USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 81
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Edward Halfmann was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools and later pursued a course in the business col- lege. At the age of sixteen he began work as an employe on a farm and con- tinued as a farm laborer for twenty consecutive years. He then obtained em-
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ployment in a creamery and devoted his attention to that business for five years, after which he was engaged in the livery business for one year and then, in company with his brother Hubert, opened a café at 218 South Main street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and has been very successful.
Mr. Halfmann was united in marriage to Miss Anna Busch, a native of Wis- consin and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Busch, and they have become the parents of three children, Lawrence, Adolph and Dorothea.
Mr. Halfmann is a supporter of the democratic party and he and his wife are members of St. Mary's Catholic church. He is a well known business man of Fond du Lac and has been successful in the café business. He and his family reside at 237 South Main street.
WALTER J. AUGUSTIN.
Walter J. Augustin is one of the young, progressive business men of Fond du Lac, where he is engaged in the conduct of a well equipped and up-to-date music store, making a specialty of talking machines and all necessary supplies in connection with that line of business. He was born in Milwaukee, July 23, 1887, and is a son of Charles B. and Anna (Jeager) Augustin, who reside in Milwaukee, where Mr. Augustin is engaged in contracting and building. To Mr. and Mrs. Charles Augustin two children have been born: Walter J., of this review ; and Hilda, who is the wife of Oscar Halverson, and unto them one child has been born. Mr. Halverson is the proprietor of an up-to-date café.
Walter J. Augustin was educated in the public schools of Milwaukee. Hav- ing completed his elementary education he was a student for three years in the Milwaukee Business College, during which time he pursued special courses. Later he became an employe of a talking machine company in Milwaukee, with which he continued for four successive years. In 1906 he removed to Fond du Lac, where he opened a music establishment of his own, in which he makes a specialty of handling the Edison and Victor talking machines. His is the only exclusive house in Fond du Lac making a specialty of that business. He also carries a full supply of all necessary merchandise con- nected with the talking machine business. He has been very successful since coming to Fond du Lac, having sold over a thousand machines to the city and surrounding country trade.
Mr. Augustin is independent in the exercise of his franchise, never having connected himself definitely with any political party. He is a member of the Equitable Fraternal Union and of the Lutheran church. He is interested in the affairs of his city and always ready to cooperate in all public measures seek- ing the advancement of the people of his state and county.
MICHAEL J. GIEBEL.
Michael J. Giebel is one of the highly respected citizens of Fond du Lac, where he is successfully engaged in the conduct of a well equipped livery es- tablishment located on First street. He was born on the 19th of March, 1880, and is a son of Nicholas and Gertrude (Pitts) Giebel, both of whom were na- tives of Germany. The father's birth occurred on the 2d of May, 1857, and he emigrated to America at the age of eighteen years. He settled in Wisconsin where he engaged in farming but later in life he retired from active work and now lives in the city of Fond du Lac. He was married to Miss Gertrude Pitts, whose birth occurred in the year 1857. She came to America with her parents
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when but a child. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Giebel seven children were born. John, the eldest, wedded Mary Kraemer, of Fond du Lac, and is one of the prosperous farmers of Empire township. Michael J., of this review, is the second in order of birth. Katie is the wife of James Aler, of Empire, who is by trade a carpenter. Unto them have been born two children, Nicholas and Marie. Nicholas is still unmarried. Leo married Clara Frederick, a native of Germany, who emigrated to Wisconsin five years ago, settling in Fond du Lac. They have one child. Carl is not married and is employed as a fireman on the Soo Railroad. Gertrude is also unmarried. The mother of this fam- ily died in the year 1906.
Michael J. Giebel was reared in his father's home and was educated in the public schools. In his early years he was engaged in work on his father's farm and remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-three years of age. In 1904 he removed to Fond du Lac and engaged in the livery business in part- nership with Michael Moersch, a partnership which continued until 1908, at which time he disposed of his interest in the business to Mr. Moersch and im- mediately established an independent livery business at a new barn on First street. Mr. Giebel maintains one of the best establishments of this kind in the city, using in his business at present eighteen head of horses.
Mr. Giebel was united in marriage to Miss Mary Moersch, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Moersch, of Fond du Lac. Unto them have been born three children, Excilda, Claude and Leo. His family residence is located at No. 27 Fifth street. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and also of the Independent Order of Foresters and the Modern Woodman camp. He is affi- liated with the democratic party, following the standards of that party in all its national and state campaigns, and he is a member of St. Mary's Catholic church of Fond du Lac. Mr. Giebel is one of the enterprising citizens of Fond du Lac and a man who is well known throughout the county. His success in the livery business has been largely due to the unremitting attention which he has devoted to his business and he ranks as one of the most popular and effi- cient livery men in this part of the state.
WILLIAM GURATH.
William Gurath is the senior partner in the firm of Gurath & Henker. The bottling plant and general offices of the company are located at No. 29 East Twelfth street. He was born in Fond du Lac on January 6, 1881, and is the son of Michael and Mary (Rottman) Gurath, both of whom were natives of Bavaria, Germany. The father emigrated to America when he was thirty years of age and came direct from his native land to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he established his home. In his family were seven children. Louis married Margaret Daum, of Oshkosh, and they have one child, Gertrude. John mar- ried Lizzie Vonhoff, of Oshkosh, and to them three children were born, Irving, Edna and Margaret. The mother of these children died in 1903 and the father married again and now resides in Chicago. Herman married Anna Worundy, of Oshkosh, and they have one child, Gladys. William is the subject of this review. George M. married Minnie Reimer, of Oshkosh, and they have one child, Dorothy. Ida married Otto Koentopp, of Fond du Lac and Michael completes the family.
William Gurath was reared in his father's home and received his elementary education in the German-English Academy. After completing his studies in that institution he pursued a course in the Fond du Lac Business College for one term, and at the age of eighteen he started out in life for himself as an employe in one of Fond du Lac's manufacturing establishments, with which he
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continued for a period of five years. He afterward obtained employment in the Soo Railroad shops and to that line of work he continued to devote his at- tention for six years, after which, in company with his brother John he opened a bottling plant and engaged in business for himself. The partnership with his brother continued for a period of two years and at the expiration of that time Mr. Henker purchased the brother's interest and since then the business has been continued under the firm name of Gurath & Henker. The company has been very successful in its business and has a high standing among the manu- facturing and commercial institutions of Fond du Lac.
Mr. Gurath chose as his companion in life Miss Florence Puls, of Fond du Lac, a daughter of John and Christina (Blum) Puls. The father was engaged in the saloon business and his death occurred about 1894. The mother, how- ever, is still living and resides in Fond du Lac. Mr. and Mrs. Gurath are the parents of four children, Elinore, Viola, Leo and Bernice.
Mr. Gurath is independent in the exercise of his franchise, never having affiliated himself with any political party. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Buffaloes, and religiously he and Mrs. Gurath are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Gurath is highly respected throughout the county of Fond du Lac. He is reliable in all his business transactions and can always be counted upon for his support and assistance in the advancement of any measure seeking the improvement and elevation of the people in the state and city in which he lives.
THOMAS BRENNAN.
Thomas Brennan is engaged in the operation of the farm where he was born in Eden township on the 28th of September, 1872. His father, Patrick Brennan, was born and reared in Ireland, but in his early manhood emigrated to the United States. For a time thereafter he located in the state of New York, but later he came to Wisconsin, settling in Washington county, where he bought some land which he cultivated for about twelve years. There he was married to Miss Bridget Murphy, a native of the Emerald isle and a daughter of Thomas and Catherine Murphy, with whom she came to America when a girl of thir- teen years. In 1867, Mr. Brennan removed to Fond du Lac county with his family, and purchased eighty acres of land in Eden township. His holding was entirely unimproved and after erecting thereon a house and log barn, he began clearing and cultivating the land, devoting himself to the further improve- ment of his farm until he retired. He lived to attain the venerable age of eighty- five years, his death occurring on the 20th of November, 1903. The mother, who was sixty-eight when she passed away, only survived him a few months, her demise occurring in March, 1904. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Brennan num- bered ten, those beside our subject being as follows: William, who died in Au- gust, 1909; Catherine ; Elizabeth; Annie, who passed away on the 3d of Septem- ber, 1903; Mary, who was sixteen at the time of her death; Alice; John; Ellen ; and James, who died in infancy. John Brennan, who was born on the 6th of June, 1878, is now engaged in farming with his brother Thomas. He formerly lived in Milwaukee, where for five years he worked on the railroad.
The entire life of Thomas Brennan has been passed on the farm where he is now living. He spent his boyhood and youth in very much the same manner as other lads who were reared in the rural section of Wisconsin at that time. At the usual age he began his education in the district schools which he attended during both the summer and winter sessions until he was old enough to assist with the work of the farm, when his summers were spent in the fields. He subsequently took entire charge of the farm, until after the death of the father, when he and his brother John came into possession of it, and have ever
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since been associated in its operation. They engage in general farming and stock-raising and are meeting with a fair measure of success in their under- takings.
On the 3d of June, 1908, Mr. Brennan was married to Miss Catherine Bons- let, daughter of Joseph Bonslet, and they have become the parents of one son, William Joseph, who was born on the 10th of December, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Brennan are Roman Catholics and belong to St. James' parish, which they have attended from early childhood and number among its members many close friends.
CHARLES I. SNOW.
Charles I. Snow is a native of Wisconsin and one of the enterprising and successful business men of Fond du Lac where he was born on the 23d of January, 1877. His paternal grandparent, Isadore Snow was one of the early pioneers of Wisconsin and the first man to establish a commercial bakery in Fond du Lac. To him also belongs the distinction of having built the old Darl- ing block which was erected on the corner of Main and First streets, and for many years was known as the most pretentious business block of Fond du Lac. The building occupied the ground upon which now stands the large and attractive retail shoe establishment known as the Fitzsimmons block. His father, Alfred B. Snow, also a native of Wisconsin, whose birth occurred at Fond du Lac in 1847, was the successor to Isadore Snow in the bakery business and dur- ing all of the active years of his life he devoted his entire attention to that busi- ness, retiring to private life in 1903. The mother was a native of Canada, her birth having occurred in that country in 1847, and in 1871 took up her resi- dence in Wisconsin. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Snow eight children were born: Exilda, the wife of Henry Greenough, a member of the police force of Buffalo, New York, by whom she has two children, Marie and Monica; Alfred J., who is engaged in farming in Canada and who married Julia O'Neal, by whom he has three children, Lawrence, Harold and Geneva; Arthur, who married Frances Rock, of Fond du Lac, and who is engaged in the commission mercantile busi- ness in Milwaukee; Charles I., of this review; Blanche, the secretary of the Jackson Tiling Company, of Chicago, in which city she makes her home; Oliver, a farmer of Canada, who is married; Angie, the wife of Howard Jones, a real- estate dealer of San Francisco, California; and Eugene, a resident of Fond du Lac.
Charles I. Snow was reared in his father's home and was educated in the public schools of Friendship. At the age of twelve years he was employed by his father in his bakery, in which employment he continued for four years, and then opened a wholesale and retail fruit store in the old Darling block, which business he operated for a period of two years. When the Darling block was torn down he closed out his fruit business and removed to Ripon, where he established himself in the general retail bakery business, in which he continued for two years, and at the end of that time he sold his establishment and re- turned to Fond du Lac, where he was employed in his father's bakery for a number of years, after which he and his brothers, Alfred J. and Arthur J., established themselves in business under the firm name of the Snow Brothers Bakery. The firm continued in the general retail and wholesale bakery busi- ness until 1910, at which time Mr. Snow purchased the entire interests of his brothers in the business and has since operated the business under the name of Snow's Bakery. He owns all of the real estate and building improvements required in the operation of his establishment which occupies a ground space of sixty by two hundred and twenty feet located at 100 West Second street.
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His entire plant is modern and up to date in every department. He has met with gratifying success in his business and the future gives promise of a continu- ous increase in the volume of his output in both the retail and wholesale branches.
Mr. Snow was united in marriage to Miss Celia Freund, of Fond du Lac, who is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Freund. In political matters he is independent in the use of his franchise, having no declared affiliation with any political party. He was a member of Company E, Second Wisconsin National Guard, for three years, at the end of which time he received his honorable dis- charge in 1906. Mr. Snow is one of the successful, well known and highly re- spected citizens of Fond du Lac. He is always interested in every issue affect- ing the interests of the people at large and his influence and help are always to be counted upon in the furtherance of any public issue intended to improve the conditions of the people of his state and county.
W. C. SCHMIDT.
W. C. Schmidt is one of the well known and respected citizens of Fond du Lac county, where for the past twenty-two years he has been in the successful conduct of a cheese factory which he owns in Friendship township. He was born in that township in 1870 and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Schmidt. He was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools in Friendship township. On starting in life for himself he en- gaged in farming and continued to devote his attention to that occupation until 1890. He then opened a cheese factory in Friendship township, with which he has since been identified as owner and proprietor.
Mr. Schmidt is married and has a son, Herbert, who is sixteen years of age. Our subject is affiliated with the democratic party and has fraternal relations with the Maccabees. He is among the well known citizens of his part of the state and is a man who by strict attention to his private affairs and integrity in all matters of business has gained for himself the confidence of the general public, with whom he has constantly come in contact during his business career as a manufacturer and dealer in cheese in Fond du Lac county.
JAMES J. COYNE.
James J. Coyne is one of the highly respected men of Fond du Lac, where he is engaged in the general contracting and building business. He was born in the city of Fond du Lac, and is a son of John and Mary Coyne. His father was a native of Ireland and by occupation was a farmer. In company with his parents he emigrated to America when he was a child but four years of age. At the time of the opening of the Civil war he enlisted in Company C, of the Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. To Mr. and Mrs. John Coyne eight children were born: James J., the subject of this review; Ellen, who is married and resides in Manitowoc; Thomas, of Lamartine, who married Mary O'Connor, of Osceola, this state, by whom he has three children, Ethel, Eldon and Elain ; Anna, residing in Fond du Lac, who became the wife of Thomas Schields and has three children, Lucile, Raymond and Thomas; Matie, who is the wife of John O'Brien and makes her home in Osceola; Kittie, of Fond du Lac, the wife of Fred Bruhausen and the mother of one child, Glenn; and John and Amanda, both of whom are unmarried.
James J. Coyne was reared in his parents' home and educated in the public schools at Lamartine. He remained under the parental roof until he was
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twenty-one years of age, at which time he started in business for himself as a carpenter and continued in the pursuit of his trade for the four succeeding years thereafter. At the age of twenty-five he established himself in the con- tracting and building business and since that time he has devoted his entire attention to that business with the exception of two years in which he was engaged in the grocery business, three years on the police force and two years as city assessor. He has been very successful in his business and is known as one of the most reliable and efficient contractors and builders in Fond du Lac. He is the owner of his residence property located at No. 33 West Arndt street and also owns considerable real-estate property at North Fond du Lac.
Mr. Coyne was united in marriage to Miss Myra Conolly of Lamartine, this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Coyne two children have been born, Margaret and John. He is affiliated with the democratic party and has served two years as alderman of the fourth ward. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and also of the Catholic Foresters. He and Mrs. Coyne are both members of St. Patrick's church of Fond du Lac. Mr. Coyne has for many years been one of the highly respected and successful business men of Fond du Lac. He is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen and always quick to respond to the support of any public measure seeking the advancement and improvement of the people of his community.
THOMAS KING.
Thomas King is one of the many sons of Ireland who are bringing their native confidence and inspiring activity to the cultivation of the soil in Empire township. His father, Patrick King, was the first representative of the family to come to Wisconsin. He was born in Ireland and came to America in early manhood, residing for a time in the state of New York, and subsequently set- tled in Milwaukee in the early days of its municipal development, remaining a resident of that city for three or four years. He was there married to Miss Mary Kiley, a native of Ireland, who came to the United States with her parents, Thomas and Katherine Kiley, who were among the pioneer settlers of Wisconsin. In the early '50s Patrick King removed to Fond du Lac county and settled in the township of Empire, where he bought eighty acres of land entirely covered with timber. He cleared his property and from the lumber secured by cutting down the trees he built for himself a rude log cabin and here all his children were born. He lived upon his land and was active in its operation until his death, at the age of ninety years. His wife still lives upon the home farm and is in the eightieth year of her age. Patrick King was one of the representative and substantial men of his district. His original log cabin was replaced by a modern and convenient frame residence and his holdings were constantly added to at different periods in his career.
His son, Thomas King, was one of a family of nine children. He was born on the old home farm in 1857 and received his education in the district schools of Empire township. He pursued his studies during the winter and worked upon his father's farm during the summer months. When he was eighteen years of age he left Empire township and worked in the northern pine woods for two winters. When he returned to Fond du Lac county he engaged in agriculture in the employ of others and worked at farming by the month for fifteen years. Eventually he purchased forty acres in Forest township and brought to their cultivation all the wealth of personal experience and detailed knowledge of scientific methods of farming which he had acquired during his long period of work as an agriculturist. He added to his original purchase soon afterward by the purchase of twenty adjoining acres and upon this land he built a new frame house, where he resided for many years. By hard work
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and scientific methods of operation Mr. King soon brought his farm to a high state of cultivation. In I911 he sold his property and bought the old Theron Berry farm of one hundred and seventy-nine acres in Empire township, where he now lives. Mr. King is a substantial citizen of Empire and one of its most progressive agriculturalists. His farm is improved to its greatest capacity and is equipped with every modern convenience in the way of machinery. He is becoming more prosperous every year and his success is founded upon hard work and personal effort.
In October, 1894, Mr. King was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Foy, a daughter of Thomas and Bridget Foy, who left Ireland for America in 1848 and settled in Forest township. The father died in 1885, at the age of seventy- one years, and the mother passed away in 1901, when in her fifty-seventh year. They had a family of nine children. To Mr. and Mrs. King have been born four children: Stephen, born June 20, 1896; Adeline, born February 26, 1898; Thomas Francis, born September 17, 1900; and Joseph, who is the young- est in the family. The family are devout adherents of the Roman Catholic faith and are firm believers in its doctrines. They are regular attendants of St. Mary's church in Eden and actively interested in the affairs of that organiza- tion. Politically Mr. King is a democrat in national issues but never allows party lines to influence his convictions in local affairs. He has never been an office seeker but served with great ability as treasurer of school district No. 7, Forest township. In the advancing development of scientific agriculture Thomas King has not been left behind. He is one of the representative citizens of Empire township and has many warm friends in the district where his native buoyancy and hopeful outlook upon the world make him popular wherever he is known.
LEANDER FERGUSON.
Forty years' identification with mercantile interests in Brandon, during which period he has carried on his business along profitable and honorable lines, en- titles Leander Ferguson to be numbered among the representative citizens of Fond du Lac county. Moreover, he has been an influential factor in political circles and his influence has been felt as a progressive element along social and moral lines. He was born in Delaware county, New York, a son of F. P. and Betsey (Landon) Ferguson, who during his childhood removed with their fam- ily to Springvale, Wisconsin. It was there that Leander Ferguson secured his early education in the public schools, later entering upon a course of study in Lawrence College, but his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Civil war. His patriotic spirit aroused, he enlisted as a private in the Thirty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and was promoted to the rank of corporal and afterward to that of sergeant. He was transferred as lieutenant to the Forty- sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and when mustered out was serving with that rank.
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