USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 82
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Following the close of the war Mr. Ferguson returned to Wisconsin and settled on a farm in Waukesha county, where he followed agricultural pursuits for nine years. On the expiration of that period he established his home in Brandon and opened a general mercantile store, with which he has been connected for forty years, enjoying throughout the period well deserved and continuous prosperity. He is a careful and conservative buyer; his stock is always at- tractively and tastefully arranged; his prices are reasonable and his dealings honorable. Those qualities have combined in winning for him his reputation as a leading merchant of Fond du Lac county and he is widely and favorably Vol. II-35
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known in the city of his residence, where his efforts have been an important factor in promoting commercial progress.
On the 6th of September, 1866, Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage in Brandon to Miss Harriet H. Foster, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Foster. Her father came from England to America about 1835 and followed farming in Waukesha county, this state, for a number of years, but afterward removed to Brandon, becoming the first general merchant of the village. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson had one son who died in infancy and they are now rearing and edu- cating an adopted daughter, Annie R.
In politics Mr. Ferguson is a consistent republican and in various capaci- ties has served his fellow citizens as an official, being at different times super- visor, assessor and village clerk. That he is a recognized leader in political circles is indicated by the fact that for six years he was a member of the repub- lican state central committee. Over the record of his official career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, and he has been identified with va- rious wholesome and purifying reforms which have been growing in the polit- ical life of the age. He is prominent in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, acting as chaplain and mustering officer and department commander for the state of Wisconsin. He belongs to the Methodist church and is widely known in religious circles, serving as delegate to the general conference of his church and in many ways promoting its interests and its upbuilding. His ex- emplary public and private character has gained him the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. Success has come to him in business, as well as in public life, and both have been won through intelligently directed effort, supplemented by a high conception of and faithful performance of duty.
HENRY SCHERER.
Henry Scherer, who is one of the highly respected citizens of Fond du Lac, has for many years been the proprietor of the Fond du Lac File Works, located at 112 West Johnson street, of this city. He is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred in that country on March 20, 1836, and is the only child born to his parents, Henry and Kathryn (Bicking) Scherer, both natives of that country. The father died in his native land in 1845, at the age of thirty-seven, and the mother passed away in 1884, at the age of eighty-two years.
Henry Scherer was reared and educated in his father's home in Germany and in early life was employed in a gristmill, in which occupation he continued for six years, after which he was engaged at various kinds of employment until he was nineteen years of age. In the year 1855, in company with his mother, he emigrated to America, first taking up his abode in Albany, New York, where he learned the business which he has since followed as a means of livelihood. He remained in Albany until 1866 and then came to Fond du Lac, where he established himself in the file business, in which he has since engaged.
Mr. Scherer has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Eliza M. Wells, of Troy, New York, whom he wedded on March 28, 1860. To that union nine children were born, seven of whom survive, namely: Nicholas, of Fond du Lac; Katie, of New York; Henry and Charles, both of whom reside in Fond du Lac; Millie, of Milwaukee; Lena, of Oak Creek, Colorado; and Louis, of Fond du Lac. The mother of these children passed to her reward beyond, many years ago, and some time after her demise Mr. Scherer was again married, one child, Clara, being born of the second union.
Mr. Scherer gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is a loyal and consistent adherent of that political organization, and for four terms served as town supervisor. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order
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and also is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a respected and enterprising citizen of Fond du Lac, highly esteemed by his friends and known among all his business acquaintances as a man of strict integrity in all business transactions.
O. A. NICHOLS.
O. A. Nichols, who is living on the old Hayes homestead in Eden town- ship, in the cultivation of which he has been actively engaged for the past nine years; was born in Iowa in December, 1874. His parents are J. W. and Han- nah Maria Nichols, the father being also a native of Iowa.
O. A. Nichols has been a resident of Wisconsin since 1895. The year after his arival in this state he was married and subsequently located on a farm near Byron, which he cultivated until 1903, when he took charge of the farm where he is now living in Eden township, and has ever since devoted his ener- gies to its further improvement and cultivation.
The lady who has borne the name of Mrs. Nichols since 1896 was formerly Miss Estelle Hayes, and is a daughter of Quimby Hayes, one of the pioneers of Fond du Lac county. Mr. Hayes was born and reared in Ohio, but in 1846 he came to Wisconsin and soon thereafter bought a tract of timberland in Eden township. He subsequently erected thereon a log cabin in which the family resided in those early years when he was laboriously engaged in clearing his land and placing it under cultivation. As he prospered he provided better ac- commodations for his family and later erected a modern residence in which Mrs. Nichols was born. He was one of the public-spirited, enterprising men of the pioneer period and took an active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. He was clerk of the school district for many years and also served as justice of the peace and was postmaster during the early days. He lived to attain the venerable age of eighty-five years, sixty-two of which had been passed in Fond du Lac county, where his death occurred in August, 1908. His wife, whose maiden name was Christina Smith, is a native of the state of New York, whence she came to Wisconsin with her parents in early life. She is now sixty-eight years of age and continues to make her home in the farm where she passed the entire period of her married life. To Mr. and Mrs. Nichols there have been born two children, Gladys and Irving, who are attending school.
EDGAR A. WRIGHT.
Edgar A. Wright is one of the owners and proprietors of the Fond du Lac Paper Box Company. This company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of paper boxes and since the date of its establishment in 1909 has continued to do a very successful and constantly increasing business. He was born in Cherokee, Iowa, July 19, 1884, and is the son of J. B. and Jennie (Pulver) Wright. His father is a native of Illinois and his mother of Indiana and to them four children were born: Edgar A., the subject of this review; Clar- ence, who married Miss Mabel M. May, of Rockford, Illinois, in which city they reside; Nellie, who is the wife of Stephen Julian and they reside in Ogle county, Illinois, where Mr. Julian is engaged in the operation of a farm; and Bessie, who lives in Rockford, Illinois.
Edgar A. Wright was reared in his parents' home and educated in the public schools of Rockford, completing his studies in the high school of that city. At the age of eighteen he started in life for himself in the paper box busi-
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ness and later he pursued a course of studies for a year and a half in the Rock- ford Business College, after which he was engaged as an employe in various paper box factories for seven successive years. In 1909 he removed to Fond du Lac where in copartnership with his brother Clarence, he organized and es- tablished the Fond du Lac Paper Box Company. This manufacturing plant was modest in its beginning, employing during the first year only three skilled laborers in taking care of its volume of business. It has grown continuously since the day on which its doors were first opened until now it requires fifteen laborers to take care of its regular and growing trade. At present the Fond du Lac Paper Box Company is a closed corporation, the members of which are Edgar A. Wright, Clarence L. Wright and Matthew Zehren. The factory, ware- houses and salesroom are located at No. 180 North Main street, in Fond du Lac.
Edgar A. Wright chose as his partner in life, Miss Marion Romig, of Chi- cago, a daughter of Dr. B. B. Romig. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wright one child has been born, Helen M. Mr. Wright is affiliated with the republican party and is a member of the Order of Buffaloes, of Fond du Lac. Both he and his wife belong to the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Wright is a member of the board of trustees. He is one of the highly respected and representative citizens of Fond du Lac county and is known to be a man of strict integrity and uprightness of character. His influence and assistance are always avail- able in the promotion of any enterprise of public interest seeking the advance- ment of the people in his state and county.
LINUS G. MATHEWS.
General farming and stock-raising claim the attention of Linus G. Mathews who is pleasantly situated on a farm on section 22, Metomen township. His birth occurred in Alto township, this county, October 14, 1855, his parents being Horatio and Olive (Avery) Mathews. Both were of Puritan descent and the father was born in Canada in 1825, while the mother's birth occurred in Bennington, New York, in 1827. The father was yet an infant when taken by his parents to the Empire state, where he lived until 1844, when he made his way westward to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and entered from the government a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Alto township. A year later he returned to New York and was married, after which he brought his bride to Wisconsin, settling upon the farm which he had taken to develop and which he made his home until 1860. He then sold that property and bought forty acres on Round prairie, where his son, Linus G. Mathews, now lives. To this holding he kept adding from time to time as his financial resources increased until he was the owner of two hundred and twenty acres. He died upon the old homestead April II, 1912, and his widow is still living there with her son Linus. There were but two children in the family, a son Amos dying when a young man.
Liberal educational opportunities were afforded Linus G. Mathews who finished a course in Ripon College and afterward pursued a commercial course in Daggett College at Oshkosh. He always made his home with his parents, assisting his father more and more in the work of the farm as he advanced in strength and years. His practical experience and training well qualified him to at length take charge of the place which he is now carefully managing. He carries on both general farming and stock-raising, cultivating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and raising good grades of various kinds of stock. He has fourteen head of graded Holstein cows used for dairy purposes. He also has business interests outside of farming, being a shareholder in an oil
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well in California and also one of the stockholders of the Alto Telephone Company ..
In 1880 Linus G. Mathews was married to Miss Hattie Wood, a daughter of Edward and Selina (Brown) Wood, both of whom were natives of New York and were of English descent. Coming to Wisconsin Mrs. Mathews' parents settled on a tract of land in Alto township, Fond du Lac county, but afterward sold that farm and removed to Ripon, Wisconsin, where the father established an implement store. Both he and his wife remained residents of Ripon until their life's labors were ended in death. Their family numbered three children: Seth H., who is a painter and decorator of the state of Wash- ington ; Mrs. Mathews, who was born in Ripon, September I, 1857, and died September 22, 1903; and May, the wife of Jess Farnsworth, street commissioner of Ripon. The children of Mr. Mathews are Lee G. and Harry. The former was born December 22, 1883, and completed a course in the Brandon high school, after which he attended the normal school at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the State University at Madison. The younger son, born March 14, 1894, is at home.
Linus G. Mathews is a member of the Farmers Fraternal Union and in politics is a democrat. Rather than play an important part in public affairs he has preferred to concentrate his time and energies upon his business interests and through his close application and capable management has won a gratifying measure of success, ranking with the representative farmers of the district.
JOHN W. IMMEL.
John W. Immel, president of the Immel Construction Company and also of the Vulcan Manufacturing Company, has for several years been successfully and prominently identified with the building interests of Fond du Lac. He was born in Empire, this county, on the 2d of July, 1872, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Smith) Immel. The father was born and reared in Germany, where he passed eighteen years of his life, before he emigrated to the United States, locating in Wisconsin. Here ten years later, at the age twenty-eight, he was married to Miss Smith, also a native of Germany, and to them were born eleven children : Elizabeth, Henrietta, Frank M., Irma, Louis, Henry, Margaret, John W., Katherine, Hannah and Mamie. The father passed away on the 15th of February, 1888, at the age of sixty-three years and seven months, but the mother is still living and continues to make her home in this city.
John W. Immel, who is the youngest son and eighth in order of birth, re- ceived his education in the public schools of his native town. He terminated his school days at the age of thirteen and for two years thereafter assisted his father with the operation of the home farm. At the expiration of that time he learned the trades of masonry and carpentry, which he followed for eighteen months after completing his period of service, before he came to Fond du Lac. He was a good mechanic and after coming here he engaged in the contracting and building business. As he was efficient and thoroughly reliable he rapidly built up a good trade, and continued in this line until 1909. In the latter year he and his brother, Henry J., became associated with C. A. Lyneis and H. J. Kleineschay in the organization of the Immel Construction Company. H. J. Im- mel is vice president of this concern; C. A. Lyneis, secretary ; and H. J. Kleine- schay, treasurer. Although this enterprise has only been in active opera- tion since 1910, they are being favored with many important contracts and have every reason to feel gratified with the progress they have made. In February, 19II, Mr. Immel further extended the scope of his activities by the organization of the Vulcan Manufacturing Company. He is also president of this enterprise,
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while Peter Hoffman is the vice president and W. Anderson is the secretary and treasurer. They engage in the manufacture of structural steel and con- crete forms of every description and also steam boilers. As the products of their plant are of a good quality and are offered at reasonable terms they are developing a large local trade, that gives them every reason to feel assured of continued prosperity for this enterprise.
Mr. Immel married Miss Irma Boehm of this city and they have one daugh- ter, Leona K. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Immel is affiliated with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Equitable Fraternal Union. He is also a member of the Business Men's Club and served for four years as a member of the board of aldermen.
John W. Immel is in every sense of the word a self-made man, as he began his career when little more than a boy and has through energy and diligence advanced himself until he stands high in the regard of business men, having proven himself to be absolutely responsible and upright in the discharge of his private and public duties and worthy of the utmost confidence.
BERNARD CLARK.
Bernard Clark is farming eighty acres of land on section 32, Eden township, and has attained a gratifying degree of success in his agricultural operations. He was born in a log cabin on his father's farm in Eden township, on April 4, 1874. His parents were James and Rose (Newcomb) Clark, natives of Ire- land. The father was the first representative of the family to come to America. He left his native country in his early manhood and crossed the Atlantic to New York state, where he engaged as a farm hand at a salary of six dollars per month. While there he was married to Miss Newcomb, who had made the journey to America alone with the intention of joining her brothers. James Clark established his residence in Fond du Lac county in the early '50s and soon afterward bought some government land in Eden township which he cleared, cultivated and improved during the remainder of his life. His original pur- chase consisted of eighty acres but he was constantly adding to his holdings and upon his death in June, 1880, he was proprietor of two hundred and forty-six acres of the finest and most highly improved land in Fond du Lac county.
Bernard Clark was one of a family of nine children. He has never left his native section of the country and has carried on agricultural activities in the vicinity of the home farm since he started in life for himself. He was educated in the district schools of Eden township but his attendance was irregular. He pursued his studies during the winter months and in intervals when his assist- ance was not required upon the farm. He remained with his father and assisted in his agricultural labors until his marriage. He then purchased his present farm of eighty acres on section 32, Eden township and has since assiduously applied himself to its improvement and development. He brings to his agricul- ture a practical working knowledge of its many details and a thorough efficiency which insure his success. He is responsible for all the improvements made upon his land and has given his entire time and attention to transforming from a com- paratively wild section of the country, a flourishing, prosperous and model farm.
In 1901 Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Harlan, a daugh- ter of Thomas Harlan. To their union have been born four children: Mary, Thomas, Rosa, and John. The family hold membership in the St. James' Cath- olic church of Eden and are regular attendants at its services.
Mr. Clark has been successful from the beginning of his career. He learned the rudiments of agriculture by personal experience and hard work upon his father's acres and became acquainted at an early date with the most approved
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methods of soil cultivation and with the details necessary to the management of an up-to-date farm. He has devoted his entire time to agriculture and has . attained the degree of success which is inseparable from an intelligent and spe- cialized industry.
HERMAN BERGMAN.
Herman Bergman is engaged in general farming on section 1, Eldorado town- ship. It was upon this farm that he was born in 1872, a son of August and Helen (Schulz) Bergman, both of whom were natives of Germany. On coming to America the father made his way westward to Wisconsin and cast his lot with the pioneer settlers of Fond du Lac county, purchasing land from the gov- ernment at the nominal price of two dollars per acre. He began the work of clearing and developing the land and converted the wild tract into productive fields. He was closely associated with farming interests here up to the time of his death which occurred in 1909. His wife still survives and lives on the old home place. In their family were five sons, Herman, Ernest, Fred, Henry and Otto.
At the usual age Herman Bergman entered public school and therein pur- sued his education, his time being divided between his schoolbooks and the plow for at an early age he began work in the fields. After leaving school he gave his undivided attention to farming and he and his brother Ernest, twenty- six years of age, are still living on the old homestead with their mother. They have here a good tract of land constituting a well developed farm for they practice modern methods and utilize the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. The father and sons erected all the buildings upon the place and have made all the improvements. In addition to his share in this property Herman Bergman owns eighty acres in Friendship township. His has been an active, busy and useful life, quietly passed in the work of the farm, and that his methods are founded on good judgment is manifest in the success which has attended his labors.
In his political views Mr. Bergman is a republican, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He attends the Lutheran church and is well known throughout the community where his entire life has been passed and where he has so directed his labors as not only to win a fair measure of prosperity but also the high regard and friendship of those with whom he has been brought in contact.
ADELBERT BRUNET.
Adelbert Brunet, who is lieutenant of Company E, Second Wisconsin Na- tional Guard and a veteran of the Spanish-American war, has for the past three years been discharging the duties of game warden in Fond du Lac. He is a native of this city, his birth having here occurred on the 24th of September, 1873. His father, Gideon Brunet, was born in Canada in 1830. The mother, whose maiden name was Minnie Bastien, was also a native of Canada, and died in Fond du Lac in 1897. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Brunet, our subject being the fourth in order of birth, the others being Josephine, Ferdinand, Oliver, Leona, Horrine, Alphonso, Olympia, Joseph and Marie.
Adelbert Brunet was reared in this city and pursued his education in the graded and high schools until he was a youth of seventeen years. He then laid aside his text-books and became self-supporting and for six years thereafter
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was employed in the sawmills of this vicinity. He next learned the machinist's ·trade, which he followed for thirteen years, being employed in the railroad shops of this city during the greater part of that time. He resigned his position in 1909 and on the 28th of October of that year was appointed state game war- den and has ever since been discharging the duties of that office. At the open- ing of the Spanish-American war, Mr. Brunet, who was a member of the Sec- ond Wisconsin National Guard, went to the front with Company E. They left this city for Camp Harvey, at 8:30 p. m., April 28, 1898, and on the 12th of May, entered the United States service. Three days later they left for Camp Thomas at Chickamauga Park, Georgia. On the 5th of July, fifty of their com- pany left for Charleston, South Carolina, and four days later they were followed by the remainder. On the 20th of that month they sailed for Porto Rico on the transport Grand Duchess, arriving there eight days later. The same day they set sail for Ponce, where they arrived on the 29th and started for the interior. On August 6 they had a skirmish at Coamo and on the 27th of the same month returned to Ponce, and on September I, set sail for home, arriving in New York September 7 and in Fond du Lac at 4 p. m., September 10. Mr. Brunet was made corporal of his company on the 28th of November, 1898, and on August 5, of the following year, was promoted to sergeant. On the 7th of December. 1904, he was made second lieutenant and on January 26, 1908, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.
On the 12th of June, 1900, Mr. Brunet was united in marriage to Miss Phil- lipine Bruederle, who was born in this city on the 3Ist of March, 1878, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Thuerwachter) Bruederle. The father is a cabi- net-maker.
Mr. and Mrs. Brunet are members of the Roman Catholic church and fra- ternally he is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and his political allegiance he gives to such men and measures as he deems of the greatest benefit to the interests of the majority.
OTTO S. FENNER.
Otto S. Fenner is now residing in his beautiful brick house situated in the midst of his broad acres of finely cultivated land, and is enjoying the fruits of a life of active industry and achievement. He was born in Dodge county, Wiscon- sin, November 25, 1860, and is a son of Ferdinand and Wilhelmina (Trader) Fenner. His father was born in Germany in 1829 and followed the trade of brick-maker during the summer months and tailor in the winter. He left his native country in 1856 and came to Wisconsin with his family. He is still living in Fond du Lac, having long survived his wife, who died in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Fenner were the parents of seven children, four of whom are still living: Otto S., the subject of this sketch; Ferdinand, who married Sarah Ehart, of Lomira, by whom he has three children; Emma, the wife of Edward Knop, of Fond du Lac; and Minnie, the wife of William Zinske, of Fond du Lac, who also has three children.
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