USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 64
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On the 4th of January, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Anderson and Miss Minnie A. Jenkins, who was born in Rosendale, Wisconsin, and is a daughter of Elias S. and Minerva (Burt) Jenkins, who were natives of New York and became early residents of Fond du Lac county, spending their last days in Rosendale. They had two children, Minnie A. and William A. After the death of the mother the father married again, his second union being with Miss Eva White. They were the parents of three children, George, John and Emma. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born two children: Jessie
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P., who is a stenographer; and Robert S., who is a bookkeeper in the Fond du Lac National Bank.
Mr. Anderson gives. his political support to the democratic party but is without desire or ambition for public office. He belongs to Fountain Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. M., Darling Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M., Fond du Lac Com- mandery No. 5, K. T., Wisconsin Consistory A. A. S. R., and Tripoli Temple A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a permanent member of the Grand Lodge F. & A. M. of Wisconsin. He is serving as eminent commander of the Knights Templar and is well known in Masonic circles. His loyalty to the craft and his support of its interests make him one of its prominent representatives. Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their influence is always given on the side of progress, improvement, truth and righteousness. The life history of Mr. Anderson is much less spectacular than that of the political or military leader, but it is none the less important and none the less valuable. The substantial citizens of the community are they who day after day are prompt and faithful in the discharge of their duties in business life and in citizenship, and such has been the record of him whose name introduces this review. Wherever known he is held in warm regard, and most of all, where he is best known, for his many sterling traits of character have commended him to the esteem and good-will of all with whom he has come in contact.
G. T. A. VAN HENGEL, M. D.
Dr. G. T. A. Van Hengel is one of the oldest physicians of Waupun, where he has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession since 1869. He was born on the 27th of April, 1843, in the province of Gelderland, in The Neth- erlands, and is a son of Arnold Van Hengel, one of the distinguished physicians of Holland. He was reared at home and in his native land received his ele- mentary education in the public schools and there also received the required military training. He later pursued a college course preparatory to his medical studies and entered upon the study of medicine in 1861, and was graduated with honors from the University of Amsterdam, one of the well known medical schools of Holland, in the class of 1865. He emigrated to America in 1869, settling first in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and shortly after took up his permanent abode at Waupun, where he opened his offices and engaged in the ยท general practice of his profession, in which he has since continued without in- terruption to the present time. He is the owner of a very fine farm of one hundred and forty-five and one-half acres located four miles north of Waupun and has given scientific attention to its development and cultivation.
In November, 1874, Dr. Van Hengel was united in marriage to Miss Anna Wellhouse, a native of Alto, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Wellhouse. The father and mother were natives of Holland and came to America and settled on a farm in Wisconsin in 1845. The father passed away in 1886 and the mother in 1898. In his family were eight children. To Dr. and Mrs. Van Hengel nine children have been born: Arnold, John and William, who all died in 1885 aged respectively nine, seven and four years ; Arnold II, who passed away in 1886; Arnold III, who is twenty-five years of age and is a druggist of Fond du Lac; John, who is sixteen years of age and is attending the high school; Elizabeth, at home; Jennie, who is employed as bookkeeper by the Zimmerman Carriage Company; and Minnie, who is assistant in the office of E. C. Hooker.
Dr. Van Hengel is affiliated with the democratic party and is a member of the Congregational church of Waupun. He is a member of the Wisconsin
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State Medical Society, the Dodge County Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is one of the best known citizens of his part of the state and during his long life of active service in the practice of his profession he has ever been known to be a man of strict integrity of character and one of the most useful citizens of his adopted county and state.
FRED N. FRAZIER.
Fred N. Frazier is successfully engaged in business in association with his brothers, Ulysses A. and Louis E., conducting a well appointed grocery estab- lishment under the name of Frazier Brothers'at No. 383 Emma street, in Fond du Lac.
His birth occurred in Oakfield, Wisconsin, on the 12th of August, 1879, his parents being Nelson F. and Alice (Ziegler) Frazier, the former a native of St. Albans, Vermont, and the latter of Oakfield this state. Nelson Frazier is an agriculturist by occupation. Unto him and his wife have been born four chil- dren, as follows : Mary E .; Fred N., who wedded Miss Isabelle Scholl, of Fond du Lac, and has three children, Ruby A., Pearl K. and Harry N .; and Ulysses A. and Louis E., who are twins. The last named attended the graded and high schools until seventeen years of age and then embarked in business in associa- tion with their brother, Fred N., opening a first-class grocery store at No. 383 Emma street, Fond du Lac. The Frazier Brothers have built up an enviable and lucrative patronage and have gained the good-will of the purchasing public by reason of their straightforward, reliable business methods and reasonable prices. They carry an extensive line of staple and fancy groceries and are widely recognized as young men of enterprising and progressive spirit.
Fred N. Frazier gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, be- lieving that its principles are most conducive to good government. He is a devout communicant of St. Mary's church. He is well known socially and politically throughout the county, having served as member of the common council of Fond du Lac, and at present is school commissioner of the third ward.
GERRIT REXWINKLE.
Gerrit Rexwinkle is one of the successful business men of Waupun where he, in company with Dores Giebink, is engaged in the general produce business under the firm name of the Waupun Produce Company. He was born in Albany, New York, August 7, 1860, and is a son of John and Dinah (Klein- heselink) Rexwinkle, who emigrated from Gelderland, Holland, to America at an early day, settling first on a farm in Alto township, Fond du Lac county, in 1860, and there continued to reside until 1875 when they removed to Alton, Iowa, where they now make their home. They became the parents of five children.
Gerrit Rexwinkle was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Wisconsin and Iowa. As a young man he was engaged in work on his father's farm until the age of eighteen at which time he started out in life for himself, his first employment being that of a clerk in a store at Alton, Iowa, after which he was a railroad employe for some time and later was appointed chief of police of Alton, in which office he served for six years
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and then filled the office of deputy sheriff for two years. He afterward en- gaged in the grain business in Waupun in which he continued for two years and in 1904 he established himself in the general produce business, to which he has since given his entire attention and has met with gratifying success. The firm is now preparing to erect a suitable two-story brick structure, forty-eight by one hundred feet, in which to conduct their business. The building will in- clude a cold storage plant equipped with all the latest and most modern im- provements. The Waupun Produce Company is one of the most successful of its kind in central Wisconsin, having done a business since 1904 of thirty-five thousand dollars per annum.
Mr. Rexwinkle was united in marriage in 1900 to Miss Annie Boom, of Alto, Wisconsin, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Boom, who were among the early settlers of Alto, Wisconsin. To Mr. and Mrs. Rexwinkle two chil- dren were born, Harriet and John. Mr. Rexwinkle is one of the most success- ful and enterprising business men of his portion of the state and a man re- spected for his integrity in all his business transactions with the general public.
AUSTIN H. RICHARDSON.
Austin H. Richardson is the secretary, treasurer and general manager of the National Food Company, having its place of business at 183-187 Western avenue, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His birth occurred in Winooski, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, on the 4th of June, 1853, his parents being Lucien B. and Elsie (Austin) Richardson, who were natives of New York and Ohio, re- spectively. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Hamilton Richardson, was a native of the Empire state and at one time served as sheriff of the city of Buffalo. Unto him and his wife were born four children, namely: Lucien B., Wallace W., Ephraim and Marcia. The maternal grandfather of our subject was a farmer by occupation. Unto him and his wife were born the following children: Lucy ; William; George; Elsie and Eleanor, twins; Caroline; Henry ; Emeline ; and Allen.
Lucien B. Richardson, the father of Austin H. Richardson, was reared in Buffalo county, New York, and was by occupation a carpenter. He moved to Ohio and settled in Tuscarawas county, where he remained for some time, after which he moved to Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, where he continued in the business of his craft and where after a time he built a water mill one mile west of Winooski. This mill he operated only for a short time and on sell- ing out his interests in 1856 he moved to the state of Iowa and settled in North English, Iowa county, where he continued to follow his trade and where he also operated a mill. In addition to his milling interests he employed a large number of carpenters, doing a general contracting and building business. He was twice married, his first wife, the mother of our subject, passing away at North English in 1865. For his second wife he chose Mrs .. Martha Lutton. His demise occurred in North English, April 6, 1887, when he had attained the age of sixty-two years. Unto Lucien B. and Elsie (Austin) Richardson were born five children, two of whom grew to maturity: Austin H., of this review ; and Adella E., who met her death as the result of a runaway accident when a young lady of twenty-six. She was born September 26, 1859, and was killed November 16, 1885.
Austin H. Richardson was reared at North English in the state of Iowa and in his early boyhood he attended the public schools at that place. He moved from North English to Linden township, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, where he was employed by his uncle, C. B. Briggs, on a farm and remained in his service for three years. He then came to Fond du Lac, where he has since
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maintained his residence. He attended the high school of the city of Fond du Lac, making his home with G. W. Sexsmith, for whom he worked for his board during his time of attendance at school. At the conclusion of his high-school course he immediately entered S. D. Mann's Commercial College, of Fond du Lac, and on graduating from this institution he was employed by Mr. Sex- smith as clerk in a grocery store for a year and a half, at the end of which time he became the manager of the store and continued in this relation for the following five years. Having by this time practical experience in the mer- cantile business, in company with O. E. Pritchard, he purchased the store and continued the business under the firm name of Pritchard & Richardson. He afterward sold his interest in the mercantile business and entered the employ of Smith & Chandler as traveling salesman, continuing in this line for a term of seventeen years, after which he was made general manager of the firm and continued in this capacity for three and a half years. He then severed his connection with the house and returned to Fond du Lac, where he took charge of the National Food Company, in which business he is now engaged.
On the Ist of November, 1877, Mr. Richardson was married to Miss Inez A. White, a daughter of George and Adelaide C. (Blakesley) White. To this union two children were born. Charles F., an electrician, who was born July 28, 1879, is married and resides at Brazil, Indiana, where he is superintendent and manager of a large electrical plant. Ernest L., born August 5, 1881, is employed as teller in the Fond du Lac National Bank and. has his residence in the city of Fond du Lac. He wedded Miss Sadie Kuechenberg, the daughter of Hubert Kuechenberg. Mrs. Inez A. Richardson, the mother of these children, died in 1889, aged thirty-seven years. For his second wife Mr. Richardson chose Miss Estelle E. Cuddebach, their marriage being celebrated on December 24, 1893. She was a native of Washington county, Wisconsin, and a daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Cuddebach. She is also deceased, having been called to her final rest on the 12th of September, 1908, when forty-two years of age. Mr. Richardson is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity, be- longing to Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. M .; Darling Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M .; and Fond du Lac Chapter, No. 70, Eastern Star. He is a well known and highly respected citizen of the county, where he has spent the major portion of his life, and is active in all interests looking to the welfare of his city.
MICHAEL McCABE.
Michael McCabe, who has lived in Fond du Lac county for more than six decades, has here been identified with general agricultural pursuits throughout his entire business career, and owns a productive and well improved farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Taycheedah township. His birth occurred in Ireland in the year 1828, his parents being Hugh and Bridget (Gartland) McCabe. Emigrating to the United States, they settled first in the east and thence came direct to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, taking up their abode here in 1848.
Michael McCabe learned the carpenter's trade in Ireland, worked at it in the city of Fond du Lac for a few years, and subsequently removed to the farm which is now in his possession. He was a young man of twenty years when he came to this county. He well remembers the Indians who at that time still frequented this part of the country but he never had any trouble with them. The farm of one hundred and seventy acres which he now owns was covered with timber and rocks when it first came into his possession and the work of clearing devolved entirely upon him. All of the buildings on the place were
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erected by him and stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. Owing to his careful management and progressive methods he has annually harvested good crops, raising principally oats, barley and corn.
In 1859 Mr. McCabe was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Doyle, by whom he has seven children, Hugh, Michael, Agnes, Kate, Rose, Mary and Ellen. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church. He generally votes the democratic ticket but is independent in local political affairs. He has now passed the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey and enjoys the venera- tion and respect which should ever be accorded one who has traveled thus far on this earthly pilgrimage and whose career has been at all times upright and honorable.
GUSTAVE F. MIESKE.
Gustave F. Mieske, a general farmer, stock-raiser and dairyman, is the owner of a well improved tract of land comprising one hundred and thirty acres on section 36, Metomen township. His birth occurred in Germany on the 2d of August, 1861, his parents being Julius and Tina (Frietz) Mieske, who spent their entire lives in that country. The father, a tailor by trade, passed away in 1876, while the mother was called to her final rest in 1878. Their children were three in number, namely: Gustave F., of this review; Minnie, the wife of Adolph Radcke, a merchant of Nelsonville, Wisconsin; and Edward, who is employed as a clerk at Monticello, Minnesota.
Gustave F. Mieske spent the first twenty years of his life in his native land and there obtained his education. In 1881 he emigrated to the United States, locating in Green Lake county, Wisconsin. Confronted by the necessity of pro- viding for his own livelihood in a new and strange land, he scorned no employ- ment that would yield him an honest dollar. Later, however, he worked as a farm hand by the month. In 1885 he was married and started out as an agri- culturist on his own account, operating a rented farm on shares for several years. In 1892 he took up his abode in Metomen township, Fond du Lac county, cultivating rented land for ten years. On the expiration of that period he pur- chased a farm of one hundred and thirty acres on section 36, Metomen township, in the further cultivation and improvement of which he has been engaged con- tinuously since and which is now one of the most attractive and productive properties of the vicinity. He is engaged in general farming, stock-raising and dairying and has prospered in all of his undertakings. The head of his herd is a registered red polled bull which he bought at West Bend, Wisconsin.
On the Ist of February, 1885, Mr. Mieske was united in marriage to Miss Kate Bender, a daughter of Andrew and Hattie (Laper) Bender, who lived on a farm in Columbia county, Wisconsin. The father was born in Germany in 1838, and the mother's birth occurred also in that country in 1841. Andrew Bender emigrated to the United States in the early '50s, locating in Marquette county, Wisconsin, where he turned his attention to general agricultural pur- suits. He accumulated between two and three hundred acres of land and con- tinued to reside thereon until the time of his demise, which occurred in 1894. His widow still resides on the home place with her son George. They were the parents of ten children, as follows: Mrs. Kate Mieske, who was born in Co- lumbia county, Wisconsin, on the 6th of January, 1863; Minnie, the wife of Charles Krantz, an agriculturist residing at Markesan, Wisconsin; Mary, who is the wife of Charles Moore, a farmer of Columbia county, Wisconsin; Wil- liam, a farmer of Markesan, Wisconsin; Henry, who is engaged in the livery business at Markesan, this state; George, who operates the home farm; Jacob, an agriculturist residing at Brandon; Hattie, who is at home; and Maggie and
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Charles, both of whom are deceased. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Mieske are as follows: Samuel, who was born on the Ist of November, 1885, and is a locomotive engineer of Milwaukee; Elizabeth, born February 3, 1887, who is still at home; Mary, whose birth occurred on the 6th of May, 1889, and who is employed as stenographer by the L. I. Cole Company of Milwaukee; William E., whose natal day was May 14, 1891; Theodore J., born December 5, 1894; Harry, whose birth occurred on the 23d of October, 1899; and Isabelle, born December 14, 1905. The four last named are under the parental roof.
Politically Mr. Mieske is a republican, while fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Masons of Brandon, this county. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Brandon and is widely recognized as an enterprising and public-spirited citizen of his community. The Congregational church of Brandon numbers him among its valued mem- bers and his wife and children are also connected therewith. Coming to the new world in early manhood, he eagerly availed himself of the opportunities offered in a land unhampered by caste or class and has steadily worked his way upward to a position among the substantial and respected citizens of Fond du Lac county.
FERDINAND BOTHE.
The active career of Ferdinand Bothe has made the state of Wisconsin richer by one highly improved and scientifically operated farm. He has been identified with agricultural interests in Fond du Lac county for many years and has cul- tivated his holdings along the most advanced and modern principles. He is of German descent and his father, Ferdinand Bothe, Sr., who founded the family in America, was for many years one of the representative citizens of Fond du Lac county. The elder Mr. Bothe was born in Germany and married Miss Lena Eugerman, in his native country. They came to the United States in the early '50s and spent one year in Missouri before they came to Wisconsin. Here the father bought twenty acres of land in Forest township and lived upon his hold- ings for two or three years, at the end of which time he purchased forty acres in Empire township and improved and operated this property for ten years. He subsequently bought eighty acres more in Empire township and lived in that section until he made his home with his son, Ferdinand, near Eden, where he died in 1906, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife's death occurred in 1903, when she was in the seventy-second year of her age.
Ferdinand Bothe is one of seven children born to his parents, six of whom are still living. His birth occurred August 15, 1862, in the township of Forest, Fond du Lac county. He was born in the old log cabin which is built upon his first Wisconsin farm and his childhood was spent amid the scenes of pioneer agriculture. He attended district school No. 1, Empire township, but his ad- vantages in this respect were extremely limited. Upon laying aside his text- books he worked for seven winters and two summers in the northern pine woods and gained a thorough knowledge of the methods of scientific lumber- ing. He returned to Fond du Lac county when he was thirty-five years of age and rented his father's farm, which he is now operating and improving. He remodeled the house and made it thoroughly modern and convenient in every detail. He built new barns and outbuildings and is largely responsible for the farm's present high state of cultivation. His property was injured by fire six years ago, but with thorough progressive spirit Mr. Bothe turned this misfor- tune into an opportunity for advancement. He replaced his buildings by newer and more modern structures and when the work of rebuilding was completed
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had one of the finest and most efficiently equipped properties in Fond du Lac county.
In 1905 Mr. Bothe was united in marriage to Miss Annie Daley, a daughter of John Daley, of Empire. To Mr. and Mrs. Bothe has been born one child, Francis, whose birth occurred June 17, 1908. Mr. Bothe is a devout believer in the Roman Catholic doctrines and attends St. Mary's church in Eden. He gives his allegiance to the democratic party but has always refused office for himself, preferring to concentrate his attention upon agricultural affairs and do his duty as a citizen by promoting his interests as a private individual.
AUGUST KRAUS.
August Kraus, a representative agriculturist of Taycheedah township, is the owner of one hundred and sixty-eight acres of valuable and productive land. His birth occurred at Taycheedah in the year 1863, his parents being Henry and Mary Kraus, both natives of Germany. The father emigrated to the United States about 1853 and resided in the east for about three years, on the expiration of which period he came direct to Taycheedah, Wisconsin.
August Kraus attended the district schools in his youthful years, gaining an education that qualified him for the practical and responsible duties of later life. Reared to manhood on the home farm and assisting in its operation, he early gained practical knowledge of the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for crops. The tract of one hundred and sixty-eight acres in Taycheedah township which he now owns and cultivates is part of the old homestead. Twenty-two acres of this land is planted to barley, twenty-two acres to oats and fifteen acres to corn, while the remainder is in hay and pasture. He devotes considerable attention to dairy farming and has won well deserved success in all of his under- takings. He erected all of the buildings and made all of the other improvements on his farm, which in its neat and attractive appearance indicates the supervision of a practical and progressive owner.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Kraus chose Miss Maggie Sabel, a daughter of Peter Sabel. By this union there are three chil- dren, as follows: Peter, a youth of seventeen years; Edward, who is twelve years of age; and Hubert, ten years old.
August Kraus is a democrat in politics and held the office of township treas- urer for two years or in 1910 and 1911. Both he and his wife are devout commu- nicants of St. Peter's German Catholic church. Many of his warmest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time-a fact which indicates that his life has been well spent and that his strongest qualities are those which win him respect and confidence.
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