USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 44
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Mr. Montgomery was married September 22, 1872, to Miss Carrie Malloy, who was born at Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1852, a daughter of Ralph and Harriet (Wardwell) Malloy, early settlers of Sauk County, and granddaughter of Batholomew Malloy, one of the county's pioneers. Ralph Malloy, who died in 1868, married Harriet Wardwell, who was born September 11, 1835, and who still survives, making her home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery. There were four children in the Malloy family: Carrie; Frances; Douglas, who is deceased; and Albert, of Baraboo. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery: Hattie, who is the wife of William Jones, a farmer of Greenfield Township; Arthur, who died when six years of age; Fern, who is the wife of Lester Montgomery and resides in Green- Vol. II-22
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field Township; Paul, who died in infancy ; Avis, who is the wife of Emil Platt, of Baraboo; and Minnie and Winnie, twins, the latter of whom is deceased, while the former is the wife of Nelson Bartley, a railroad man, and lives in Adams County, Wisconsin.
JOHN JACOB GATTIKER. The early settlers of Sauk County were on the whole people of substantial character, above the average in intelli- gence and ability, and many of them were well educated according to the standards of the time. But the addition of John Jacob Gattiker to the local citizenship in 1855 gave a man of exceptional scholarship, of that broad culture which is closely associated with foreign learning and travel, and almost from the first he made his presence felt as a vitalizing influence in the affairs and institutions of the county.
His part in molding and influencing local affairs during the latter half of the last century can hardly be justly estimated even at the pres- ent time, and the few brief paragraphs that can be here devoted to his career must necessarily fall short of being an adequate representation of his character and influence. Fortunately the people of Sauk County have a permanent memorial of this splendid old time citizen in the form of a handsome memorial clock which was given to Sauk County in his memory by his daughters, Margaret and Luise Gattiker, and in 1915 was placed in the tower of the courthouse at Baraboo.
John Jacob Gattiker was born at Zurich, Switzerland, April 18, 1826, a son of Henry and Maria M. Gattiker, also natives of Switzerland. His father was a teacher, followed that profession in Zurich all his life, and died there when John Jacob was a young man. In 1871 the widowed mother came to the United States, and died in Baraboo at the age of seventy-six.
When he was twenty years of age John Jacob Gattiker graduated from the College at Zurich. He took up the same profession which his father had adorned, and for ten years was teacher of French, mathe- matics and Italian in the Gymnasium, corresponding to our high school or college. He was a fluent linguist and a master of many subjects. After leaving the Gymnasium he became a tutor to a wealthy family at Chamberi, Italy.
He was twenty-nine years of age when in 1855 he came to the United States and took up his residence with other early settlers on a farm in the Town of Honey Creek, Sauk County. A man of such talents natur- ally could not long be hid in a rural community, and in 1858 he was called to serve the county in the office of county clerk. He filled that office for eight years, and in the meantime removed his residence to Baraboo. Later he engaged in the hardware business with his brother, A. Gattiker, and they built up a large and prosperous establishment and he was identified with its management until he retired in 1886.
Perhaps the avenue through which he influenced the history of Sauk County more than in any other way was in inducing emigration to this section of Wisconsin. A great many German and Swiss families took up their homes here as a direct result of his leadership, and he thus contributed one of the most stable elements to the county's population. He not only influenced many families to come to Sauk County, but gave
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them every possible assistance after they arrived, and did much to insure their permanence of residence and their prosperity as capable home makers. Many of the descendants of these old families are still living in Sauk County and all of them hold the name of John Jacob Gattiker in special veneration.
He was not yet seventy years of age when he died, April 2, 1895, but he had lived usefully and well and made a name that will long have an honorable memory. In politics he was a republican. He rep- resented his home community on the board of supervisors for a number of years and was chairman of the board a long time. Naturally he took the keenest of interest in educational advancement and was president of the Board of Education of Baraboo for a number of years, and the first and second ward school buildings were constructed under his per- sonal supervision.
In May, 1851, before coming to America, Mr. Gattiker married Magdalene Truninger, who was born at Winterthur, Switzerland, Octo- ber 30, 1828, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Truninger. Mrs. Gattiker died in the City of Baraboo August 3, 1898.
JOHN HERR. Among those men who have proved their competence and ability to get the best results out of the soil in Sauk County, one entitled to special mention is Mr. John Herr of Merrimack Township. Mr. Herr has lived in Sauk County over thirty-five years and practically his entire life has been spent in this section of the state.
He was born in New York State February 14, 1852, a son of Martin and Emilia (Hauesen) Herr. His parents were both born in Germany. His father came to New York State when a young man, learned the cooper's trade, and followed that actively until he came out to Wiscon- sin and became a farmer in Dane County. Mr. John Herr was about four years of age when his parents located on a farm at Roxbury. His father first bought forty acres and kept on buying more land and improving and developing until at the time of his death he had a valu- able estate of 160 acres. This good and thrifty German-American citizen of Wisconsin passed away about twenty years ago and his wife about twelve years ago. There were eight children: John; Anna, un- married and living at Roxbury with her brother George; Maggie, Mrs. Alfred Raynolds, of Lodi, Wisconsin, has two children, Ralph and Wal- lace; Emma, Mrs. Frank Groves, of Lodi, has six children, Raymond, Vera, Louisa, Lerna, Milla and Harold; Charles, who was married and lives in Dane County ; George, unmarried and occupying the old home farm ; Frank, married and living at Reedsburg, has two children, Arthur and Helen ; and Mary, who died at the age of four years.
Mr. John Herr grew up on his father's farm in Dane County, at- tended the local schools and lived with his father and mother until he was twenty-nine, when he married and started out for himself.
He was married October 8, 1881, to Miss Helen Runge, a daughter of Augustua and Caroline (Foss) Runge, both natives of Germany. Im- mediately after his marriage Mr. Herr moved to his present farm in Sauk County, buying 151 acres. The years have prospered him as they have come and gone and as a general farmer and stock raiser he stands
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among the most substantial men of his community. He cleared most of the land which he now cultivates and has invested heavily of his per- sonal labor and his means in buildings and other improvements. Be- sides his interests as a farmer Mr. Herr is now one of the directors of the Merrimack State Bank.
To him and his good wife were born four children: Jessie, who died at the age of two years and three months; Anna, Mrs. Henry Weirich ; and Charles and Walter, both unmarried and living at home.
Mr. Herr has served as chairman of the township board two years, and was director of his local school district for eighteen years. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America at Merri- mack. In politics he reserves his right to vote for the best man regard- less of party affiliations.
PETER SCHNELLER, a veteran of the war for the preservation of the Union, is one of the oldest continuous residents of Troy Township and has been steadily identified with one farm there for over half a century. The element of permanency is a strong one in Mr. Schneller's makeup, and the community recognizes in him one of its most substantial citizens.
Mr. Schneller was born in Switzerland, in 1840, a son of John and Anna (Buehler) Schneller. His parents were natives of the same country and brought their little family to America in 1848, locating in Troy Township of Sauk County. Here the father acquired direct from the Government forty acres, and after getting that under cultivation and as his means justified it he bought other land until at the time of his death he was proprietor of more than 400 acres. From the time he came to Sauk County he lived on his farm in Troy Township, and died there at a good old age, having survived his wife several years. In pioneer times he had cleared up his land and cultivated it with ox teams. That he was one of the earliest settlers is testified to by the fact that he lived eight years in Troy Township before the first school district was organized. Such surplus as were produced on his land he hauled over- land to Milwaukee. In the family of John Schneller and wife were seven children, all of them still living, and named Peter; Lenora; Jacob; George; Barbara, Mrs. John Clausseher; John and Paul.
Peter Schneller grew up on the old homestead in Troy Township, being about eight years of age when the family came to this county. He had just reached young manhood when the war broke out between the States and he enlisted in Company C of the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry and saw three years of active army service.
Not long after returning from the army, in March, 1866, he married Margaret Nolt, of Troy Township. Eight children were born to their marriage, two of whom died in infancy. The others are mentioned as follows: John, who is married and lives in Naperville, Illinois; Vin- cent, married and living at Harrisburg; George, whose home is at Springfield, South Dakota; Anna, wife of Fred Kenchi, of Prairie du Sac : Peter, who is unmarried and lives at Blackhawk; and Carrie, wife of Oscar Cramer, and both of them live with her parents.
Mr. Peter Schneller began farming in Troy Township in 1866, in
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which year he bought 320 acres. This land has become highly devel- oped under his constant care and attention and for many years has proved the basis of a fine business in general farming and stock raising. Mr. Schneller has also participated in public affairs, having served as chairman of his township four years, as clerk of the town board twenty years, and also as a member of the school board. He is a republican and a member of the Evangelical Church.
MRS. MARY KEITEL. is one of the oldest living residents of Sauk County. Before her eyes has been enrolled a great panorama of change and development during the last sixty years. She knew this country when it was a wilderness, when the forests spread almost unbroken from one side of the county to the other, and when comparatively little land was under the plow. She is still living on the old farm in Merri- mack Township, on Rural Route No. 2, and has passed the age of four score.
She was born in Germany, January 21, 1836, a daughter of Ludwig and Anna Mary (Blotchy) Keitel. Her parents were also born in Germany.
After growing up and receiving her education in the old country she came to America alone at the age of nineteen. A year later she married the late Michael Keitel, and they then settled on the home- stead where Mrs. Keitel still resides in Merrimack Township. This homestead was one that Michael Keitel had acquired direct from the government. He was also a native of Germany and had come to America three years before his wife. He lived in the State of New York two years, and then settled in Sauk County.
Mr. Keitel by a previous wife, who died in 1854, had three children. The daughter Elizabeth married John Losh and they now live in Okla- homa. John, who died four years ago, married Ida Gattwinkle, a daughter of George Gattwinkle. John and Ida Keitel had two chil- dren, Edwin and Elmer, married and living in Prairie du Sac. Elmer, the grandson of Mrs. Keitel, married Nellie Mather, daughter of Mat- thew Mather. They have one child, Victor, now five years of age.
Mrs. Mary Keitel by her marriage to Mr. Keitel had one daughter, Mary, now Mrs. John Quimby. Mr. and Mrs. Quimby live in Duluth, Minnesota, and have two children, Walter and Bessie.
Michael Keitel throughout the rest of his days lived on and farmed the old homestead. He took the place as a part of the wilderness, and it was years before he had the clearing and the grubbing so far advanced that he could cultivate any considerable area. He began farming with oxen, and used those animals to plow and do all other kinds of farm work for years. His surplus grain and produce he hauled to Portage, a distance of twenty-five miles, and it required many hours to make the journey with the slow plodding oxen. He would leave home one night and not get back until the next. In those days the price paid for wheat was seldom more than 50 cents a bushel, and the price paid for eggs was 5 cents a dozen and 7 cents a pound for butter. The wages of a good harvest hand was never more than $1 a day. During the winter Michael Keitel worked in the woods
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splitting rails, and there was never a time when his hands did not find some good and useful employment. At first he had sixty acres, and subsequently he bought another forty acres and finally another sixty. Besides his work at home he served two years as road master. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church. Michael Keitel died at the old home in 1886. Since then Mrs. Keitel has remained on the old place, and she managed the farm with the aid of hired labor until four years ago, when her grandson, Elmer, took charge.
WILLIS F. RYAN is a Baraboo Township farmer. His enterprise has been well directed, not only to the profitable management of his farm from season to season but also to the proper conservation of its resources and the gradual improvement of its value as a home and place of business. Mr. Ryan is a native of the City of Baraboo, where he was born July 1, 1867, a son of Henry R. and Abbie G. (Gazlay) Ryan. His father was a pioneer of Sauk County. He was born at New Ips- wich, New Hampshire, in 1818, and his wife was born in New York State in 1828. They were married in New York and in 1853 came west and located at Portage, Wisconsin. Henry R. Ryan was a cabinet maker by trade and spent most of his active career in some line of wood working or manufacturing. In 1855 he removed from Portage to Baraboo, and until 1870 conducted the mill at Baraboo for the manu- facture of lumber. Subsequently he became manager and part owner of the Baraboo Furniture Manufacturing Company. Some of his resources were invested in land near the county seat, where he owned 440 acres, and his last days were spent at the homestead where his son Willis now resides. He died there in 1898. Mrs. Henry Ryan is still living and is now eighty-nine years of age. The father was an active republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their four children, all living, are George H. and Charles A., both in the State of Washington; Abbie M., living in Chicago; and Willis F.
Willis F. Ryan grew up on a farm and most of his early recollections are centered around the place where he now lives. He attended the public schools of Baraboo. Since reaching manhood he has given the best of his labors to farming and now owns 105 acres of the old home- stead, besides eighty acres of timber land in Baraboo and Sumpter townships. He follows mixed farming, keeps some good stock, and has built or supervised the building of most of the modern improvements on his land. Mr. Ryan is a republican without aspirations for public office, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Wood- men of America, and attends religious services in the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
In 1888 Mr. Ryan married Miss Bird E. Dockham. Mrs. Ryan was born in Baraboo Township in 1872, daughter of J. A. and Maria Dock- ham, a pioneer family of Sauk County, and both her parents are now deceased. Her father was a veteran Union soldier of the Civil war and after the war followed farming in Sauk County. Mr. and Mrs. Ryan have three children. Stella B. completed her education in the public schools of Lyons and is now the wife of Eric Stebler, of Mil- waukee. Marjorie P. is a graduate of the Lyons and the Baraboo high
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schools, and is now in the sophomore year of the University of Wiscon- sin. Howard R. completed his high school course at Baraboo with the class of 1917, having previously attended the Lyons High School.
WILLIAM BURCKHARDT, a practical farmer of Merrimack Township, has lived and prospered in this agricultural section and by industry and diligence has found those rewards which constitute the object of every ambitious man's efforts.
He was born in this county in 1874, and his parents, Christian Traugott and Sophia (Schuman) Burckhardt, were among the very early settlers in Merrimack Township. They were born in Germany, and Christian T. Burckhardt crossed the ocean and came to America alone in 1849. Miss Schuman came to this country in 1850 with her parents. After locating in Sauk City Christian. T. Burckhardt was employed for a time in the brick yard, and subsequently worked on the ferry boat at Watson's Ferry at Merrimack. After a few years he was able to establish a home of his own and he bought as the nucleus of his property forty acres on the township line between Sumpter and Merri- mack townships. That farm is now the property of Mr. William Burckhardt, and has been under continuous development and improve- ment by members of the family for over half a century.
Christian T. Burckhardt lived on the home farm until his death, September 3, 1900. His widow passed away in 1908. Christian T. Burckhardt was a successful farmer, and he and his wife were almost the first settlers in that part of the county. They endured all the hardships of pioneer life and in time, in addition to providing for their growing family of children, they were able to add to their possessions until they owned about 170 acres of cultivated land and forty-nine acres of woodland. Christian T. Burkhardt was a member of the Lutheran Church. A brief record of their children is as follows: Emma, Mrs. John Gobbler, living near Hombard, Wisconsin; Herman, who is married and lives in the Town of Merrimack; Augusta, Mrs. Eschenbach; Emilia, Mrs. Herman Gattwinkle, of Prairie du Sac ; Louisa, Mrs. Frank Schlag, of Sauk City; Charles, who is married and lives in Texas; Edward, married and living on a farm in Merrimack Township; William; and Ida, deceased.
Mr. William Burckhardt was married in 1910 to Emelia Bender, daughter of Michael Bender, of Honey Creek Township, a well known farmer in that section. Mr. and Mrs. Burckhardt have two children : Henry, born January 7, 1911; and Clara, born March 10, 1914. Mr. Burckhardt is a republican, Mrs. Burckhardt and children attend the Lutheran Church, of which they are members.
HENRY SORG. One of the best known and highly respected resi- dents of Sauk County is Henry Sorg, who now lives retired on his valuable farm of 414 acres, which is situated in Troy Township. For many years before retirement le led the quiet, steady, industrious life of a farmer, devoting himself entirely to the peaceful pursuits of agri- culture, but there was a time when, for three long, wearisome, dan- gerous years, he was a soldier in the Union army and marched and
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fought with courage, self sacrifice and determination side by side with other brave men, and through their combination of effort the disunion of the states was prevented. Not gladly but from a sense of duty he responded when President Lincoln issued his first call for patriots, and when his duty had been well performed he quietly returned home and again took up the peaceful pursuits that meant much more to him than military glory. During his long residence in Sauk County he has proved a man of solid worth and sterling character.
Henry Sorg was born in Germany, in 1839. His parents were Philip John and Mary (Hiltz) Sorg, both of whom were natives of Germany. They immigrated to America when he was young, and after living for two years in the State of New York made their way to Washington County, Wisconsin. The father was a man of great industry and he desired to establish a permanent home in Wisconsin. He worked as a farmer for five years in Washington County and then came to Sauk County and bought a farm of 160 acres in Honey Creek Township. He cleared that land and lived on it for twelve years and then moved to Troy Township and located on the place on which Henry Sorg now lives. The father died on this farm in 1900 and the mother died two years later.
Henry Sorg grew to manhood in Honey Creek Township and attended the district school as opportunity was afforded. He assisted his father on the farm until 1861, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a member of Company D, Ninth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry. Mr. Sorg served three years in this organization and took part in many battle engagements but sustained no permanent injury, and at the close of his term of enlistment was honorably dis- charged.
When Henry Sorg returned from the army he was married shortly afterward to Miss Caroline Kruhl, a daughter of August Kruhl and wife, natives of Germany, but then residents of Honey Creek Township. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sorg, namely: Carrie, deceased, who was the wife of Marion Farris; Henry, who married and lives in Sauk City; Hattie, who married George Barto and they live 1/2 mile west of Mr. Sorg; Philip, who resides on his father's farm, carries on the farm industries, and has a family of his own; Fred, who lives with his family on his farm in South Dakota; William, who is a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Louisa, who is deceased, was the wife of John Baker.
After his marriage Henry Sorg settled on the next farm west of the one on which he now lives, containing 220 acres, which he bought and there all his children were born. He then came to his present farm, where he has 414 acres of well developed land. His main business was general farming for many years, but he also raised fine stock and to some extent engaged in dairying. Whatever Mr. Sorg undertook he accomplished through his industry and good judgment and he became so successful a farmer that many of his neighbors from time to time adopted his methods.
In politics Mr. Sorg has been a republican since he cast his first vote but he has never been anxious to serve in public office, though, owing
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to his interest in general education he accepted membership on the school board and during the ten years that he so served his sound, practical advice and counsel were recognized as being of great value, both to the school children and to the taxpayers of the township. Mr. Sorg is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Castle Prairie.
CHARLES ENGE. One of the names longest and most prominently identified with Sauk County agriculture is that of Enge. As a family they represent the substantial elements of the Swiss stock, and in their careers they have proved themselves masters of circumstances and have done much to improve the community while working for their own welfare.
The old Enge homestead in Troy Township, which has been in the family possession for many years, is now under the proprietorship of Mr. Charles Enge, who was born on that farm in 1869. He is a son of the late Peter and Louisa (Schoephorster) Enge. His father was born in Switzerland in 1831 and his mother in Germany in 1841. Peter Enge, who died at Prairie du Sac in April, 1917, came alone to Sauk County in 1851. His parents joined him here a year later. Grand- father Enge took up eighty acres of land in Troy Township, near where Charles Enge now lives. This land subsequently came under the owner- ship of Peter Enge, who used it as the nucleus for his gradually extend- ing estate, until now the farm consists of 345 acres. This is owned by Mr. Charles Enge. There was besides 120 acres given by Peter Enge to his son Ulrich, and another farm of 217 acres sold to Mr. J. P. Enge. The late Peter Enge had one sister, Anna, wife of Martin Witwen, of Troy Township.
The late Peter Enge was a very capable agriculturist and also a stock raiser. He raised large numbers of good livestock, including horses and cattle, and was a successful grain farmer. One year he had the biggest crop of wheat in Sauk County. About seventeen years ago Peter Enge retired from the farm and spent the rest of his years at Prairie du Sac, where his widow is still living. They were the parents of four children. Peter Enge was twice married. His first wife was Anna Witwen. The four children of this union were: Ulrich, who is living in Troy Township on a farm; J. P. Enge, of Prairie du Sac ; while the second and fourth children died young. For his second wife Peter Enge married Louisa Schoephorster, and the children of this union are: Anna, widow of George Ragatz, of Prairie du Sac; Mary, who died when three years old; Mary, second of the name, now Mrs. Henry Meyer, of Prairie du Sac, a widow; and Charles.
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