USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 70
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On the 9th of November, 1868, Mr. Herrling was united in marriage to Miss Antoinette Kinsman, a daughter of Joseph and Julia (Beckwith) Kinsman, who located in Fond du Lac in 1847. Her father, who held the office of assessor for several terms, passed away on the 15th of February, 1895, but her mother is still living at the venerable age of eighty-seven years.
Mr. Herrling was reared in the Lutheran faith. He maintains relations with his old army comrades through the medium of his connection with the Grand Army of the Republic. In 1890 he was appointed one of the three members of the Fond du Lac county soldiers' relief commission and served continuously most of the time as its president until 1902, when he resigned. His political al- legiance is given to the republican party, to whose principles he is most loyal. He served as a member of the Fond du Lac county board of supervisors in 1878, 1879, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1889 and 1890. He was also treasurer of the school district for twelve years, was town clerk in the '70s and for seven years was
THEODORE HERRLING
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chairman of the township board. He served as secretary of Friendship Protec- tion Society for ten years and was its president for three years. In 1893 he was appointed notary public and is holding that position at the present time. His residence here covers the formative period in the development of Fond du Lac county. There were still many Indians when he came, and the settlers in the rural sections endured all of the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. The roads were little more than blazed trails, and as there were no bridges the streams all had to be forded, which made traveling both difficult and dan- gerous during the greater part of the year. Mr. Herrling has been an interested observer of the many changes and wonderful transformation wrought by time, and takes much pride and satisfaction in the fact that he has contributed his quota toward forwarding the progress and development of the section which for half a century he has called home.
WILLIAM SHEA.
No citizen of Osceola township is deserving of higher commendation for his achievements than William Shea, who was practically penniless when he began his career in America and has through his unceasing effort and persistency of purpose become numbered among the prosperous agriculturists of his community. He is a native of Ireland, his birth having occurred in County Kerry on the 5th of May, 1865, and a son of Maurice and Mary (Callihan) Shea. The parents passed their entire lives in the old country, where the father engaged in farming. Of the nine children born to them five are residents of the United States.
The first nineteen years in the life of William Shea were passed on his father's farm in County Kerry. As the land was not unusually productive, the prices low and the taxes high, it was most difficult to make the annual income meet the in- creasing needs of a family of nine children, and consequently they received but meager advantages. Dissatisfied with conditions in his native land, and seeing little hope of rising above the circumstances of his parents, William Shea resolved to come to America, where he had been told all enterprising young men could achieve success-in fact become rich. Having acquired the necessary passage money at the age of nineteen years he sailed for the new world, with Fond du Lac county as his destination. He took up his residence in Osceola township with Joseph Shea and for nine years thereafter worked out by the month for the farmers in this vicinity. Every Christmas he sent twenty-five dollars to his father and mother in Ireland, and he also remitted passage money to his brothers George and Joseph, in order that they, too, might come to the United States and thus better their condition. Besides the assistance he rendered his people he man- aged to save from his small earnings almost fourteen hundred dollars, which sum enabled him to begin farming for himself as a renter. Following his mar- riage in 1893 he leased some land, which he diligently cultivated for three years. At the expiration of that time he advanced another step in the achievement of his ambition by purchasing eighty acres of his present homestead. He was com- pelled to go into debt for this land, but the lessons in thrift and diligence instilled into him in childhood and so persistently practiced after coming to America, soon enabled him to pay off the mortgage. The responsibilities of a family and the desire to increase his holdings stimulated him to yet greater effort and in 1904, he extended the boundaries of his farm by the purchase of another eighty acres. His property is entirely free from all indebtedness, his fields are in a good state of productivity, his pastures are well stocked and his equipment is fully equal to his needs. During the period of his ownership, Mr. Shea has remodeled the house, erected a new barn and wrought various other improvements, all of which have enhanced the appearance and value of the property. His buildings and fences are Vol. II-30
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in good condition, and the appearance of the entire place manifests the exercise of systematic supervision and capable management in its operation.
On the 13th of February, 1893, Mr. Shea completed his arrangements for a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Hannah Hughes, a daughter of Patrick and Mary (Flynn) Hughes, and a native of Forest, where the parents located dur- ing the pioneer period. Mrs. Shea is a true helpmate to her husband and has greatly assisted him in his achievement of success. A good housewife and a kind mother she has collaborated with him to bring about their present comfortable circumstances. Mrs. Shea's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, made their home with our subject and his wife for eleven years. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shea : Thomas Francis and George Lea, who are twins ; one who died in infancy ; and Miles Edward. On October 31, 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Shea and son spent three months in their old home in County Kerry on the Emerald isle, where they visited Mr. Shea's aged parents and on their return to this coun- try they brought over with them one of his nieces.
The family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church and hold mem- bership in the Lady of Angels parish of Osceola township. Mr. Shea has taken out naturalization papers and gives his political support to the republican party, save in local elections when he votes for the man whom he considers best quali- fied for the office. In connection with general farming he is engaging in dairying and is prospering in both because of the intelligent and capable manner in which he directs his undertakings.
OTTO J. WALTERS.
Otto J. Walters is one of the well known and successful farmers of Waupun township, Fond du Lac county, where he is engaged in the cultivation of a highly developed property known as the Wood farm. He was born on the 16th of May, 1871, in the township of Lamartine and is a son of James D. and Ann E. (Fair- banks) Walters, both of whom are natives of Wisconsin. The paternal grand- father was one of the pioneers of Fond du Lac county and at a very early period settled on a farm located near the present town of Lamartine. The maternal grandfather, Jerome Fairbanks, was of English descent and was also a pioneer of this county, who established his home on a farm located in the township of Oak- field at the time the mother of the subject of this review was a child of four years. James D. Walters, the father, for many years was successfully engaged in farming in the township of Oakfield. To Mr. and Mrs. Walters three children were born : Mina, who died in infancy; Otto J., of this review; and Charles Earl, who was born in 1876 and resides in Milwaukee.
Otto J. Walters was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Lamartine. . He later was a student at Wayland Academy for two years. He also pursued a business course of instruction in the Spencerian Business College of Milwaukee and was graduated from that school with the class of 1891. He remained under the parental roof after his school years were over for a period of nine years, after which he located on a farm known as the Wood farm in Waupun township and for the past ten years has given his undivided attention to its cultivation. He makes a specialty of breeding and raising thor- oughbred Jersey cattle for his own use and for sale in the open market.
Mr. Walters was united in marriage October 10, 1895, to Miss Ella E. Martin, whose birth occurred on the 26th of November, 1870, a daughter of Peter and Mary (Alborn) Martin. The parents of Mrs. Walters were natives of Eng- land, who emigrated to America at an early day and settled on a farm in Friend- ship township. To Mr. and Mrs. Walters one child has been born, Irma M., who was born on the 13th of December, 1898, and is a pupil in the public schools. Mr.
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Walters has been clerk of the township of Waupun since April, 1911. He is one of the reliable, respected and useful citizens of the county of Fond du Lac and is a man always to be relied upon to do his full part in public affairs seeking the improvement of the people in his county and state.
JACOB PHILIP LAUDOLFF.
Jacob Philip Laudolff owns and operates Valley Farm, one of the attractive properties of Taycheedah township, where his energies are largely devoted to dairying, in which he is meeting with more than an average degree of success. His place, which was formerly the property of his father, comprises one hundred and eighty acres of land. He is a native of Germany and a son of Simon and Anna M. (Baker) Laudolff, who emigrated to the United States with their family in 1867. They came direct to Fond du Lac county, locating on the farm our sub- ject now owns, and here they both passed away.
Agricultural pursuits have always engaged the attention of Jacob Philip Lau- dolff, who is numbered among the capable and efficient business men of his com- munity. He is very much attached to his farm, where he has passed the greater part of his life, his energies having been devoted to its further improvement since boyhood. He has cleared a large portion of the land himself, while all of the buildings now on the place have been erected during the period of his ownership. A man of practical ideas and diligent purpose, he has prospered in his undertak- ings by reason of the intelligence and general capability he has exercised in the direction of his activities. His equipment is entirely adequate to his needs, while he has ample barns and sheds for the accommodation of his stock and grain and a comfortable residence. Mr. Laudolff leads a life of well directed activity as is evidenced by the appearance and condition of his property and stock. His fields are carefully tilled and cultivated, the crops being systematically rotated from year to year, thus enabling him to keep the soil in a high state of productivity, and annually reap abundant harvests.
Mr. Laudolff was married in 1885 to Miss Anna Wirtz, a daughter of John and Katherin Wirtz, and to them have been born eight children, as follows: Kate, Joseph, Albert, Frank, Alma, William, Susie, and Marie.
The family are communicants of the Roman Catholic church being members of St. Peter's parish. Mr. Laudolff takes an active interest in local politics, giving his support to the democratic party. He has on several occasions been called to public office and served with efficiency as township treasurer from 1897 to 1910. Mr. Laudolff is highly respected in his community, as he is public-spirited in matters of citizenship, while in his business transactions he is thoroughly honor- able and upright.
AUGUST L. HANSEN.
August L. Hansen is a native of Germany and his father was among the pioneers in Wisconsin's development. He himself has been a resident of the state since he was three years of age and has lived here an upright, useful and honorable life, devoted to farming. He has been an agriculturist all his life, with the exception of five years spent in Chicago and five years as a carpenter and contractor in Fond du Lac county, and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he cultivates intelligently along modern lines. He was born August 7, 1850, and is the son of John and Sophia (Ehlers) Han- sen, both natives of Germany. The father's birth occurred in that country,
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November 10, 1816. He was a shoemaker by trade and did some farming. He came to Fond du Lac county in 1854 and purchased land in Calumet township where he followed agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1904. His wife passed away in 1880, when she was fifty-four years of age. To their union were born ten children: Martha, who died in Germany; Henry, who is a grocer in Oshkosh and who married Miss Elmira Pickering, by whom he has two children, Harry and Lillian; August L., of this review; Fred, who married Miss Jennie Pickering, of Leroy, by whom he has seven children, Louis, Harry, John, Walter, Elsie, Irene and Fred, all of whom live with their parents in Fond du Lac; Christ, who is a millwright in Neenah and who married Miss Lizzie Gray ; Mary, who became the wife of William Mueller, a farmer in Wash- ington, by whom she has three children, Sophia, Addie and William; Sophia, who married Charles Shlanke, a printer in Spokane, Washington, by whom she has six children; Charles, who passed away when he was about twenty years of age; a child who died in infancy; and a daughter who passed away at the age of four years.
August L. Hansen came to America with his parents and was educated in the district schools of Calumet township. His early life was spent in aiding his father in the work of the farm and he was active in all phases of agriculture until he was twenty-one years of age. He thus gained early in his career a knowledge of the most effective and modern methods of operation and a per- sonal experience which aided him in his later work. When he was twenty-one years of age he went to Chicago, where he worked as a carpenter for five years. He then returned to Wisconsin and after a similar period spent in the carpen- tering and contracting business, bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Oakfield township, where he has since resided and cultivated the soil. He since has added to his property and his farm now comprises three hundred and twenty acres, all in excellent condition. He has made needed improvements from time to time and is actuated in all his work by standards of agricultural efficiency. He has thirty head of cattle and eight horses and he makes it a point to keep a high grade of stock. His farm is one of the finest and most productive tracts of land in the district and he is numbered among the progressive and substan- tial agriculturists.
On June 3, 1878, Mr. Hansen was united in marriage at Fond du Lac to Miss Sarah Edwards, a daughter of William and Lydia (Wheaton) Edwards. The father was born in Wales in 1824 and came to Wisconsin in the early days of its settlement, locating in Eldorado township, where he followed farming. He died in 1901. His wife was a native of New York state, where her birth occurred in 1831 and she passed away in Wisconsin in 1877. To their union were born the following children: Eliza, who married Charles Etter, of Penn- sylvania; Sarah, who died in infancy; Sarah, the second of the name, the wife of our subject; David and Henry, both of whom are now deceased; George, a farmer and stock buyer of Oakfield township, who married Miss Della Worthing, by whom he has three children, Claude, May and Lucille; Sherman, a retired physician in Oakfield, who married Miss Ruby Armitage; Myron, who resides in North Dakota; Rial, who is married and also lives in North Dakota; Cora, who makes her home in Chicago; and Hattie, who married Andrew Kensler, a teamster of Fond du Lac, by whom she has five children, Irene, Amy, Harry, Robert and Milo. Mrs. Hansen has also two half-sisters, Jane and Ann. To Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have been born twelve children: William L., a farmer of Fond du Lac county, who married Isabel McArthur, by whom he has three children, Lynn, Victor, and one who died in infancy; Frank, who also follows farming and who married Miss Ida Batterman, of Fond du Lac, by whom he has one child, Duane; Effie, now the wife of George McArthur, a railroad man of Fond du Lac, by whom she has one child, Harold; Pearl, a farmer, who married Margaret Griffith, of Oshkosh; Ira, who is a fireman in Fond du Lac
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and who married Miss Della Fisher, of Oakfield, by whom he has three chil- dren, Arnold, Lucille and Raymond; Earl; Gay; Claude and Maude, twins; Hazel; Annie; and Agnes.
In his political views Mr. Hansen is a consistent democrat and was for five years road superintendent. He belongs to the Lutheran church and is active in the affairs of the Modern Woodmen of America. He holds stock in the Farm- ers Elevator Company of Oakfield and is recognized as a man anxious to pro- mote local enterprises. He studies his agriculture in its different phases and has been successful from the beginning because of his personal efficiency. He is ranked among the enterprising and substantial citizens of his district and his activities in the cultivation of his fine farm are regarded as a valuable influence in agricultural development.
HARRY F. GRANTVEDT, D. D. S.
Dr. Harry F. Grantvedt is one of the most promising of the younger genera- tion of professional men in Ripon and has become well known in this city as a careful and painstaking dentist. He was born February 29, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois, a son of Elliot C. and Matilda Grantvedt, both natives of Norway, who came to America in 1868 and located in Chicago. They were the parents of six children: Ella M., now the wife of Dr. S. D. Greenwood, of Neenah, Wis- consin; H. F., of this review; Jennie M., living at home; Norman E., who re- sides in Chicago; and Gertrude F. and Elmer, both of whom are living at home.
Dr. H. F. Grantvedt received his early education in the public schools of Chicago. He later attended high school in that city and supplemented this by a course in the Bryant & Stratton Business College. He took up the study of his profession in 1896 in the Illinois School of Dentistry, graduating from that institution in 1899. He gave special attention to work in surgery and anat- omy, and graduated from the Chicago School of Anatomy and Physiology in 1897. Dr. Grantvedt practiced his profession in Chicago for one year and was very successful until his health failed. He again started at Brandon, Wis- consin, in 1900, and later conducted an office at Markesan, in conjunction with Brandon. In 1905 he moved to Ripon, where he has since been actively en- gaged in the practice of his profession, and during the seven years of his resi- dence in this city he has become well known and popular in professional and social circles. He is painstaking and accurate in his work and his knowledge of the details of his profession is thorough and specialized. The number of his clients is increasing every year and his success is founded upon his well known ability and good judgment. He is one of the most progressive dentists in Ripon, keeping himself abreast of the times by constant reading along pro- fessional lines. He believes in the knowledge and advancement to be gained by association with his co-laborers in the dental field and holds membership in many different societies having for their object the raising of the standard of dental surgery.
Dr. Grantvedt belongs to the Wisconsin State Dental Society and is also a member of the Fox River Valley Dental Society and the Fond du Lac Dis- trict Dental Society. He makes a specialty of Prosthodontia (the manufac- turing and fitting of artificial teeth) and has been the originator of several new ideas along this line. He has gained a reputation for efficiency in this field and in the summer of 1911 made a demonstration tour of Europe for the purpose of putting his methods before the foreign dentists and giving to the entire dental profession the benefit of his study and research.
Fraternally Dr. Grantvedt is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has been secretary of that organization for a number of years.
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He has no extensive fraternal affiliations, preferring to devote his time and attention to the practice of his profession and the studies incident to it. He is well known in Ripon as a dentist who regards his work seriously and who has done much in the course of his years of practice to raise the standard of his profession and to place dentistry upon a higher and more scientific plane.
MATH THOLL.
Math Tholl conducts a general merchandise store in Silica, Taycheedah township, Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and his prosperity is the result of industry, intelligently directed. His success is exemplified in the fact that his enterprise has had a healthy and normal growth during the four years of his connection with it and its present flourishing condition is the result of grad- ual and steady advancement. Mr. Tholl was born in the section where he now resides in 1868 and is a son of Steve and Katie (Gillis) Tholl, natives of Ger- many. The father came to America in the early '50s and his marriage oc- curred in this country. He followed farming all during his life and was pros- perous and successful as an agriculturist. He died upon his property in Tay- cheedah township in 1883 and his wife is still surviving him. Math Tholl is one of four children, the others being: John, who is farming upon the old homestead in Taycheedah township; Mary, who lives at home; and Maggie, who married Peter Johann, of Fond du Lac.
Math Tholl was reared upon his father's farm and was educated in the district schools of his native section. He followed farming for some time upon a tract of land comprising seventy-six acres, of which he later disposed. He has been identified with general merchandising as owner of a flourishing store for the past four years and is one of the enterprising citizens of this section. His stock is carefully selected and tastefully arranged and his various lines are always modern and complete. He has adhered constantly to a policy of expansion and of conservatism in buying and has evolved an excellent business upon this foundation.
Mr. Tholl was united in marriage to Miss Katie Schneider of Calumet township, and to their union have been born three children: Louisa, aged sixteen years; Arthur, who is ten years old; and Edward, who has reached his fourth year. Mr. Tholl and his family affiliate with St. Peters Catholic church. He has always been esteemed in his community for his business in- tegrity and has gained wide recognition for honesty and fair dealing. He believes in the value of personal labor in promoting prosperity and values his reputation as a plain, hard-working citizen as his most important asset.
WILLIAM F. SOMMERFIELD.
William F. Sommerfield, who in 1904 purchased an interest in a furniture and undertaking establishment at Oakfield, has been engaged in this business since that time and has won success by reason of his able management. He is a prominent factor in public life as president of the village. His birth oc- curred in Metomen township, Fond du Lac county, on the 19th of January, 1875, his parents being Samuel and Wilhelmina (Otto) Sommerfield, both of whom were born in Germany in the year 1849. The father, who came to this county in 1871 and was a stone mason by trade, met death as the result of the cave-in of a well in 1902. The mother was called to her final rest in 1901. The record of their children is as follows: William F., of this review ;
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Emil, who wedded Miss Emma Wagner and is employed as a clerk; Samuel, who married Miss Effie Van Buren of Alto township, by whom he has two children ; Frank, who is clerking at Markesan and wedded Annie Warnke; John, who married Miss Agnes Sems, and is a carpenter by trade; and George, a merchant of Milwaukee.
William F. Sommerfield obtained his early education in the district schools of his native township and subsequently attended the high school of Brandon and also a parochial school at that place. He then worked as a farm hand and learned the barber's trade, conducting a shop for several years. On the ex- piration of that period he removed to Milwaukee, where he continued at his trade for some time. Returning to Fond du Lac county, he purchased an interest in a furniture and undertaking establishment at Oakfield in 1904 and has conducted the same up to the present time. He is accorded a liberal patron- age and well merits the success which is now his. He is a stockholder in the Oakfield Elevator Company and has long enjoyed an enviable reputation as a substantial and prosperous citizen of his native county.
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