USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 63
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JULIUS QUADE, vice president of the George Ruder Brewing Company of Wausau, Wis., and a member of its directing board, for many years was active in business here and is one of the well known men of Marathon county. He was born in Germany, June 9, 1846, and is a son of Frederick and Caroline (Krueger) Quade.
Julius Quade was reared in his own land, attended the German schools in his province and then learned the trade of blacksmith and thus equipped, in 1866, when twenty years old, came to the United States. He reached Wausau, August 12, 1866, and immediately went to work as a blacksmith. Later he went to Milwaukee but after almost a year's absence, returned to Wausau, where he started his own shop, on the corner of Jackson and Second streets. He continued in the blacksmith
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business until 1897, after a successful business career of twenty years. He is numbered with the city's substantial citizens.
Mr. Quade was married at Milwaukee, Wis., to Miss Amelia Mahlon and they have five children: Martha, who is the wife of Gustave Schiede; Julius, who resides on a farm in Marathon county ; E. B., who is a well known physician of Wausau; and Paul and Bernard. In all that has furthered the commercial prosperity of Wausau, Mr. Quade has been to some degree interested and he has been liberal in his contribu- tions to charity and in support of churches and schools.
ARTHUR R. MARSON, who is a member of the well known busi- ness firm, N. P. Molter Plumbing & Heating Company, at Wausau, is one of the enterprising young men of this, his native city. He was born July 1, 1889, and is a son of John Peter and Minnie (Helt) Marson. Both parents were born in Germany, and the father came from one of the smaller provinces in early manhood, his objective point being Wiscon- sin. In 1872 he came to Wausau and was married here to Miss Minnie Helt, who survives. He was engaged first in the logging business, then in the liquor business in the town of Main, where he also carried on farm- ing. Perhaps no man in Marathon county was better known in the bee industry than the father of Marson. He not only took a great deal of pleasure in raising bees but made the business of practical value and at one time owned more than 500 hives. His death occurred October II, 1911. His children are all living. Arthur R., Ella, Erna, Freida, Myrtle and George.
Arthur R. Marson was six years old when his parents moved to the farm and there he attended school for about seven years when he returned to Wausau, where he took a course in a business college before entering the employ of Hett Bros., plumbers, in the capacity of bookkeeper. This firm later became Benjamin Hett, and still later, Hett & Molter, which changed to the N. P. Molter Plumbing & Heating Company, Mr. Marson having a one-fourth interest in the business since January, 1913, and having charge of the office. The position indicates a large amount of confidence being placed in the discretion and good judgment of the youngest partner.
In 1910 Mr. Marson was married to Miss Elsie Kuehl, a daughter of Carl Kuehl, of Wausau.
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ALFRED A. BOCK, formerly clerk of the circuit court of Marathon county and at present engaged in the real estate, loan and fire-insurance business at Wausau, is a representative citizen here, widely known and valued in every circle. He was born in Warmland, Sweden, April 28, 1854, and is a son of Charles J. and Mary Elizabeth Bock. The parents of Mr. Bock came to America in 1868 and established their home at Lansing, Ia., where the father followed his trade of blacksmith. He was a good workman and the family prospered and became identified with local affairs. The father died there in September, 1905, aged over seventy-nine years, and the mother died in April, 1906, her aged being eighty-one years. Seven sons and one daughter were born to them, namely: Charles, residing at New Albin, Ia .; Julius, a resident also of New Albin; Alfred A .; Andrew, of Waukon, Ia .; William, of New Albin; Mary, wife of William Cutting, of Lacrosse, Wis .; Edward, of New Albin; and Leonard, who is deceased.
Alfred A. Bock attended the public schools of Lansing until sixteen years of age. In 1873 he became a clerk in a local store and remained at Lansing until 1879, when he went to New Albin, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until the spring of 1884, when he came to Wausau. Here he was associated with K. S. Markstrum in the mercan- til business for two years and then purchased his partner's interest and formed a partnership with E. Strobridge which was continued from 1886 until 1900. In the spring of 1889, he was elected city treasurer and served from April, 1889, until April, 1891. In 1896 he was elected clerk of the circuit court in which office he continued to serve until January, 1911, a period of fourteen years and when he retired from public life imme- diately embarked in his present line of business. Politically he is a Republican and for nine years has served as a member of the board of education at Wausau.
Mr. Bock was married in 1881, at New Albin, Ia., to Miss Mary E. Anderson, a daughter of Joseph R. Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Bock have three children: Grace, Arley and Marie, the son being in partner- ship with his father and the daughters being teachers in the public schools. Mr. Bock and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. His fraternal connections include membership with the Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America and other organizations.
DAVID C. DOHERTY, one of the enterprising young business men of Mosinee, Wis., owner and proprietor of The C. O. D. general store.
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has been very successful in his undertakings notwithstanding early dis- advantages, being left an orphan in childhood and from youth being en- tirely dependent upon his own efforts. He was born at Boston, Mass., November 23, 1880, and was six years old when he was taken to rear by Joseph Herriges and wife, with whom he remained until the death of Mr. Herriges, in 1896, and two years longer with Mrs. Herriges. He obtained his education in the public schools and began his business life as one of the delivery men for C. A. Gardner, with whom he remained for twelve years, and was continuously connected with mercantile life until 1907, when he found himself prepared to embark in the same for himself. In 1910 he erected his fine brick store building with dimen- sions of 40x50 feet, with warehouse of 16x32 feet, and carries a very large stock of well selected merchandise.
On November 27, 1907, Mr. Doherty was married to Miss Mamie Werner, who was born in Marathon county, a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Werner, whose other children are: Lula, Nellie, Anna, Florence, Katherine, Mildred and Sylvester. Mr. and Mrs. Doherty have two children, Dorothy and Donald. The family belongs to the Catholic church. In politics Mr. Doherty is a Republican but has al- ways been too much engaged in business to find time for any public office. He is a member of the Catholic Relief Association, the Beavers and the F. R. A
EDWARD F. BUTLER, M. D., physician and surgeon at Mosinee, was born at Parnell, Sheboygan county, Wis., September 21, 1875, a son of Michael and Ellen (Brown) Butler. The father of Dr. Butler was born in Ireland and farming has been his business through life. The mother was born in the state of New York. They have the following children : James, Charles, Sarah, Mary, Thomas, Anna, Margaret, Cath- erine, Michael, Benjamin, Edward F., Josephine and Joseph.
Edward F. Butler was reared on the home farm and attended the public schools of Sheboygan county and from them entered upon a higher course at Valparaiso, Ind., where he was graduated in 1902. When prepared to enter a medical college he chose the Chicago College of Medicine, where he was graduated and afterward was attached for one year to St. Joseph's Hospital, Chicago, and engaged in practice in that city for four years before coming to Mosinee in 1910. He belongs to various medical organizations and keeps thoroughly abreast with modern research in his practice, giving his patients not only the results
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of his years of study and experience but also the personal interest that frequently largely supplements drugs.
On September 11, 1912, Dr. Butler was married to Miss Catherine O'Connor, a daughter of Edward and Mary (Schmidt) O'Connor, who was the third born in her parents' family, the others being: Marie, Thomas, Anna, Myrtle, William, Ella, Alice, John and Grace. Dr. and Mrs. Butler are members of the Catholic church. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus, belonging to the council at Valparaiso, Ind.
LEWIS H. HALL, proprietor of Hall's Garage, at Nos. 131-133 Clinton street, Wausau, Wis., the largest establishment of its kind in the city, went into business at Wausau in 1906 and from the first has prospered. He was born on a farm in the town of Marathon, Marathon county, Wis., south of Marathon City, May 23, 1881, and is a son of Harman and Susanna Hall. Harman Hall was born in Vermont and came to Marathon county from there about 1854. Farming was his main occupation through life. During the Civil War he was a volunteer in the Union army in a Marathon county regiment and served with credit during his enlistment of two and one-half years. After he re- turned to Marathon county he was married and continued to live on his farm until the time of his death, which occurred in 1899. His widow survives.
Lewis H. Hall was reared on the home farm until the age of eighteen years, in the meanwhile attending the country schools. He found him- self more interested in mechanics than agriculture and went to work for the Ashland Iron Company and learned the blacksmith trade which he subsequently followed and operated a blacksmith shop of his own for a few years at Marathon City before coming to Wausau in October, 1905. For a little more than a year he was employed as a millwright for the Wausau Sand-paper Company here, but on April 13, 1906, em- barked in business for himself. Beginning in a small way, in one room on the present site of the Palace Clothing House, his work was mainly the repairing of bicycles. Later he rented a second room and utilized that for a harness stock, which he had bought at a bankrupt sale and which he sold one year later, and continued in the same quarters until 19II, when he erected his present fine building. Here he deals in auto- mobile supplies, carries a complete line of tires of reliable and modern make and handles the Chalmers, Kissel and Hupp automobiles. His
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business is extensive and is constantly expanding and he gives employ- ment to from ten to fifteen men all through the year.
Mr. Hall was united in marriage with Miss Annie Huffman, of Rib Falls, Marathon county, and they have two children: Irvin and Evaline. He has business associations of various kinds particularly in his own line, and fraternally is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is not active beyond at- tending to the duties of good citizenship.
GEORGE M. BLECHA, who is proprietor of a meat market at Athens, in which village he has valuable property interests, owns also a farm of 160 acres, situated in the town of Halsey and belongs to a well known early family of this section. He was born in 1872 and is a son of Frank E. and Mary (Hubing) Blecha.
Frank E. Blecha was born in Bohemia and came to Wisconsin in early manhood and was married in Marathon county to Mary Hubing, of German parentage. For a number of years he conducted a hotel at Athens, which was the first one in the place, and was well known all over the county. His widow survived him for some years and con- tinued the hotel with the assistance of her sons who subsequently pur- chased the business and carried it on, together with a lumber business, until 1903, when they sold the property.
Mr. Blecha was in the flour and feed business here for two years prior to embarking in the meat business. On October 16, 1900, George M. Blecha was married to Miss Mary B. Chesak, a daughter of Joseph Chesak and they have two children: Almira and Lucinda. The family has always been devoted in its support of the Catholic church and Mr. Blecha belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters and also to the strictly German organization, the G. U. G. In politics he is inclined to be an independent voter although nominally a Republican, and has never consented to accept any public office except in connection with school district No. I, town of Halsey, serving one year as school treasurer.
HENRY BAESEMANN, one of the highly respected retired citizens of Rib Falls, Wis., is a representative of a family that has had much to do with the development of this part of Marathon county. He was the third born in a family of seven children, to John and Ernestina (Gruell) Baesemann.
John Baesemann was born in Germany and was eighteen years of age
HENRY BAESEMANN
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when he accompanied his parents to the United States. At first he lived at Columbus, O., and from there came to Wisconsin and later he bought eighty acres of land eighteen miles northwest of Milwaukee. In Germany he had learned the blacksmith trade, and he opened a shop on his farm. In Wash- ington county, Wis., he married Ernestina Gruell, who was also born in Germany, and the following children were born to them: August, who lives in the town of Weir on a tract of land received from his father, married Johanna Baumann; Frank, who is deceased; Henry; G. H., who is a resident of Wausau; Mary, who is deceased; Alvina, who is the wife of Henry Hen- ricrets ; and Albertina, who is the wife of Frank Linder, and they reside on Washington street, Wausau. The father of the above family sold his eighty acres near Milwaukee and came to Marathon county, securing 200 acres in section 22, town of Rib Falls, all this land being then entirely unimproved. He spent his first year in the hard work of clearing; in the second year he built his dam to control the water power for the saw mill that he built in the third year. Then came the disaster that has visited many other river men, a time of high water from freshets that washed the dam away. He rebuilt the dam and made it stronger than ever, and three years later had his saw mill operating and soon after added a flour mill. The former mill is now abandoned, but the flour mill is used to some extent. He was a busy man until the end of his life, his death occurring at the age of seventy-one years. His widow survived him four years, and both were interred at Rib Falls. They were members of the Lutheran church. In politics always a Democrat, John Baesemann at times held public offices and served as chairman of the county board.
Henry Baesemann with his brother G. H. Baesemann, under the firm style of Baesemann Bros., bought eighty acres of land of their father and , continued together as lumbermen until 1903. Henry Baesemann owns twenty- six acres, twelve of which are well timbered. Since marriage he has lived in the village of Rib Falls. He married Miss Louisa Gabelain, who was born at Milwaukee, one of a family of ten children and one of two survivors. Her brother Henry is a resident of Rib Falls. Her mother died at the age of seventy years and was buried at Fond du Lac, where her father still resides and is now in his eighty-third year. Mrs. Baesemann was reared in the Methodist Episcopal faith. Mr. Baesemann has taken much interest in public movements here and was a member of the committee of prominent citizens that brought about the locating of the creamery here, an important business enterprise of this section. He is financially interested in the Mara- thon County Tile Company. He was reared in the Lutheran faith, the church edifice being erected on his land.
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ALBERT H. HALDER, who conducts a plumbing business at Wau- sau, Wis., with quarters at No. 303 Washington street, has been in the same line of business here for the past fifteen years and sustains the reputation for excellent work and honest prices that has been so long associated with the name. He has been a resident of this city for thirty years but his birth took place in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa., May 15. 1870, and is a son of Charles H. and Minnie (Schure) Halder. The mother died when he was seven years old and the father passed away in April, 1912.
Albert H. Halder was one year old when his parents moved to Two Rivers, Manitowoc county, Wis., where the father followed the shoe- making trade for eleven years and then the family moved to Wausau. In this city Albert H. completed his school attendance and then learned the plumbing trade and later was associated with his brother, George H. Halder, in the plumbing busines under the firm name of Halder Bros. The latter retired from the firm in 1906 in order to give all his attention to the office of under sheriff of Marathon county, and since then Albert H. Halder has been sole proprietor. He is vice president of the Wausau Master Plumbers' Association.
In 1892 Mr. Halder was married to Miss Bertha Waitman, a daugh- ter of Frank Waitman, of Wausau, and they have two sons, Thomas and Albert. Mr. Halder is one of the directors of the Wausau Building, Loan and Investment Association. He is well known and valued in sev- eral leading fraternal organizations, including the Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the E. F. U., and generally, is a citizen who enjoys the respect and confidence of those with whom he is associated.
HENRY KREUTZER, who conducts a hardware and furniture busi- ness at Athens, Wis., where he is one of the leading men, was born in the town of Macquon, Marathon county, Wis., February 8, 1867, and is a son of Andrew A. Kreutzer.
Henry Kreutzer attended the public schools in his native neighbor- hood and remained at home assisting his father on the farm until he was twenty-two years of age. For the next five years he was a clerk in a store at Athens and then embarked for himself in the hardware line and two years later added a stock of furniture. He has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances and does a very satisfactory busi- ness. Although independent in his political views he has frequently been
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elected to town offices as a stable and reliable man and has also been president of the village of Athens.
On January 1, 1888, Mr. Kreutzer was married to Miss Nellie C. Worden, a daughter of D. W. Worden of Marathon county, who was a lumberman during the greater part of his life. Mrs. Kreutzer has three brothers and one sister: James, Oscar, William, and Margaret, who is the wife of William Curler. Mr. and Mrs. Kreutzer have four children: Lillian, Henry, Phillip and Edna. Henry Kreutzer is a resi- dent of St. Paul, where he has charge of the tinware department for the hardware establishment of G. Summers. Mr. Kreutzer and family attend the Lutheran church. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Blue Lodge and Colby Chapter, at Bedford; and to the M. W. A., the F. O. E. and the Beavers, all at Athens.
HENRY ELLENBECKER, who is one of the stable and representa- tive men of Wausau, Wis., has been a resident of this city for twenty years and has been identified with much of its progress. He was born at Belgium, Ozaukee county, Wis., February 27, 1871, and is a son of Nicholas and Katie (Risch) Ellenbecker, both of whom died in Ozau- kee county. The father was a farmer and also a building contractor.
Henry Ellenbecker remained in his native county until he was seven- teen years of age, in the meanwhile attending the public schools, and also, working for a time at painting. He then went to Sheboygan and there continued to work as a painter and also conducted a general store, in the meantime perfecting himself in the line of inside painting and decorating. On November 23, 1892, he came to Wausau and for the last eighteen years has been a painting contractor and deals also in wall paper, with quarters, office and store, at No. 113 Clinton street. For some years after locating at Wausau he was a member of the city band, being a fine performer on the violin and clarinet. In a business way he is well known all through this section, his additional interest being membership in the J. P. Jager Company, dealers in real estate, insurance and loans. His political connections have been important and entirely honorable and as an active and public spirited citizen he has served Wausau well. For six years he was a valued member of the city council, of which he was president in 1910-1911, retiring from this body in April. 1912. He is president of the Wausau Commercial Club.
In 1892, at Sheboygan, Wis., Mr. Ellenbecker was married to Miss Lucy Jager, of that city, and they have three children: Cora, Lyda
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and Catherine. Politically he is a Republican. Fraternally he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and is president of the Master Painters .and Decorators Association of Wisconsin, of which he was one of the organizers.
CLAUDE F. HAMILTON, proprietor of a jewelry store at Athens, and also secretary and general manager of the Athens Telephone Com- pany, is active also in the public life of the village and for the past five years has been city clerk. He was born in Jackson county, Wis., and is a son of Claude S. and Augusta (Goucher) Hamilton. Claude S. Hamilton was born in Maine and his wife in New York, and they now are residents of Oregon. In his native state he was a farmer and later in life was associated with his son Claude F., in business at Athens for ten years. The family consisted of the following children: Charles, Arthur, Claude F., May, wife of John Misslan, and Clyde.
After completing the High School course, Claude F. Hamilton deter- mined to learn the jewelry trade for which he had a natural inclination and spent three years at Hixton and three more at Alma Center, Wis., and in 1901 came to Athens and was the pioneer in the jewelry line here. In 1904, when the telephone company was reorganized the central office found a home in his store and he was then elected the general manager and secretary of this great general utility.
On January 27, 1901, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Mary Porath, who was born in Jackson county, a daughter of Herman Porath. a substantial farmer there, whose other children are: Edith Zimmer- man, Carrie Gower, Hattie Wheaton, Anna, Julia, Albert and Gustav. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have three children: Gerald, Jamie and Alice. The family belongs to the Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Hamil- ton prefers to be independent. He is identified fraternally with the K. O. T. M. and the F. O. E.
MICHAEL PHILIPP, florist, with greenhouse at No. 565 Grand avenue, Wausau, Wis., and office in the Rohde Building, No. 519 Third street, is one of the enterprising and successful men in his line in this city, where he has been established for fourteen years. He was born in Luxemburg, a small province of Europe, April 1, 1865, and is a son of Peter Philipp.
Michael Philipp grew to manhood in his own land and as his father was a gardener he naturally acquired a practical knowledge of that busi-
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ness as a boy. He found himself naturally gifted in the management of plants and flowers and at the age of seventeen years chose the florist trade as his life business and has been engaged in the same ever since, and worked in Germany and France prior to coming to the United States. As a visitor to the World's Fair, at Chicago, Ill., in 1893, he came to the country which has ever since been his home, for here he found conditions that pleased him and abundant business opportunity. For some time he was in the employ of a wholesale florist at Chicago and spent one year at Valparaiso, Ind., but with this exception has spent all his time at Wausau, where he has built up a large and growing busi- ness. He lias erected seven greenhouses on several acres of land and has more than 17,000 square feet of space under glass. These buildings are heated by a steam plant and he has installed all modern appliances known to the trade. He deals in potted plants and cut flowers and pre- pares designs for every occasion, and gives special attention to out of town orders.
In the city of Chicago Mr. Philipp was married to Miss Anna Wilt- gen, who had been born also in his province and had been brought in infancy to America, and the following children were born to them: Bar- bara, Harold, Peter, Lawrence, Marie, Theodore, Michael, Margaret, Emma and Eugene. Mr. Philipp and family belong to the Catholic church.
ROBERT P. KUHLMANN, a representative business man of Wau- sau in the shoe line, senior member of the firm of Kuhlmann & Brach, No. 318 Third avenue, has been secretary of the Wausau Commercial Club since its organization in 1910 and has been a resident of Wausau for almost a quarter of a century. He was born on a farm in Washing- ton county, Wis., November 30, 1873, and is a son of John C. and Eva M. (Illiam) Kuhlmann, the former of whom is serving at present as as- sistant postmaster of this city.
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