USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
794
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
Farm, lying between the towns of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, and spent much of his time in the country. He was widely known over Sauk County and was always active in behalf of the public welfare. He was a strong republican, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and in younger days was a Methodist, but later attended the Presbyterian Church. He died February 2, 1904.
John B. Quimby married Sarah E. Leland. She was born at Peoria, Illinois, April 10, 1837, a daughter of Cyrus and Sarah Leland, of Peoria. When Mrs. Quimby was two years of age, in 1839, her parents moved to Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. They were among the first settlers there. The surrounding country was a total wilderness and the family endured many privations before getting well settled. In 1843 Cyrus Leland established a sawmill, which became the center of a small settlement known as Leland, in his honor. After two years he removed to Sauk City and subsequently members of the Leland family moved out to Kansas and some of them are still found in that state. At the age of sixteen Sarah Leland was given charge of a school at Sauk City, and she taught until 1856, when she married John B. Quimby. She died March 5, 1917.
The family of John B. Quimby and Sarah Quimby were eight chil- dren : John L., of . Duluth, Minnesota; Mrs. Fannie M. Boder, of St. · Joseph, Missouri; Edward B., of Spokane, Washington; Jessie A., of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin; Mrs. Mildred E. Ickstadt, of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin; Cyrus L., of Sauk City, Wisconsin; Howard B., of Reeds- burg, Wisconsin ; and Herbert W., of Hunters, Washington.
OSCAR ALTPETER has been a successful business man in Baraboo for a great many years and practically his entire career has been identified with the bottling business. He now owns and operates one of the largest bottling plants in Sauk County, and through his energy and business acumen has kept the establishment up to the highest grade of quality and extent of patronage.
The Altpeter family have been identified with Sauk County since pioneer times. Mr. Oscar Altpeter was born in Baraboo November 12, 1873, son of August and Catherine (Holtzinger) Altpeter, both natives of Germany. John Holtzinger, father of Catherine, came from Germany to Sauk County in very early times. John Holtzinger was a mason by trade and did much of the work along that line in the early days of Baraboo. He also owned and operated a farm, and both he and his wife died in Baraboo. They had a large family of children. August Altpeter came to America with his brother Philip, who afterwards located in Milwaukee, and they were the only members of their family to become Americans. August arrived at Milwaukee in 1851 and in 1853 came to Baraboo, A cooper by trade, he established himself in business there and continued his work almost uninterruptedly until his death in Aug- ust, 1916, at the age of eighty years. His first wife, the mother of Oscar Altpeter, died in 1881. She was the mother of the following children : Emma and Ida, both deceased; Fred; Mary; George; Oscar, and Alvina. August Altpeter married for his second wife, Mrs. Bingie, whose maiden · name was Huber. To that marriage were born two more children, Aug-
795
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
ust and Daisy. August Altpeter was a democrat in politics and a mem- ber of the Evangelical Church.
In the city where he was born Oscar Altpeter spent his youthful days, attended the public schools, and was only eleven years of age when he began earning his own living. Even a's a boy he worked in bottling works, and acquired an experience which meant more than capital when he embarked in business for himself in 1897. He has gradually devel- oped a firm second in importance to none in Sauk County, and his plant, representing a large investment of capital and equipped with all the latest appliances, is at 217-219 Maple Street.
Mr. Altpeter is a democrat in politics. For the past eleven years he has filled the office of alderman from the Third Ward and is one of the most efficient of the city 's governing officers. He is affiliated with Baraboo Lodge No. 34, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Baraboo Chapter No. 49, Royal Arch Masons; Baraboo Commandery No. 28, Knights Templar ; with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Woodmen of the World; and the Knights of the Maccabees at Madison.
Mr. Altpeter has one of the comfortable homes of Baraboo, located at 127 Maple Street. He was married in 1907 to Miss Julia Weidenkopf, a native of Sauk County and a daughter of John Weidenkopf, a pioneer of this section of Wisconsin. John Weidenkopf fought with the Ameri- can armies in the Mexican war and the land warrant granted him for his services he used to secure Government land in Sauk County. Mr. and Mrs. Altpeter have two children: Roger, born February 26, 1909; and Roland, born February 21, 1910.
CORWIN HIRSCHINGER is the possessor and occupant of the farm which has been in the family possession since pioneer times. That farm is located in Baraboo Township and Mr. Hirschinger is utilizing its fer- tility and resources as a general farm enterprise, and he is also a well- known fruit grower.
He was born at Baraboo City in Sauk County November 7, 1865. The farm he now occupies was the place originally settled upon by his grandfather, Michael Hirschinger. Michael Hirschinger was born in Germany in 1783 and married there Selma Beyx, who was born in 1797. Michael Hirschinger saw active service as a solider during the Napoleonic wars in Europe. In 1832 he left Germany, bringing his family to America, and they were thirteen weeks on one of the old sailing vessels that crossed the ocean. He first located at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, sub- sequently lived in Ohio, and in 1847 came to Sauk County. That was a year before Wisconsin was admitted as a state and only a few clearings had been made here and there as evidence of the presence of white men in this county. Michael Hirschinger had bought a land warrant, and first used it to acquire 160 acres on the present site of Baraboo. He gave up that and located another place in section 8 of Baraboo Township, where he had 120 acres. He did much development work on this land and lived there until his death in 1857. His widow survived him until 1881. They had five children : Frederick, Saloma, Michael, Jr., Jacob, all deceased, and Charles, who is still living at Baraboo.
Mr. Corwin Hirschinger is a son of Michael and Annie (Risley)
796
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
Hirschinger, both of whom were also born in Germany, but were married in Sauk County. The father was born in 1825 and the mother in 1843. For twenty years Michael Hirschinger, Jr., was in the feed business at Baraboo, and subsequently bought a farm near the county seat, consisting of fifty acres, but after a few years sold that and moved to the south side of Baraboo, where he had about sixteen acres within the corporation limits. There he lived in comfort and ease until his death in July, 1901. His widow is still living and makes her home with her daughter Mrs. Edward Roser in Baraboo. There were just two children, Corwin and Cora, wife of Mr. Roser.
In 1906 Corwin Hirschinger bought from his uncle, Charles Hirsch- inger, the original Michael Hirschinger homestead. Seventy years have witnessed many changes in that land since it was first acquired by the family. He has a large orchard. Mr. Hirschinger makes something of a specialty of fruit growing and also raises the staple crops and some livestock. Politically he is a republican and is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.
In 1892 he married Miss Anna Luebke, of Greenfield, Sauk County, a daughter of Frederick Luebke, of Baraboo. Mr. and Mrs. Hirschinger have four children, all living, their names being Robert, Gertrude, Carl and Philip.
L. J. STEUBER, D. V. S. That most useful of all quadrupeds, the horse, has a humane and skillful overseer of its welfare in the person of Dr. L. J. Steuber, who has been engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery at Prairie du Sac since shortly after his gradua- tion from the McKillip Veterinary College in 1914. Doctor Steuber has been engaged in a variety of vocations during his career, and first became interested in his present profession while following agricultural pursuits in Sauk County. He has already made marked advancement in his chosen occupation and the scope of his practice is enlarging daily.
L. J. Steuber was born on a farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin, in 1877, being a son of Kasper and Charlotta (Schulte) Steuber, natives of Germany. Kasper Steuber was educated in his native land, and as a youth learned the trade of mason stonecutter, an occupation which had come to be known as a family vocation, his father and grandfather having followed it before him. He was employed at his trade in Germany, but felt that he could better himself in the United States, and at the age of thirty years came to this country and located at Prairie du Sac. At that time this little city was enjoying an era of building activity and the skilled young workman found plenty of employment for his ability, many of the old stone buildings here still standing as monuments to his skill and good workmanship. Later he went to Middletown, from whence he removed to a farm eight miles west, in the Township of Honey Creek, but while he lived on that property for sixteen years he continued to work at his trade and had his stalwart sons conduct the operations of the farm. At the end of the period mentioned he moved back to Prairie du Sac, where he resided until his death in 1903. Mr. Steuber was a member of the Lutheran Church and a man who was always held in the highest esteem. He reared his children to lives of industry and honesty
797
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
and lived to see them all well established, honored members of their several communities and credits to their rearing and to the honorable name they bore. Charlotta (Schulte) Steuber was fifteen years of age when she came to the United States with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schulte. The family first settled at Middletown, between Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, subsequently moved to the latter point, and then went to Honey Creek Township, and still later to the Township of Westfield, where Mr. Schulte engaged in farming. After the death of Mrs. Schulte the father went to live with his son at Ableman, at whose home his demise occurred. Mrs. Steuber lived for two years at Prairie du Sac prior to her marriage with Mr. Steuber, by whom she had ten children, as fol- lows: William F., a bricklayer at Madison, Wisconsin, who married Louisa Wintemantl; Mary, who is the wife of John Wareham, of Bara- boo; John, manager of the silk department for a wholesale house at Superior, Wisconsin, who married Mamie Dwyer; Lena, who is the wife of Henry Rischmueller, a farmer of Honey Creek Township; Charles, who married Minnie Schellenberger and lives on the old homestead in the Township of Honey Creek; Minnie, who married Fred Schellenger and after his death, Charles Miller, and now lives in Sumpter Township, where Mr. Miller is engaged in farming; Emma, who is the wife of Ernest Fisher, a druggist at Baraboo; Ida, who is the wife of John J. Gasser, a farmer of Honey Creek Township; Fred J., professor of Ger- man in a college at St. Louis, Missouri, who married Jennette Blanchard ; and Dr. L. J., of this notice.
L. J. Steuber grew up on his father's farm, on which he remained until he was fifteen years old, in the meantime securing his early educa- tion in the public schools of the country district. He next attended high school, and when he had completed his course began teaching school in the country, a vocation which he followed for three years. The next eight years of his career were identified with the creamery business, and he then returned to farming in the Township of West Point. It was during the five years that he was thus engaged that he became seriously interested in the work which he has since made his life's occupation. After some preliminary study and observation he went to Chicago, where he enrolled as a student at the noted McKillip Veterinary College, and was duly graduated therefrom in the spring of 1914. His practice was commenced at Baraboo, but after several months he came to Prairie du Sac, where he has since built up an excellent professional business in the treatment of all kinds of animal diseases. In his specialty he has been quite successful, and his ability and skill are generally recognized in the vicinity of his home and the surrounding territory.
Doctor Steuber was married in 1899 to Miss Lois Drew, and they are the parents of one son, Lawrence H., born in 1901, who is attending school at Prairie du Sac. Doctor Steuber is a member of the Woodmen, the Masons, the Beavers, the Eastern Star and the Alpha Sigma Society, and he and Mrs. Steuber belong to the Lutheran Church.
JOHN EGERER. The practice of business farming is being more widely applied and adapted every year, and Sauk County has a considerable number of men who may properly be called business farmers in the
798
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
strictest sense of that phrase. Among them is Mr. John Egerer of Free- dom Township. A few years ago he took his son into partnership, and they now conduct their operations under the firm title of John Egerer & Son. The father learned farming by experience and long continued years of work and observation combined, while the son is what many call a scientific agriculturist in the sense that he received a thorough technical training in addition to the practice he acquired on the home farm. Together they are making a striking success as general farmers and are also extensively known as breeders of high grade Holstein cattle and Hampshire swine.
The farm where they conduct operations has been in the Egerer family for a great many years. It was the birthplace of Mr. John Egerer, who first saw the light of day in Freedom Township March 12, 1860. The farm is owned by Mr. John Egerer and his brother William, under the name Egerer Brothers, but the personal property and the equipment of the farm, including livestock, are owned by John Egerer & Son.
Mr. John Egerer is a son of John and Mary (Werthmer) Egerer, both of whom were natives of Germany, the father born in 1824 and the mother in 1826. John Egerer, Sr., was a son of George Egerer, who came to Sauk County about 1857. The grandmother died here in 1860 and he passed away about 1870, when eighty years of age. In the family of George Egerer and wife were the following children: Peter, Lizzie, George, John and Adam.
John Egerer, Sr., came to America when a young man, located in Ohio in 1848, married there, and in 1854 brought his wife to Sauk County. Here he bought forty acres near where his son John now lives, subsequently acquired another forty acres, including the present home- stead buildings, the first forty having been purchased from George Mer- ton, the second forty from John Dickey and subsequently another forty from Mr. Hawk of Chicago. The last forty acres, making a total of a quarter section, was acquired from William Ode. On this farm John Egerer, Sr., lived until 1891, when he retired to a town home at Baraboo and died there after a long and useful career in 1904. His widow sur- vived until 1912. John Egerer, Sr., was a democrat and an active mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. He and his wife had seven children: Bar- bara, deceased; Annie, John, Paulina, William, Gussie and Joseph.
John Egerer, Jr., grew up on the farm where he now lives and bene- fited by more or less regular attendance at the local schools. He learned farming during his youth and for many years he and his brother have owned the old homestead of 160 acres. This does not complete the total of their landed possessions, and they have a farm of 195 acres in another portion of Freedom Township and own 240 acres in Forest County, Wisconsin.
Mr. John Egerer is a democrat in politics and is now serving as school director and as road commissioner. He is active in the Lutheran Church at North Freedom.
In 1892 he married Miss Mollie Armbruster, who was born in Freedom Township of Sauk County August 26, 1869, a daughter of John and Louisa Armbruster. Her parents were early settlers in Sauk County. Her father was a veteran of the Civil war and died in 1905, while her
Rotto BuerKé
799
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
widowed mother is now living at North Freedom. Mr. and Mrs. John Egerer have seven children: Obert John, Clarence, Alma, Chester, Deane, LaFollette and Marie. All the children are still living and make an effective group of young and vigorous Americans. The son, Obert John, was educated at North Freedom, in the Baraboo Business College, and has brought to the firm of John Egerer and Son the valuable quali- fications of youth, agricultural enthusiasm and an ambition for success which has already realized him a position among the most progressive young farmers of the county.
RODNEY H. TRUE was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, October 14, 1866, son of John M. and Annie B. True. He was educated in the schools of Baraboo and the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1890 in the general science course. He received the degree of M. S. in 1892 and the Ph. D. degree at Leipsig, Germany, in 1895. He married Katharine McArrey, Windsor, Missouri, in 1896. He was assistant professor of pharmacognosy, University of Wisconsin, 1896-99, lectured on botany at Harvard University, 1900-01, and has been physiologist in the United States Department of Agriculture since 1901. He is a member of the Botanical Society of America and Botanical and Biological societies at Washington. Mr. True has contributed papers on original research to botanical and other scientific journals and is the author of Government scientific bulletins.
EDWARD L. LUCKOW was born in Washington County, this state, April 27, 1866, and came to Baraboo in 1886. In 1895 he purchased the Sauk County Democrat which he edited until 1913, when he was appointed auditor of the Navy Department at Washington by President Wilson. He is now in Washington. During his residence in Baraboo he served the city as mayor and was active in municipal affairs. In 1915 he sold the Democrat to R. J. Osborne.
ROBERT J. BUERKI. A conspicuous factor in the business life of Sauk City for many years has been Robert J. Buerki, who is still active as a merchant and has an honorable record of more than a quarter of a cen- tury by which his standing in the community can be judged. Mr. Buerki is a forceful and enterprising man, and has proved his ability not only in the conduct of his private affairs but also in the management of large and important public interests.
Mr. Buerki was born in Sauk County in 1860, a son of John and Amelia (Stadelmann) Buerki. His father was born in Switzerland in 1830. His mother was born in Germany in 1836. Coming to America in 1854, John Buerki traveled about over the country for a couple of years, but in 1856 located at Sauk City. He was a shoemaker by trade, having learned that vocation in Germany. Taking up his trade at Sauk City he was a steady workman in that line and provided for his home and family by his occupation, which he followed until about a year before his death in 1888. He was married March 28, 1857, to Miss Amelia Stadelmann, and they became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters. Jolın Buerki was village treasurer of Sauk City
800
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
for several years, was affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Work- men and a member of the German Reformed Church. Of the children, the oldest, Matilda, who died in 1909, became the wife of Rev. Mr. Gruen- ingen, who was for thirty-five years a minister of the Reformed Church at Sauk City. Rev. Mr. Grueningen died in. 1911. They had two chil- dren, Paul and Rebecca. The second child of the parents is Robert J. Buerki. Otto is a resident of Madison, but is engaged in a sanitarium at Waukesha. He has three sons, Robin, Glen and Frederick, all living. Emelia is the wife of August Becker, of Sauk City, a photographer, and they have three children, Richard, Alma and Oscar. John is the active head of the State Bank of Sauk City and married Pauline Kuoni. Salina is the wife of Joseph Clement, a carpenter living in Sauk City. Albertine is the wife of Louis P. Back, of Sauk City, and their children are Otto, Paula, Rowland and Marcus. Oscar, the youngest of the children, is associated with his brother John in the banking business, and by his marriage to Lavona Herring has a daughter Helen.
Robert J. Buerki grew up in Sauk City, attended the public schools, and when a boy of fifteen gained his first business experience as clerk in a store. He continued working for other merchants until he was thirty years of age. Then, in 1890, he entered business for himself under the name Buerki & Becker. His partner was his brother-in-law, August Becker. Mr. Buerki handled the general retail merchandise end of the business while Mr. Becker, a professional photographer, looked after the photograph gallery. In 1905 Mr. Buerki bought the interest of his partner, and has since conducted the entire store, his son Armin being now associated with him. Mr. Buerki has one of the leading stores in Sauk City and his prosperity has been well earned. For the past twenty years he has also served as a director and secretary of the Sauk City Canning and Packing Company, and is director of the State Bank.
At the age of twenty-four Mr. Buerki married Miss Augusta Kahn, a daughter of Andrew and Sophie (Froehlich) Kahn. Her father was born in Germany. Her mother was one of the first white children born in Dane County. Mrs. Buerki's grandmother came to this country from Hamburg, Germany, while her grandfather was from Bavaria, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Buerki had two children : Armin, now the business associate of his father, married Emma Lemm, daughter of Kasper Lemm, and their two children are Robert, aged five years, and Frederick, aged two. Edgar, the second child, died in 1909, when nineteen years of age.
Mr. Buerki was actively identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen until that organization dissolved. For about eight years he was a member of the village board, serving consecutively, and was for twenty-four years in succession a member of the school board. He has for the past twelve years been a member of the County Board of Super- visors. Much of his time and constructive efforts have been given to the benefit of the local schools. In 1891 he was a member of the Board and Building Committee which erected the first high school at Sauk City. Then, in 1916, he was chosen by popular vote as chairman of the building committee for the erection of the handsome new high school which was completed in that year, just a quarter of a century after the first high school was erected. For thirty years Mr. Buerki has been
801
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY
secretary of the Reformed Church and was chairman of the building committee when the new church edifice was constructed in 1913. He and his family are all active members of that church. Mr. Buerki in political allegiance has made his judgment direct his choice rather than a blind partisanship, and has always voted for the best man.
EDWIN STEIDTMANN. Many of the men who owe their early training .
to the productive farms of Sauk County have outlived their home environ- ment and developed business qualities better suited to the activity of the city than the quiet of the country. That it is commendable to seek that which is most congenial and, therefore, better done, is a truism lying at the foundation of all worth-while success.
Edwin Steidtmann was born on the home farm 41/2 miles north of Prairie du Sac, Sauk County, in 1874, and is a son of August William and Theresia (Kuhn) Steidtmann, natives of Germany. The family was founded in the United States in 1849, in which year the grand- father of Edwin Steidtmann came to this country and located in Merri- mack Township, Sauk County. In his native land he had been a butcher, but on coming to America turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he spent the remaining years of his life. He was industrious and possessed of the thrift of his race, developed a good property and made a home for his family, and became one of the highly respected men of his community. He passed away on his farm. August William Steidt- mann was six years of age when brought by his parents to America, and here he grew to manhood among the rapidly changing conditions that characterized the development of Sauk County from a wilderness to a fertile and productive section. At his father's death he took charge of the home farm and continued to be engaged in its operation until 1914, in which year he retired from active labor and is now making his home with his son at Madison, Wisconsin. Mrs. Steidtmann died on the farm in 1905. They were the parents of four children: Two daughters who died in infancy; Edwin, of this notice; and Edward. Edward Steidt- mann, who is now a professor at the University of Wisconsin, at Madi- son, married Miss Bertha Franke, daughter of Carl Franke, and they have four children: Edward, Carl, Alice Louise and Robert, the two older of whom are attending school at Madison.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.