History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2), Part 41

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 885

USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2) > Part 41
USA > Wisconsin > Pepin County > History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2) > Part 41

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Digitized by Google

810

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

cluding good buildings and on which he carried on general farming until his retirement from active work. His son Peter now owns and operates the farm. Mr. Heit is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in politics is independent. He and his wife have had a family of three children, one of whom, Frances, is now deceased. The other two are Louis and Peter. Louis, who resides on an adjoining farm, married Margaret Liddie, and they have had ten children, of whom eight are now living, namely: Lucy, wife of Thomas Fox, residing in North Dakota, and Marie, James, Raymond, Joseph, Margaret, Alice and Ralph, who live at home with their parents. Peter Heit, who, as previously stated, is now the owner of the homestead, married Kathrina Schmidt, who was born in Pierce county, and they have five children: Isabella, Francis, Jacob, Helen and Clarence, all living at home.

Albert Strese. The stockraising industry has a good representative in the subject of this sketch, who is operating a farm of 120 acres in sec- tion 10, Waterville township, Pepin county. Mr. Strese was born in Jeffer- son county, Wisconsin, three miles from Jefferson, Aug. 28, 1855, the scene of his birth being the log house of his parents, August and Caroline (Shrader) Strese. Both parents were of German birth, the father's birth- place being Berlin and the date of his nativity Feb. 7, 1823, while the mother was born in Posen, Germany, April 10, 1828. August Strese was a black- smith by trade and also a general mechanic of more than common ability. After his marriage to Caroline Shrader he set out with his wife for the United States. Landing at New York City, they remained there for three years, Mr. Strese working in a machine shop. The desire to own land and become independent was, however, too strong to be overcome by the attrac- tions of city life, and at the end of the period mentioned Mr. Strese turned his back on New York and with his family journeyed westward until he arrived in Jefferson, Wis., where he purchased a house and four lots and worked at his trade for some time, not yet being ready to take up farming. This latter occupation, as the ever-open door to industrial independence, appealed to him more strongly as the years went by, and he found his fam- ily increasing in size without a corresponding increase in his wages. Accordingly, in 1865 or 1868 he and his family left Jefferson and came northwest to Dunn county, where they remained for one year, and then, not quite satisfied with conditions there, made one more removal, this time to Pepin county, Mr. Strese buying the farm in section 10, Waterville town- ship, on which his son Albert now resides and which was then well tim- bered. Here he spent the rest of his life, doing pioneer work during the early years, but gradually becoming more prosperous until he was the owner of a good and profitable farm. Dying about 1895, he was survived some twenty years by his wife, who passed away in January, 1915. During his active career he served some years as school director, having assisted in organizing the district. Albert Strese was the second born of his parents' eight children. He attended district school both in Jefferson and Pepin counties and has resided on his present farm since he first came to it, a boy, with his parents. From the age of 20 to that of 27 he worked for others at intervals, and then, after his marriage, resided in Eau Claire for a year,

Digitized by Google

MR. AND MRS. ALBERT STRESE

Digitized by

Google

Digitized by Google

811

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

where he was engaged in the carpenter and cooper's trades. Returning to the old homestead, he has since remained here. He has installed modern improvements on the farm, which is now well equipped with good build- ings and machinery, and is doing a successful business as a stock farmer, breeding up in Holstein cattle and Percheron horses. He is a stockholder in the Waterville Creamery, which he helped to organize, and also in the Telephone Company, but devotes his entire time to his farm. A Republican in politics, he has served on the school board for eighteen years, declining other offices. The Lutheran church at Durand numbers Mr. Strese among its members, his father having been also active in that organization. Mr. Strese was married, Oct. 20, 1882, to Hulda Schmidt, who was born in Ger- many, in which country her parents died, she coming to America with a married sister. Previous to her marriage she resided in Eau Claire. Mr. and Mrs. Strese have eight children: William H., a contractor and builder residing in Durand, who married Marie Leipker, of Dunn county, and has three children, Dorothy, Thalice and William; Edward F., residing in Min- neapolis, where he is manager for the Gail & Monroe Company, and who married Mamie Britton, of Pierce county, and has three children, Marian, Shirley and Edward; Albert G., a carpenter, living at home and associated in business with his brother, William, until July, 1918, when he went to France as a member of an U. S. engineer corps; Alta Amelia, wife of Wil- liam J. Britton, a farmer residing in Pierce county, near the Pepin county line; Arthur Emil, a farmer associated with his father; Helen and Irma, living at home, the latter attending high school at Durand, and Henry, who is now deceased. Helen married Percy E. Murry, a farmer, of Waterville township, Nov. 26, 1918.

Fletcher Geralt Swanson, who with his mother, Mrs. Clara Swanson, is operating a farm of 100 acres in section 5, Pepin township, Pepin county, was born in this township, May 16, 1896. His father was Peter Swanson, a native of Sweden. Mrs. Clara Swanson was born in Sweden, March 9, 1861, daughter of Louis and Louisa Bance, and on coming to the United States with her husband settled in Pepin township, this county, on land which they developed into the farm on which she and her son now live. Her father was sheriff of a province in Sweden for fifteen years. Fletcher G. Swanson in his boyhood attended the Big Hill School in District 5, Pepin township. He began to work on the home farm when 13 years old and since 1912 has had general charge of it. He raises the usual crops, together with some good stock, and is doing a successful and thriving business as a general farmer, his mother being interested with him in the profits. In politics he is independent.

Emil Carlson, who is conducting a successful business as a general farmer in section 5, Pepin township, Pepin county, was born in Stockholm township, this county, March 24, 1871, son of Peter Ludvig and Sophie (Johnson) Carlson. The parents were both born in Sweden in the year 1843 and came to America in 1868, settling in Stockholm township, Pepin county, where they cleared up a farm. The mother died in 1916, but the father is now living at Lund, Pepin township, being retired from active work. Emil Carlson attended district school in Pierce county, Wisconsin.

Digitized by Google

812 HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

He worked on his parents' farm until he was 26 years old and then left, going to Superior, Wis., where he worked in the coal docks during the sum- mer, being employed in the woods during the winter. After being thus occupied for three years he changed his occupation to railroad construction work, in which he continued for a number of years, during which time he traveled long distances and saw a great deal of country. Beginning this work at Havre, Mont., he went from there to Jennings, that state, then to Spokane, Wash., and from the latter place to British Columbia. He then returned to Spokane, from there went to Tacoma, Wash., then to Seattle, and from the last mentioned place returned as far east as Denver, where he remained for two years, being all the while employed on railroads. From Denver he returned to Pepin township, this county, in 1904, and on July 2 that year bought the farm on which he now lives. At that time it pre- sented a very different appearance to what it does today, being so thickly covered with trees that a man could not turn around with a team at any place on it. These trees Mr. Carlson cleared away after much hard labor and he has also made other improvements, so that his place is modern in all essential respects and is provided with good buildings. He owns 60 acres but farms 160 acres, raising both crops and stock, including Poland-China hogs. His residence is a fine large frame house, which he built the second year after coming here. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Telephone Company. His religious affiliations are with the Free Mission Church in Pepin township, and in politics he is independent. On Oct. 27, 1910, Mr. Carlson was united in marriage with Anna Sundell, who was born in Nor- way, daughter of Charles and Mary Sundell. Her father was a native of Sweden and her mother of Norway. They came to Pepin county at an early date, settling on a farm in Pepin township. The mother is now deceased. Mrs. Carlson when a girl attended rural school in district No. 3, Pepin township. The Carlson family includes two children-Allta Gennat, born Nov. 3, 1910, and Melvin Alvin, born April 3, 1915.

Nels Forsberg, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in section 29, Pepin township, Pepin county, was born in Sweden, July 15, 1869, son of Ole and Bertha (Larson) Forsberg. His parents were natives of the same country, the father born in 1835 and the mother in 1825. Both died in their native land, neither ever coming to America. Nels Forsberg was educated in a village school in Sweden and at the age of 14 years began working out for farmers. In 1893 he came to the United States, locating in this county and for two years worked for farmers in Pepin township. Marrying in 1898, he moved to Minneapolis, where he followed the carpenter's trade until May, 1914, when he returned to Pepin township. Here he bought the farm of 60 acres which he is now engaged in cultivating, following a general plan of farming. He is making good progress on the road to prosperity and is already comfortably situated. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and is independent in politics. On July 4, 1898, Mr. Forsberg was married to Selma Anderson, daughter of John P. and Johanna (Davidson) Anderson. Her parents came to this country at an early date and were engaged in farming in Pepin township. Mr. Anderson is now retired and is living in Minneapolis, his wife being deceased. Their daughter Selma was

Digitized by Google

GEORGE W. SCHRUTH FAMILY AND FARM

Google

Digitized by

813

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

born in Pepin township and in her girlhood attended rural school here. Mr. and Mrs. Forsberg are the parents of three children: Ethel, wife of George Peters, a farmer in Pepin township; Hazel, who is employed in the North- western Telephone Exchange at Minneapolis, and George, who is residing at home.

George W. Schruth, of Frankfort township, Pepin county, is a promi- nent representative of that important class -- the farmers-to which the world is now according that consideration which has always been its due. His farm of 2541/2 acres in section 32 is a valuable piece of agricultural prop- erty, and under Mr. Schruth's able management is yielding good financial returns. He was born in this township, July 14, 1883, son of Ernest and Emma (Jerns) Schruth. The father was born in Germany in 1850 and coming to the United States when a young man, settled in this township and county, taking land which he developed into a good farm. He died in 1898. His wife, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1861, is now residing on the farm with her son, George W. George W. Schruth in his boyhood at- tended the district school at Little Plum, Frankfort township. At the age of 16 years he left home and for a few years worked on a Mississippi River steamboat. Realizing, however, that this was no way to become either independent or prosperous, he invested his savings in the farm on which he now lives and on which he has made various improvements. He carries on general farming, raising both crops and stock, and is well advanced on the road to prosperity. As one of the substantial citizens of his township, he is now serving on the town board and on the district school board. In politics he is independent. Mr. Schruth was married, Dec. 2, 1909, to Alice Biles, who was born in Frankfort township, this county, daughter of George and Mary (Patton) Biles. Her father, who is engaged in mercantile business at Porcupine, Frankfort township, is a member of the town and school boards. Mrs. Schruth acquired her education in the school at Porcupine. She and her husband are the parents of one child, Lavina, born April 2, 1915. The Schruth and Biles families are both prominent in . Frankfort township, being substantial in worldly goods and attentive to all the duties of public and private life.

Peter Herbst, one of the settlers in Arkansaw Valley, Pepin county, in 1877, was a native of Eastern Wisconsin and came to Pepin county at the date above mentioned. The land he took was wild and his entire cash capital amounted to but 22 cents, so his prospects at the time were far from promising. But he was made of pioneer stuff and was not to be discouraged by hardships. Beginning operations by building a small log cabin, he then set to work to earn some money by cutting cord wood, which he hauled to Durand, and in this way was able to support his family while engaged in the slow and laborious work of clearing his farm. In time he had sufficiently progressed with the latter to be able to reap some returns from it in crops, and his improvements were continued with unremitting industry, his fam- ily assisting him, until he was the owner of a good and profitable 200-acre farm. Besides attending to this work he took an active interest in local enterprises, lending them his support when they appeared promising, and was thus one of the first stockholders of the Waterville Creamery Company.

Digitized by y Google

814

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

He also invested some money in the Farmers' Co-operative Store at Arkan- saw, which he lost when the enterprise failed. In addition to these activi- ties Mr. Herbst was a liberal supporter of school and church, proving him- self in many ways to be a high-minded, public-spirited citizen-the type of man that is a benefit to any community. When he moved in 1914 to Elm- wood, Dunn county, where he owns land and now resides, Waterville town- ship sustained a distinct loss, which, however, was Elmwood's gain. Mr. Herbst was married to Matilda Smith, a native of the state of Kentucky, and who is also now living and resides with him in Elmwood. They have had a family of six children.

Archie Herbst, proprietor of a farm of 80 acres in section 24, Waterville township, was born in this township, Aug. 5, 1885, son of Peter and Matilda (Smith) Herbst. In his boyhood he attended school in Arkansaw Valley for one year and later in Eau Claire for a year, where his father was then (1895) engaged in mercantile business. When 18 years of age he began working for others in Pepin county, and at intervals was thus occupied in Dunn and Pierce counties, also spending one fall in North Dakota and two in Minne- sota. At the age of 23 he engaged in hauling cream for the Waterville Creamery Company and continued in that industry for two years. He then bought 160 acres of land in Dunn county and was occupied in farming there for three years, subsequently selling that place and four months later buy- ing his present farm in Waterville township, which adjoins the town site of Arkansaw. It is an excellent farm of 80 acres, fully equipped with all neces- sary appliances and well improved as to buildings. One of the important improvements he has himself made is a good flowing well. Mr. Herbst is a man of sound agricultural knowledge and ability, with plenty of energy and determination, and has made a success of general farming. He also operates a cream route, hiring a man to do the hauling. In politics he is independent and has always declined public office. In April, 1911, Mr. Herbst was united in marriage with Helen Murray, who was born in Little Arkansaw Valley, Waterville township, Pepin county, daughter of Thomas and Jessie (Person) Murray. Her father, a farmer by occupation, was born in this township and grew to manhood here, buying land and engaging in agriculture. He is still farming in Little Arkansaw Valley, and is an active and prominent citizen, being a member of the Good Roads Commission and an officer in the lodges of Modern Woodmen of America and Royal Neighbors. His wife, Jessie, was born at Exile, Wis. They have had a large family of ten children, of whom their daughter Jessie was the eldest. She was educated in this local- ity, attending school both in her home district and in Arkansaw village. The family circle of Mr. and Mrs. Herbst has been enlarged by the birth of four children: Doris Bernice, Dorothy Evelyn, Marjorie Lucille and Vernon Eugene, all residing at home.

Rev. William Stuhlmann, pastor of the Roman Catholic church at Arkansaw, Pepin county, was born at Hessen-Nassau, Germany, Sept. 14, 1886, son of Christian and Louisa (Bahl) Stuhlmann, who were natives of the same German state. The father in early life was engaged in the mercan- tile business, but is now retired and living in Germany. Neither he nor his wife ever came to this country. Their son William, subject of this sketch,

Digitized by Google

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND PARISH HOUSE

REV. WILLIAM STUHLMANN

Digitized by Google

Digitized by

Google

815

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

was the youngest of five children. When a boy he attended school in his home town, was subsequently a pupil in a college at Falkenberg, in the Neth- erlands, and later in the Papal University at Rome, Italy, where he studied philosophy and divinity, receiving his diploma of Doctor of Philosophy in 1908 and Doctor of Divinity in 1912. In the intervals between his college terms he resided at home. In 1912 he came to America, landing at New York. Proceeding to Canada, he became professor in a college at Edmonton, Alberta, where he remained for two years. After that he was engaged for two years in missionary work in Alberta and Saskatchewan, coming to St. Joseph's church in Arkansaw, Wis., in 1916. Here he has a congregation of between 90 and 100 families who worship in the new church edifice which was completed Oct. 1, 1914. Since assuming the duties of this charge Father Stuhlmann has won the confidence and esteem of his parishioners and the respect of the general community, and has accomplished some good work in advancing the cause of religion and morality and the prosperity of the church of which he is the pastor.

Eugene Stebbins, one of the early settlers of Waterville township, Pepin county, was born in Oneida county, New York, where he later became a farmer and miller. He married Mary Hathaway, also a native of that county and state, who died in New York State about 1857, after becoming the mother of two children, Jennie and Frank J., the latter of whom is now a farmer in Waterville township. After the death of his wife Mary, Mr. Steb- bins married for his second wife Cordelia Carpenter, a native of Oneida county, New York, of which union one child, Lulu, was born. Deciding to emigrate to Wisconsin, Mr. Stebbins settled on a farm in Marquette county, near Harrisville. During three years of the Civil War period he served as a private in a Wisconsin regiment, and at the expiration of his term of service returned home safe and sound and resumed farming in Marquette county. His stay there, however, after the war was short, as in 1866 he came with his family to Pepin county, locating on a tract of wild land in Waterville township, one mile north of Arkansaw. Their first dwelling on the place was a small frame building, and for some years thereafter, both there and on a farm in Dunn county, near the Pepin county line, to which location he later moved, Mr. Stebbins did good pioneer work, clearing and breaking the soil and making the wilderness to yield-grain in its season. His life came to an end on Jan. 16, 1901, his loss being regretted throughout the community, as he was a man of many sterling qualities.

Frank J. Stebbins, who is engaged in operating a general farm of 100 acres in section 26, Waterville township, Pepin county, was born in Oneida county, New York, Oct. 12, 1856, son of Eugene and Mary (Hathaway) Steb- bins. His mother dying when he was an infant, he accompanied his father in 1866 to Marquette county, Wisconsin, where he was brought up on a farm. When 13 years old, his father having by that time moved to Dunn county, near the Pepin county line, he found employment in the Waubeek sawmill at packing shingles, and later in the mill at Arkansaw for Mr. Holbrook. A considerable part of his time was also devoted to helping his father clear the home farm. On his marriage in 1882 he engaged in farming on his own account, renting a place in Waubeek township, where he remained three

Digitized by by Google

816

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

years. He next farmed for two years on Skinner Prairie. At his next loca- tion, near Porcupine, he remained longer, farming 80 acres of land there for 15 years. In 1902 he came to his present farm of 100 acres in section 26, where he is carrying on general farming successfully, his place being well improved and equipped with good buildings and adequate machinery. In politics Mr. Stebbins is independent, while his religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a member. Mr. Stebbins was married, Oct. 12, 1882, to Elizabeth Abbott, who was born in Clinton county, New York, daughter of James and Eleanor (McGilton) Abbott. Of this union three children were born: James Eugene and Jennie, who died in infancy, and Ellen Virginia, who is unmarried and residing at home. James Abbott, father of Mrs. Stebbins, was born in Hull, England, in 1820. When a young lad he crossed the ocean to America and was engaged in farming and sawmill work in Montreal, Canada. While in the east he was married to Eleanor McGilton, a native of Clinton county, New York, and in 1869 they came to Dunn county, Wisconsin, locating at Waubeek, near the county line. There Mr. Abbott died in July, 1879. His wife survived him many years, passing away Oct. 11, 1901. Their daughter Elizabeth was the fourth born of their seven children. She attended school in Pepin county, crossing over the county line from her home.

Joseph Radle, who is engaged in farming in section 11, Waterville township, Pepin county, having a good farm of 80 acres, was born in Austria, Feb. 14, 1868, son of Joseph, Sr., and Elizabeth (Eltant) Radle. The parents were also born in Austria, the father in 1830 and the mother in 1838. Com- ing to the United States and to Waterville township, Pepin county, Wis- consin, in 1882, they bought land and engaged in agriculture, which was Joseph Radle, Sr.'s, original occupation. Having developed a farm here, he removed to Rock Falls, Dunn county, where he resided for nine years before his death, which event took place in 1913. His wife now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Frank B. Bauer, in Lima township, Pepin county. By her he had five children and was the father of two others by a previous marriage. Joseph Radle, Jr., attended school in Austria and resided with his parents until he was 20 years of age. He then began working out, being thus en- gaged for awhile in Minnesota, then in the lumber mills in Ashland, Wis., and at other places. Later he followed the carpenter's trade for five years in Pepin county, and then bought a farm near his present home, which he operated for two years. Then selling that place, he moved to Rock Falls, farmed there for eight or nine years, sold out again and came to his present farm in section 11, Waterville township. This consists of 80 acres of valua- ble land, on which he has made some important improvements in addition to those formerly on the property, so that everything is modern and in excellent condition. Mr. Radle keeps good stock, and is now breeding up in Guernsey cattle. He is also financially interested in the Waterville Cream- ery and the Arkansaw Telephone Company. He is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church, and in politics is independent. On Oct. 29, 1897, Mr. Radle was united in marriage with Mary Youngman, who was born in Austria, daughter of Anton and Hannah (Kines) Youngman. Her family came from their native land to Lima township, this county, in 1894, where

Digitized by Google

STIE

Google

Digitized by

J. II. THIES

Digitized by Google

817

HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND PEPIN COUNTIES

Mr. Youngman engaged in farming. He now resides near Rock Falls, Dunn county, and is now preparing to retire from active work. His wife died Aug. 5, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Radle have a family of five children: Emma, wife of Edward Nelson, a farmer of Eau Galle, Dunn county, and Paulina, Henry, Isabella and Arthur, who are residing at home.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin (Volume 2), Part 41

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Number of Pages: 885

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 885