USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2) > Part 22
USA > Wisconsin > Pepin County > History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2) > Part 22
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Charles B. Bauer, who is prosperously engaged in agriculture in sec- tion 10, Lima township, was born in Germany, in 1877, son of John M. and Josephine (Komro) Bauer. The parents came to America with their family about 1881, locating on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch, where John M. Bauer built a log house and began the work of improve- ment. The early years were full of hard work, Mr. Bauer, not being able to get a living from the land, had to work on the railroad, walking to and from his place of employment morning and night and working on his farm in the evening until dark. Starting with eighty acres of land, he, with the assistance of his son Charles B., built the farm up to 170 acres, also adding fifteen acres of woodland on the island and forty acres in Albany township. He is now practically retired. His wife died in 1901. They were the parents of six children: Robert, Anton, Mary, John, Anna and the subject of this biography. Charles B. Bauer, who was the youngest member of his parents' family, was educated in the district school in Lima township. He was married in May, 1902, to Julia Hitz, who was born June 14, 1882, daughter of Andrew and Julia (Ramerill) Hitz, of Lima township. Mr. Bauer has always resided with his father, formerly oper- ating the farm in partnership, but later becoming its owner. He and his father together have made all the most important improvements. He is a member of the Catholic church at Lima and is independent in politics. Charles B. Bauer and wife have been the parents of seven children, two of whom died in infancy. The survivors are: Albert, Clara, Leo, Polly and August.
Charles Crapser, who is extensively engaged in general farming in section 8, Albany township, Pepin county, was born in this township, March 8, 1864, being the second of the three children of John and Rebecca (Mur- man) Crapser; the other children were Lida and Robert. The parents were natives of Germany, who came to the United States before the Civil
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War, in which John Crapser served as a volunteer soldier. One of the earliest settlers in Albany township, he cleared a farm here, but was not permitted long to enjoy the fruits of his labor, as he died when his son Charles was a young child. His widow subsequently married James Turner, also a Civil War veteran, now deceased, but who was formerly a member of the Albany town board, also serving on the school board of his district. Of this union seven children were born: Fannie, Annie, Tina, Louis, Anna, James and Henry. The mother is still living and resides on the farm with her son Charles, being now 76 years old. Charles Crapser in his boyhood attended school in Albany township and learned practical agriculture on his parents' farm, on which he worked industriously from the age of 13 years. In time he succeeded to its ownership and is now carrying on general farming, realizing good financial returns. His cattle are of the Holstein breed and all his stock of good quality. The farm con- tains 420 acres of fertile land, and is provided with all the necessary build- ings, which are substantially built, and with a full equipment of machinery. Mr. Crapser has rendered public service on the town and school boards and in politics is independent. He is unmarried.
Joseph D. Bauer, who owns and operates a good modern farm of 280 acres in section 18, Lima township, Pepin county, is one who has attained his present prosperity through his own exertions, and is an excellent type of the self-made man. He was born in Austria, February 4, 1868, son of Lewis and Carolina Bauer. His parents, natives of that empire, were peasants whose lives were spent in their native land, where both died. Joseph D. Bauer was only 14 years old when he came to the United States. On his arrival in Lima township, this county, he went to work for the farmers. He had received some schooling in Austria and for one winter he attended school in this township. At the age of 16 he began working on the railroad and was thus occupied for three years, afterwards resuming agricultural work. In the meanwhile, having decided ambitions, he was saving his money and at last the time came when he could make a start in life for himself. It was twenty-nine years ago, or about 1888, that he bought a piece of land which forms part of his present farm of 280 acres. This was by no means his last purchase, as in 1902 he bought two tracts, or farms, one of ninety acres from John Wiessinger, and the other of 115 acres from Andrew J. Andreson, both of Durand township, which he united into one farm, now occupied by his son, Andrew J. In 1913 he bought a 280-acre farm from Albert T. Spooner of Lima township, where his son, Joseph A., now lives. Mr. Bauer has worked hard, but his efforts have been well rewarded, and he now occupies a place among the successful and well to do farmers of Lima township. His place is well improved, being provided with good buildings and machinery, and his prosperity has in- creased from year to year. In politics Mr. Bauer is a Democrat and in religion a Catholic. In the year 1912 he took a trip to Austria to visit a brother and sisters and other relatives, and had a very enjoyable time. Mr. Bauer was married October 27, 1891, to Johanna Vogler, a native of Austria, whose parents came to this section in 1875, settling on a farm in Lima township, which they have cleared and improved, and on which they
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still reside. Mrs. Bauer was educated in Durand township, this county, attending district school. The home life of Mr. and Mrs. Bauer has been rounded out and perfected by the birth of six children, two of whom, how- ever, are now deceased. The record in brief is as follows: Joseph Alex- ander, a farmer in Lima township, who married Rosa Danzinger and has three children, Katherine, Lorenz and Florence; Andrew J., who married Minnie L. Bauer, and is farming in Durand township; August C., who lives on the home farm; Rosabell and Leopold, who are deceased, and Marcus William, residing at home. The family are prominent and popular mem- bers of the agricultural community in Lima township.
Michael A. Bauer, who is engaged in agriculture in section 1, Lima township, Pepin county, was born in this township, December 29, 1847. His parents, Anton and Racey (Meixner) Bauer, were natives of Austria, the father born in 1847 and the mother about ten years later. They came to America in 18-, settling in Lima township, Pepin county, Wisconsin. The mother died July 17, 1908. Her husband is still living. Michael was the eldest in a family of eight children. He attended school at Fall Creek, and at the age of 15 began working for others, continuing to be thus occu- pied until his marriage in 1902. He then bought the farm on which he now lives, which contains 200 acres of valuable land, and where he is carrying on general farming with profitable results. He is a member of the Cath- olic church and in politics is independent. The date of his marriage was April 22, 1902, and his bride Miss Hannah Yenny, who was born in Bear Creek Valley, Canton township, Buffalo county, Wisconsin, daughter of Ignatz and Mary Yenny. Her parents came to this country from Austria a few years later than the Bauers, and engaged in farming in Canton town- ship, Buffalo county. They are still residing on their farm. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer have seven children: Leo, Eddie, Alec, Irene, Racey, Matilda and Rosa, all residing at home.
John Engeldinger, founder of the implement business at Durand, Pepin county, known under the style of J. Engeldinger & Son, was born in the province of Alsace or Lorraine, then a part of France, but now of Ger- many, May 5, 1839. He was married in Germany to Mary Holbach and in 1856 came with his wife to America, settling in Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. There he remained for sixteen years, or until 1872, at which time he removed with his family to Eau Galle town- ship, Dunn county, and continued in the occupation of farming until 1887. Then coming to Durand, he established the implement business above men- tioned, which proved a successful enterprise and is now carried on by his son John. This he conducted until his death on January 23, 1903, during the latter years being associated with his son. His wife is still living in Durand. Mr. Engeldinger was a man of good business ability and was highly respected in Durand, at various times being called upon to serve in local office.
John Engeldinger, proprietor of the agricultural implement business of John Engeldinger & Son, at Durand, Pepin county, was born at Wood- land, Dodge county, Wisconsin, October 5, 1868, son of John and Mary (Holbach) Engeldinger, being the sixth born in a family of seven children.
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He attended school in Eau Galle township, Dunn county, this state, and afterwards the high school at Durand. At the age of 16 years he became clerk in a store in Durand and was thus occupied for five years and a half. He then engaged in the implement business with his father, at which time the firm took its present style. After the father's death the subject of this sketch became sole proprietor of the business, which he has since carried on successfully and which is the largest of its kind in the county. In addition to farm implements Mr. Engeldinger deals in wagons and bug- gies. He erected his main building in 1893, making other additions in 1902 and 1911, so that he now occupies about 10,440 feet of floor space. He is also a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of Durand. In politics a Democrat, Mr. Engeldinger has served as alderman of Durand and was also mayor of the city for two terms. He is a member of the Catholic church and also of the Knights of Columbus. On May 12, 1896, Mr. Engeldinger was united in marriage with Lena Boehm, who was born in Austria, daughter of John and Mary (Gushelbauer) Boehm, also natives of Austria. The family came to America in 1873, locating in Durand, Wis., where Mr. Boehm was engaged in a general mercantile business for many years. He retired a few years before his death, which took place April 19, 1906. He and his wife had seven children, of whom their daugh- ter Lena was the fifth in order of birth.
Henry A. Vradenburg, a prosperous farmer and land owner residing in section 1, Durand township, was born in Wyocena, Columbia county, Wisconsin, July 24, 1849, son of Christopher and Maria (Benner) Vraden- burg. The father was a native of Genesee county, New York, born in September, 1812, and came west to Wisconsin about 1845, while it was . yet a territory. In Columbia county he developed a farm, residing there about twelve years, after which he moved to the vicinity of Faribault, Minn., but a short time subsequently came to Pepin county, Wisconsin. Before coming to this state he had been engaged in farming for some time in Illinois. His later years were spent in the same occupation on a farm on Bear Creek near Durand, where he died in 1880. His wife Maria, who was born in Ohio in 1823, died in Pepin county in 1877. They were the parents of eleven children. Henry A. Vradenburg, who was the fourth born child of his parents, first went to school at Bear Creek, Pepin county, then at Waubeek, this county, and subsequently attended the seminary at Eau Claire. He resided at home until he was 25 years old, working for his father much of the time, but occasionally for others, and then bought land in Durand township and engaged in farming on his own account. At the time of his marriage in 1884 he moved onto the farm on which he now resides, a farm of 110 acres in section 1, Durand township, on which he has made improvements and where he is successfully engaged in general agriculture. He also owns sixty acres in Waubeek township and another 40-acre tract in Durand township. Mr. Vradenburg has taken rank among the prosperous citizens of his township, which he served as assessor thir- teen years and as a member of the township board for a number of years. In politics independent, he has served three terms as clerk of the school board and one term as treasurer. His fraternal affiliations are with the
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MR. AND MRS. H. A. VRADENBERG MR. AND MRS. CHRISTOPHER VRADENBERG
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Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Vradenburg was married May 21, 1884, to Ida May Crosby, who was born in Durand township, this county, daughter of Hiram and Mary (Hardy) Crosby. Her parents were natives of New York State and settled in Wisconsin about 1855, taking a farm in Durand township, Pepin county. Mr. Crosby's original trade was that of carpenter. He died in 1897, his wife having passed away the previous year. Of their children, their daughter Ida May was the eldest, and was educated in Pepin county. Mr. and Mrs. Vradenburg have one child, Ray- mond, who married Jennie May Stanton, of Durand township. They have one son, Everett Raymond, and reside on an adjoining farm, he and his father being associated together in farming.
Arthur C. Throne, a well known and popular resident of Waubeek township, Pepin county, was born in Eau Gaile, Dunn county, Wisconsin, December 21, 1884, son of Asa and Sarah (Buchanan) Throne. Asa Throne was born in the United States in 1852 and in early youth accompanied his parents to Waubeek township, this county, where his father took a home- stead and became a prominent citizen, serving on the school board and also on the Waubeek township board. For a while, however, he lived in Eau Galle, Dunn county, where he worked in the Carson & Rand lumber mill, after becoming a foreman for that firm and rafting logs down the Chippewa river. After he gave up that work he took up his residence on his father's farm, which was his home for the rest of his life, his death taking place in 1908. His wife Sarah, who was born in Waterville township, this county, in 1867, is still living on the home farm, in section 6, Waubeek township. Arthur C. Throne in his boyhood attended the district school in Waubeek township, and later finished the three years of high school work offered at Eau Galle. He worked on his parents' homestead until he was 21 years old, and then entered into the machine business in Eau Galle, where he lived for three years, subsequently returning home. He has conducted a grain threshing machine for five years and for fourteen years has operated six corn shredders, but most of the time is spent on the farm with his mother. At the present time he is a member of both the township and county boards and is independent in politics. His fraternal affiliations are with the camp of Modern Woodmen at Eau Galle and the Masonic chapter at Durand. Mr. Throne served as chairman of Waubeek township for eight terms.
Owen Tulip, proprietor of the old Tulip homestead in section 36, Water- ville township, Pepin county, was born in this township, September 14, 1879, son of James, Jr. and Lucretia (McBride) Tulip. He has resided on his present farm since he was two years old and was educated in his home school district. About two years before his father's death, which occurred in 1911, the father turned the farm over to him as the sole manager, though he had practically managed it from the death of his mother in 1905. He had also had a large part in making the improvements, which he has continued to do. In 1914 the buildings were blown away during a storm, but he quickly replaced them, and the place is now well adapted to all the purposes of general farming, which he carries on. It contains 160 acres, and Mr. Tulip also owns some pasture and woodland in Frankfort
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township. He is breeding up in Holstein cattle and also raises full-blooded Poland-China hogs. The Arkansaw Telephone Company numbers him among its stockholders. In politics Mr. Tulip is a Republican and since his father's death has served as school clerk. He was married April 4, 1905, to Alice Marcks, who was born in Pepin, Wis., daughter of Otto and Mary (Parkinson) Marcks. Her father was born in Prussia, Germany, March 31, 1856, and her mother in England, May 24, the same year. The former came to America at the age of 12 years, his parents, whom he accompanied, settling in Watertown, Wis. He grew up there on his father's farm and came to Pepin when a young man. A blacksmith by trade, he later became proprietor of a hardware store, and continued in that business practically until his death in January, 1912. He served as a member of the council and in other village offices. His wife is still living in Pepin. Their daughter Alice was the fourth born of their family of nine children. She attended school in Pepin, was graduated from the Pepin high school and was a teacher in this district for two years before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Tulip have had five children: Mary Lucretia, Wilma Miriam (deceased), Elda Phyllis, Otto James and Helen, all residing at home.
James Tulip, who established the Tulip farm in section 36, Waterville township, now carried on by his son Owen, was a native of Vermont, born November 8, 1845, his father also bearing the name of James. He was only in his seventeenth year when, in 1861, he enlisted in Company C, 95th Illinois Volunteers, being then a resident of that state. His military serv- ice lasted three years and nine months, and though he was never wounded, he was for a time confined to the hospital from sickness. After returning home he resided on a farm in Illinois until about 1872, when he came to Waterville township, Pepin county, Wisconsin. Here he settled on a tract of wild land, building a small frame shanty for his first residence. He was well acquainted with farming and had also for some time been a horse dealer. Now, however, he gave his attention to cultivating the soil. His first dwelling burned down three or four years after its erection, and he then moved to another farm, on which he lived for a year. At the end of that time he bought the farm in section 36 now owned by his son Owen, and which was his home for the rest of his life, his death taking place in 1911. For thirty years he had taken an active part in public affairs, hold- ing various school offices. He was married, November 28, 1867, to Lucretia McBride, who was born in Illinois, December 25, 1845, and died in April, 1905. They had seven children, of whom the sixth born, Owen, is now, as already stated, the owner of the old homestead.
Louis Thalacker, who is engage in general farming on 200 acres of land in section 20, Albany township, Pepin county, was born in Andisleben, Germany, November 1, 1855, son of George and Jane (Kalhart) Thalacker. His parents, who were natives of the same province, came to America in August, 1867, locating in Albany township, this county, where George Thalacker bought land, which was unimproved, and began pioneer farming. Having practically nothing when he began, by industry and perseverance he developed a good farm, on which he died in 1880, and his wife some
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MR. AND MRS. LOUIS THALACKER
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years later. He served on the school board of his district and was active in both church and educational work. Louis Thalacker, who was the eldest of four children, attended school six years in Germany and also a public school here. He assisted his father on the home farm until he became of age, and also learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for several years, while improving his farm, which he obtained in 1880. It consists of 200 acres of valuable land, well provided with modern improvements, which he has put on, and he raises both crops and stock with profitable results. He is also a stockholder in the elevator at Mondovi. In politics a Republican, he has served in his township as supervisor, assessor and as township clerk, having held the latter office for ten and a half years, being re-elected at the last election. He also served as clerk of court two years and is now school treasurer. Mr. Thalacker was married in June, 1879, to Emma Thomas, daughter of Ludwig and Elizabeth (Bleick) Thomas. Her parents, natives of Germany, came to this country in 1869, first residing in New Jersey for a year, then coming west and locating in Minnesota, and afterwards settling in Lucas township, Dunn county. Later they took up their residence with their son-in-law, Mr. Thalacker, at whose home they died, the father about 1890 and the mother in 1893. Their daughter Emma was the youngest of their three children and attended school in Minnesota and in Dunn county, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Thalacker are the parents of thirteen children: Herman, who married Anna Salberg, and resides at Eau Claire, where he is employed by the International Harvester Company ; William, a carpenter residing in Mondovi, unmarried; Ida, who is a hos- pital nurse at St. Paul; Hattie, wife of Robert Crapser, a farmer of Albany township; Otto and Rudolph, who are in the United States service; Louisa, wife of Gail Day, a clerk in his father's store at Rock Falls; Clara, now Mrs. Allie Books of Dunn county; Walter, residing at home, who married Minnie Behnke, a teacher; Ewald, a bookkeeper residing at Eau Claire; Minnie, Frank and Arthur, who live at home. All the children residing at home are unmarried.
Romeo N. Achenbach, who is engaged in operating a good farm of 160 acres in section 12, Durand township, Pepin county, was born in Belvidere (now Cochrane), Buffalo county, Wisconsin, October 15, 1875, son of Will- iam and Otilla (Heck) Achenbach. The father, a native of Sauk county, Wisconsin, was in early life a farmer, later entered the employ of the Mis- sissippi River Logging Company and was thus engaged for twenty-five or thirty years. Still later he worked in the same line of industry at St. Paul and continued in it up to 1908, since which time he has lived prac- tically retired, making his home with his children most of the time, but spending some winter months in a soldiers' home. His military service during the Civil war was as a private in Company M, in a Wisconsin regi- ment, and covered practically the entire period of the war. For a part of that time he was confined to the hospital with typhoid fever. His wife Otilla, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1848, died November 1, 1909. Romeo N. Achenbach was the third born in a family of seven children and was one of twins. He attended school in Alma, Buffalo county, and re- sided at home until he was 18 years of age, assisting his father for the
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most part but occasionally working for others. He then went to rafting on the Mississippi river, being thus employed during the summers for fif- teen years. After that he was employed for four years as scaler in saw- mills and for the same length of time by the Winona Lumber Company. Then in 1901 Mr. Achenbach came to Lima township, Pepin county, and, buying land, engaged in farming. After ten years of agricultural work he engaged in the meat business in Durand, but eight months later sold his business and came to his present farm of 160 acres in section 12, Durand township. The land is valuable for agricultural purposes and the farm highly improved, the buildings being modern and in excellent condition, and ample tools and machinery. The situation also is pleasant. Mr. Achenbach does general farming, including dairying. He is starting to breed Durham cattle, having now about twenty head. He also raises Poland-China hogs. Mr. Achenbach is a stockholder in the Auditorium at Durand. As one of the prominent men of his township he has served more or less in public office, having been a member of the school board, two years township assessor and township treasurer, which last mentioned office he is holding at present. In politics he is a Democrat with independent pro- clivities. Religiously he is a member of the Catholic church, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. Mr. Achenbach was married September 10, 1901, to Mary Ableidinger, who was born in Austria, daughter of Ignatz and Julia (Poschel) Ableidinger, who were natives of the same country. The family came to America in 1883, locating in Lima township, where they still reside. Mr. Ableidinger, after farming for many years, is now retired on account of impaired health. He and his wife had five children, of whom Mary was the fourth in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Achenbach have a family of five children, one of whom they adopted. Their own chil- dren are: Edwin R., Aileen Louise, Lydia Theresa and Ruth Marie, while the adopted child is Arthur. All are residing at home.
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