Mohr was united in marriage to Bar- bara Sturm, who was born in Bavaria, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Kunts) Sturm, parents of twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, who came to this country in 1868, settling in Brown county, where they established their home, and to this union five children have been born, Alma, Amelia, Emma, Martin and Willie. The two elder daugh- ters are married and the remaining children are at home with their parents. Alma Mohr married Frank Schneider, of Sigel township, this county, and has four children. Amelia Mohr married Victor Dauer and lives in the town of Cottonwood. Mr. and Mrs. Mohr are members of the Cath- olic church at New Ulm and their children have been reared in that faith. Mr. Mohr is a member of the St. Joseph So- ciety and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
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C. F. KAISER.
C. F. Kaiser, well-known building contractor at New Ulm, this county, is a native of Germany, having been born in the city of Salzwadel in the kingdom of Saxony, April 26, 1871, son of F. and Emilia Kaiser, both natives of that same kingdom. F. Kaiser was a weaver and the owner of a small woolen-mill at Salzwadel, where he lived many years, later moving to Hanover, where he spent the remain- der of his life. He and his wife were the parents of five children, four of whom are still living; but the subject of this sketch is the only one of these living in Brown county.
C. F. Kaiser received his education in the schools of Hanover and was trained to the carpenter's trade, becom- ing a very competent workman. When he was past twenty- one years of age he came to the United States, locating at Mankato, this state, in 1892. He followed his trade there for about two years, at the end of which time he moved over to New Ulm, in 1894, and began working as a carpenter. The next year he married and established a home there and has ever since made his home in that city. In the year 1904 Mr. Kaiser engaged in the contracting business on his own account and has become one of the most successful con- tractors and builders in the city, employing a large force of men and doing work all over this part of the country. Among the numerous substantial structures he has built at New Ulm may be cited the Washington and Lincoln school building.
In 1895 C. F. Kaiser was united in marriage to Augusta
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Engel, daughter of Fritz Engel and wife, and to this union two children have been born, Herman and Elsie. Mr. Kai- ser is a member of the New Ulm branch of the Sons of Hermann, of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Turnverein, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest. He is an "inde- pendent" voter.
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CHARLES A. STOLZ.
Charles A. Stolz, well-known and enterprising hard- ware merchant, of New Ulm, this county, is a native son of Minnesota, having been born in the village of Carver, Carver county, this state, March 8, 1869, son of August and Catherine (Rothmeyer) Stolz, the former a native of Ger- many and the latter of Austria, pioneers of this part of Minnesota and for many years influential and highly re- spected residents of Courtland township, over the river in the neighboring county of Nicollet, where their last days were spent.
August Stolz was born in the province of Posen, Ger- many, son of sturdy farming folk, his father a soldier in his country's wars in the forties. He had three brothers and two sisters, Louis, William, Fred, Christina and Ger- trude. His mother, Ernestina, died and his father married again, having a son, Martin, by his second marriage. The father died in his native land when well past middle age. In 1851 August Stolz left Germany and came to the United States, his journey in a sailing vessel requiring nine weeks. Upon arriving on this side he located in Chicago, where he remained for three years, at the end of which time he came to Minnesota and settled on the Indian reservation at what is now the neighborhood of New Ulm, where he was employed by the government as a teamster, and was thus a resident here when the county was organized in 1855. He also was here during the time of the Indian uprising and massacre in 1862 and did service for one year during the
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Civil War as a member of the Minnesota Heavy Artillery. Previous to that experience he had married Catherine Roth- meyer, who had come to this country with her widowed mother, Mrs. Barbara Rothmeyer, whose only child she was, from Austria, she having been born and reared near the great city of Vienna, and settled in New Ulm, a mem- ber of one of the earliest parties of colonists which located in this part of Minnesota. The widow Rothmeyer was a resident of this section for many years, she having been about eighty-six years of age at the time of her death.
At the close of his military experience August Stolz settled down on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, over the river in Courtland township, Nicollet county, one mile from New Ulm, and there he established his home, cleared the place, reared his family, became a substantial and useful citizen and spent the rest of his life there, dying on June 24, 1893, at the age of sixty-seven years. His widow survived him for twenty years, her death occurring on September 4, 1913, she then being seventy-six years of age. Both were earnest members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children, namely: Minnie, wife of George P. Dietz, of New Ulm; Anna, wife of William Boerger, of New Ulm; Charles A., the immediate subject of this bio- graphical sketch; Mary, unmarried, who also lives at New Ulm; Fred, the manager of the local plant of a large lumber company at Nicollet, this state, and three who died in youth.
Charles A. Stoltz was reared on the paternal farm in the neighborhood of New Ulm, receiving his elementary education in the district school in the vicinity of his home, which he supplemented by a course in the Dr. Martin Lu-
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ther College at New Ulm, after which he entered Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, for the benefit of the business course in that institution. He then taught school in his home district for four years, meanwhile continuing to assist his father on the farm during the summers, and then began clerking in a hardware store at New Ulm and was thus engaged for five years, at the end of which time he was appointed deputy sheriff and jailer for Brown county, in which official capacity he served for four years. In the fall of 1890 Mr. Stolz married and for five years thereafter was engaged in managing, in his own behalf, his father-in- law's limekiln, the Heymann kiln, in Nicollet county. At the end of that time he returned to New Ulm and was made manager of the New Ulm Hardware Company's store at that place. Five years later he became a half partner in that concern and in 1913 became the sole proprietor of the store, which he still owns and which he is operating very successfully, being one of the best-known and most progres- sive merchants in this section of the state. Mr. Stolz will owns an interest in the old home farm and is largely inter- ested in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of New Ulm, of which sound old financial institution he is vice-president.
On October 14, 1890, Charles A. Stolz was united in marriage to Ida Heymann, who was born in Cottonwood township, this county, February 2, 1866, daughter of John and Caroline (Ruhnow) Heymann, natives of Prussia, who came to America shortly after their marriage and settled in this county in May, 1862, being thus among the pioneers of this section of the state. John Heymann, who for many years has been recognized as one of the most substantial citizens of this and Nicollet county, is still living. His wife
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died on September 8, 1912. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom six are now living, Minnie, Emma, Ida, Otto, Bertha and Tillie.
To Charles A. and Ida (Heymann) Stolz three chil- dren have been born, daughters all, Edna, a graduate of the New Ulm high school and a business college, who is now bookkeeper in her father's store; Elma, a graduate of the New Ulm high school and of the normal department of that city's excellent schools, who is now a teacher in the public schools of the county, and Caroline, now a student in the high school. Mr. and Mrs. Stolz are members of the Con- gregational church, of which organization Mr. Stolz is one of the trustees, and they and their daughters are regarded as among the leaders in the social and cultural activities of the city, being held in high esteem by all. Mr. Stolz is an "independent" in his political views and is a stanch advocate of good government, ever holding the individual fitness of the various candidates for public place above the mere parties which those individuals represent. He is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, in the affairs of which he takes a warm interest, and is also a member of the Junior Pioneers.
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