USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 19
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Mr. Trester resides at 12612 South Adams street in Green Bay and has many friends in this city. He belongs to the Catholic church and is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. He holds membership in the Powhatan and Wallac Clubs and is well known in social circles of Green Bay. He is at the present time only twenty-five years of age but is recognized as one of the promising and progressive. men of the younger generation who hold the industrial and financial future of the city in their hands.
EMIL F. WILLIAMS, M. D.
A history of the medical fraternity of Brown county would be incom- plete without mention of Dr. Emil F. Williams, who is engaged in the prac- tice of medicine and surgery in Bay Settlement, Scott township. During the years of his connection with the profession he has made steady progress and has proven his knowledge and capability in the excellent results which have attended his labors. He was born in Belgium, March 4, 1857, and is a son of Frederick and Anna (Vanhoen) Williams, also natives of that country, where the father was a captain in the regular army.
Dr. Williams attended the public schools of Belgium and later pur- sued college and university courses. After acquiring his medical education he spent three years in the hospitals in his native country and then made practical use of his training and knowledge by a year's practice in France. In 1881 he came to the United States and settled in Laprairie, Minnesota, where he was successful in his chosen profession for three years. At the end of that time he came to Wisconsin and settled in De Pere and from there removed to Little Chute, Outagamie county, and then to Martinsville, returning finally to De Pere, where he practiced for two years. In 1902 he came to Bay Settlement, Scott township, and opened an office and has since built up an extensive practice. Public opinion regarding his profes- sional skill is altogether favorable and it is well known that he never neg- lects any duty.
DR. E. F. WILLIAMS
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LENAX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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Dr. Williams was married in Belgium in 1880 to Miss Anna Barhaeger and both are well known in social circles of Brown county. The Doctor has had the benefit of wide experience in this and other countries and is at the present time acceptably serving as health officer of Scott township. His office is well equipped with all modern apparatus, including the most im- proved surgical instruments. He has made an excellent professional record as is indicated by his lucrative practice and he is, moreover, known as a progressive and public-spirited citizen.
EDWARD C. ENGELS.
Various business enterprises go to make up the progressive and grow- ing city of Green Bay. At their head are men of marked capability, ener- getic, determined and ambitious, who do not fear to follow where favoring opportunity points the way. Of this class Edward C. Engels is a represen- tative and has attained an enviable position in the commercial circles of Green Bay, having been vice president of the Murphy Supply Company, handling plumbing and mill supplies at Nos. 226-28 South Washington street, since 1908. IIe is, moreover, a well-known citizen here from the fact that he is one of the native sons of Green Bay and has spent his entire life in Brown county. He was born November 30, 1876, his parents being Edward and Veronica (Vincent) Engels. The father, on leaving his native country, Belgium, came direct to Green Bay in 1857, arriving here with but fifteen cents in his possession. Necessity demanded that he obtain inimediate employment and he went into the woods to cut trees and manu- facture shingles. As time passed, however, his well-directed efforts and economy enabled him to enter other fields of business and he took up mer- chandising. At the present writing he is proprietor of a retail shoe store which he is capably and successfully conducting although he is now sev- enty-four years of age. For more than a half century he has been num- bered among Green Bay's worthy and valued citizens, his business enter- prise proving a factor in the growth of the city. He has also taken an active interest in public affairs and has served both as alderman and city treasurer. In 1885 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife who was laid to rest in Alouez cemetery. She left six sons: John, an engineer residing in Green Bay; Henry L., a carriage maker of Winona, Minnesota ; William, a merchant tailor of Green Bay; Louis J., who is assisting his father in the store; Edward C .; and August C., conducting a retail jewelry house in this city.
At the usual age Edward C. Engels entered the public schools of Green Bay and continued his course in grade after grade until he was graduated from the East side high school with the class of 1898. The succeeding year was spent in the employ of a surveyor when, realizing the value of special training for a business career, he entered the Green Bay Business College. On the completion of his course there he accepted a clerkship with the St. Paul Railroad Company, occupying that position for a year and a half.
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He next entered the general office of the Green Bay & Western Railroad Company as stenographer and clerk, filling that position for two years, when he became an employe of the Murphy Box Company, with which he remained as assistant manager until the business was discontinued. He then purchased an interest in the Murphy Supply Company, and having previously given demonstrations of his ability, resourcefulness and fidelity, he was elected vice president of the company and is still serving in that capacity. His present official connection therewith dates from 1908 and in the interim his labors have proven an effective element in developing an extensive and profitable business in plumbing and mill supplies. He also acts as private secretary to Frank E. and A. M. Murphy, capitalists.
Mr. Engels resides at No. 220 North Madison street. He holds mem- bership with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus, and is one of Green Bay's popular citizens. He has the quali- ties that make for success in every relation of life, and the steps in his orderly progression are easily discernible and at all times commendable.
HENRY D. VAN SEGGERN.
No resident of Brown county is more familiar with pioneer conditions in the rural sections of Wisconsin than Henry D. Van Seggern, who owns a valuable farm of a hundred and sixty acres in New Denmark township, in the cultivation and improvement of which he has expended the greater part of his life, having assisted his father in clearing the land and prepar- ing it for the plow when he was only a lad. His residence here covers a period of fifty-three years, during which time he has not only been closely associated with the agricultural progress and development of the county but has taken an active part in its political life, having served with efficiency in various official capacities. Mr. Van Seggern was born in Old- enburg, Germany, his natal year being 1849, and is a son of Henry F. and Meta (Schmidt) Van Seggern. They were the parents of three other children: D., whose death occurred at the age of three years; and two, who died in infancy. The father, who was a sailor and carpenter by trade, followed the seas for fifteen years, but at the expiration of that time he abandoned sea-faring life and obtained employment in a shipyard in his native land. He there pursued his trade until 1859, when he resolved to establish a home in America, where many of his friends had located and were meeting with success in their various undertakings. Acting upon this resolution the same year, with his wife and family, he took passage for the United States. Thirteen days later they arrived in New York harbor and after three days' sojourn continued their journey westward. Their next point of destination was Milwaukee, which they reached by railroad and from there they took boat for Manitowoc, and upon their arrival engaged a wagon and ox-team to take them to their final destina- tion in New Denmark township. Various conditions united in making the trip a difficult one, and their team becoming exhausted when they arrived near where Mr. Fagan lived they were compelled to continue their jour-
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ney on foot. When they arrived in New Denmark township, the father invested the greater part of his small capital in a quarter section of land, three acres of which had been cleared. There was a small log cabin on the place and in this the family began their life on the frontier. They con- tinued to live in this primitive fashion for eight years, at which time the log cabin gave way to a more comfortable and modern residence. Father, mother and son toiled almost incessantly from dawn to dark in their efforts to make a living and establish a home in the new world. The country was but sparsely settled, and seldom did they come in contact with the outside world. As it was an age of ox teams, and the roads werc little more than blazed trails, traveling was too slow and difficult an under- taking to make social intercourse between neighbors common. About two years after he settled here Mr. Van Seggern sold eighty acres of his land, but he subsequently purchased another tract of the same acreage and at the time of his death owned a hundred and sixty acres of highly fertile land, which through the united efforts of himself and family had been transformed into a desirable holding.
The early advantages of Henry D. Van Seggern, who was only a lad of ten years when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Amer- ican, were very meager. Owing to the limited educational facilities af- forded in the pioneer period and to the fact that his service were needed at home, he only received eleven months' schooling. As he is a close observer and has read broadly he continued to add to his fund of knowledge from year to year, thus becoming widely and intelligently informed on a variety of subjects, particularly those bearing upon the vital issues of the day. The only child of his parents who lived to attain maturity, isolated by pioneer conditions from association with lads of his age, he practically, passed from childhood to manhood, knowing little of the pleasures and pastimes enjoyed by the majority of youths. On rare occasions the unevent- ful routine of farm life was varied by trips to the market at Green Bay. As there was no road for a part of the way he was compelled to make the journey on foot, carrying a basket in which had been placed the butter and eggs he was to exchange at the store for such supplies as the family required. He remained at home and was associated with his father in the cultivation of the farm until the latter's death, at the age of seventy-eight. just fifteen years after the mother passed away, when, as sole heir, he came into possession of the property. He has applied himself with unceas- ing energy to the further development of the place, making such improve- ments as he was able from year to year until he now owns one of the best properties in the township and is numbered among the prosperous agricul- turists.
On the 13th of May, 1879, Mr. Van Seggern was united in marriage to Miss Martha F. Daggart, a native of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Charles B. and Naomi (Knibbs) Daggart, who were of Scotch and English extraction. Mr. Daggart was twice married. His first wife passed away at Two Rivers, leaving him with two children, Thomas and Mary, and he subsequently returned to New York and married Miss Knibbs, and they became the parents of five children: Amanda E .;
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Andrew; Mrs. Van Seggern; Eveline Aun; and one, who died in infancy. The father was a merchant at Two Rivers, where he served as postmaster and also represented his district in the state assembly one year. Imme- diately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Van Seggern settled on his father's farm and here have been born their eleven children: Matie N., whose birth occurred May 22, 1880; Amanda E., who was born on the 23d of December, 1881 ; Charles H., who was born on November 3, 1883, and was accidentally killed while unhitching a team of horses on the 14th of September, 1898; Fred J., whose natal day was May 13. 1885; Walter M., whose birth occurred March 6, 1888; Irma C., who was born on the 10th of July, 1889; Cora A., whose natal day was February 1, 1892; Edna, who was born on the 23d of November, 1894; Myrtle, born on April 6, 1896; Gladys, born September 30, 1898; and Ruby, whose birthday was the 9th of July, 1901.
Mr. Van Seggern has for several years been trustee and secretary of the Lutheran church in which his wife also holds membership. He takes an active interest in local politics, giving his support to the republican party, and has several times been called to public office. He was town supervisor for three years, having entered upon his duties in this connection in 1880, and he also serves as school director and has held that office for a number of years, while at one time he was chairman of the township. He has served as county supervisor from 1894 to 1899 and was appointed circuit jury commissioner by Judge Hastings on September 27, 1902, and has continuously filled that office ever since. Mr. Van Seggern has not confined his attention to farming alone, but has extended it to other lines of busi- ness and formerly was actively connected with the Farmers' Insurance Company, of which he was the treasurer, looking after his farm at the same time. He enjoys a wide and favorable acquaintance throughout the county, where his enterprising methods, upright principles and honorable business transactions have enabled him to establish an enviable reputation in both public and private life.
CAPTAIN LARS OLSON.
Captain Lars Olson is living retired in Green Bay after thirty years spent on the great lakes. During that time he owned many vessels and sailed into many ports, being one of the greatest promoters of lake freight and passenger traffic in this section. He was born in the southern part of Norway, March 17, 1844, a son of Ole and Anna (Kittledaughter) Olson, also natives of that country. In connection with farming the father was also engaged in the flour milling business, following both occu- pations at the time of his death.
Of the ten children in the family only Lars and his brother Ole came to America. Captain Olson was educated in his native land and there learned the carpenter's trade, in which capacity he was employed on a sailing vessel after the completion of his education. He cruised for two years, going first to England and then to America and finally to the
LARS OLSON
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR, LEADX AND TILDEA FOUNDATIONS
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Mediterranean sea, but eventually returned to this country. Landing at Quebec, Canada, he took passage on a vessel bound for Chicago, arriving in that city in 1862. From that time until his retirement he sailed on the great lakes and became a well known figure in various Wisconsin ports. The first vessel in which he had an interest was a "two master," called the Mary Nau, it being owned by Lambert Nau, Peter Peterson and him- self. Upon that boat he sailed as mate for seven years and then sold his interest and bought a similar boat, the Monitor, and six years later pur- chased the Odion. In 1888 he built a three masted vessel, called the Ida Olson, which he sailed for sixteen years, touching many of the ports on the great lakes. He usually spent the winter months working in the ship- yards and in 1907 he and five other carpenters from Green Bay went to Yellowstone Park to build the steamer E. C. Walters on Yellowstone lake, to be used in the tourist trade. Her building required about four months. Captain Olson not only thoroughly understood lake navigation but possessed that independence, coolness and calmness of judgment which are necessary to life on the water. Moreover, he is an excellent business man and has always made the best use of his advantages. At the time of his retirement he was one of the oldest captains on the great lakes and had achieved both prominence and prosperity. Besides his own comfort- able residence at 228 East Broadway, erected by himself, he owns several other houses and a grocery store in Green Bay, which he rents.
Captain Olson was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Nelson, a daughter of Nels Nelson, who spent his entire life in Norway. After his death Mrs. Nelson came to America, bringing with her Mrs. Olson, who was then a child, and settled in Port Washington. To the Captain and his wife were born three children, namely: Albert, who is now engaged in the insurance business in Milwaukee; Ida, who is a teacher in North Carolina; and Anna, who is engaged in teaching in the public schools of Green Bay and is keeping house for her father, Mrs. Olson having passed away on the 14th of February, 1911. The family are members of the Lutheran church and are held in the highest esteem by all who know them.
ALEXANDER TENNIS, JR.
Alexander Tennis, Jr., proprietor of a buffet in Green Bay, his native city, was born February 1, 1876, a son of Alexander and Theresa (Der- hayden) Tennis, natives of Belgium. They are now residents of Green Bay, the father having reached the age of sixty-five years. In their family were five children: Louis, proprietor of a saloon at Green Bay; Alexander ; Frank, a machinist at Green Bay ; Julia, the wife of B. Clough. an engineer at Green Bay for the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company ; and Loraine, at home. They also lost two children, Josephine and Eliza- beth, the former the wife of Adolph Hochgreve.
Spending his youthful days in his native city Alexander Tennis pur- sued his education in the public schools and afterward became assistant
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to his father in the grocery business. He was thus employed for six years and gained good practical experience. When twenty-two years of age he started business on his own acoount as proprietor of a saloon and restaurant which he has conducted to the present time. He opened his present place of business in 1903 and now has a well appointed and carefully conducted buffet which is liberally patronized.
Mr. Tennis was united in marriage to Miss Wilhelmina Verdegan, a native of Bellevue township, this county, and a daughter of Charles Verde- gan, a native of Holland, who came to America in early life. His wife died when her daughter, Mrs. Tennis, was but five years of age, leaving three children. The father afterward married again and now lives retired in Green Bay. Mr. and Mrs. Tennis have become the parents of two children: Yvonne and Josephine Jeannette, aged respectively eleven and seven years. The parents are members of the Catholic church and he belongs to the Order of Foresters and the Order of Moose of Green Bay. He has been a lifelong resident of this city and numbers among his warm friends manv who have known him from his boyhood days to the present.
ANTON BOEHM.
Anton Boehm engages in farming in Preble township, where for twenty- seven years he has also conducted a saloon and general mercantile store. Although the greater part of his life has been passed in Brown county, Mr. Boehm is a native of Germany, his birth having there occurred on the 6th of June, 1856. When a lad of twelve years he emigrated to the United States with his parents, who came direct to Brown county. The father, Anton Boelim, who was a shoemaker by trade, filed on a homestead at a point called Bellevue, two miles from the present farm of his son Anton. He was one of the first settlers in this section of the county.
The greater part of the education of Anton Boehm was acquired in the schools of his native country. He spent his youth on his father's farm, where he was trained to agricultural pursuits, with which vocation he has always been identified. His undivided attention was given to general farming until 1885, but on November 2 of that year he established a public house on his farm, which he has ever since conducted with a good degree of financial success.
Mr. Boehm married Miss Mary Mathys, who was born on the 8th of April, 1860, in Preble township in the immediate vicinity of her present home. She is a daughter of Andrew Mathys, one of the pioneer farmers of Brown county, who passed away in 1911, at the venerable age of eighty- two years. To Mr. and Mrs. Boehm there have been born fourteen chil- dren, of whom thirteen are living, nine sons and four daughters. Of these, Anton Boehm, Jr., was born on the 20th of November, 1885, on the home farm. Here he was reared to manhood, and after leaving school assisted in the cultivation of the farm until 1910, since which he has been employed in Green Bay. He married Josephine Simonar, likewise a native of Preble
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township and a daughter of Martin Simonar, a well known farmer of that locality. They have become the parents of two sons, Walter and Anton.
Mr. and Mrs. Boehm are Roman Catholics in religious faith. He votes the democratic ticket and has served as chairman of the township board, the duties of which office he discharged in a creditable manner.
QUIRIN SCHUMACHER.
Quirin Schumacher is now living retired at Green Bay for his business activities in former years brought him sufficient capital to supply him with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life during his remaining days. He has no desire to pile up large wealth, being content with a very comfortable competence so that he is now enjoying well deserved rest. He was born in Coblenz, Prussia, Germany, November 26, 1844, a son of Franz Schumacher, who was born January 12, 1808, and with his wife and family came to the new world in 1849. Traveling westward to Wis- consin he settled in Humboldt township, Brown county, where he followed farming for seventeen years. In 1866 he removed to Green Bay, where he conducted a distillery for a year and a half. He next opened a saloon on Main street and carried on business there until 1881, when he retired and was thereafter connected with no business enterprise up to the time of his death, which occurred January 27, 1899. Unto him and his wife were born seven children: Mrs. Catherine Pohl, a widow; Mathilda, deceased; Peter, living in Green Bay; Herbert, who also makes his home in Green Bay; Johann and Mary, both deceased; and Quirin. The mother died when her youngest child was only three months old and the father afterward married Elizabeth Munch, who was also a native of Prussia. They became the parents of three children, one of whom, Catherine, is now the wife of John Basten, of Preble township.
The early experiences and interests of Quirin Schumacher were those of the farm boy and as soon as old enough to take his place behind the plow he began work in the fields. He then followed farming until twenty- two years of age, when he rented his father's distillery and conducted it in connection with his brother. It was also in his early manhood that he learned the butchering business and subsequently formed a partnership with his brother for the conduct of a business of that character in which he continued successfully until October, 1908, when he sold out and retired. His was one of the oldest butchering establishments in Green Bay and for years he had enjoyed an extensive and well merited patronage so that his business prospered year by year, enabling him to add annually to his savings.
On the 25th of November, 1869, Mr. Schumacher was united in mar- riage to Miss Francisca Szwykoska, who was born in Prussian Poland, December 1, 1849, a daughter of Michaelis and Gertrude Szwykoska, both of whom were born in Moritzfelde, in Polish Prussia. Her grandparents were Joannes and Marianna Szwykoska. Mrs. Schumacher was eighteen
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years of age when she came to America with her parents who settled at Pine Grove, Wisconsin, and later established their home in the vicinity of Green Bay. The father died in 1908 but the mother is now living at the venerable age of eighty-nine years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Schumacher have been born nine children: Herbert O., deceased; Paulina, who is the wife of P. Dorshell, of Green Bay, and has five children; Maggie M., the wife of A. J. Fontaine, of Green Bay, and the mother of two children ; John J., who married Della Long and has one child; Joseph P., who married Eva Burris and has two children; Christina, the wife of W. W. Wilkins, of Milwaukee ; Edward, at home; Mathilda, the wife of F. Deuster, of Green Bay, who has one child; and Edith Francisca, at home.
Mr. Schumacher and his family are identified with the Catholic church and he belongs also to the Catholic Knights of Green Bay and the St. Boniface Society. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he has served as judge of elections and as a member of the board of health. He possesses many of the sterling characteristics of the Teutonic race-determined purpose, unfaltering energy and integrity-which prove valuable features in business and result in the attainment of honorable success.
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