Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II, Part 47

Author: McKenna, Maurice
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : Clarke
Number of Pages: 738

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REV. GUSTAV ERNST BERGEMANN.

Rev. Gustav Ernst Bergemann has since December, 1899, been the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran St. Peter's church in Fond du Lac and resides at No. 52 East First street in this city. His birth occurred in Dodge county, Wis- consin, on the 9th of August, 1862, his parents being Ludwig and Wilhelmine (Schulz) Bergemann, both of whom were natives of Brandenburg, Germany. His maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Christ Schulz, passed away in Ger- many.

Ludwig Bergemann, the father of Rev. G. E. Bergemann, was reared and educated in his native country and emigrated to the United States in 1848, settling about two miles northeast of Hustisford, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming, subsequently purchasing another tract of land in the vicinity. His demise occurred in the village of Hustisford in 1883, when he had attained the age of sixty-two years. His wife, surviving him for ten years, was seventy-four years of age when called to her final rest. They were Lutherans in religious faith and took an active and helpful interest in church work. Unto them were born twelve children, nine of whom grew to maturity, as follows: August, who is a resident of Spencer, Iowa; Louisa, the wife of E. F. Zilisch, of Water- town, Wisconsin; Augusta, the widow of August Seifert, of Dodge county, this state; Amalie, who is the wife of Fred Kaulitz and resides in Dodge county ; Wilhelmine, the wife of August Strache, of Hustisford, Wisconsin; Ludwig, living in Hustisford; Julius, whose demise occurred in Dodge county in 1911 ; Emilie, the deceased wife of Herman Muth, of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; and Gustav Ernst, of this review.

The last named remained on his father's farm near Hustisford until seven- teen years of age and obtained his early education in the parochial school in the town of Hubbard, Dodge county, completing his preliminary studies in the parochial and public schools at Hustisford. On the 14th of November, 1879, he entered the Northwestern University at Watertown, Wisconsin, being grad- uated from that institution in June, 1885. In that year he entered the Theolog- ical Seminary at Milwaukee and following his graduation in June, 1887, accepted a call from the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church at Bay City, Michigan, where he preached until October, 1892. He then went to Tomah, Wisconsin, and there served as pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church until he came to Fond du Lac in December, 1899. Here he accepted the pastorate of the Evangelical Lutheran St. Peter's church and has since ministered to the spiritual needs of that congregation, which now numbers about three hundred and eighty voting members.

On the 3Ist of October, 1887, Rev. Bergemann was united in marriage to Miss Emma Anger, a native of Watertown, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Neumann) Anger, both of whom were born in Bran- denburg, Germany. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Bergemann were Jo- hann Friederich and Maria (Brunke) Anger, while her maternal grandparents were Martin and Maria (Lenz) Neumann. Her parents took up their abode among the early settlers of Watertown, Wisconsin, where Mrs. Anger passed away in 1898. Edward Anger, who still survives at the age of eighty-two years, makes his home with our subject and his wife. Mrs. Bergemann was one of a family of seven children, six of whom grew to maturity, namely: Edward;

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

Emma; Henry, who is now deceased; William; Lydia; and Friederich. Rev. and Mrs. Bergemann have three children, Selma, Hans and Margarete. As the well beloved pastor of St. Peter's church Rev. Bergemann has worked with consecrated and untiring zeal and his labors have not been denied the full har- vest nor the aftermath.

WILLIAM A. RAUBE.

One of the most successful farmers and stock-raisers in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, is William A. Raube, cultivating eighty acres of land on section 3I, Springvale township, a fertile and productive tract constituting his father's homestead. Mr. Raube owns another fine farm in the section but has moved to his father's holdings in order to care for his parents in their old age. He was born November 28, 1869, and is a native son of Brandon. His parents are August and Henrietta (Mausch) Raube, both natives of Germany. The father was born March 22, 1834, and is the son of William and Charlotte Raube. He came with his parents to the United States in 1869 and located in Brandon, Wisconsin. He engaged in farming and was successful and prosperous in this line of occu- pation. In 1876 he purchased eighty acres of land on section 31, Springvale township, and here he and his wife live today. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Charles and Caroline Mausch, both natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. August Raube became the parents of eight children: Bertha, who passed away when she was twenty-three years of age; William, the subject of this sketch; Mina, the wife of Gustave Trepto, a farmer of Springvale township, of whom more extended mention is made elsewhere in this work; Mary, the wife of John Itsen, of Brandon; Herman, who married Bertha Borchardt and who rents his father's farm in Springvale township; Albert, who married Miss Martha Schwartz and who follows farming in Springvale township; Henry, who died when he was twenty-four years of age; and Anna, the wife of Henry Krohn, a farmer residing in Springvale township.

William A. Raube was educated in joint school district No. 8 of Metomen township and in the German private school in the village of Brandon. He has followed agriculture during his entire active career. He established himself in this line of occupation in 1892, working at that time by the month. He was for six years in the employ of Dixon Brothers, farmers and stock-raisers in Fond du Lac county, and during that time saved his money and gained val- uable personal experience. In the spring of 1897 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of excellent land on section 20 of Springvale township and in the fall of the same year moved upon his holdings. These he cultivated intelli- gently and according to the most modern methods and soon had his land in ex- cellent condition. In the fall of 1911, however, he rented his farm to his brother Herman and came back to the old homestead, which he is now operat- ing for his parents, who have reached an advanced age. He is today farming upon his father's eighty acres and has the property highly improved and devel- oped. Mr. Raube is essentially a self-made man since his prosperity is attribut- able to him alone. As a boy he was hard-working and industrious and as a man he is thoroughly intelligent and capable. He has kept abreast of the steady advancement of agriculture along systematic and scientific lines and has added personal experience to his knowledge. He has been rewarded by a beautiful tract of land, every acre of which is systematically cultivated and thoroughly productive. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and his dairy, which is always kept in the most sanitary condition, is an important source of income to him. He keeps a herd of thirteen cows for this purpose and his prod- ucts are sold in the markets of Brandon and Fond du Lac county.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

In his political views Mr. Raube is a consistent republican and served from 1903 to 1907 as treasurer of Springvale township. He is interested in educa- tion and from 1909 to 1911 did able work as school clerk in district No. 3, Springvale township. He is a shareholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Brandon and is interested in the growth and welfare of his city and section.

ROBERT ZINKE.

Robert Zinke is the president of The Zinke Company, a wholesale grocery and cheese merchandising house of Fond du Lac incorporated in 1894 with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, which was later increased to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Zinke for many years has given his undivided attention to the care and development of this large and successful business and has long since been regarded as one of the up-to-date and enterpris- ing citizens of Fond du Lac. The principal office and warehouses of The Zinke Company are located on the southwest corner of Division and Macy streets, while Mr. Zinke's residence is at No. 65 East Division street. He was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on the 17th of November, 1852, his parents being Louis and Fredericka (Andre) Zinke, both of whom were natives of Prussia, Germany. His paternal grandparents died in the fatherland many years ago.

Louis Zinke, the father of our subject, was reared in Germany, having his home in Frankenhausen, and as a young man learned the cooper's trade, which he followed for many years. He emigrated to America in 1848 and for a time resided in the city of Buffalo, New York. Later he removed to Mayville, Wis- consin, and from there removed to Fond du Lac in 1849 and in that city estab- lished himself in the cooperage business, to which he continued to give his at- tention until 1860. During that year he closed out his interest in his cooperage establishment and opened a general retail grocery business, in which he con- tinued for the remaining years of his active life. During the last few years of his business activity his sons, Herman and Robert, were associated with him in the grocery trade. His demise occurred in 1881, when he had attained the age of sixty-four years, while his wife was called to her final rest in 1889 at the age of eighty-one. Unto them were born ten children, five of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Herman, who has passed away; Amelia, the deceased wife of August Kuene; Charles, late of Fond du Lac, deceased; Louis J., also of that ctiy; and Robert.

The last named was reared in his parents' home and educated in the public schools of Fond du Lac. During the early years of his business life he was associated with his father in the grocery trade and in 1878 when the father re- tired the business was continued under the firm name of Zinke Brothers, there being three associate partners, Herman, Louis and Robert. In 1894 The Zinke Company was formed for the purpose of conducting a wholesale grocery busi- ness. Robert Zinke is the president; A. R. Zinke, vice president; and H. B. Tubbs, secretary and treasurer. The Zinke Company for many years has been well known among the leading wholesale grocery houses of northeastern Wis- consin. From the establishment of the business until the present day the house has borne a high name and has been continuously prosperous, each year increasing its volume of business. Their traveling salesmen cover a very large portion of all the states and their trade and business operations extend throughout the en- tire country. Mr. Zinke is also the president of the Fond du Lac Brick Com- pany.

On the 25th of September, 1878, Mr. Zinke was united in marriage to Miss Annetta Fritz, a daughter of Francis and Dora (Abel) Fritz, natives of Ger-

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

many, who took up their abode among the early settlers of Fond du Lac. Mrs. Zinke was born in that city in 1856. Her father was by trade and occupation a candle-maker but later established himself in the grocery business in Fond du Lac, at which place he died in the year 1889 at the age of seventy-eight. His wife was called to her final rest in 1886 when fifty-nine years of age. They had four children: Annetta, Frances, Hattie and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Zinke are likewise the parents of four children. Alfred R. is at present the buyer for The Zinke Company. Louis P. is one of the most up-to-date, enterprising and suc- cessful dealers in automobile supplies, having his place of business in the very heart of the automobile sales district on Michigan avenue in Chicago. He is the president of The Zinke Company in Chicago, which makes a specialty of supplying the trade with all necessary, up-to-date, automobile supplies. Harry F. is the secretary of the Superior Metal Products Company of Elyria, Ohio. William H. is employed as salesman for The Zinke Company of Chicago, hav- ing his principal office in Detroit, Michigan.

Robert Zinke is a member of Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 140, F. & A. M .; Fidelity Lodge, No. 19, K. of P .; and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the Young Men's Christian Association and gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. Mr. Zinke is regarded among his associates as being a man successful and upright in all his business transactions. He is among the best known and most enterprising citizens of Fond du Lac county, in which he has built up from a small beginning a mercantile institution of ex- tensive proportions from which goods go to all parts of the United States and he has materially aided in putting Fond du Lac on the map as a thriving, up- to-date manufacturing and merchandising center.

ANTHONY PALLISTER.

Anthony Pallister is living retired in the village of Brandon, Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, after thirty-seven years identification with agriculture as an active farmer. He owns extensive property in Waupun and Alto townships, and is still a factor in their growth and development. He was born in England, October 18, 1846, and is a son of George and Ann (Alderson) Pallister, both natives of that country. His father was a farmer and followed this line of occupation successfully during his life. Mr. Pallister's parents died within one week of typhus fever, their deaths occurring in England in 1852.

Anthony Pallister was only five years old when he was left an orphan. He spent two years in England and at the end of that time came to the United States in order to make his home with an uncle who was located in Alto township, Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin. He remained here and attended the district schools of the township and studied for five terms in Brandon. He later was employed for seven winters as teacher in district school No. 8, Metomen township, and in dis- trict school No. 7, of Alto township. When he gave up his duties as a teacher he followed farming and in the spring of 1875 rented two hundred and twenty- one acres in Waupun township, where he was successful as a general agricul- turist. He saved his money and was able to buy the property eventually and thus established himself independently. He improved his land, fenced it into fields and cultivated it along the most modern and progressive lines. He carried on general farming and stock-raising and one year threshed over twelve hun- dred bushels of wheat. He retired in 1907 and moved to the village of Brandon, where he is now an active and representative citizen. He still owns his original farm and has also purchased eighty acres in Alto township. His retirement has meant merely a transference of his interests. He is still active and energetic in promoting enterprises which are factors in municipal growth. He is president of

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

the Farmers Elevator Company of Brandon and secretary and treasurer of the Brandon Creamery Company, and also one of the trustees of the village.

Mr. Pallister was married on March 9, 1875, to Miss Clara Hillman, a daugh- ter of Francis and Amanda (Ash) Hillman, both natives of New York state. They came to Wisconsin in 1855, locating in Waupun township, Fond du Lac county, where they purchased the farm which Mr. Pallister now owns. They later sold the property to our subject and came to Brandon, where the father engaged in the mercantile business and was also an extensive lumber dealer. He was of English ancestry but was born in Fulton county, New York. He died in Brandon, August 30, 1889, after an active and useful life. His wife was of Dutch descent and was born near Amsterdam, New York. She passed away in Brandon in 1895. Mrs. Pallister was born in Fulton county, New York, July 16, 1847, and remained with her parents until her marriage. She is a devout member of the Springvale Congregational church. She and her husband are the parents of three children: Anna, who was born April II, 1876, and died on the 4th of May, 1887; and Leon and Leona, twins, born December 30, 1879. Leon is a rural mail carrier in Brandon, Wisconsin, and lives at home. Leona is the wife of Andy J. Smith, an electrical engineer in the employ of the United States Smelting Company of Midvale, Utah.

In his political views Mr. Pallister is a stanch republican and while he is not' an office seeker he always does his duty in a public capacity when called upon to do so. He is at present one of the trustees of the village of Brandon. His inter- est in education led him to accept a position on the board of education, where he served with ability and efficiency for three years. He has a record of fifteen consecutive years of service as treasurer of the school board in the township of Waupun. Mr. Pallister is considered one of the successful and prosperous men of his section. His retirement has not in any way lessened his interest in agri- culture or in the progress and growth of Fond du Lac county. He has given his active aid in the past to farm development and has been an influential factor in it. He still retains his interest and in his supervision and management of his prop- erty is a leading and dominating figure in influencing standards of business and methods of operation.

EDWARD MURRAY.

Edward Murray, who owns and operates a farm in Eldorado township, has always devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. He was born in Fond du Lac county in 1851, and is of Irish extraction, his parents, John and Catharine (Garrity) Murray, having been born and reared on the Emerald isle. They came to America in 1832, and fifteen years later filed on a tract of government land in this county. This section of the state was but sparsely settled at that time, the greater part of the land being covered with a dense growth of timber, through which ran trails, that served the early settlers for roads. Here the Murray family lived in very much the manner of the other pioneers, largely dependent upon the members of their own fireside circle for society, as their neighbors were few and remotely located and traveling was difficult even when the roads were in good condition, which was not often.

Edward Murray shared with his family the hardships and privations of life on the frontier and many are the interesting reminiscences he can relate of his boy- hood days, when the forests yet abounded with wild game and Indians were not uncommon. In the acquirement of his education he attended the district school in the vicinity of his home, and early began to qualify himself for the life of an agriculturist by assisting his father about the fields. Farming at that period was little more than drudgery, as it was prior to the advent of the modern imple-

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

ments and appliances which make it possible for one man to do in a few hours the work which used to consume the time of several people for days.

On the 10th of April, 1877, Mr. Murray was married to Miss Elizabeth Hennessy, of Fond du Lac county, a daughter of Richard and Julia (McGraw) Hennessy, natives of Ireland, who came to this county in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Murray are the parents of two daughters : Mary K., who is twenty-four years of age; and Julia F., who is twenty-two. They reside at home with their parents.

The family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church, in the faith of which denomination the parents were reared. Edward Murray votes the demo- cratic ticket and for seven years was chairman of the township committee, while for twenty-eight years he has served in the capacity of district clerk, the period of his incumbency substantially evidencing the efficiency with which he has dis- charged the duties of this office.

JACOB BRENNER.

Jacob Brenner has been a resident of Fond du Lac for more than forty years, and here he has grown from his boyhood days to maturity of manhood and has long since been numbered among the enterprising and successful men of that city. At present he is engaged in the furnace, heating and sheet metal business, his establishment being located at 47 Third street, Fond du Lac. His residence is at 349 Military street. He was born in Baden, Germany, June 13, 1864, and is the son of John George and Elizabeth (Beissel) Brenner. His paternal grand- father was John George Brenner and his wife was Elizabeth (Hack) Brenner. He emigrated to America at a very early period in the history of this state, set- tling on the Kilbourn road, near the city of Milwaukee and later removed to Kil- bourn city, making his home with his brother, Philip G. and with his son at West Bend. He afterward removed with his brother to Oshkosh, at which place he died at the advanced age of seventy-two years, his wife having passed away early in life in her native land. His maternal grandparents were natives of Ger- many, both of whom died many years ago in their native country.

John George Brenner, the father of Jacob Brenner, was a native of Ger- many, emigrating when a young man with his father to America. He was reared at home and by trade and occupation was a wagon-maker. On settling in this country in the year 1865 he established his residence at West Bend, removing from there to Ackerville, Wisconsin, where he lived three years and then moved to Butte des Morts, Wisconsin, where he continued to follow the pursuit of his trade until 1871. In that year he removed to Fond du Lac where he has con- tinued to reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Brenner seven children were born, all of whom lived to years of maturity: Kate, the surviving widow of M. Wehrle; Philip J .; Jacob; Carl; Caroline, deceased, who was the wife of Robert Breh- mer ; Matilda, the wife of William Breitengross; and John. The mother of this family died in Fond du Lac in 1898, aged sixty-three years. She is survived by her husband, who is in his seventy-eighth year. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brenner were members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Brenner is a veteran of the Ger- man army.

Jacob Brenner has been a resident of Fond du Lac since he was seven years of age, having removed with his father from West Bend to this city in 1871. Here he received his early education in the parochial and public schools of the city, later taking a thorough course in a business college. Immediately after com- pleting his school period he was employed for four years in the LaBelle Wagon Works after which he was engaged in the occupation of a journeyman worker, in the heating and sheet metal business from 1882 until 1900. During that year

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he established himself in his present business. This venture has proved to be in every way successful and now requires the skilled services of several employes.

Mr. Brenner was united in marriage to Miss Fanny Breitengross, on Novem- ber II, 1891. She is the daughter of Theodore and Christiana (Weidemueller) Breitengross, and is a native of Saxony, removing from her native country to Fond du Lac in 1873, where her parents established their home and here her father died in 1892. He is survived by his widow, the mother of Mrs. Brenner. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Brenner three children have been born, Arnold Theo- dore, Theodore Paul and Lorene. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brenner are members of the Evangelical church of this city. Mr. Brenner is a member of the Equitable Fra- ternal Union. His long residence in the county and city of Fond du Lac has made him one of the well known men of this part of Wisconsin and he is num- bered among the reliable, enterprising and successful men of this city.

THOMAS J. NORRIS.

For almost forty years Thomas J. Norris cultivated the soil in Metomen township, giving the active years of his life to making his two hundred acre farm on section 35 a well improved and highly developed tract. His death which occurred on June 13, 1904, was a distinct loss to agricultural circles of his community and deprived Fond du Lac county of a pioneer in its settlement and an active factor in its growth and progress. Mr. Norris was born in Ba- tavia, New York, on February 10, 1838, and was a son of Thomas and Eunice (Andrews) Norris. His father was born in Pembroke, Rockingham county, New Hampshire, in September, 1808, and when he was twelve years of age re- moved with his relatives to Genesee county, New York. He learned the black- smith's trade and followed it until a few years previous to his death. He with his wife and children came to Fond du Lac county in the early '40s and took up four hundred acres of government land in the early days of the settlement of the district. He built a small shop upon his farm and was active in his trade, leaving the cultivation of the soil to his sons. He remained upon this property until his death which occurred in 1889. His wife was a native of New York state and came to Wisconsin with her husband. She died upon the home farm in 1887.

Thomas J. Norris was reared at home and aided his father in the cultiva- tion of the farm until his marriage which occurred on November 21, 1863. In that year he started on an independent career by purchasing two hundred acres on section 35, Metomen township: Upon this property he carried on general farming and by practical methods and unwavering energy obtained a gratify- ing measure of success. He retired from active life a few years before his death and moved to Brandon where he passed away on June 13, 1904.

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Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II, Part 47

Author: McKenna, Maurice Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago : Clarke Number of Pages: 738

Author: McKenna, Maurice
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : Clarke
Number of Pages: 738