USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 15
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 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
Dr. C. U. Senn received his early education in the public schools of Camp- bellsport and later went to Charles City, Iowa, where he attended the preparatory school in connection with the Charles City College, while he also subsequently graduated from the latter institution. He received his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Milwaukee in 1906, and immediately thereafter went to the Chicago Polyclinic Institute, where he took a post-graduate course in general medicine. He later attended the clinics at the Northwestern University and after spending some time in that institution went to Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, where he spent some time working in the county hospital along surgical lines. He later assisted Dr. H. P. Chambers of Florence, Wisconsin, as mining surgeon for the Iron River Mining Company and finally located at Adell, Sheboygan county, where he engaged in the general practice of medicine for some time. He removed to Ripon some time afterward and has been active in medical circles of this city ever since. He is one of the most prominent physicians of Fond du Lac county and his practice is increasing yearly. He specializes in surgery and has gained an enviable reputation for constant success along this line. Dr. Senn is responsible for the erection of the Senn Hospital and has been a dominating influence in its management during the one year of its existence. In I911 he completed this magnificent hospital in Ripon which bears his name. It is a fitting monument to his ability, learning and specialized knowledge. It is one of the most modernly equipped institutions of its kind in the state of Wisconsin and although small it is complete in every detail. It has an operating room which is unequaled in the state for convenience and efficiency of equipment. There is a sterilizing room, X-ray equipment and other electric therapeutic appliances. It has at the present time accommodation for six people and is gaining steadily in reputation and becoming of note in medical circles of Fond du Lac county. He has given to his city an extraordinary useful gift and one which will keep his memory alive in the hearts of his fellow citizens after he has passed away.
On December 15, 1906, Dr. Senn was united in marriage to Miss Olga Arndt, a daughter of John and Minnie (Krohn) Arndt. Mr. and Mrs. Arndt were
DR. C. U. SENN
884
MÜNSEY'S MAGAZINE
now the border to be a government com- missioner. He lived near the present site of San Antonio. Marrying an heiress, he acquired large tracts of land in Texas, and was accounted a wealthy man when he was suddenly taken off in the prime of his life.
to begin to be a breadwinner. He devel- oped into a big, sturdy, courageous man with large vision and a tremendous ca- pacity for work. He married when he was nineteen years of age, his eldest son being just twenty years his junior. It was he
GENERAL FRANCISCO I. MADERO, WHO SUCCEEDED PORFIRIO DIAZ AS PRESIDENT OF MEXICO IN NOVEMBER, 19II
His widow entrusted all her titles and deeds to unscrupulous lawyers, and before long she found herself facing the world with no fortune at all, and with a five-year- old boy, named Evaristo, to support.
It was fortunate, perhaps, for the boy that fate played his family such a trick. Scarcely was he in his teens when he had
who brought the Madero family into the great tide of men and big affairs.
Clearly to understand the circumstances which attended the beginnings of the Madero fortune, you must first realize that in those days Mexico was overrun with bandits-the very same " bad men " whom Diaz later converted into the police organi-
Bavul
ballade
THE MADEROS OF MEXICO
883
1
A MADERO FAMILY GROUP-THE WHITE-BEARDED VETERAN WHO SITS IN THE CENTER IS EVARISTO MADERO-ON HIS LEFT IS HIS SON FRANCISCO, FATHER OF PRESIDENT MADERO-THE OTHERS ARE MEMBERS OF EVARISTO'S FAMILY BY DESCENT OR MARRIAGE
111
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
the parents of eight children, all of whom with the exception of Mrs. Senn are residents of Milwaukee. They are Della, John, Arthur, Olga, Elsie, Ed, Alfred and Minnie. Dr. and Mrs. Senn are the parents of two children: Evelyn, born January 12, 1908; and Ethel D., whose birth occurred on May 4, 1912.
Dr. Senn is a stanch republican but beyond casting his vote for the party candidate at each election takes no other active part in politics preferring to devote his time and attention to his medical work. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and belongs to Ripon Lodge, No. 144, F. & A. M. He holds membership in various societies along professional lines and is prominently affiliated with the American Medical Association, the Wiscon- sin Medical Society, the Medical Society of Fond du Lac county, the American Hospital Association and the Fifteenth International Congress on Hygiene and Hemography held at Washington, D. C., in 1912.
He holds membership in the Lutheran church and is a devout adherent of that faith. His brain and energy are always at the disposal of his patients, and his hands are always outstretched to help the needy. He has used his splendid talents and his rare opportunities in a worthy and honorable manner, and in the prime of his career, can look forward to many years of activity in his chosen profes- sion. Judging his future by his attainment in the past his life will be filled with an earnest effort to raise the standard of medical ethics in America, to promote the profession of surgery along humanitarian lines and to decrease the pain and suffering of the world.
CONRAD VENHAUS.
The farms of Fond du Lac county are an important source of its wealth and progress and the men who cultivate them are influencing the development of the state of Wisconsin. Prominent among the many enterprising and progress- ive agriculturists of Empire township is Conrad Venhaus, who has one hun- dred and sixty acres of land in that section under cultivation. He is of German descent and his parents were Christopher and Mary (Botsan) Venhaus. The father was born in Germany and came to the United States with his parents when he was three years of age. The family settled in Milwaukee and Chris- topher Venhaus lived in that city until his death in 1907, in the seventy-sixth year of his life. The mother of our subject was a native of New York state and came to Wisconsin with her family in 1840. She lived in this state until her death in 1869, when she was thirty-two years old.
Conrad Venhaus is one of a family of six children. His birth occurred on June 15, 1859, in a little log cabin built by the Botsan family near Milwaukee. He went to school in the latter city for a short time but after his mother's death made his home with his uncle. At the end of three years he came to Eden and worked on the farms in that district until he was twenty-nine years of age. He early learned the many details connected with the tilling of the soil and the care of crops and stock and became expert by personal experience and con- centrated industry. When he was twenty-nine he rented a farm in Eden town- ship and was active in its operation for one year. At the end of that period he bought the property and lived upon it for sixteen years, gaining during that period a representative place in agricultural circles of Eden township. In 1904 he bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Empire township and has since that time followed agriculture along scientifically efficient lines. About five years ago Mr. Venhaus began to breed Guernsey stock and has been very successful along that line and now has sixty head of that breed.
On December 28, 1886, Mr. Venhaus was united in marriage to Miss Rosa Baudry. a daughter of John Baudry, of the township of Eden. Mr. and Mrs. Vol. II-7
112
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Venhaus are the parents of one child, George, whose birth occurred on October 23, 1889, and who is now living at home with his parents. Politically Mr. Ven- haus gives his allegiance in a general way to the republican party but upon local issues he prefers to keep his judgment unbiased by political lines. He always votes for the most progressive and suitable man but has never sought public office for himself. Success in agriculture is largely the result of personal in- telligence and common sense. Mr. Venhaus has always planted his fields with the grains most suitable to the climate and conditions and swift success has re- warded his efforts.
ERNEST HAENTZE, SR.
Ernest Haentze, Sr., who founded the business located at 414 Linden street, conducted under the name of the Haentze Company, was one of the pioneer flor- ists of Fond du Lac, where he is now living retired. He was born in Germany on the 17th of January, 1839, and is a son of Charles and Henrietta (Reichart) Haentze. The father, who was a public official, was in the employ of the German government for forty or fifty years. In 1852, the mother emigrated to the United States, and here she resided during the remainder of her life, her death occurring in 1888. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Haentze, as follows : Guenther, who is deceased; Wilhelmina, who passed away in 1904; Anna, whose death occurred in 1906; Mrs. Clara Schmidt, who is residing in Europe; Ernest, the subject of this review ; Henrietta ; and Robert.
The education of Ernest Haentze, Sr., was acquired in one of the preparatory schools of his native land. After terminating his student days he began fitting himself for his vocation, and spent three years in a florist and seed establishment learning the business. At the expiration of that period he went to France, where he continued his studies as a florist for nine months, and then returned to Ger- many and spent eight months in a nursery in the province of Schleswig-Holstein. At the end of that time he decided to join his mother in America, so he took passage for the United States, and on the 15th of January, 1856, became a resident of Wisconsin. Later he located at Fond du Lac and engaged in business on Linden street, where he acquired eight acres of land. Having but limited capital he started in a small way, but kept enlarging his greenhouses until a large por- tion of the tract of land owned by the Haentze Company is under glass. Mr. Haentze has not been actively identified with the business for two years, the enterprise being under the management of his three sons, Robert, Ernest and Richard, and a daughter, Anna, who is also interested in the firm.
Mr. Haentze has been married twice. His first union was with Caroline Beck, a native of Germany, to whom he was married in New York city in 1863. They came direct to Fond du Lac, where their eight children were born. In order of birth they are as follows: Charles; Edward, who is engaged in the practice of medicine in Philadelphia ; Robert, who married Mary Benning of Empire; Caro- line, deceased; Ernest, who married Katherine Staage of Kewaskum, Wisconsin; Richard, who married Minetta Fisher of this city; Otto; and Anna, the wife of Anthony Ferdinand, also of Fond du Lac. Mr. Haentze also has three grand- children: Helen, Clayton and Marinette, the children of his son Richard. The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Ernest Haentze, was formerly Miss Louisa Kleinknecht. She is also a native of Germany, whence she emigrated to the United States in 1903, and is a daughter of John and Fredericka (Schaeffer) Kleinknecht, who are living in the fatherland.
Mr. and Mrs. Haentze are members of the Lutheran church and he votes the republican ticket, but has never held any official position save one year when he served on the park board. He has been a member of the Society of American
113
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Florists for the past twenty-seven years and was at one time president of the State society. He is widely known and highly esteemed in Fond du Lac, where during the long period of his business career he manifested the highest integrity and most upright principles in all of his transactions.
HERMAN RAMTHUN.
One of the capable and highly enterprising young agriculturists of Osceola township is Herman Ramthun, who owns and operates the old family homestead, comprising a hundred and eighty acres of well improved and fertile land. His birth here occurred on May 5, 1889, his parents being August and Louisa (Feuerhammer) Ramthun. The father, who was born in Germany in 1839, emigrated to the United States with his parents when a youth of eighteen. The family located in Wisconsin and later he purchased the farm now owned by his son, and for many years thereafter devoted himself to its development. It was timber land and his first house and barn were made of logs, but as his circum- stances improved he replaced them with better structures, erecting the comfort- able brick residence now on the place. He acquired this property prior to his marriage and here he and his wife, who is a native of Wisconsin, have passed the entire period of their domestic life. They are the parents of eight children. Mr. Ramthun's health began to fail several years ago, and feeling the need of relief from all responsibility he sold the farm to his son, but he and the mother still make it their home.
Herman Ramthun was reared at home and educated in district school. He early assumed his share of the work in connection with the operation of the farm, taking over more and more of the responsibility as his father's health began to fail, until in 1911 he took charge of the place. He has since purchased it and here he is now engaged in diversified farming and stockraising. He is diligent and enterprising, and intelligently organizes and concentrates his energies upon anything he undertakes, his efforts being rewarded with a corresponding degree of success. Since acquiring possession of the property he has made various improvements and is now building a new barn thirty-eight by ninety-two feet, which will materially add to the value of the place. He has manifested more than average capability and efficiency in handling his business and is re- garded as one of the most promising young agriculturists in the community.
EUGENE T. BRIGGS.
Eugene T. Briggs is one of the respected and successful farmers of Eden township, Fond du Lac county, where he is engaged in the cultivation of his highly developed place of one hundred acres, known as the Highland Grain and Stock Farm. He was born September 4, 1860, in Empire township, and is a son of Monmouth and Charlotte ('Berry) Briggs, of whom more extended men- tion is made in the review of Frank Briggs published in another part of this work.
Eugene Briggs was reared in his parents' home and received his elementary education in the district schools. At the age of sixteen he removed with his father and family to the city of Fond du Lac, where the father took up his home that the children might receive the benefit of better schools than the district in which he lived afforded. After a residence of two years in Fond du Lac he returned with his father to the old home and was there engaged in work on the farm until the time of his marriage in 1887. The lady who became his wife was
,
114
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Miss Carrie Patrick, a daughter of Chester and Catherine Patrick, who removed from Wayne county, New York, and settled in Empire township in 1858, at which place occurred the birth of Mrs. Briggs. To Mr. and Mrs. Briggs two children have been born: May, who was born January 18, 1889, and Raymond H., whose birth occurred August 10, 1890, both graduates of the high school of Fond du Lac.
Following his marriage Mr. Briggs cultivated rented land in Eden township until 1892, in which year he purchased his present farm of one hundred acres, upon which he has since continued to reside, and devotes his attention to its operation. Since having purchased the property he has greatly improved it with modern buildings and otherwise developed and beautified the place until he now enjoys the reputation of having one of the finest farms in his part of Fond du Lac county. He operates a modern threshing machine in connection with his farming interests and has been engaged in that business for about thirty-five years.
Mr. Briggs is affiliated with the republican party and was treasurer of the township in which he lives for two years. In religious faith he is a Methodist. He is one of the well known and respected citizens of Fond du Lac county and is highly esteemed among his friends and associates for his integrity of character and his useful and industrious life.
WILLIAM J. PETRIE.
William J. Petrie is the proprietor of a large up-to-date and well equipped draying business in Fond du Lac. He is a man who is highly respected through- out the state and county. He was born in Fond du Lac, June 28, 1860, and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Petrie, both of whom were natives of Germany. Martin Petrie was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1835, and with his parents emi- grated to Wisconsin when he was a child, six years of age. The family settled in Calumet county, where they maintained their home for many years. He was united in marriage to Miss Martha Trantfetter in 1855. Mrs. Martin Petrie was born in 1840 and emigrated to Wisconsin at the age of fourteen, settling in Lamartine township, where she continued to reside until her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Petrie four children were born: Emma, who is unmarried and re- sides in Fond du Lac; William J., the subject of this review; and Edward and Nettie, who live in Fond du Lac.
William J. Petrie was reared at home and educated in public school and after passing through the lower grades was graduated from the high school at the age of sixteen. Immediately after completing his education he was employed by his father in the teaming business and continued in that occupation until the time of his father's death, which occurred in 1883, after which he took entire charge of the business and operated it for his mother until 1885, at which time he pur- chased the establishment of which he has since been the proprietor. He now employs in his business two double vans and one auto truck. He has been suc- cessful in the conduct of his business which, at the present time, is in a healthy and promising condition and the outlook for the future is very bright.
Mr. Petrie was united in marriage to Miss Rosa Knichs of Fond du Lac, in 1884, and to them two children have been born, Walter and Alma. Mrs. Petrie is the daughter of John and Anna Knichs. John Knichs was the first baggage master employed on the Northwestern railroad line, at the time when the road was built in Wisconsin. He and his family lived in a log house, located in the western part of the city. To Mr. and Mrs. Knichs four children were born. John married Theresa Schrader, of Watertown, and they have one child, Edwin, and reside in Chicago. Henry married Miss Bettie Launstein, of Fond du Lac, and to them three children have been born, Leo, Walter and Paul. Anna married
115
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
W. D. Gromme and has two children, Rosa and Richard. Rosa is the wife of the subject of this review.
Mr. Petrie is a member of the Masonic order and also of the National Union and of the Business Men's Association. He is oldest in his line of business in Fond du Lac. His residence is at No. 164 Cherry street and the lot it stands on has one hundred and fifty feet frontage and is one hundred and twenty feet in depth. He is well known and highly respected and his long life of constant activity has been abundantly crowned with prosperity.
PAUL F. KUMMEROW.
Paul F. Kummerow, who owns and conducts a wholesale liquor establish- ment at 89 South Main street, has passed the entire period of his business career in Fond du Lac, where he enjoys an extensive and favorable acquaintance in commercial circles. He was born in the city of Sheboygan, this state, on the IIth of June, 1860, and is a son of Henry and Agnes Kummerow. The father was a native of Germany, whence he emigrated to the United States in his early manhood, becoming a resident of Wisconsin. He was married in Milwaukee in 1858, and the same year removed to Sheboygan. In 1861, he located in Fond du Lac, where he established a pottery business which he conducted successfully, until 1902. In the latter year he withdrew from active business and lived retired until his death on the 17th of February, 1912. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kummerow, our subject being the eldest. In order of birth the others are as follows: Henry, who resides in Memphis, Tennessee; Charles, a resident of Norfolk, Virginia, who married Miss Effie Barker of Fond du Lac and has one child; and Otto and Agnes, who live in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The greater part of the life of Paul F. Kummerow has been passed in this city, where his parents located during his infancy. He attended the public schools until he assumed the duties of manhood and began his independent career. For a number of years he was variously employed. On May 1, 1903, he became associated with Theodore E. Menge and together they opened a wholesale liquor house at 89 South Main street. The business is well established and is yielding profitable returns. Mr. Kummerow owns the building where his store is located and also the house where he resides at No. 255 Elm street.
Paul F. Kummerow married Miss Henriette Bruett, a daughter of A. H. and Mary Bruett, of this city, and they have three children, Paul F., Jr., Andrew and Tillman. Fraternally Mr. Kummerow is affiliated with the National Union and the Masonic order and he belongs to the Business Men's Association. In his political views he is democratic but at municipal elections he very often casts an independent ballot, giving his support to such men and measures as he deems best qualified to serve the interests of the people.
EUGENE J. HAYES.
Eugene J. Hayes is a well known and successful agriculturist of Eden town- ship, residing on section 3. His birth occurred in Mitchell township, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, on the 29th of October, 1860, his parents being Henry and Annie (Kerwin) Hayes. The father is a native of Toronto, Canada, and the mother was born in Ireland and was brought to this country when six years of age. It was in 1850 that Henry Hayes came to Wisconsin, settling in Milwaukee, where he lived for five or six years. He then removed to Mitchell township, Sheboygan county, where he resided until 1866. In that year he came to Eden
116
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
township, Fond du Lac county, and here purchased a tract of eighty acres, all of which was covered with timber. After clearing the property of its timber he built a substantial residence upon it and added many other improvements, residing on that farm until 1907. He is a carpenter by trade and throughout his active business career largely devoted his time and energies to that occupation, hiring men to operate his farm until his sons became old enough to undertake the work of the fields. For the past five years he has lived retired in the village of Eden. He was elected clerk of the county courts, serving from 1894 to 1896, and has always been a prominent factor in public life here. He has served as town treasurer and town chairman and also in various other official capacities, in his town and school district. During the long period of their residence in Fond du Lac county Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hayes have become widely and favor- ably known within its borders.
Eugene Hayes attended the district school in the acquirement of an education and worked on his father's farm until he started out as an agriculturist on his own account. During several winter seasons he taught school in different parts of the state. In 1890 he purchased the farm adjoining that of his father and six years later was married and took up his abode thereon. He erected a com- modious residence and substantial barns and has been engaged in the operation of that place to the present time, his well directed labors as an agriculturist hav- ing been attended with success.
In 1896 Mr. Hayes was united in marriage to Miss Catherine McCabe, her father being Michael McCabe, an old settler of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes have six children, Thomas, Ellis, Henry, Hugh, John and Catherine. In politics Eugene Hayes is independent. He has served as town clerk for several years and is now acting in the capacity of school director. In religious faith he is Catholic, belonging to St. Mary's church at Eden, of which his wife is also a devout communicant. He is a public-spirited citizen, interested in the welfare of his county. His life is exemplary in all respects, he has ever supported those movements which have for their ultimate purpose the uplift and benefit of hu- manity, and his high moral worth is deserving of highest commendation.
LEWIS GEORGE KELLOGG.
Lewis George Kellogg has been prominently identified with political and . agricultural interests in Fond du Lac county for many years and has gained a reputation during that time for efficiency and ability in public office and capable service. He was born on May 17, 1856, on a farm two miles east of Ripon. His father, Anson G. Kellogg, was born April 29, 1822, and came to Wisconsin, settling in Kenosha in 1844. He taught school in that city for two winters and then, in the spring of 1846, accompanied by his younger brother Newton, who had come from Chittenango, New York, to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, settled in the city of Ripon. Here the two brothers bought farms, each acquiring a quarter section of land, and were very successful in the cultivation of the soil. Anson G. Kellogg operated his farm and improved his land until his death, on December 16, 1907. His wife was Aseneth Lindsley, who was born January 25, 1830, and died seven years before the death of her husband, on the 10th of Sep- tember, 1900.
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.