USA > Wisconsin > Langlade County > History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches > Part 54
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
County, Wisconsin, at the age of nineteen, being a resident of that place from 1868 to 1885. He then moved to Antigo, then a small village, and spent the greater part of his career here as a lumberman or he followed railroading.
Mr. Crummey was united in marriage on September 11, 1876, to Miss Jennie Cusick, daughter of Phillip and Serina Cusick, of Oshkosh, Wis. To this union nine children were born, two of whom, James and Mary, are deceased. Those living are William, Serina, Jennie, Katherine, Joseph, George and Agnes, of Anti-
CLARENCE J. TE SELLE. A prominent lumber- man and member of the Langlade County bar, was born in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, on August 7, 1887. He received a common school education and completed the High School of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. In 1905 he entered the State University at Madison and graduated from the College of Letters and Science in 1909 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He gradu- ated from the College of Law, University of Wiscon- sin, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1911. Fol- lowing his admission to the State Bar in 1911, he be-
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CLARENCE J. TeSELLE
Secretary-Treasurer of the Henshaw Lumber Co., prominent member of the Langlade County bar, former District Attorney of Langlade County and Government Appeal Agent during the World War, who was probably connected with more World War activities in Langlade County than any other citizen.
go, Wis. The Crummey residence is at 1145 Sixth avenue.
Joseph Crummey, Jr., was married to Clara Cheslak on May 2, 1916. Mrs. Crummey passed away on July 24, 1922, and is buried in the Antigo Catholic ceme- tery.
The Crummey family attends St. John's Catholic church of Antigo. The subject of this sketch has led a life unmarked by exciting events, yet a straight-for- ward career has gained for him the high regard of all with whom he has come in contact.
gan the practice of his profession in Antigo in 1912. Attorney Te Selle was elected District Attorney of Langlade County for three consecutive terms (1913- 19).
He was married in 1915 to Mabelle Henshaw, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Henshaw, and has two children, Janette and Clarence, Jr.
At the outbreak of the World War, Mr. Te Selle was appointed Government Appeal Agent (see Mili- tary Chapter) by Provost Marshal General E. H. Crowder and served in this capacity with the Selective
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
Service Board of Langlade County during the war. Also organized the Langlade Council of Defense at the request of the State Council of Defense and served as its Secretary and on its Executive committee dur- ing its existence. He organized the Langlade chapter of the American Red Cross and was elected and still is a member of its Board of Directors. He served as Chairman of the Victory Loan committee, which suc- cessfully put over the united war fund campaign in Langlade County. He was appointed as Chairman of the Four Minute Men, speaking organization in the county and was probably connected with more diver- sified war activities in Langlade County than any other citizen.
In 1919 Attorney Te Selle quit the practice of law and became Secretary-Treasurer of the Henshaw Lum- ber Company and is still in this business.
LUTHER E. FARNHAM. One of the best known Langlade County families and one of the most highly esteemed ones is represented worthily by Luther E. Farnham, a prominent resident of Antigo. Mr. Farn- ham was born on March 22, 1858, the son of Eliza and Abner Farnham, at Lake Geneva, Walworth County, Wisconsin. He attended the public schools of his na- tive city and then entered Whitewater Normal, plan- ning to qualify for the teaching profession. Mr. Farn- ham taught for three years in Walworth County, fol- lowing which he became engaged in agriculture, which he followed for twenty years.
On December 11, 1883, he was married to Hattie Allen, to which union three children were born, name- ly : Florence, now Mrs. C. G. Dittmer, Madison, Wis .; Lila E., Mrs. E. A. Yahr, deceased; and Alice A., now Mrs. Carl Duchac, of Antigo.
Mr. Farnham came to Antigo to make his home on September 7, 1907. He was associated with E. H. Yahr in the coal and wood business from 1912 to 1919 when that firm sold out to Dakin & Strong. Since 1916 Mr. Farnham has been the Langlade Coun- ty representative of the Inter-State Oil Company and he devotes his attention exclusively to that business. The Inter-State Oil Company enjoys an extensive pat- ronage in and adjacent to Antigo and Langlade Coun- ty.
Mr. Farnham has never been active in public life in Antigo. He held township and school offices at Augusta, Wisconsin, where he lived nine years, from 1898 to 1907. The Farnham residence is at 524 Hud- son street, Antigo, Wis.
The Farnhams are members of the First Congrega- tional church.
FRANK E. VANDERVEST, barber, was born March 14, 1872, at Ludington, Michigan, the son of Adelate and Joseph Vandervest. After attending the public schools he began to learn the barber business which he has followed for thirty years. He came to Langlade County in November, 1898, from Mattoon, Shawano County. With the exception of three years, he has since, been a resident of Antigo. Mr. Vander-
vest was married to Vetline Ano, daughter of Israel Ano, pioneer Norwood township settler. Three chil- dren were born to this union, one passing away. Mr. Vandervest has his barber shop located in the Ullman block on Superior street. His first barber shop was located on the present site of the Neff-Roberts build- ing over seventeen years ago. Mr. Vandervest is a member of the E. F. U. and M. W. A. fraternities. The Vandervest family resides at 308 Superior street.
CARL KRAUSE, shoe merchant, was born in Ger- many, June 17, 1878. He came to America at an early age. After attending the public school, high school and Wittenberg Academy, he came to Antigo. Here he was employed at various occupations, woodworker, engineer for Crocker Chair Co. for seven years, clerk for Louis Krom eleven years and two years in a cleri- cal position with E. S. Rayworth. He opened the Champion Shoe Shop, Fifth avenue, in 1913, since moved to his present location. Mr. Krause was mar- ried to Emilie Moldenhaur in Antigo, February 23, 1903. Two children were born to this union, a boy and a girl. Mr. Krause is an active member of the Peace Lutheran church, is a trustee of the church and a member of the parochial school board. The Krause residence is at 1124 Third avenue.
I. D. STEFFEN, M. D. Thrice Mayor of Antigo and a representative citizen who has taken an active part in the advancement of the city, was born at Hor- tonville, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, December 17, 1855, the son of John and Applonia (Stark) Steffen. The Steffen family moved to Wisconsin from New York state in the spring of 1855. As a boy Dr. Steffen attended the rural schools of Hortonville and then en- tered Lawrence University from which he graduated in 1879. By thrift and diligence he was able to earn enough money to take him through the Rush Medical College of Chicago. Previously he had studied medi- cine under Dr. Hardacker of Hortonville. In 1900 Dr. Steffen took a post graduate course in surgery and med- icine in the New York Post Graduate Medical School and Hospital, New York City.
In 1884, Dr. Steffen was married to Miss Effie L. Nye of Hortonville, Wisconsin. To this union five children were born as follows: Bernice E., now Mrs. E. S. Nelson, of Antigo; Dr. Lyman A., who was grad- uated in medicine from Rush Medical College on June 10, 1912, served as a Major during the World War, be- ing attached to the British Expeditionary Force, and now associated with his father in Antigo; Glydon F., deceased; Margaret, instructor in history, and Richard D. Steffen, a student. Mrs. Steffen passed away on July 25, 1922, and was laid to rest in the Antigo ceme- tery.
Dr. Steffen was first elected mayor of Antigo in 1890 and then served again in 1899-1900 and was the first mayor elected under the commission form of govern- ment, in 1914. During his administration in 1890, the water system was laid out, in 1899 and 1900 his ad- ministration was instrumental in putting in a proper
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
sewerage system in the city, a very necessary improve- ment. Dr. Steffen is a member of the Langlade Coun- ty Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical So- ciety, the American Medical Association, and the American Association of Railway Surgeons. For the past thirty years he has been surgeon for the Chicago & Northwestern railroad. Dr. Steffen opened the first hospital in the city of Antigo in 1890. Fraternally he holds memberships in the Masonic orders, has serv- ed as Master of the Blue Lodge and as High Priest in
the Chapter. He was also the first eminent Com- mander of the Antigo Commandery, Knights Templars. Dr. Steffen is a member of the Ancient Accepted Scot- tish Rite of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is President of the Langlade National Bank of Antigo since 1918. Previously he was a vice-president and a director of that institution. Dr. Steffen came to Antigo two years after the city was incorporated, 1887. He has seen Antigo and Langlade County grow from a hamlet and wilderness to a splendid progressive community. Among the many positions of honor and trust that the doctor has held while a resident of the city of Antigo was an appointment to a position on the State Board of Health by Governor J. J. Blaine in June, 1921. This appointment was unsolicited and came as a surprise. It is a position of honor and a recognition of the quali- fications of this distinguished Antigo citizen.
IGNATZ FRANK PAWLAK. A well known rail- road man of Antigo, was born in Gala, Poland, the son of Mary and Stanislaus Pawlak. He attended paro- chial schools and during summer vacations worked on his parents' farm as a boy. When twenty-one years of age he came to the United States. One year previous- ly his mother had died, his father having died when he was but two years old. Both are buried in the city of Jarazrewo, Poland. Coming to the United States Mr. Pawlak came direct to Antigo and stayed here for a year. He then moved to Chicago and three years later to Milwaukee, from where he returned to Antigo. He then bought a farm in Rolling township and en- gaged in agriculture for five years. He again moved to the city of Antigo to become chief blacksmith for the C. & N. W. shops. He previously conducted a blacksmith shop on Fourth Avenue for twelve years, assuming the position with the Northwestern in the fall of 1912.
Mr. Pawlak was united in marriage on April 18, 1893, to Frances Jankowski, daughter of Constantine Jan- kowski of Rolling township. To this union five chil- dren, three of whom are dead, were born. Those de- ceased are : Mary, Felix and Agnes. Helen and Frank reside with their parents at 803 Clermont Street. The Pawlak family attends St. Hyacinth church. Mr. Pawlak is a former Treasurer of the church congrega- tion. During the World War he was active in pro- moting the cause of America among his fellow men.
GEORGE HADLER, JR. The soil of Langlade County has attracted new settlers from every part of the United States and Europe. Progressive farmers
are found everywhere in the county. Among them is George Hadler, Jr., who moved to Norwood township on September 10, 1917 from Plymouth, Sheboygan County. Mr. Hadler purchased eighty acres and in De- cember, 1920, added 40 acres to his fine farm. George Hadler, Jr., was born in Plymouth township, Sheboy- gan County, July 15, 1869, the son of George and Chris- tine Hadler. He attended the public schools and then engaged in agriculture. October 26, 1906, he was unit- ed in marriage to Freida Lange. Two children, boys, Herbert John Albert, age 11 and Willard Edward John Hadler, age 6, blessed this union, which was severed March 14, 1917, when Mrs. Hadler passed away follow- ing an operation. She was laid to rest in the Plymouth Lutheran cemetery. George Hadler, Jr., his mother, and children then came to this county. George Hadler, Sr., died February 2, 1916. The Hadler family profess the Lutheran faith. The Hadler farm is situated in the Maple Grove district.
PETER HIGGINS, SR. Was born October, 1846, in Tipperary, County Mayo, Ireland. At age of four he came to the U. S. with his parents, settling in Chil- ton, Calumet County, Wisconsin. Attended the common schools, then engaged in farming in Chilton township on Fond du Lac road. In 1868 he married Kate Lynch, a sister of Thomas Lynch, Antigo's first Mayor. Five children were born, three boys, Henry, Peter, and William and two daughters. Peter Higgins moved to Ackley township in 1889 settling on the old John Nelson farm, section 10, town 31, range 10 East. 160 acres was on the old Nelson place, 40 acres he pur- chased from the Baldwin Estate and 80 acres from Frank Metcalf. Here he lived thirty years. He died in the spring of 1919, having been preceded in death by his wife. His remains were interred in the Antigo cemetery. Peter, Henry and William Higgins, sons, reside in this county. Henry Higgins was born on November 4, 1869. He married Elizabeth Kennedy October 28, 1893. Two children bless this union, one boy, Eugene, and one girl, Mrs. Oscar Jerke, Kau- kauna, Wis.
He is a member of the L. O. O. M., E. F. U., Beav- ers R. F. F., and has for the past five years been em- ployment agent for the Langlade Lumber Company, Antigo, Wis. He resides at 1423 N. Superior street, Antigo, Wis.
OLIVER SHADICK, SR. A pioneer citizen, who first trod Langlade County soil in 1869 is the subject of this sketch. Oliver Shadick, Sr., was born in the town of Clayton, Winnebago County, December 22, 1849 and spent his boyhood on a farm with his par- ents. At age of 20 he cruised through the Military Road country up as far as Gardner's Dam, thence cross- ed over the Wolf, struck out west, traveling by compass and sun, and camped one night on the site of the Faust mill in Antigo, on Springbrook banks. May, 1871, Mr. Shadick bought eighteen 40's of timber that scaled 21/2 logs to the thousand. November 18, 1875 he took up a homestead claim 1/2 mile south of Phlox, section 35,
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
Township 30, Range 12 East, the first in Norwood. November 23, 1880, Mr. Shadick married Caroline De Broux of Grand Chute, Outagamie County. Eleven children were born to this union, eight of whom are liv- ing. Mr. Shadick moved from Phlox, Norwood town- ship in the summer of 1887 to Antigo and lived there until 1912 when he moved to Pearson, Ainsworth town- ship, where he now resides. He has seen Langlade County grow from a wilderness to "The Best County in the State."
MATT WACHAL, JR. Was born in Ackley town- ship April 29, 1897, the son of Mary and Matt Wachal, Sr. He attended the Ackley schools and then engaged in agriculture. In 1919 Mr. Wachal took over the 40 acre farm which he now possesses. It is known as the old Sobish or McDonald place and is located in Fernwood district, Rolling township. Mr. Wachal was married to Mary Noskowiak of Rolling township, June 2, 1919. Two children, girls, bless this union. The subject of this sketch finds time to get acquainted, is an enthusiastic member of the L. O. O. M. and is well respected in the township and county. He was the or- ganizer and President of the Fernwood Telephone Company. He has successfully served as Clerk of the Fernwood school district.
MARTIN D. ROBRECHT. In the early history of Langlade County there are many accounts of the trials and brave sacrifices of those who are numbered among the first settlers of the various districts and townships. Without these courageous pioneers the bustle of urban existence would not at this day replace the low flight of the prairie chicken, the wild fowl and the Wolf pack. Among the families that have contributed their share toward the development of Langlade County is that of Martin D. Robrecht, Senior and family. Martin D. Robrecht, Jr., was born in Bremen, Germany, Septem- ber 18, 1870, the son of Martin D. and Johanna (Koch) Robrecht. When a child of thirteen he moved with his parents to the United States. The journey across the Atlantic was a stormy and perilous one for these hardy imigrants to the New World. They left Germany on January 23, 1883, and arrived at Defiance, Ohio, their destination, February 13, 1883, being twenty-one days on the trip, two days of which were spent going from New York to Ohio. The father settled on a farm in Henry County, Ohio, in the spring of 1883 and in the fall of 1886 decided to locate in Northern Wisconsin. Arriving in Langlade County the family lived with the Carl Frill family, pioneer Antigo township settlers, un- til their own little cabin home was erected in Polar township on section 30. Martin Robrecht, Sr., purchas- ed a half of the Johnson Hutchins homestead located in the section named in Polar township. The country was a vast wilderness. Thus young Martin became a valuable asset to his father in chopping away the for- est trees, pulling stumps and clearing the farm, which was a tract of virgin timber. Forty acres were cleared with the axe. It was on this farm that Martin Ro- brecht Sr., spent the rest of his life, which ended De-
cember 14, 1912. He has lived to see a prosperous farm grow from a once wild country; to see a city where when he came Antigo was but a hamlet. His wife still lives on the farm.
Martin Robrecht, Jr., was united in marriage July 15, 1902, to Mallie Haefs of Algoma to which union nine children were born: narnely, Glenford, Raymond and Norman, deceased; six living are: Arnold, Howard, Esther, Marvin, Elmer and Ervin. The Robrecht fami- ly resides at 234 Dorr street, Antigo, Wis.
Since coming to Langlade County, Mr. Robrecht has held various offices of responsibility and trust. He was Assessor of Polar township for two years; leaving the farm he became engaged as a carpenter for the Chicago & Northwestern railroad for a time; was em- ployed as City Marshal of Antigo under the Mayoralty term of the late T. W. Hogan for a year. In 1900 he was appointed as a Deputy State Conservation Warden and served efficiently until 1908 for eight years. He has held the office of Deputy Sheriff for the past twen- ty years. In 1913 he became branch manager of the Pabst Brewing Company interests in Antigo and on September 29, 1919, he purchased their entire interests and now conducts a beverage and soft drink distribut- ing agency of his own. He was appointed as Under- Sheriff by Edward Buchen. Mr. Robrecht is a mem- ber of the Masonic order, being the youngest member ever initiated into the Antigo lodge, is a member of the Loyal Order of Moose and the Eagles fraternity. In 1922 he was a Republican candidate for Sheriff of Langlade County.
Mr. Robrecht is an extensive property holder and in the successful pursuit of his life work in Antigo and vicinity has gained a wide acquaintance and a host of friends.
ROBERT C. WOJAN. Is an early resident of An- tigo, who has, by his energy and progress, made a suc- cess of the years he has resided in the county. He was born August 17, 1882, in Germany, the son of Augusta (Wentdland) and Charles Wojan, also early Antigo residents. When but three years of age he moved with his parents to Antigo. Here he attended the public and parochial schools. His educational years over young Robert began life at various occupations, prin- cipally with the P. J. Koelzer Flour & Feed store, an early Antigo institution. He began his plumbing trade with the J. C. Lewis Hardware Company for which firm he was employed a number of years. Feb- ruary 16, 1910, he was united in marriage to Miss Martha Ebert, also a native of Germany, daughter of August Ebert, a brother of Fred Ebert, a former Antigo fire department chief, who has been active in other city affairs. To this union two children were born, namely: Herbert, now nine years old and Robert, Jr., age 3. The Wojan family attends the Peace Lutheran church, of which Mr. Wojan is a member of the Church Council.
They reside at 320 Lincoln street. Since 1906 he has been connected with the Louis Peters plumbing shop of Antigo, having been in the plumbing business since 1902.
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HISTORY OF LANGLADE COUNTY.
Charles Wojan passed away April 21, 1915, and his wife followed him in death May 24, 1921. Eleven chil- dren were in the Wojan family. Robert, Richard, Em- ma, now Mrs. Louis Strehlow, Emil, Edward and Esther, all live in Antigo and Mary, now Mrs. August Uebel, resides at Hurley, Wis. William, Otto and Paul are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wojan are buried in the Antigo cemetery." The late Charles Wo- jan was born May 1, 1852, and while in Langlade Coun- ty was an early employe of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western railroad.
E. A. MORSE. Former Congressman from the 9th Congressional District, was born on a farm in Racine County, Wisconsin, the son of Addison J. and Susette (French) Morse on May 11, 1870. He spent his boy- hood days on the farm and there attended the public schools, later entering Ripon College from which he graduated in 1893. January 1, 1894, he became the Superintendent of the County Schools of Racine Coun- ty, which position he occupied with success. He left the educational field for law, which he chose as his proper field and in 1899 entered the law department of the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1900. He came direct to Antigo, Langlade County, after his graduation and began the practice of law. His legal work was interrupted, however, by his successive re- elections to the Sixty-First and Sixty-Second con- gresses, where Mr. Morse made a fine record.
Mr. Morse is President of the Morse & Tradewell Company, a corporation whose activities embrace law, real estate, loans, insurance, lumbering, and other busi- ness enterprises. Before his election to Congress, Mr. Morse served as City Attorney of Antigo and it was during his term of office that the first revision of the ordinances of the city was made.
In 1896, he was married to Myra Tradewell, daugh- ter of Wesley and Jane Tradewell, to which union one child, Catherine Susette, was born. The Morse resi- dence is at 600 First Avenue. Mrs. Morse is active in church and social affairs in Antigo and a leader in the Antigo Woman's Club.
Mr. Morse is largely responsible for the Antigo post office as it was during his term in Congress that the appropriation for the erection of this splendid public building was passed. The measures were introduced into Congress by him.
Fraternally Congressman Morse is a Mason, with Commandery affiliations, and is a member of the B. P. O. E. and the M. W. A. The Morse family attends the Congregational Church.
EDWARD GOEBEL. Among the prominent pio- neers of Langlade County there are none better known and no more highly respected citizens than Ed- ward Goebel, the Editor of The Antigo Banner and founder of The Antigo Herold. Mr. Goebel was born in Saalfeld (Saale) Germany on December 10, 1864, the son of Ernestine (Kitt) and Herman Goebel, and the first of four children. As a boy and youth he at- tended the public schools of Saalfeld, graduating from
the high school of that place in 1881. He then studied Bookkeeping and Journalism and before immigrating to America was engaged on the Saalfeld Kreisblott, a publication now in its 106th year of life, and on the ex- change list of The Antigo Banner. Mr. Goebel was ambitious to come to America, the land of which he had heard so much, and when but nineteen years of age he arrived in New York City in the fall of 1883. He went westward to Fort Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin, and spent six months with relatives. His first employment in America as a Journalist was on the Green Bay Landsmann, a German weekly publication. He then associated himself with the Appleton Wecker, becoming its Editor in 1886. Two years later Mr. Goe- bel severed his connections with the Wecker and moved to Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin. Antigo was then a city of but three years of age. He launched the Antigo Herold, the first issue appearing on October
EDWARD GOEBEL Editor of the Antigo Banner, who has resided in Antigo since 1888.
20, 1888. The Herold from then on played an import- ant part in the commercial, political, economic and so- cial advancement of Antigo and its vicinity. Decem- ber 5, 1919, Mr. Goebel sold The Herold and launched The Antigo Banner, which is discussed in a chapter elsewhere in this work. The Banner he now edits and publishes weekly.
Mr. Goebel was united in marriage on November 10, 1888, to Minnie Weltzine, a daughter of Johanna (Scho- knecht) and John Weltzine of Greenville, Outagamie County, Wisconsin. To this union five children were born, namely : Elsie, now Mrs. F. S. Baldwin, Superior, Wis .; Flora, now Mrs. F. W. Mehne, Antigo, Wis .; Cecelia, now Mrs. O. J. Swanson, Elcho, Wis .; Harvey and Erwin, both of Antigo, Wis. The Goebel home is at 242 Field Street, Antigo, Wis.
Fraternally, Mr. Goebel is an active Beaver and a member of the Order of Owls. Mrs. Goebel is a mem- ber of the Ladies of the G. A. R. (MacPherson Cir-
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