USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 17
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John Rosenbaum was reared at home and received his early education in the schools of Wisconsin. He was brought to America by his parents at the age of two years, and as a youth was employed on his father's farm near Mil- waukee and later removed with the family to the town of Forest in Fond du Lac county, driving the cattle and making the entire journey on foot. He re- mained with his father in Forest and assisted him in building the first buildings erected on that place, and continued to devote his time to work in the clearing and cultivation of the farm. He later came in possession of the farm on which he continued to reside until 1900, at which time he sold that property and purchased forty acres in Empire township to which he later added eighty acres in Eden township. This property he has greatly improved with a new barn and other necessary improvements required on a well equipped place.
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Mr. Rosenbaum was united in marriage at the age of twenty-two years to Miss Louisa Weber, a daughter of Christian Weber, and they became the parents of two children: Charles, who is a dentist of Milwaukee; and John W., who is a contractor of Fond du Lac. The mother of this family died October 10, 1878. In 1880 Mr. Rosenbaum chose as his second partner in life Miss Catherine Beartell, a daughter of Peter and Dorothy (Reichly) Beartell. Her father was a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in 1862 and con- tinued in the service until 1865, at which time he met death in battle just at the close of that conflict. To Mr. Rosenbaum's second union five children were born : Dorothy, who died in infancy; Frederick, who was born December 29, 1881, and lives in Minnesota; Louis, who was born on the 28th of February, 1884, and resides in Fond du Lac; Lillian, whose birth occurred August 12, 1891; and Arthur, who was born on the 19th of July, 1894.
Mr. and Mrs. Rosenbaum and family are members of St. Peter's Lutheran church of Fond du Lac. Mr. Rosenbaum is justly entitled to be numbered among the pioneers of Fond du Lac county, and as a pioneer he manfully bore the hardships incident to early life in an undeveloped country. When a lad of but fifteen years he was frequently engaged during the winter months in hauling stove wood to Fond du Lac, a distance of eleven miles, with ox teams, and experienced on those trips the hardships occasioned by poor roads, slow transit and severely cold weather. Notwithstanding the toil and difficulties encountered in early life, he is proud of the fact that he was able to give his attention to the assistance of his father in clearing up the old home and in later years care for the comfort of his father and mother for many years after extreme age had rendered them incapable of work. He has succeeded in his life as a farmer and public opinion places him among the highly esteemed and most successful men in his part of Fond du Lac county.
JAMES CLARK.
James Clark is the owner of one hundred and seventy-six acres of rich, fertile land in Eden township, which he has been successfully cultivating for more than thirty years. His life record was begun in a little log cabin on the farm where he now resides, on the 12th of June, 1856, his parents being James and Rose (Newcomb) Clark, natives of County Louth, Ireland. The father, whose natal year was 1800, emigrated to the United States in his early manhood and located in the state of New York, where for a time he worked out as a farm hand for six dollars per month. While there he was married to Miss Newcomb, who came to America alone to join her brothers, who had pre- viously located in this country. Mr. Clark remained in New York for about ten years and then came to Wisconsin, becoming a resident of Fond du Lac county in the early '50s. Soon after locating here he bought some government land in Eden township, that he cleared and placed under cultivation, applying himself to its further cultivation during the remainder of his active life. His original holdings consisted of eighty acres, but he later bought another eighty and subsequently increased his tract by the purchase at one time of forty- six acres and at another of forty, making his farm aggregate two hundred and forty-six acres. He lived to attain a ripe old age, having passed the eightieth milestone on life's journey at the time of his death in June, 1880. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Clark numbered eight, all of whom are still living.
The entire life of James Clark has been passed in the immediate vicinity of his present home. He received his education in the district school, which was held in a little log cabin, while he is indebted to his father for his thorough and practical knowledge of agricultural methods. He remained at home until
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he was twenty-five years of age and then began farming on his own account. After the death of his father he came into possession of his present farm, and during the long period of his ownership has wrought extensive improvements in it. In 1902, he tore down the old log cabin and erected a modern house, and he has at various times introduced many improvements and conveniences about the place consistent with the spirit of progress he manifests in everything he undertakes.
In 1883, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Margaret Lloyd, a daughter of Thomas Lloyd, and to them has been born one daughter, Agnes, who became the wife of George Nast, of Eden township.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Clark are communicants of the Roman Catholic church and are members of St. James' parish. In politics Mr. Clark is a republican, and he served for three or four years as supervisor of his township, and has also been a school director and treasurer of the school district. He is highly regarded in the community, where he has many friends, the majority of whom have known him from boyhood.
MARTIN F. KAEDING.
Martin F. Kaeding, who for the past six years has been conducting a tail- oring establishment in Fond du Lac, was born in Bowling Green, Ohio, on the 26th of October, 1878. He is a son of August and Catherine (Knaus) Kaed- ing also natives of Ohio, where the father engages in farming. The family of Mr. and Mrs. August Kaeding numbers seven, our subject being the second in order of birth. The others are as follows: George; Bertha; Edward, a resi- dent of Fond du Lac, who married Lettie Rosenbaum and has one child; Minnie, the wife of William Husemeyer; Adolph, who is a cabinetmaker in Fond du Lac; and Mata.
Reared in the state of his nativity, in the acquirement of an education Mar- tin F. Kaeding attended the Lutheran parochial school. At the age of fourteen years he terminated his student days and became a tailor's apprentice. Subse- quent to the completion of his period of service as apprentice he entered the employ of others as a tailor but after fourteen years as such he decided he was qualified to establish a shop of his own and came to Fond du Lac, where he has ever since been engaged in the operation of an up-to-date tailoring establish- ment. He is located at the corner of Second and South Main streets, and as he is a capable workman, keeps a well assorted stock of materials and fills his orders promptly and efficiently he is meeting with success.
Mr. Kaeding is a member of the Lutheran church and in his political views he is independent, giving his support to such men and measures as he feels are best adapted to serve the interests of the people. He is a diligent and ambi- tious man, and is highly deserving of prosperity as he has worked patiently and persistently from his early boyhood, and has through his own unaided effort attained the position he now holds in the business world.
PETER FLOOD.
One of the most attractive farms in Eden township is that of Peter Flood, who was born in Ireland in November, 1838, and is a son of James and Rose (McEnroe) Flood. The parents were born, reared and married in County Meath, Ireland, but in 1842 they emigrated to the United States, accompanied
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by their five children. They first located in the state of New York, and while residing there lived in the house which served as the headquarters of General Stark during the Battle of Bennington Heights. In 1848, Mr. Flood removed with his wife and family to Fond du Lac county, and soon after his arrival here purchased a tract of timber land in Eden township, which he cultivated until his death in 1856. He was sixty-three years of age when he passed away, and the mother was seventy-five at the time of her death in 1867.
Peter Flood was a child of four years when his parents brought him to the United States and ten when the family located in this county. He began his education in the common schools of New York state and completed it in a little log schoolhouse that was built close to their farm in Eden township in 1850. When not engaged with his lessons he. assisted about the work of the farm and for twelve years, beginning in 1859, he taught school for four months in the winter. He remained at home until his marriage, when he settled on the place where he now lives, which had formerly been the property of his father. The land was entirely covered with a heavy growth of timber, and it required many years of unceasing toil to transform it into the valuable, productive farm it is today. As success came to him Mr. Flood improved his place by the erec- tion of substantial barns and outbuildings and in 1882 built a comfortable residence.
In 1865, Mr. Flood was married to Miss Anne Lloyd, a daughter of George Lloyd, one of the pioneer settlers of Hamilton county, and to them have been born seven children: George, Anne, James, Rosa, Augustus, Emmet and Mau- rice.
The family attend St. James Catholic church of which they are communi- cants, and politically Mr. Flood is a democrat. He takes an active interest in all township affairs and has served as district school clerk for thirty years, and he was also chairman of the township committee for some years, serving in this capacity when the new courthouse was built.
SAMUEL B. STANCHFIELD.
Prominent among those who have contributed to the material development and political progress of Fond du Lac county is numbered Samuel B. Stanch- field. Success has followed his efforts in business and honors have come to him because of his political activity and his loyalty in citizenship. He was born in Leeds, Maine, March 17, 1836, and comes of English ancestry. His great- great-grandfather was John Stanchfield, who was born in Leeds, England, Oc- tober 12, 1715, while his wife, Elizabeth Barnes, was born on the 21st of De- cember of the same year. They emigrated to Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1735 and there resided until 1755, when they removed with their family to the New Gloucester district of Maine, where they passed the remainder of their lives.
Their son, Thomas Stanchfield, in the spring of 1779 went up the Andros- coggin river to the mouth of one of its branches, called Dead river, and along the latter stream established his home. He had no neighbors save Indians, with whom, however, he lived in friendly relations for many years. He built the first blockhouse, where the wigwam of the Indian chief Sabattis had stood for a long period, in the midst of the forest lands now included within the boundary lines of the town of Leeds, which he so named after the birthplace of his father. Thomas Stanchfield was the first settler to establish a trading post and he conducted a large business in the fur trade with the Indians, who entertained the highest regard for him and called him Father Thomas in recog- nition of his honesty and consideration in dealing with them. He became known
S. B. STANCHFIELD
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by that name throughout the entire district. He married Sarah True, and their son, Captain Samuel Stanchfield, was born November 6, 1777. In early life he became interested in navigation and at the age of twenty-four was mas- ter of a vessel. In 1805 he was married to Mary King, of New York city, and in 1806 they removed to Leeds, Maine, settling on a farm adjoining that if his father, where he lived until his death, which occurred May 26, 1826.
His eldest son, George King Stanchfield, was born April 2, 1806, in New York city. During that year his parents removed to the state of Maine, locat- ing in the town of Leeds. On the Ist of January, 1834, he married Jane, daugh- ter of Eben and Sarah (Foster) Libby. To them were born in Leeds, Maine, two children, Sarah Jane and Samuel B., the latter being the subject of this review. In June, 1855, George K. Stanchfield and his family removed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and in September of that year the daughter died. In 1856 he settled on forty acres southeast of the city and there made his home until his death, which occurred in 1881. The old homestead is still the place of resi- dence of his son Samuel B. The father served as supervisor of the town of Leeds for many years and was chairman of the town board of the town of Fond du Lac for thirteen years, including the period of the war of the rebel- lion, at which time he made a very creditable record in procuring recruits for the army. He is still remembered by many of his friends as a true and honor- able citizen.
Stephen D. Stanchfield was born in Leeds, Maine, in 1821, studied law and was admitted to the bar at Portland, Maine, in 1849. The following year he came to Fond du Lac, where he resided for fourteen years. During that period he held the offices of city clerk and clerk of the circuit court and for a number of years was editor of the Democratic Press. He removed to Denver, Colorado, where in 1882 he was appointed postmaster, and in November of that year he was appointed municipal judge of that city, filling both positions until his death.
Samuel B. Stanchfield secured a common-school education in his native state and in 1855, then nineteen years of age, accompanied his parents to Fond du Lac. In April of the following year he took up his abode on a farm south- east of the city and still makes his home there. His holdings, however, have been greatly increased as the years have gone by and prosperity has attended his efforts, for he is now the owner of five hundred acres of rich and valuable land. While devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits, he ever stood for progress and improvement and the spirit of enterprise was manifest in the ex- cellent appearance of his fields and in the modern accessories and equipments to be found upon his place. He made stock-growing also a feature of his busi- ness and his prominence in that connection is indicated in the fact that he was president of the Wisconsin Central Stock Growers Society for three years. He was also president of the Fond du Lac Agricultural Society for two years and in both connections did everything possible to stimulate an interest in improve- ment and advancement along the lines of general farming and stock-raising. He was also at one time secretary and treasurer of the Fond du Lac Empire and Friendship Towns Fire Insurance Company, continuing in the office for seventeen years.
While Mr. Stanchfield made continuous advancement along business lines, he also gained recognition as a political leader, causing his cooperation to be sought in discharging the duties of various political offices. In 1874 he was elected town clerk of Fond du Lac and acted in that capacity for a number of years. In April, 1882, he was elected chairman of its board of supervisors and no higher testimonial of his fidelity and capability could be given than the fact that he continued in the position for twenty-two years. He was chairman of the county board of supervisors for nine years and yet still higher honors awaited him, for in 1884 he was elected to represent his district in the general assembly. In 1888 he was elected to the state senate, where he served for four Vol. II-S
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years, and thus he had to do with shaping the legislation of the state during the six years' service as a member of the Wisconsin legislature.
On the 18th of March, 1863, Mr. Stanchfield was married to Miss Ophelia Edgerton, a daughter of Hiram and Lucinda (Felton) Edgerton, and to them were born three sons. Gancello S., whose birth occurred May 31, 1864, resides on a farm southeast of the city of Fond du Lac and is a breeder of Holstein- Friesian cattle. On the 30th of December, 1891, he married Gertrude Bartlett, and they have three children, a daughter and two sons. George H., the second son, born July 3, 1868, was graduated from the Wisconsin State University as a civil engineer in 1892. He served as civil engineer for the cities of Watertown and Fond du Lac for a number of years and is now engaged in general contract work. He was married February 14, 1893, to Elizabeth Park, of Madison, and they have three daughters and a son. Bartley K. Stanchfield was born October 2, 1872, was graduated from the State University as a mechanical en- gineer and has since followed his profession. In 1905, accompanied by three other young men, he made the first transcontinental trip by automobile from New York city to Portland, Oregon. He was married July 24, 1902, to Olga, daughter of Mrs. Lydia Wilkie.
For fifty-seven years Samuel B. Stanchfield has been a resident of Fond du Lac county. From the organization of the republican party he has been one of its stanch supporters and has been a recognized leader in its ranks. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and has many friends both within and without that organization. He has witnessed practically the entire growth and development of this section of the state and as the years have passed the work that he has done in behalf of public progress has made his service a valuable asset in citizenship. He has ever been an advocate of all that works for the betterment of the community along material, social, in- tellectual, political and moral lines and, being a man of action rather than of theory, his efforts have been resultant and the welfare of the community has been thereby advanced.
ALWIN E. ADAMS.
Alwin E. Adams, who is engaged in general farming in Eden township, represents the third generation of his family to have been identified with the agricultural development of Fond du Lac county. He was born at Empire, on the farm of his grandfather, William Adams, in 1883, and is a son of Wilbur C. and Emma (Hopkins) Adams. The paternal grandfather was a native of Vermont, whence he removed in 1847 to Wisconsin, locating in Fond du Lac county. Here he filed on some government land, which he cultivated for sev- eral years. Later he removed to a farm in the vicinity of Empire, but sub- sequently took up his residence in Eden, where he passed away in 1905, at the venerable age of eighty-six years. The father of our subject, Wilbur C. Adams, was born in Forrest township in 1854. He was reared on his father's farm and educated in the district schools. Upon attaining his manhood he adopted the vocation of an agriculturist, and in 1893 bought the farm where our subject now resides and engaged in its cultivation until 1909, when he gave up his active farm life and removed to Fond du Lac, where he is now living retired. He took an interest in all local affairs and served as school treasurer in Eden township, during the period of his residence here. The mother, who also survives, is a native of the state of New York. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Adams numbers three.
Alwin E. Adams is the only one of the fourteen grandchildren to have been born on the old Adams homestead at Empire, where he passed the first ten years of his life. He began his education in the public schools of that town
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and completed it in the district school in Eden township. He always remained at home and assisted his father with the cultivation of the farm until the latter's retirement, when he took charge of the place. He is directing his undertakings along the lines of general agriculture and is meeting with a fair measure of success. He has continued the improvements started by his father, who erected a modern house and barns in 1900, and is making theirs one of the model farms of the township.
Mr. Adams was married in 1908 to Miss Clara Rather, a daughter of Adolph and Matilda Rather, and a native of Calumet, this county. Mr. Adams is clerk of school district No. 2, and is giving efficient service in this capacity. In matters of religious faith he is a Methodist, while Mrs. Adams is a mem- ber of the German Lutheran church, in the faith of which she was reared.
FREDERICK BAUMHARDT.
Frederick Baumhardt, who follows farming in Eden township. is the owner of a tract of ninety acres on section 28. It was in that township that his birth occurred on the 16th of January, 1864, his parents being Jacob and Elizabeth (Brim) Baumhardt, who are mentioned at greater length on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of Samuel Baumhardt, a brother of our subject. Mr. Baumhardt, of this review, was one of a family of seven chil- dren, one of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows : Charles, Samuel, Frederick, Matilda, Carolina and Amelia.
Frederick Baumhardt obtained his education in the old log schoolhouse of the home locality, pursuing his studies in the winter months and assisting in the work of the home farm during the summer seasons. He assisted his father in the labors of the fields until twenty-nine years of age, when the latter sold him the farm of ninety acres on which he has since resided. In 1906 he erected a modern residence and in 1909 built a commodious and substantial barn. He cultivates the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, and his well tilled fields annually yield golden harvests as a reward for the care and labor which he be- stows upon them.
In 1894 Mr. Baumhardt was united in marriage to Miss Rosa Robson, a native of Osceola, Wisconsin, and a daughter of George and Rosa (Buss) Robson. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Baumhardt have been born seven children, namely: Arthur John and Frank, who died in infancy; William; Ida; Albert; Adolph; and Mabel. The parents are devoted and consistent members of the Methodist church in Campbellsport. In the community where his entire life has been spent Frederick Baumhardt enjoys an enviable reputation as an esteemed citizen and substantial agriculturist.
GUSTAVE HODORFF.
Gustave Hodorff is one of the many German citizens who are becoming prominent in the agricultural development of Osceola township. He is now cul- tivating one hundred and sixty acres in that section of Fond du Lac county and has brought his farm to a highly improved and well cultivated condition. He was born in Germany in 1849 and is a son of Christian and Mary Hodorff. His parents lived and died in the fatherland and their son received his early educa- tion in the efficient schools of Germany. He came to the United States in 1873 and entered the district schools of Eden township in order to learn the English
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language. He made the journey from Germany to America in company with his sister, Christina, whose family settled in Eden. Here Gustave Hodorff joined his brother John, who had come to this section from Germany several years be- fore. He immediately obtained work in the quarries near Eden where he was employed for two years. He spent a like period of time working on the farms of the district as a monthly laborer. In 1878 he married and worked for one summer as a quarryman and at the expiration of that time purchased a farm in the south section of Eden township which he improved and operated until 1882. He was successful in his agricultural operations and his harvests were abundant and of good quality. However, he eventually sold his property near Eden and bought a farm in Osceola township where he has resided since that time. To his initiative are due all buildings and improvements upon his prop- erty and he has brought his one hundred and sixty acres to a highly improved state of cultivation.
In 1878 Mr. Hodorff was united in marriage to Miss Mary Smith, a daugh- ter of Andrew Smith, a pioneer settler of Eden township. They have six children, Andrew, John, Gustave, Mary, Sarah, and Emma.
Politically Mr. Hodorff gives his allegiance to the republican party and has served as supervisor of Osceola township for one term. He has been treasurer of the school district for six years and his work in this capacity has been ably performed. He is loyal to his party principles on national issues but prefers to vote on local issues following his own independent judgment. He belongs to the Evangelical church of Eden and is well known throughout his district as a charitable and exemplary man.
Mr. Hodorff is a patriotic German and loyal in his allegiance to his native country. This loyalty in no way interferes with his American citizenship and rather improves its quality. He did not leave his native country until he had completed his term of military service. He was in the German standing army when the war with France began in 1870 and served with the Second Army Corps, Second Regiment of Infantry. On the 18th of August, 1870, he was shot through the right arm and so severely wounded that he was in a hospital for five months before he could join his regiment in France. He remained for several weeks near Paris before he was mustered out with honorable discharge. When he came to America he gave up his pension of five dollars per month and brought to this country the loyal and patriotic standards of citizenship which have marked his career. He was an active and useful citizen in Germany and his career in the United States has been distinguished by well controlled energy and activity crowned by final and well deserved success.
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