USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 43
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State Historical Library at Madison. The bronze medal and one of the diplomas were awarded at the Centennial of 1876, held in Philadelphia. The other two diplomas were awarded at the International Dairy Fair, held in New York in 1879. Besides these diplomas there was a cash prize of $250 given to Mr. Morley at the International Dairy Fair. He has attended a great many dairy conventions, and his example and influence were not inconsiderable factors in making Wisconsin one of the greatest dairy states in the Union. His work was especially helpful in getting Sauk County on the map as a dairy section. During his active years he was also well known as a breeder of Percheron horses. These fine draft horses were exhibited at the State Fair in Milwaukee and at many county and local exhibitions, and they always carried away a share of the prizes.
In 1899 Mr. Morley retired from the farm and coming to Baraboo built a fine residence at 626 Eighth Avenue. There he intends to spend his remaining years and about his home he finds sufficient occupation so that he can always be busy. He is a republican and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Morley was married in September, 1853, to Miss Adaline Serviah Fuller. Mrs. Morley was born in Massachusetts May 10, 1830, a daughter of Ambrose Fuller, who died in that state. Mr. and Mrs. Morley became the parents of eight children, named Newton Fuller, Arthur William, Fannie, Lillis, Thomas, Frank, Lucy and Charles. Newton Fuller, the oldest, was born in Sauk County October 2, 1854, was educated in the public schools and is now a successful farmer in Baraboo Township. He was married May 17, 1883, to Miss Sarah Jane Christy, who was born in Sauk County in 1852, daughter of Archibald and Catherine (Haynes) Christy, pioneer people of Sauk County, and Mrs. Christy is still living at the age of eighty-seven. Newton F. Morley and wife have two chil- dren, Laura Hazel and Fannie Edna. Arthur William Morley, the second child, was born November 1, 1855, is a farmer in O'Brien County, Iowa, and by his marriage to Abbie Van Buren has four children : Mabel, deceased ; Martha; Carl and Keith, the last two being twins. Thomas Morley lives in Excelsior Township, while Frank occupies the old home- stead. Frank married Elma Knapp and has two sons, Alvin James and Kenneth. The son, Charles, lives in Ohio, and by his marriage to Edna George has three children, Charles W. and Dorilia and Dana, twins.
CHARLES WILLIAM NEUMAN. One of the large and important families of Sauk County bears the name of Neuman, and one would have to travel far to find better farmers or more highly respected people. The pioneer settler of the family still survives and is found in Charles William Neuman, who came from Germany to Wisconsin in 1869 and has been a resident of Sauk County for forty-six years. Mr. Neuman was born in Germany, November 19, 1834, the second in a family of seven children born to his parents, John and Henrietta Neuman. His mother died in Germany in 1844 and his father in 1871. Their children were named as follows: John, Charles William, Edward, Louisa, Hen- rietta, William and Caroline. The father's second marriage was to Eva Zech, and to that union seven more children were born.
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Charles William Neuman was thirty-five years of age when he came to America in the hope of bettering his condition, and was attracted to Wisconsin because of opportunities there at that time afforded to secure Government land and found a home. He attended school in boy- hood and before leaving his own country had satisfied the authorities as to military service, and when he reached the United States it was as a free agent. He had married in his native land and his wife and two children accompanied him and they reached Waukesha County, Wiscon- sin, in 1869. Mr. Neuman took two years to look about him before he invested any money in land and then, in 1871, he bought eighty acres in Sauk County, where he yet lives. There was a large amount of tim- ber on the place at that time but with the help of his sons the land was cleared and through Mr. Neuman's careful methods was developed into a very valuable farın. In 1900 Mr. Neuman sold the homestead to his son Charles William, who is his namesake.
In Germany Mr. Neuman was married to Helen Zuch, who was born there May.6, 1841. To them were born the following children: Minnie, who was born in Germany in 1865, is the wife of Gustav Steinke; Gustav, who was born in Germany in 1867, and is a farmer in Greenfield Township; Amelia, who was born in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in 1871, is the wife of William Geyman, of Caledonia, Wisconsin; Charles William, who was born in Greenfield Township, Sauk County, Marclı 30, 1873; John, who was born also in Greenfield Township, in 1876, married Paulina Steinhorst, and they have seven children, namely : Mabel, Viola, Laura, John, Adelia, Harold and Elsie; Jacob, who was born on the farm on which his father lives in Greenfield Township Octo- ber 1, 1878, is a carpenter by trade and worked as such for eleven years, but in March, 1915, returned to farming; he was married June 14, 1905, to Miss Bertha Malzahn, who was born in Honey Creek Township, Sauk County, January 6, 1884, a daughter of Carl and Pauline (Klein- schmidt) Malzahn, who came to this country from Germany and both died here, the mother in 1886 and the father in 1900; Jacob Neuman and wife have the following children : Irma, Beatrice and James; Helen, who was born January 6, 1881, is the wife of Albert Koerth, a substantial farmer and well known resident of this township.
Charles William Neuman, the second son and the fourth born in his parents' family, was educated in the public schools of Greenfield Town- ship and has devoted himself closely and profitably to farming. In 1900 he bought the homestead from his father and added land and is now operating 100 acres. His father had built a comfortable log house on the place, but Mr. Neuman has improved the property with modern buildings and has one of the most attractive farms in the township. He is a first-class farmer and also a reputable citizen. He votes with the republican party but has never consented to accept office. He is unmar- ried.
Charles William Neuman is one of the pillars of the Lutheran Church at Baraboo, to which church his wife also belonged, as do all of his chil- dren. Mrs. Neuman died October 29, 1915. She was a most estimable woman and not only her family but the neighborhood has sadly missed her. Mr. Neuman is a republican in politics but the Neumans have
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never been seekers for office. Since coming to Sauk County he has done his full duty and lived honestly and uprightly and now, in the even- ing of life, can look back over a long path with few regrets. He takes much comfort in the fact that his children are all in easy circumstances and are located near to him and each other, the tie of kindred in the family being very strong.
GERHART SCHUETTE. The United States ranks today as the fore- most nation of the modern civilized world. It has served as the melting pot of the best characteristics of all other nations and the outcome is a fine, sterling, American citizenship consisting of strong and able- bodied men, loyal and public-spirited in civic life, honorable in business and alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with every measure tending to further the material welfare of the entire country. Like other coun- tries, Germany has contributed its fair quota to the upbuilding of this great nation and among its representatives in this country are to be found successful men in every walk of life, from the professions to the prosperous farmer.
The Schuette family is one of old standing in Sauk County, the progenitor of the name in America being John Schuette, who was born in Germany early in the nineteenth century and who came to America and settled in Sauk County, Wisconsin, in 1861. He settled on a farm in Excelsior Township and was engaged in diversified agriculture until two years prior to his demise, when he located in Reedsburg, where his death occurred in October, 1886, at the age of seventy-one years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Wilhelms, was likewise a native of Germany and she died in Reedsburg in October, 1897. They had five children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth : William, Henry, Dora, Katherine and Frederick. Dora is the wife of Henry Behn, of Reedsburg, and Katherine married Henry Strick, also a resident of Reedsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Schuette were devout Luth- erans and in the faith of that church they reared their children.
Henry W. Schuette, father of him whose name forms the caption for this article, was born in Germany November 7, 1854. He was seven years of age when he accompanied his parents to America and he was educated in the public schools of Excelsior Township. After reach- ing manhood he purchased his father's farm and there resided until his death in 1912, aged fifty-eight years. He married Dorathea Weseloh, who was born in Westfield Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin, June 12, 1864. Her parents were John and Katherine (Schroeder) Weseloh, both of whom were born in Germany in August, 1838. They came to America in 1863 and settled on a farm in Westfield Township, Sauk County, where he died October 2, 1912, and where she passed away October 3, 1910. They had ten children: Henry (deceased), William, Dorathea, Frederick, Eddie (deceased), Henry, Bertha, Emma, Mary and Martha. Mrs. Schuette survives her honored husband and now resides at 226 Locust Street, Keedsburg. Four children were born to them, namely: Martha, Gerhart, Hugo and Odelia. Mr. Schuette was a republican and a member of the Lutheran Church.
Gerhart Schuette, son of Henry W. and Dorathea (Weseloh)
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Schuette was born on the old family homestead in Excelsior Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin, January 3, 1891. He was the second in order of birth in a family of four children and he received his educational training in the public schools of his native place. He has always followed the life of a farmer and since 1915 has rented the old home- stead from his mother. In politics he maintains an independent attitude and though he has not as yet held any public office, he gives a loyal support to all matters projected for the good of his home community.
January 5, 1915, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Schuette to Miss Meta Hinz, a native of Freedom Township, where she was born August 15, 1896, a daughter of Julius and Adeline (Heritz) Hinz. Her parents were pioneer farmers in Freedom Township, Sauk County, and they are now living retired in Ableman. Mr. and Mrs. Schuette are devout Lutherans and they are popular in connection with the social affairs of the younger generation in the community in which they live.
MRS. CAROLINE WAFFENSCHMIDT has been a resident of Sauk County over sixty years, and has shown her ability as a capable business woman since the death of her husband by taking the active management of the home farm in Sumpter Township.
Mrs. Woffenschmidt was born in Sumpter Township of Sauk County July 31, 1856, a daughter of William and Christina (Graff) Siebecker. Her parents were both born in Germany and came to America in 1848. They soon afterwards located as pioneers on the homestead in Sumpter Township, buying land from a Mr. Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Siebecker farmed that place until 1886, when they removed to another place a mile and a quarter north. At that time Mr. and Mrs. Woffenschmidt took charge of the old homestead. Mr. Siebecker lived on his new place about six years, then made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Woffen- schmidt about five years, and from there removed to Sauk City, where he lived retired until his death in 1899. His wife had passed away in 1876. Mr .. and Mrs. Siebecker had eight children: Louisa is the wife of Fred Swartz and they live in Baraboo; William is also a resident of Baraboo; Charles C., of Cambridge, Nebraska, married Margaret Evans; Fred, a resident of Baraboo married Caroline Roick; Christina is living at Baraboo, the widow of Joseph Kunzelmann, who died in 1897 ; Robert lives at Madison, Wisconsin, and married Josephine La Follette, sister of Senator La Follette; the next in age is Mrs. Woffenschmidt; Ida is the wife of Carl Isenberg, of Baraboo.
Mrs. Woffenschmidt grew up on the home farm in Sumpter Town- ship, was educated in the local schools, and in 1879 married the late Henry Woffenschmidt. Mr. Woffenschmidt took charge of the old Siebecker homestead, and was successfully engaged in farming until failing health compelled him to leave Wisconsin in 1898 and he spent several months in the West recuperating. On returning to the county he located at Baraboo, and lived there until his death in August, 1900. Several years he served as assessor of Merrimack Township. He was a member of the Evangelical Church and was affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. Henry Woffenschmidt was a son of Christian and Catherine (Murphy) Woffenchmidt, the former a native of Ger-
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many and the latter of New Jersey, in which state they were married about sixty-six years ago.
After the death of her husband Mrs. Woffenschmidt removed with her family to the old farm and has lived there in comfort, operating the place with hired help and giving her children all the advantages pos- sible both at home and in school. She is the mother of four children. Arno, born in 1880, is a farmer in Sumpter Township on a place ad- joining that of his mother, and by his marriage to Catherine Hatz has two children, Nora and Henry. Stella, born in 1884, is the wife of Ervin Young, of Sumpter Township, and they have four children, Henry, Roland, Salma and Russell, all living except Roland. Salma, born in 1886, is the wife of Arthur Werich, of Sumpter Township, and the mother of one daughter, Florence. Robert Henry, who was born in 1899, married Erna Bernhard and lives at Prairie du Sac; their one child is Helen Gale.
HENRY GUHL is one of the oldest native sons of Troy Township and has been identified with that locality of Sauk County as an active farmer for a great many years. Every one knows Mr. Guhl's material pros- perity and also his influence as a citizen and capability as a leader in public affairs.
He was born in Troy Township February 26, 1856, a son of Henry and Barbara (Trueb) Guhl. His parents were both natives of Switzer- land and were among the pioneers of Sauk County. About two years after their coming to this county they located on a farm in Troy Town- ship, and there acquired a tract of Government land. They contended with the many difficulties of the time, reared their family and lived there until the death of the good mother twenty-six years ago. After two or three years the father then moved to Sauk City, where he married Emelia Yench. She died several years ago, and the father is still living in Sauk City at the age of eighty-five. His children are all by his first marriage and are named: Henry; Barbara, wife of Albert Speiger, of Reedsburg; Pauline, wife of John E. Whitman, of Prairie du Sac; Engline, wife of Lewis Querhammer, of Sauk City; and Anna and Fred, both of whom died in infancy.
Henry Guhl, Jr., grew up on his father's farm in Troy Township and in 1882 he married Miss Anna Sprecher, daughter of Andrew Sprecher. Mr. and Mrs. Guhl had six children: Sarah, born in 1883, is the wife of Martin Bernhard and lives in Troy Township; Ida, wife of Julius Kietzke, lives in Troy Township; and the younger children, all un- married and living at home, are named Lyda, Anna, George, Henry.
Before he married Mr. Guhl bought his farm of 1191/2 acres, and there he has been steadily at work as a general farmer and stockraiser, also doing some dairying and has not only provided liberally for his home and family from the products of his toil but has also amassed a prosperity sufficient for his future needs. When his father started farming in Sauk County he used oxen to do the plowing and also to haul the produce to market. At first the nearest market was Mil- waukee, later Madison and finally a railroad was built to Sauk City. The father owned 164 acres of land. The Guhl family have always
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worshiped in the Evangelical Church. Mr. Henry Guhl, Jr., has served thirteen years as assessor of Troy Township and also was for several years clerk and director of the school board. He is one of the stockhold- ers in Troy Township Cheese Factory, is in politics a democrat, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Black Hawk.
ALEXANDER SMITH is one of the well-to-do farming men of Sauk County and has reached a position in life where he can be classified as independent and spends most of his time in his city home at Baraboo.
A native of Scotland, he was born in that country in 1862, son of Alexander and Jane Smith. Five years later, in 1867, the family set out for the New World and came to Sauk County, Wisconsin. Here Alexander, Sr., bought twenty acres of land in Baraboo Township from Reuben Kipp and in 1876 acquired another tract of thirty-three acres from William Stanley. This was the land which he operated as a farmer and which he owned at the time of his death. He died in Baraboo Town- ship in 1880, at the age of fifty-seven. His widow survived him until 1914, passing away at the age of seventy-nine. Their children were: Betsey, deceased ; Alexander ; John; Jennie, who died in 1915; William ; Emma ; and Ella.
.Alexander Smith, Jr., grew up on the old farm in Baraboo Town- ship, attended the public schools, and has found pleasure and profit in the management of his farm of seventy-six and a half acres near the old homestead. Besides general farming, Mr. Smith has developed a special industry as a bee keeper, and has about 125 colonies that work for him and furnish no little profit and also an enjoyable diversion. Mr. Smith is a republican in politics. His parents were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Smith was married in 1911 to Miss Anna Douglas, of Sauk County. Mrs. Smith was educated in the Baraboo High School and in the Whitewater State Normal School, and at the age of sixteen began teaching in the country district of this county. For some years she was the primary teacher in the school at Lyons. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a good home in Baraboo, but spend part of each summer on the farm. While they have no children, their home is the center of many hospitable times for their many friends and they move in the best social circles ·of Baraboo.
Mrs. Smith is a daughter of Edward Douglas, who was born in Ver- mont in 1832. Edward Douglas married Alice Fawcett, who was born in Ireland of English extraction. The Fawcetts have long been one of the leading families of England. She came to Massachusetts when about sixteen years of age to join some of her relatives on this side of the ocean. Later she moved to Portage, Wisconsin, and lived there until her marriage. Edward Douglas was a son of Henry and Lucy (Tra- verse) Douglas. The Douglases were very early day settlers near Port- age, where Henry and his wife spent their last years. He was interested in sawmills in the East and his son Edward was also a lumberman and for years managed a sawmill at Baraboo. Camp Douglas took its name from Edward Douglas and two more Douglas boys about fifty years ago. Edward Douglas died at Baraboo in 1889, at the age of fifty-
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seven, and his widow survived him until April, 1916, being eighty-two years of age at the time of her death. The children of Edward Douglas and wife were: Anna; Robert; and Fannie, wife of Clarence Kindschi, of Beloit, Wisconsin. Edward Douglas voted the republican ticket. He and his wife were active members of the Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas moved to Baraboo in 1868, and Mrs. Smith was born in that city. Edward Douglas had a military record as a soldier of the Union. He was a member of the First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery and had five brothers who were also Civil war soldiers. Their names were Henry, Joseph, Charles, Asa and George. Two other brothers, James and John, were too young to enlist. The sisters of the family were Sophia, Jane, Mary, Hannah and Esther.
William Smith, a brother of Mr. Alexander Smith, above mentioned, was born on the old Smith homestead in Sauk County July 30, 1867. He grew up there, attended the public schools, and has made farming his vocation. He has never married and with his sister Emma owns 100 acres of land in Baraboo Township. They have sold twenty acres to the Mining Company, but they still operate this land for farming purposes. Mr. William Smith is a general farmer and stockraiser and does con- siderable dairying. He is a stockholder in the Excelsior Co-operative Creamery Company at Baraboo. As a dairyman he keeps good grades of Guernsey cattle. He is a republican. He and his sister have a well improved farm and enjoy the comforts that have rewarded their many years of work and careful management.
WILLIAM G. MONTGOMERY. The agricultural industry of Wisconsin is excellently represented in Sauk County. Here are found men who consider their vocation as something more than a mere occupation, and who have elevated its standards until they have nearly reached the plane of a science. In doing so they have followed along lines that their common sense, governed by years of practical experience, has directed. This is the kind of work that has contributed toward the building up of Sauk as one of the most progressive farming counties of the state, and one who has done his share in a practical way in helping things along is William G. Montgomery. Both Fairfield and Greenfield townships have profited by his well-directed labors, and his citizenship has been of the kind that promotes the general welfare at all times.
William G. Montgomery is a Wisconsin man by birth, education, rearing, training and experience. He was born at Fort Atkinson in Jefferson County, November 14, 1849, and is a son of George and Catherine (Prosser) Montgomery, natives of the Empire State. His parents were married in New York, and became residents of Fort Atkin- son at an early date, but had not resided there long ere the news of the discovery of gold swept over the country, with its luring promises of fortunes to be had for the asking. George Montgomery made the long, hazardous journey across the plains to the Golden State in 1852, but it was not his fortune to be numbered among those who located the precious metal in large quantities, and he soon returned to Wisconsin to resume the prosaic but more satisfactory occupation of farming. In 1860 he brought his family from Richland County to Sauk County, and was
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living here when the Civil war came on. His love of adventure, coupled with his patriotism, caused him to enlist in the Third Wisconsin Cavalry for service under the colors of his country, and throughout the struggle between the North and the South he fought valiantly and faithfully, receiving his honorable discharge after peace had been declared. He continued to maintain his interest in his army comrades during the remainder of his life, and was one of the most enthusiastic and popular members of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. One of his brothers, Henry Montgomery, who was also a soldier, worked on the North Western Railroad for several years and assisted in drawing the material for the construction of that road through Sauk County. For some years George Montgomery resided at Baraboo, later went to Caze- novia, and finally took up his residence at Lime Ridge, where he died in 1914, aged about eighty-four years. Mrs. Montgomery had passed away in May, 1903, when seventy-two years of age. Their children were as follows: Maria, who is deceased; William G., of this notice; and Adelia, who was in the great earthquake at San Francisco, Cali- fornia, and subsequently died.
William G. Montgomery secured a public school education, and as a young man learned the trade of stone mason, one which he followed for several years. He decided, however, that farming held out a better future for him, and accordingly embarked upon agricultural ventures in Fairfield Township, where he resided for seventeen years, subse- quently removing to Greenfield Township, where he passed twenty years. In the former township he had a good property, and at the present time he is the owner of forty acres of well cultivated land, upon which he has personally made the most of the improvements. Mr. Montgomery has always endeavored to maintain high standards in his work, and has always been ready to adopt new methods as they have shown their practicability. While living in Fairfield Township he was one of those who worked hard for the schools, and for twenty years was clerk of the school board of directors. He also served as a member of the board of supervisors, and since coming to Greenfield Township has been active in public affairs, having been health officer for a period, treasurer of Greenfield Township for four years, and clerk of the district in which he resides, holding the last-named position at the present time. He has always been independent in his political views, but has a strong tendency to give his support to the candidates who advocate prohibition.
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