USA > Wisconsin > Langlade County > History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches > Part 53
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Mr. Schulz was married to Martha Magewske of Shawano County, Wisconsin, on June 3, 1914, to which union five children, Mildred, Aaron, Daniel, Victoria, and Malinda, have been born. The family attends the Lutheran church.
Mr. Schulz takes great delight in hunting and fishing and is a lover of nature and the outdoors.
ALBERT C. STATS has been a resident of Antigo for the past thirty-six years. He was born on March 17, 1885, the son of Albert and Elizabeth Stats, at Ber- lin, Wisconsin. When but a year old he moved to the young city of Antigo in 1886. He attended the Antigo public schools and in 1920 began his railroad career with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, as a brakeman. He has, by years of faith- ful service, attained the rank of a conductor, and now enjoys that prestige on the Ashland Division.
Mr. Stats was united in marriage to Theresa Mc- Intyre of Antigo on April 24, 1907. Five children, three boys-Merton, age 14; Everett, age 12; John, age 9; and two girls-Willela, age 8, and Ermogine, age 11/2 years, were born to this union.
The Stats family resides at 912 Edison street, An- tigo, Wis. The late Albert Stats, Sr., resided at 1133 Sixth avenue. Mrs. Albert Stats, Sr., passed away on December 23, 1916, and is buried in the Antigo cemetery.
Fraternally, Albert Stats is a member of the Antigo Council No. 1002, Knights of Columbus, the Brother- hood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. He has been a resident of Antigo from the period it was a little ham- let of about two thousand souls to the present time when it has nearly ten thousand inhabitants.
L. W. FILYES. The late L. W. Filyes was a man of unusual force of character. He was born in Bril- lion, Wisconsin, on March 30, 1872. When a boy of three years of age his father died at Waukesha, Wis- consin. His mother passed away when he was a youth of seventeen years. Thus from the start of life he was denied the guiding hand of a father and moth- er. He received his early education while living with an uncle and aunt on a farm near Brillion. With his cousin he constructed a system of telegraphy from one house to the other and it was at this time that he mas-
tered telegraphy. He often walked to town every Saturday to practise telegraphy. When but sixteen years of age he held his first position as a station agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Com- pany. He then secured employment from Mr. Under- wood at Appleton, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, as a bookkeeper. While engaged in that occupation he attended business college in the evening. He later became station agent at Birnamwood and for six years was in that village. From Birnamwood he went to Babcock, Wisconsin, to become a Train Dispatcher on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. He moved to Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, from Babcock and entered the employ of the Paine Lumber Company with which concern he was affiliat- ed for fourteen years, at Bass Lake and at Oshkosh. He held various positions of trust and responsibility with the Paine Lumber Company until he became the superintendent of their extensive operations at Bass Lake, Upham township. While thus engaged in Up- ham township he was regarded as one of the outstand- ing leaders of the township, was admired as an hon- est and efficient legislator who zealously cared for the interests of the township and the county. Mr. Filyes was honored with the office of township chairman sev- eral times, was school treasurer, school clerk, town clerk and held other places of importance in the town- ship. He aided in the construction of some of the best roads in the county.
It was through his efforts that the first County Agent was secured for Langlade County and he worked har- moniously with F. G. Swoboda for the general benefit of the county. The potato conventions successfully conducted at Antigo during Mr. Swoboda's tenure in office were largely the result of Mr. Filyes' zeal. He it was who secured Mrs. Nellie Kedzie Jones of Madi- son for a highly successful potato demonstration in Antigo. Mr. Filyes was an active booster of the agri- cultural possibilities of the county and was one of the leading county exhibitors at both the Langlade Coun- ty and the Wisconsin State fairs. During the World War he was chairman of the Y. M. C. A. campaign, gave much of his time to Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives, besides contributing liberally to these funds. He was Chairman of the Red Cross drive in Antigo and the county at one time during the war. He moved to Antigo in 1915, having engaged in business for him- self. At the time of his death he was engaged in ex- tensive logging operations at Lily, Wis.
L. W. Filyes died on March 9, 1919. His death removed from the ranks of the leading citizens of Langlade County a man who had done much toward a greater and better community.
JOSEPH JULE DUQUETTE. The story of the pioneer would be incomplete if the hardships and trials of those first settlers were not set down. The Duquette family was one of the first of the settlers in Antigo. Joseph Jule Duquette, a prominent Antigo merchant of this day, was born on July 13, 1874, at Norton Mills, Vermont, the son of Joseph Jule and
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Melvina Duquette. When five years old he moved with his parents to Freemont, Wisconsin. He attend- ed school at Freemont, leaving that place with his parents for Menasha when still a boy. A year later, in 1882, the family moved to Antigo, then a little vil- lage with but few settlers. The father secured em- ployment at the J. H. Weed mill, which had just be- gan operations and young Joseph Jr., the subject of this sketch, attended the Gowan school (named after Charles Gowan). Three years later the family moved
ciate of Charles Tuma and two years alone in the soft drink business, which he sold in 1921. He pur- chased the N. D. Neilson grocery on March 26, 1921, at 100 Superior street, took possession on April 2, 1921, and has since been successfully conducting that business. He has made extensive improvements in his business, which has resulted in an increase in his patronage.
Mr. Duquette is a member of the Eagles and the Catholic Order of Foresters of Antigo.
THEODORE J. REINERT
Well known member of the Langlade County bar, District Attorney, prominent fraternalist and public spirited citizen, who is associated with Attorney I1. F. Morson in the practice of law in Antigo.
to Rolling township where they settled on a farm. The Duquette family then moved to Ramsay, Michi- gan, from where two years later they went to Rhode Island and after six months residence there they mov- ed to the native home, Norton Mills, Vermont. They returned to the middle west, again locating at Ramsay, Michigan, from where they moved back to Antigo, and have since resided here.
Mr. Duquette was united in marriage on June 5, 1900, to Miss Carrie Anderson, to which union six chil- dren were born, five of whom are living. Those living are Aloysius, Gladys, Everen, Gean, and Robert.
Joseph Jule Duquette was for eighteen years in the retail liquor business in Antigo, sixteen years an asso-
THEODORE J. REINERT. Among the citizens of Langlade County who have rendered signal services in public office none stands out more prominent than Attorney Theodore J. Reinert, the present District At- torney of Langlade County. Mr. Reinert has won for himself the general confidence of the electorate dur- ing the terms he is rounding out as District Attorney. He was born in Danville, Illinois, on March 10, 1883, the son of Peter and Margaret Reinert. He attend- ed the public schools of Chicago and graduated from Lyola University with an A. B. degree in 1904. He later entered the Webster College of Law, Chicago, Ill. He was first admitted to the bar in the state of
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
Illinois and shortly afterwards admitted to practice in Wisconsin courts.
Attorney Reinert became a candidate for District Attorney of Langlade County in 1920 and was elect- ed over Attorney Charles H. Avery, also a candidate. He has conducted the office since without fear or favor and has rigidly enforced all laws.
Mr. Reinert was married to Miss Josephine Donohue of Antigo on June 21, 1911. They reside on Fifth avenue. District Attorney Reinert is an active mem- ber of the Elks, Moose, Knights of Columbus, and Foresters lodges. He is the attorney for the Antigo Loan & Investment Company and the Columbus Home Association. Mr. and Mrs. Reinert are members of St. John's church, Antigo, Wis.
FRED SCHMEISSER. The life history of the gen- tleman whose name heads this brief review has been commensurate with that of Langlade County where he has made his home since his birth in Polar town- ship, September 23, 1883. Fred Schmeisser is the son of Herman and Fredericka (Demlow) Schmeis- ser and he spent his early school days and youth in the Franklin District of Polar on his father's farm. His father was a native of Germany, having been born in Hamburg in the year 1845. After he came to the United States he settled in Polar township, as a pioneer settler of that section of the county. He was united in marriage to Fredericka Demlow to which union thirteen children were born. Five boys and six girls of this family are now living. They are Ed of Elcho, Carl and Herman, Jr., of Polar township and Fred, the subject of this sketch, and Alvin of the city of Antigo. The daughters are Augusta, now Mrs. Ed Boernemann of Polar; Tillie, now Mrs. John Newberry of Antigo; Emma, now Mrs. Albert Krueger of Polar; Sophia, now Mrs. H. Krueger of Polar; Clara, now Mrs. John Holmes of Polar. (John Holmes is deceas- ed.) ; Elsie, now Mrs. Servi of Polar.
Fred Schmeisser engaged in farming on section 31 of Polar for many years, for a time on the 240 acre farm originally owned by his father. Up to 1910 he engaged in that pursuit and then logged extensively at Elcho, Pearson, Long Lake and other places. He then took over eighty acres of land in Antigo township, known as the Suburban Farm, because of its close- ness to Antigo. In May, 1919, he was selected at the beginning of Mayor Hanzel's administration to take active charge of the office of City Street Commission- er of Antigo. He has filled the position of trust and responsibility with credit and success to himself and the city with a minimum amount of expense to the taxpayers.
Mr. Schmeisser was united in marriage to Elizabeth Byrne, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Byrne, pio- neer Antigo settlers, and to this union three children were born, namely: Patricia, Lorraine and Valerie. The family attends St. John's church of Antigo. Mr. Schmeisser is a member of Antigo Council No. 1002, Knights of Columbus. He has fully maintained the reputation of his father, who as a pioneer, underwent
many hardships, thus retaining a name for industry and integrity.
JOHN WOJTASIAK. Among the prominent and highly respected farmers in Antigo township can be found John Wojtasiak, who has been a resident of Langlade County for nearly a quarter of a century. Mr. Wojtasiak is a native of Poland. He was born May 19, 1860. He received his education in the pub- lic and parochial schools of Poland. Mr. Wojtasiak was united in marriage to Miss Anna Szymanska, a native of Poland, who was born on July 16, 1862. The marriage took place September 30, 1884. Three years later they came to the United States, arriving April 10, 1887. On August 30, 1900, the family moved to Langlade County. Mr. and Mrs. Wojtasiak had twelve children, four of whom died infancy. The chil- dren living are : Hattie, Stanley, a contractor and build- er of prominence; Joseph, who assists Stanley as well as being employed on the farm; Louis, Francis, Mi- chael, Mary and Teofil.
The Wojtasiak farm is a splendid area of one hun- dred acres that were practically cut out of the woods. The splendid brick residence, modern and well equip- ped barns and farm sheds and machinery is a fine tes- timonial to the industry and thrift of this early settler.
During the World War the Wojtasiaks did their share to make the world safe for democracy. Francis enlisted at once as a private in the Franco-Polish army and soon reached the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was wounded in an airplane engagement while fighting on the Russian front against the Bolsheviks. Joseph was a Corporal in the 107 Trenth Mortar Battery and his name will be found in the roster of that unit elsewhere in this book.
The Wojtasiak family attends St. Hyacinth's Polish Catholic church of Antigo, Wis.
STANLEY JOSEPH WOJTASIAK, contractor and builder, was born October 29, 1887, the son of John and Anna Wojtasiak. When eighteen months old he moved from Poland (Germany), his birthplace, to Chicago, Ill. He lived there with his parents thirteen and a half years. He then came to Langlade County with his parents. The Wojtasiak family settled on a farm in Antigo township. At the age of twenty young Wojtasiak left the farm and began life as a railroader, being employed as a fireman. He also engaged in sawmill and general carpenter work until the year 1921. He has since been engaged in contracting and building and has the distinction of having erected some of the finest residences in the city of Antigo. Mr. Wojtasiak was united in marriage to Apolinia Kubia- czyk, a daughter of Valentine Kubiaczyk, pioneer set- tler. To this union two children have been born, Stan- islaus, who died in infancy, and Theophil, age 9. Mr. Wojtasiak resides at 1515 Fifth Avenue, he having sold his previous residence at 715 Deleglise street in 1919. He erected his present residence then. He is a member of the Loyal Order of Moose and the Polish National Alliance of America. The Wojtasiak family attends St. Hyacinth's church.
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
JOHN CHERF. One of the really prominent pio- neers of Langlade County is John Cherf, a resident of the town of Antigo, who was born May 17, 1853, in Bohemia. When an infant his father died and with his mother and step-father the young child mov- ed to America. The family settled in Cooperstown township, Manitowoc County, where Mr. Cherf lived until he was twenty-three years of age. He then was united in marriage to Katherine Skvor of the town of Cooperstown on January 1, 1876. To this union nine children, one of whom, Rose, is deceased, were born. The children are Mary, now Mrs. Joseph Sazama of Antigo township; James Cherf of Polar township; Anna, now Mrs. William Conn of White Lake; Emma, now Mrs. Charles Leitrich of Rolling; Julia, now Mrs. Morgan Harrison of Antigo township; Christine, now Mrs. George Miller of Antigo township; Tressa, now Mrs. Hiram Horn of Antigo, and Bessie, now Mrs. Oliver Mader of Antigo township.
Upon Mr. Cherf's marriage he purchased a farm in Cooperstown and resided on it for two years. He then sold the land and moved to Antigo's present site, then known as Springbrook. He purchased five lots where M. Krom's store, Berner Brothers' plant, Bau- ter's gallery and Neuberger's shoe store is for $25. Here Mr. Cherf erected a little log cabin in 1878 and two years later moved to the town of Antigo, where he has lived since. He built the first bridge on Fifth Avenue over Springbrook near the old Neff blacksmith shop. He now has thirty-two acres of land on section 32, Township 31, Range 11 East, where he spends his declining years. Mr. Cherf has led a life of industry, is of high standing in his community and as one of the first of the pioneers, has lived to see Antigo grow from nothing nearly a half century ago to a thriving city of nearly ten thousand energetic souls.
Fraternally, Mr. Cherf is affiliated with the E. F. U. lodge.
JAMES BEATTIE. James Beattie, the father of Homer Beattie, the successful potato grower of Lang- lade County, was born in Clayton, Wisconsin, Septem- ber 14, 1860, the son of James and Nancy (Winfield) Beattie. He attended the public schools of Clayton in his boyhood days and later entered the Neenah (Wis.) High School. Leaving High School, Mr. Beat- tie began in the agricultural field by working on his mother's farm, his father having died when he was a boy.
Mr. Beattie moved with his family to Antigo, Wis- consin, in 1893, and has since spent his days in and about this city. He was united in marriage March 3, 1886, to Hattie Babcock to which union six children were born, namely: Murray K. Beattie, who married Ann Hagelschine; Homer C. Beattie, who was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Culbertson of Antigo on July 20, 1921; Edna L. Beattie, now Mrs. Earl Georgeson and whose marriage occurred June 8, 1914; Lucius D. Beattie, who is married to Miss Gertrude Brooke; Janet, a student, resides with her parents; one child, Ruth, is deceased.
The James Beattie residence is at 217 Field street, Antigo, Wis.
HERMAN HIRT. Germany has furnished to Wis- consin many men who have attained leadership in business and political life and have proven loyal and substantial citizens. Among those men can be found Herman Hirt, who was born in Dueringen, Germany, the son of William and Caroline Hirt. Mr. Hirt was born February 16, 1875. At the age of thirteen he imigrated to the United States with his parents, who came direct to the Town of Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin. Here the lad attended parochial schools and in the time intervening aided his father on the farm, which he had started in the wilderness. Mr. Hirt grew to manhood on his father's farm, staying there until 1904, the year his father passed away. His mother died a few years later. He then became asso- ciated with his brother in the well known Hirt Broth- ers Lumber Company and Hirt Brothers flour mill of Deerbrook, Neva township and of Antigo. Mr. Hirt has charge of the flour mill at Antigo, holding the posi- tion of foreman.
Herman Hirt has been a success in life and his rec- ord is a practical demonstration of what can be ac- complished when honesty of purpose is supplemented by industry and perseverance.
THOMAS GRESKOVIAK. Rolling township is the home of some of the earliest settlers in Langlade County. The parents of Thomas Greskoviak, the sub- ject of this sketch, settled in that township in March, 1888, when it was yet a sparsely settled community.
Thomas Greskoviak was born on February 19, 1892, . the son of Agnes and Albert Greskoviak. He was the last of five children in the family. He attended the rural school in District No. 3, of Rolling following which he engaged in farming for four years. During the winter months he began to log and was engaged in that occupation for five years. He then followed railroading for three years. During the summer months, for five consecutive seasons, he engaged in the threshing business, and at that time was one of the county's leading threshermen. He became proprietor of the Antigo Bottling Works in 1919 and operated that plant until December 1, 1921, when he sold to the Taylor Beverage & Candy Co. of Rhinelander, Wis.
Mr. Greskoviak has since been engaged in financing and distributing a fumigating container, which will, no doubt, have a great demand. The container can be worn in a pocket and is a safeguard against diseases, particularly colds and influenza. Mrs. Agnes Gres- koviak is still living, residing in Antigo township. Al- bert Greskoviak passed away on April 29, 1922, and is buried in the Antigo Catholic cemetery. He had sold his farm in 1920 and spent his last years in re- tirement in the city of Antigo.
MICHAEL F. CROWE, a retired pioneer locomo- tive engineer, residing at 836 Superior street, Antigo, Wisconsin, was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsyl-
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
vania, on June 11, 1850, the son of Cornelius and Mary (Garvey) Crowe. He was the fifth of eight children. When he reached the age of twelve he was taken out of school to begin work in the anthracite coal mines. The Civil War was then raging and due to the short- age of man power the boys were used in menial work about the mines. It was Mr. Crowe's duty to haul coal from the mines on a cart to which a mule was hitch- ed. At the close of the war, 1865, he moved with his parents to Neenah, Winnebago County in 1866. A half year later, Cornelius Crowe took up a tract of land in Grand Chute township, near Appleton, Wis. When Mr. Crowe had worked for three years on the farm he started out to seek his fortune, going to Cheyenne, Wyoming, which then consisted of nine buildings, eight of which were saloons and the ninth a trading post. English traders were there at that time pur- chasing buffalo hides. Mr. Crowe hired out to a Mr. Van Dueren, cattle owner, of Red Oak, Iowa, as a cat- tle herder. The equipment consisted of two bronchos, a revolver and a sawed-off shotgun, used to blind cat- tle in a stampede.
He stayed in that service for two years, being sta- tioned between Cheyenne and Ft. Larma, Wyo. He returned to the farm in Grand Chute and a little while later hired out as a brakeman on the old M. L. S. & W. R. R. Co. Gerry Donohue was then Superinten- dent and the road went as far as New London, Wis. He first "braked" for Conductor "Vet" Graves. Acci- dents among brakemen were numerous and therefore Mr. Crowe entered the firing service in 1877. Three years later he was promoted, 1880, to the rank of an engineer. He first piloted Engine No. 1, called the "Ben Jones." He served as an engineer on the old Lake Shore road until it was purchased by the North- western road in 1893 and thereupon Mr. Crowe was in the employ of the latter concern in passenger serv- ice for nearly thirty years and for eight years on the Wolf River Branch out of Antigo, Wis. He was pen- sioned after nearly fifty years of railroad service on December 1, 1921. May 14, 1922, Langlade Division, B. of L. E., of which he has been a member for over forty years, presented Engineers H. Darton and George Watson, together with Mr. Crowe, with a Badge of Honor, which they prize very highly.
Mr. Crowe was united in marriage August 12, 1884, to Mary Hickey, daughter of Michael and Mary Hickey, of New London, Wis. To this union three children were born, as follows: George, deceased, was born May 27, 1885, in Antigo, Wis. He attended the public schools and graduated from the Antigo High School after which he was employed as an accountant in the C. & N. W. offices of Antigo. He enlisted when the World War broke out and served as a Lieutenant in the Medical Detachment of the 81st Field Artillery. He died in service at Camp Mills, N. J., on October 30, 1918, and was buried with military honors at An- tigo, Wis.
Niel Crowe, the second son, was born April 27, 1889. He is a physician and surgeon at Delavan, Wisconsin. He served in the World War as a Captain, being sta-
tioned at Manchester, England, in the Western Gener- al Hospital there.
John Earle Crowe, the third son, was born Decem- ber 27, 1896. He is now a student in the College of Medicine of Marquette University, from which he graduates as a dentist in 1923.
The Crowe family has resided in Antigo since 1882. M. F. Crowe has been identified with much of Antigo's public work, served for thirteen years on the City Council from either the Third or First wards, was Chairman of the Board of Public Works for four years when the sanitary sewers were laid in Antigo, was for two years Chairman of the Board of Public Proper- ty and was a member of the Council Committee select- ed at one time to investigate the feasibility of a muni- cipal gas plant.
FRED FREDERICK GOEMAN. One of the lead- ing and most successful farmers of Rolling township, Langlade County, is Fred Frederick Goeman, who was born in Hanover, Germany, on September 12, 1869, the son of Fred and Augusta (Frisch) Goeman. When thirteen years old he came to the United States with his mother. One year before then his father had imigrated to America to seek his fortune. The family came direct to Antigo, Wisconsin. Young Goeman at- tended the evening English school under Rev. A. Grimm. For three years he lived in the city of An- tigo and then his father purchased a farm in Rolling township. The farm consisted of 200 acres. Here Mr. Goeman spent all of his life. He was united in marriage to Amelia Hattel. To this union seven chil- dren were born: Max A., Walter, Arthur, Fred, Irma, Esther and Mildred.
The Goeman family attends the Peace Evangelical church of Antigo. Mr. Goeman has served for many years as a school Treasurer in his school district.
As a farmer, Mr. Goeman has taken a keen inter- est in pure blooded stock. He has thirty-eight head of Holstein and high grade cattle. He also has been successful with full blood Poland China hogs.
The Goeman family is one that has long enjoyed the friendship and esteem of the best people of the community which has been their home so many years and they are in every detail worthy of the high place they occupy in popular confidence and respect.
JOSEPH CRUMMEY. Lumbering furnished to Langlade County many of its potential and industrious citizens. It opened up a wide avenue of commerce in a day when agriculture and other industries were just in their infancy. From all parts of the United States east of Wisconsin settlers came into Langlade County during the pine rush. Joseph Crummey, one of the pioneer lumbermen of the Wolf River country, was born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on February 7, 1849, the son of Johanna and John Crummey. He attended the rural schools of Summit Township of Waukesha County and after his school days assisted his father on the farm. He then moved to Oshkosh, Winnebago
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