History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 128

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

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John Rauchenstein, a successful agriculturist and dairyman of Stanley Township, was born on the farm where he still lives in Section 4, on Jan. 16, 1886, the son of Rudolph H. and Barbara (Markle) Rauchenstein, the pioneers. He grew to manhood on the home place, attended school in the neighborhood, and learned farming from his father. In 1913, when his mother died, he took over the management of the old homestead and has since continued to operate it. He has continued the improvements and has installed modern machinery, including a milking machine. As the father of children he has been interested in education, and like his father before him, has served on the school board of his district. He has been especially active in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Rice Lake, and is now a member of its official board. In all things he is a good citizen and a good farmer, and stands well with all who know him. He was married on June 11, 1913 to Edna Solum, the daughter of Edward and Katherine Solum of this township, and they have four children: Alice, Edward, Elma and Evelyn.

John Bachleda, a respected farmer of Section 17, Stanley Township, was born in Poland of good old Polish stock. He was reared there and learned the blacksmith's trade which he followed for many years while living on a farm. He married Anna Holly, the daughter of a neighbor, and they had a good family of six children: John, Joseph (born Feb. 18, 1883), Ed., Frank, Emil (born Feb. 22, 1897), and Antonia. The first of the family to come to America was the oldest son, John, who settled in Pennsylvania. He was joined about 1903 by Joseph. Later Ed joined the other two. In 1908 the subject of this sketch, his wife and two sons, Frank and Emil, came to this country, leaving the daughter, Antonia, in Poland. They settled on a tract of 80 acres in Section 17, Stanley Township, this county. The land had been cut over, about 14 acres had been cleared and cultivated, and a shack, 14 by 16 feet had been erected. Here they started farming. A little later Frank started out for himself. In 1911 Joseph came from Pennsylvania and took up his home with his parents. The two young men, Joseph and Emil, now operate the place and live with their . mother. They have cleared, cultivated and fenced the land, they have erected good buildings, and are successfully carrying on general farming and stock raising. Both young men stand well in the community, they have many friends and are well liked, and they believe in taking their share in everything that has for its object the best interests of the township and county. They are good

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farmers, energetic and hard working, and have great faith in the future of this part of the state. The family faith is that of the Roman Catholic Church.

Sever O. Mauseth, pioneer business man of Cameron, and still a leading merchant, was born in Norway May 8, 1859, the son of Ole and Gertrude Mau- seth, and the youngest of seven children. He was educated on a farm in his native land and early determined to devote his life to mercantile pursuits. With this object in view he went to Christiansund, the city nearest his home, and became a clerk in a store. In 1880 he started for America to join his brother, Nils, who had a homestead in North Dakota. He reached Breckinridge in that state, safely, and with several others walked twenty miles through mud and water across the prairie to the neighborhood where his brother lived. For a while he worked on farms there and then worked for the railroad. That fall he came to Wisconsin and found his way to Cumberland, in this county. From there he started to Eau Claire. In Baldwin, in St. Croix County, he found a place where he could work for his board and attend school, thus improving his knowledge of English. The next summer he worked as clerk in a store in Baldwin. From there he went to Minneapolis and became clerk in a carpet establishment. In the meantime he kept up a correspondence with Lars Roe, who had been a friend of his in Norway, and who, upon coming to America, had located at Porters Mills in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. At Mr. Roe's sug- gestion, Mr. Mauseth joined him at Porters Mills and entered the employ of the Northwestern Lumber Co. in their store there. Soon he was made the general manager. After some nine years in this employ his health failed and he took an extended trip to Seattle, Wash. Upon his return he entered the employ of the Northwestern Lumber Co. once more, this time in their office. In 1891 he and his old friend, Lars Roe, formed a partnership under the firm name of Mau- seth & Roe, and opened a general store in Cameron. Both partners were men of stability and character, they were thorough business men, they knew how to serve the public, and their success was assured from the start. They took Ole Roe, a brother of Lars Roe, as a third partner, and reorganized the concern as Mauseth, Roe & Co. Their success continued on a still larger scale. In 1898 Mr. Mauseth and Ole Roe bought out Lars' interests and the firm again became Mauseth & Roe. They continued together until March 1, 1913 when Mr. Mau- seth bought out his partner and has continued as sole proprietor since. The store is one of the leading mercantile establishments in this part of the county and handles a fine line of everything that is usually found in such places. The customers come from miles around, and all are assured of the fairest treatment in every way. On March 30, 1916, his store building was entirely destroyed by fire. Immediately afterward he began the erection of his present building, 40 by 90 feet with full basement. Mr. Mauseth is one of the real leaders in the community. When the village of Cameron was organized he was a member of its first board of trustees, and he continued to serve as trustee until 1920, when he was elected president. Before the village was. incorporated he was clerk of Stanley Township for a long period of years. He was also clerk of the school board for several terms. When the Bank of Cameron was organized he was made vice president, which he held for about three years. He helped to organ- ize the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Cameron and has served as its secretary and also as one of its trustees. All in all he is a useful man whose story is written as a part of the history of the county. He has done his share as a good citizen in every respect, and his influence has ever been for the things that are best. As a citizen, as a business man, and as a public official, he has been faithful to every duty of life. Mr. Mauseth was married Sept. 20, 1884, at Eau Claire, Wis., to Marie Simenson, who was born in Norway on Sept. 4, 1860, the daughter of Simon and (Marit) Simenson. In the family there are seven children: Geneva, Mabel, Walter, Oliver, Mildred (deceased), Viola and Val- borg. All have been given higher educations and all are a credit to their par- ents and their home training. Geneva lives in Minneapolis. She has been a teacher and school principal. Mabel is the wife of J. E. Hendrickson, of

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Minneapolis, cashier in the office of the American Railway Express Co., there. Walter is also employed by that company at Minneapolis. Oliver is a school superintendent. Viola is attending the college of St. Olaf. Valborg is a high school student at Cameron.

Frank Draak, retired farmer of Sections 33 and 34, Stanley Township, now living in Cameron, was born in Germany, April 14, 1865, one of the four chil- dren of Carl Draak. The mother died in 1869. Frank was reared on a farm in Germany and there lived to adult years. He came to America in 1888 and found his way to Barron County, where he worked in the woods, in mills, and on the railroads. In 1898 he bought 80 acres of wild land in Sections 33 and 34, but little developed and with but an old shack on the place. He moved into this shack with his bride and they started homemaking. They were in debt, they had but little in the way of furniture and farm equipment, and for a while they had to practice many denials. But as the years passed they won prosperity. Their shack was replaced first by a log cabin and later by a frame house. The farm was gradually improved until about half was cleared and under cultiva- tion. In 1918, after long years of hard work, they retired and moved to Cam- eron, where they are reaping the well-deserved rewards of a useful life. Mr. Draak was married at Sumner on Aug. 29, 1896, to Elizabeth Pieper, who was born in Germany, April 26, 1872, the daughter of August and Henrietta (Bortz) Pieper of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Draak have had three children: Edith, now Mrs. Carl Wetzel of Maple Grove Township; Esther of Eau Claire, and Maynard, a bright boy and the pride of his parents' hearts, who died at the age of thirteen years. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran Church.

John E. Mckain, a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and now proprie- tor of a barber shop in Barron, was born in Tomah, Monroe County, Wis., Feb. 7, 1872, son of Moses and Margaret (Brown) McKain. The parents were natives of Ireland who came to America in the early fifties and settled in Ver- mont where Moses McKain worked as a herdsman until 1866. He then came to Monroe County, Wisconsin, where he secured a homestead of 40 acres on which he farmed until he moved to Tomah, where he died in 1910, and where his wife still resides. In the family there were six children : Bessie (deceased), James (deceased), Elizabeth, John E., Euphemia and Margaret. John E. re- ceived his early education in his native city and then learned the barber's trade. In 1891 he went to Superior, Wis., but after a year returned to Tomah, and from there went to Neilsville. From the days of his youth he was inter- ested in military affairs and in all served for ten years in Company K, 3rd Regiment, W. N. G. As a member of this company in 1898 he was inducted into the United States' service in the Spanish-American war as a sergeant. He trained at Chickamauga and Charlestown and saw active service in Porto Rico. In 1900 he opened a barber shop at West Salen, Wis., which he continued for fifteen years. Then he came to Barron and bought a half interest in the shop of D. D. Page. He opened a shop in the First National Bank building in 1917. In December, 1921, he moved into his present place in the Hulbert building. Here he has one of the finest and best equipped barber shops in Barron County, fully equipped with all new and sanitary furnishings. Three chairs are main- tained, and two licensed barbers, besides Mr. McKain, are in attendance, every attention being given to the patrons. John E. McKain was married May 31, 1911, to Ida Anderson, who was born June 17, 1883, daughter of John and Clara (Berg) Anderson. This union has been blessed with three children: Beatrice M., born May 6, 1912; Edward J., born Oct. 25, 1913, and La Verne S., born May 10, 1917.

Ole O. Jorstad, early settler of Rice Lake and Stanley Townships, now liv- ing retired in Cameron, was born in Norway April 8, 1851, oldest of the ten chil- dren of Ole and Martha Jorstad, who were natives of Norway, and spent their latter years in St. Croix County, this state. He was reared and educated in his native land, and there grew to adult years. In 1868 he came to the United

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States, found his way to Menomonie, in Dunn County, this state, and there identified himself with the lumbering industry. At first he worked in the mills there. Then for eighteen winters he was cook in lumber camps throughout this part of the state. He married in 1873, and he and his wife took a home- stead of 160 acres in Rice Lake Township, this county. He built a log cabin and started farming with a team of oxen and two cows. But this region proved too lonely for his wife who was left alone winters. There were almost no neighbors, travel in the cold season was almost entirely suspended, and the Indians still swarmed about in large numbers. So they moved to Stanley Township where they secured 160 acres in Section 17. There they developed a good farm. Mr. Jorstad took a deep interest in the affairs of the township and served three years as town supervisor and six years as town treasurer, in addition to many terms on the school board. He also held office in the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Cameron. In 1916, after a long and useful career on the farm, he and his wife retired and moved to Cameron where they now live. They are well regarded, they have reared a good family, and they delight in keeping their hospitable home always open to their friends and neighbors. Mr. Jorstad was married March 9, 1873, to Frederica Frederickson, who was born Dec. 22, 1863, the daughter of Lars and Gunhild (Olson) Frederickson, who came to America in the late sixties and secured 160 acres of wild land in Section 28, Stanley Township, being the first white settlers in that vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. Jorstad have had nine children : Marie, Albert, William Arthur, Thomas Edgar, Hannah Amelia, Hulda Wal- borg and Floyd Oswald, living; and George Lien and Florence Louise who died in infancy. Marie is the wife of Eugene Nehls, of Phillips, Wis. Albert lives in Rice Lake, Wis. William Arthur is operating the home farm. Thomas Edgar farms in Stanley Township. Hannah Amelia is the wife of C. H. Museus of Cameron. Hulda Walborg is at home. Floyd Oswald is an electrical engineer in New York.

Henry August Steltzner, one of the real pioneers of Stanley Township, was born in Switzerland July 24. 1830, and was there reared and educated and grew to adult years. He learned the carpenter's trade as a youth and followed this in his native land for some years. In 1868 he came to the United States and followed his trade in La Crosse, La Crosse County, this state. For a few months he worked in Minnesota and then again returned to La Crosse. From there he went to Buffalo, Buffalo County, this state, then to Eau Claire, in Eau Claire County, and then to Menomonie, in Dunn County. In 1870 he secured a homestead of 160 acres in Section 4, Stanley Township. This was then all wild land. He built a log cabin and started clearing up the place. At first he had little to work with except his hands and a few tools. His first cows were raised from calves for him by a neighbor. A little while after he arrived he secured an ox team. He prospered with the years and in time developed a good farm. To his original tract he added 80 acres more, making a good place of 240 acres, one of the largest in the neighborhood. He erected good frame buildings, some of which were the work of his own hands. For many years he successfully carried on general farming and dairying. He became one of the leading men of his community. He was honest and upright in every respect and was held in high esteem and regard. For some years he was assessor of his township, and he also served on the school board for many terms. His death, June 18, 1893, was sincerely mourned by all who knew him. He was a good citizen, a loving husband and a kind father, and exerted a good influence over all with whom he came in contact. Mr. Steltzner was married Aug. 14, 1875, to Mary Becker, who was born in Dodge County, Wisconsin, Oct. 14, 1856, the daughter of Peter and Magdalena (Weiser) Becker, natives of Ger- many and early settlers of that county. Mrs. Steltzner still lives on the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Steltzner had nine children: Peter, August, Magdalena, Christian, Andrew, Louis W., living; and Henry, Lucy and Elizabeth, deceased. Louis W. Steltzner, a hard-working farmer of Section 4, Stanley Town-

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MR. AND MRS. HENRY AUGUST STELTZNER

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ship, is a native of this county, born on the place where he still resides, Aug. 22, 1889, the son of Henry and Mary (Becker) Steltzner, the pioneers. He was reared here, attended school in the neighborhood and was graduated from the Rice Lake High School. He lost his father when he was a small boy, and ac- cordingly he early took over the responsibilities of the home farm and now conducts it and makes a home for his mother. He carries on general farming and stock raising and makes a specialty of Jersey cows and Duroc swine. Like his father before him he stands well in the community and is well liked by all who know him.

Simon B. Severson, retired farmer now living in Cameron, was born in Norway March 1, 1872, the son of Bjorn and Ronghild Severson, the name originally being spelled Syverson. Of the eight children in the family, Simon B. was the sixth. He received his early education in his native country, grew up on the farm, and was a youth of seventeen when in 1889, with his father and mother, two brothers, John and Thomas, and one sister, Bertha, he came to Maple Grove Township where the family joined an older brother, Sever, who had come over some five years previous. After the family got located, Simon B. went to work in Barron. In 1891 he bought a farm in Section 24, Maple Grove Township which he cleared to some extent. He bought another place of 88 acres in Section 18 in the same township in 1900. An old building stood on the place and some of the land had been cleared. To this place he brought his bride and here they started homemaking. As time passed he erected a good set of buildings and developed a good farm. There he successfully farmed for over seventeen years. In this long period he became one of the best-known men in the community and was a man of considerable influence and importance among his friends. In 1918 he retired and moved to Cameron. At one time he was a trustee of the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Maple Grove, now the New Scandinavian Church. Mr. Severson was married May 10, 1902 to Inge- borg Ingebretson, who was born in Norway Sept. 29, 1874, the daughter of In- gebret and Juran Arneson. The mother died in Norway, and the father, with his daughter Ingeborg, came to the United States in 1890, and died in Minne- sota. Mr. and Mrs. Severson have five children, all born on the farm in Maple Grove Township: Rena, March 12, 1904; Elmer, August 20, 1905; Jennie, Aug. 30, 1908; Olger, Feb. 27, 1910, and Stena, Jan. 26, 1916.

Charles E. Bartlett, implement and machinery dealer, former postmaster of Cameron and former village, town and school official, has been a leader in business, public and fraternal affairs for many years, and is one of the most useful citizens of this region. In official life in the village he has been presi- dent, trustee and clerk. In the township he has been clerk. In the school dis- trict he served in a similar capacity nearly twenty years. In fraternal circles he has been clerk of the local Woodmen for nearly twenty years, and of the local Yeomen for eight years, and he is also a popular member of the Masons, Odd Fellows and Beavers. He was born Dec. 11, 1871, in Bloomer, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, son of Nathan H. and Lucinda (Chrystal) Bartlett, who brought him to Cameron when he was ten years of age. He attended the schools of Chippewa and Barron Counties and supplemented this with a thor- ough course in Chippewa Falls Business College. His early years, in addition to pursuing his education, were spent on the farm. In 1892 he purchased 100 acres in Stanley Township, this county, where he farmed for two years. He took up his permanent home in Cameron in 1894. He worked three years in the implement business for M. C. Howard, three years scaling logs in the lumber camps, and was two years in the employ of the Plano Harvester Co., after which he engaged in the flour, feed and farm produce business for several years. He was appointed postmaster in 1903 and served efficiently for ten years. Upon his retirement in 1913 he purchased the hardware and implement business of Ed. Post. He has disposed of the hardware department and still carries on the sale of farm implements and machinery on an increasing scale. He has an excellent stock of goods and has the confidence of the entire com-

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munity, as it is known throughout this region that his dealings are always marked by the utmost fairness. Mr. Bartlett was married at Cameron, Sept. 5, 1895, to Annie C. Christiansen, who was born in Christiana, Norway, daugh- ter of Emil and Ann Christiansen, who brought her to America in 1879 and located in Polk County, this state, coming later to Cameron where the father died in 1911, after which the mother moved to Hudson where she died in 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett have four children : Arthur W., born April 3, 1897; Orpha, Feb. 26, 1899; Harold C., March 6, 1900, and Roy M., born May 1, 1903. Arthur served in the intelligence department with the 86th Division in France. Harold C. was enrolled in the S. A. T. C. at the University of Wisconsin in 1918-19. Roy M. has been serving in the U. S. Navy since November, 1920.

Ludwig Tonn, retired farmer, is one of the estimable citizens of Cameron, has made his way from early boyhood by his own efforts and stands well among all who know him. He was born in Germany Jan. 24, 1850, and lost both his parents when he was a child only six years old. He was taken by strangers and reared to young boyhood. In his early teens, however, he began to shift for himself. In 1881, having in the meanwhile married, he decided to better his fortunes in the new world. Accordingly, he set out with his wife and children. He found his way to Chippewa Falls, this state, and leaving his family there walked to Sumner Township, Barron County, where he took a claim. As soon as he had a cabin erected his family joined him. Later he found employment with Knapp, Stout & Co., laboring in the woods in the winter and working on their farms in the summer. Still later he moved to Cameron and found em- ployment at railroad work. As means permitted he bought seventy acres of partly improved land adjoining the village. He remodeled the house, ren- ovated the barn, erected other buildings, made general improvements and there carried on farming along successful lines for many years. In 1918 he turned the management of the place over to his two oldest sons, Albert and William, who are conducting it along modern lines and winning for themselves a good place in the community as hard-working, competent, intelligent and progressive young men. Mr. Tonn is a man whose opinions are valued and for two years he did good work on the town board. He and his family attend the German Lutheran Church. Mr. Tonn was married in Germany to Caroline Pieper, and they have four children : Albert, William, Lillie and August. Albert and Wil- liam, as noted, live with their parents and carry on the home farm. Lillie lives at Minot, N. D., the wife of W. F. Cox, a railroad conductor. August married Florence Garrett, daughter of Frank and Sarah Garrett of Barron, and has two children, Harold and Ariel.

Christian Eng, now deceased, for many years a substantial citizen of Sec- tion 27, Stanley Township, was born in Norway Nov. 7, 1850, and was there reared and educated. He learned the foundry trade in his youth and was mar- ried in his native country and there had three children. For the sake of this family he decided to seek his fortunes in the new world. Accordingly he came to America in 1880, leaving his wife and children in Norway. The first summer he spent in Minnesota. Then he came to Wisconsin and spent a winter in the woods. In the spring of 1881 he bought a piece of land in Section 27 and brought his family here. The land was then all wild. The family moved into a small log cabin and for a while he continued working outside. Then he de- cided to devote most of his attention to the farm. He began clearing the land and continued until he had about 80 acres under cultivation. In the meantime he worked for some years at his trade as a foundry man. He was highly re- spected and held in the deepest esteem both among the farmers and among the business men of Cameron. He erected a good house and a large barn, and was faithful to every duty of life. After a long and useful career he died March 7, 1911, and his death was sincerely mourned. Mr. Eng was married in Norway June 11, 1874, to Mary Christianson, a native of that country. The three chil- dren born there were Anton, Carl and Casper. The children born on the home place are Anna Marie, Hannah Olina, Olga Christina, Gilbert Mathias, Mabel,

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CHRISTIAN ENG AND FAMILY

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Caspira and Arthur Henry. Olga Christina married Sheldon Swaney and they live on the home place and assist in its operation. Since the death of her hus- band, Mrs. Eng has carried on the work of the farm and shouldered the family burdens. She is a capable woman, she has good business instincts, and her management of the place has met with success. She has taken pride in her children, she is the best of neighbors, and she has delighted in keeping open house to her friends and her children's friends. She has considered it a matter of duty to continue her husband's work and is carrying out all his plans for the development and improvement of the place.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 128

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767