History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Marchetti, Louis. cn
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1042

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Mr. Burnett married Miss Barbara Marguerite Dale, of Stevens Point, and they have had two children : Claire Louise and Lucile Dale, the latter dying when aged one year and seventeen days. Mr. Burnett served two terms as deputy county surveyor. He is identified fraternally with the Modern Woodmen and is an official of the local camp.

MARTIN KEEFE, who conducts a first class livery stable at Edgar. Wis., has served in the office of village constable for the past eight years and is well known throughout Marathon county. He was born Febru- ary 14, 1872, in Pocahontas county, Ia., and is a son of William and Cath- erine (Kennedy) Keefe. The mother is deceased but the father survives and resides at Mosinee, Wis.

Martin Keefe attended the public schools in the town of Emmett, Marathon county, and afterward, until 1893, when he came to Edgar, worked on a farm. Here he succeeded Amos Rodgers in the livery stable business, conducting it ever since and, as necessity has arisen, has en-

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larged his service until now he keeps sixteen head of horses and all kinds of vehicles suitable for his probable patrons, including an automo- bile, and gives employment to experienced drivers who convey passen- gers as far as Athens, Mosinee, Wausau and Rib Falls.

Mr. Keefe married Miss Laura Randau, a daughter of Frank Ran- dau, of Mosinee, Wis., and they have had the following children: Pearl, Henry, Martin, Loretta, Maurice, William and three who died in in- fancy. Mr. Keefe and family are members of St. John's Catholic church. Their pleasant home is on Redwood street. Mr. Keefe is interested as a stockholder in the Edgar Veneer Manufacturing Company in the Mara- thon City Brewery and also the Ruder Brewing Company of Wausau. In politics he has always been a Democrat. As village constable he has shown discretion and courage and on one occasion displayed so much bravery in the capture of two bank robbers that the press all over the state gave him credit and praised the nerve that enabled him to dare the threats of two desperate men and to finally deliver them over to justice. Reference is made to his capture of the men who robbed the Colby Bank in Wood county, of $4,000, about all of which was recovered. Mr. Keefe is identified with a number of fraternal organizations which are strong in Wisconsin: the Knights of Columbus, the Beavers, the F. R. A., the E. F. U., the Eagles and the T. I. C.

PHILIP STADLER, who is engaged in cigar manufacturing at Wau- sau, with factory and residence at No. 720 Washington street, Wausau, has been engaged in this business here for the past thirty years and is the oldest dealer and manufacturer in his line, in point of time, in the city. He was born in Germany, November 2, 1861, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Rueck) Stadler.

Philip Stadler was reared in Germany and remained there until 1878 and then came to America, his father following two years later. With his father he had learned the baking business and when he reached Mil- waukee, Wis., found work at that trade and remained there until 1880, when he came to Wausau, where he worked on the railroad for a short time and then entered the employ of the Curtis Bros. Co., now Curtis & Yale. He continued there for almost two years and then returned to railroading, ten days later being severely injured. Thus the current of his life was changed and in seeking satisfactory employment he fortu- nately decided upon cigar manufacturing in which he has prospered.

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His brand, the San Meteo, is a favorite ten cent cigar and he also manu- factures a line of excellent five cent goods.

In 1906 Mr. Stadler was married to Miss Beyrl Black and they have one son, Lloyd Stadler. Mr. Stadler belongs to the Eagles and the U. C. T. He has done much for Wausau in the way of outside sports, was the first one to introduce professional baseball here and for two years was manager of the Wausau Baseball Club, of which he is yet a director.

JOSEPH L. COLOMBO, who is in business at No. 112 Scott street, Wausau, Wis., contractor in heating and sheet metal worker, is one of the reliable and representative business men of this city, of which he has been a resident for six years. He was born in the village of Baden, near Toronto, Canada, December 22, 1870, and is a son of John Colombo, who was in the linseed oil business at the time of his death in 1896. The other members of the family still live in Canada.

Joseph L. Colombo was reared in his native place, attended school and learned sheet metal working. His first visit to the United States was when he crossed the border and made his way to Chicago to attend the World's Columbian Exhibition and his judgment told him that busi- ness opportunities were to be found in the Republic. He went to Mil- waukee, Wis., and went to work for the Schwab & Sercomb, now the R. J. Schwab & Sons Company, where he continued to be employed for thirteen years, ten of these as a man on the road entrusted with the installing of heating apparatus, his wages climbing from two dollars a day to $150 a month and expenses. He was what is termed "trouble man" for the company and became almost invaluable. When he came to Wausau he went into partnership in the firm of A. B. Wheeler & Sons Company, after which, with two partners, he embarked in business for himself, eighteen months later purchasing his partner's interests.

On April 26, 1893, Mr. Colombo was married at Toronto, to Miss Adela Crawford, and they have had two children, the one survivor, Arthur, being a college student at St. Josephi's, Dubuque, Ia. Mr. Co- lombo and family are members of the Catholic church. In sheet metal work, perhaps Mr. Colombo has no superior in the state and all over this section he fills heavy contracts, giving constant employment to eight workmen. Politically he has never been active although as a citi- zen he commands respect and confidence.

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CORNELIUS S. CURTIS, president of the Curtis-Yale Company, manufacturers of sash, doors, etc., at Wausau, is officially or otherwise con- nected with additional enterprises of large importance here. He was born on a farm in Chenango county, N. Y., August 1, 1851, and is a son of John S. and Elizabeth Curtis.

Cornelius S. Curtis left his native state when five years old, went to Rochelle, Ill., and remained there until early manhood. He went to Clinton, Ia., in the year of 1869 to join his two brothers, who, in 1866, had estab- lished themselves in the manufacture of sash, door and inside wood work in that city. In 1869 Mr. Curtis entered the factory and worked in all departments of the business, in 1872 starting out as commercial man and con- tinued on the road until coming to Wausau. When Mr. Curtis came to Wau- sau, June 3. 1881, it was as a member of the firm of Curtis Bros. & Co .. and the business was established here under the same title. On January I, 1893, the Curtis-Yale Company was incorporated separately, and at the same time took over the Minneapolis branch of Curtis Bros. & Co., it being the jobbing house of the firm. This is the largest factory of any kind in Mara- thon county, having two plants at Wausau and giving employment to 600 people. In addition to being president of the above corporation, Mr. Curtis is president of the Ingram Lumber Company of Wausau: president of the Wausau Sand Paper Company; president of the Fenwood Lumber Company of Wausau, and second vice president of the First National Bank of Wausau.

Mr. Curtis was married at Clinton, Ia., to Miss Emma M. Gulick, of that city, and they have two sons : John E., who is superintendent of plant No. 2, of the Curtis-Yale Company at Wausau; and Walter E., who is secretary and assistant treasurer of the Curtis-Yale Company. Mr. Curtis is prominent in Masonic circles, is a Mason of the thirty-second degree and a Shriner. Socially he is identified with the Wausau Club and the Wausau Country Club.

JOHN HAESLE, one of the representative business men of Wau- sau, senior member of the firm of Haesle & Williams, dealers in meats, at No. 524 Forest street, has been engaged in this line of work ever since his school days ended. He was born at Marathon City, Wis .. July 26, 1877, and is a son of Vincent and Pauline Haesle, and a grand- son of Joseph Haesle, who was one of the earliest settlers of Marathon City. The parents of Mr. Haesle still reside at Marathon City, highly respected people and members of the Catholic church.

John Haesle grew to manhood in his native place, attended the pub- lic schools and there learned the meat business and worked for six and

CORNELIUS S. CURTIS

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one-half years with Anton Blier. He then came to Wausau and has been engaged in the business for about eighteen years at his present loca- tion, first as an employe of Gilham & Rich, and for the past eight years has been associated with his present partner, Joseph Willems, with whom he bought out the old firm. The present firm is well financed, has excel- lent accommodations, maintains its slaughter house on the west side of the city and enjoys a heavy trade that their honorable methods and superior goods deserve.

Mr. Haesle was married to Miss Catherine Graebel, a daughter of J. J. Graebel, a prominent merchant of Wausau, and they have four children: Clara, Mary, Gertrude and Irene. The family belongs to St. Mary's Catholic church. Mr. Haesle is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and of the Columbian Orchestra, in which he plays the first violin and in this connection it may be added that he is the proud owner of the first violin that was ever brought to this country, an early pioneer to Marathon City having it among his most cherished posessions.

CARL SCHEWE, who is one of the representative men of the town of Stettin, owning 214 1-2 acres of land situated in sections 9 and 4, was born near Danzig, Germany, January 21, 1865, and is a son of Gustave and Mollie (Gushe) Schewe. The parents of Carl Schewe were born, reared and married in Germany. They came to the United States in 1866, and spent two years at Buffalo, N. Y., and then moved to Manis- tee, Mich., where they lived for nine years. When they came to Wis- consin they lived five years in Wausau ; seven years in the town of Main, Marathon county ; one year in Wausau again, moving then to the town of Stettin, where they still live. They had two children born in Ger- many, one of whom died there, and the following were born in Amer- ica : John, Amelia, August, Albert, Emma, Mollie and Bertha, the last named being deceased. Gustave Schewe voted with the Democratic party for some years but during the last ten years of his life has been identified with the Republican party. He was no seeker for office but once accepted the position of pathmaster, in which he served two years.

Carl Schewe was eighteen months old when his parents brought him to the United States and was twelve years old when the family came to Marathon county, where he completed his education in the public schools. For three years afterward he worked in a saw mill, for two summers worked for J. Clark, for two summers worked in a planing mill and then at lumbering at what was then Black Creek, now Athens. By that time

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he was twenty-five years of age and he then engaged as a teamster for Curtis & Yale, and continued with that well known firm and lived at Wausau for seven years and then went on the farm which he received from his father and now owns, about eighty acres of which is cleared, Mr. Schewe having cleared forty of it and made improvements. He was foreman of the gang that built the macadam road near the City Limits Wausau. In politics he is a Republican. For three years he has been clerk of District No. 6, town of Stettin; president of the board of health ; for three years was on the road and bridge committee; two years was on the board of equalization ; one year served on the poor board, and for nine years was chairman of the town board of Stettin, for which office he has been again nominated without opposition. For six years he has served on the committee on the cheese factory, and for the past three years has been assessor of the Stettin Mutual Fire Insurance Company, all the above showing that Mr. Schewe is held in esteem by his fellow citizens.

When twenty-five years of age, in 1890, Mr. Schewe married Miss Amelia Gritsmacher, a daughter of Fred and Fredricka (Botz) Grits- macher, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Schewe have had nine children : Ber- tha, who died in infancy being the eldest, and Lizzie, who died when aged fourteen years being the fifth in order of birth. The others sur- vive : Frank, Paul, Selma, Lydia, Alma, Erna and Carl, Jr. The family belongs to the Lutheran church, Mr. Schewe formerly being president of the church society.

HENRY VOLHARD, a retired farmer and prominent citizen of the town of Marathon, of which he has been a resident for forty-five years, was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, September 10, 1845, and is a son of Peter and Christian Volhard, who spent their entire lives in Germany.

In his native land Henry Volhard attended school until he was over fourteen years of age, when, through a fortunate combination of circum- stances, he was enabled to cross the Atlantic ocean and in 1859 landed in the harbor of New York. He found employment in that great me- tropolis as a clerk in a shoe store and remained there until 1868, in the meanwhile learning the shoemaking trade. In 1868 he came to Wiscon- sin and secured 200 acres of land situated in the town of Marathon, Marathon county, 100 of which he cleared through individual effort, and subsequently erected all the substantial buildings now standing. He

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carried on general farming until 1904, when he found his time well taken up with duties of a public nature and then retired, selling the farm to his sons, the property lying three miles southeast of Marathon City.

Mr. Volhard was married at Newark, N. J., to Miss Catherine Stieber, who was born in Germany, and they have had seven children: Mary, Anthony, William, Katie, Emma, John, who is deceased, and an infant, also deceased. Mr. Volhard and family belong to St. Mary's Catholic church. He has always been an interested and conscientious citizen and has served his town in public office for many years, at present serving in his third term as trustee of the Marathon County Insane Asylum and Hospital Home ; for seven years was chairman of the town of Marathon; for nine years was town supervisor, and for eight years was school treasurer. . He is one of the stockholders in the Marathon City Brewery Company. Few men are better known or more highly esteemed in the town of Marathon than is Henry Volhard.

JACOB KNAUF, treasurer of the town of Marathon, who is a pros- perous general farmer and dairyman, owning a valuable farm of 160 acres, situated in section 29, was born on a farm one and one-half miles north of this, also in town of Marathon, Marathon county, Wis., July 9, 1875. His father, Jacob Knauf, died when he was seven years old.

Jacob Knauf, the younger, attended the public schools until he was about fourteen years of age, through the winter seasons, but gave help on the home farm even that early during the summers. When twenty- four years old, about the time of his marriage, he rented a farm of eighty acres in the town of Marathon, then worked for one summer for John Seubert in the town of Cassel, and during the following years worked in the same town on land he had purchased which he subse- quently sold. On February 5, 1902, he bought his present farm and at first resided in the house situated north of the one into which he moved after remodeling it, but three years ago sold all his personal effects to Peter Bichler, who has rented this farm and is carrying it on, while Mr. Knauf moved near Marathon City. He started his dairy business with about eighteen cows and both under his management and under that of Mr. Bichler, the business has been profitable. About 115 acres were cleared when Mr. Knauf bought the farm and he put up the modern barn that the large business carried on made a necessity. This property lies four and one-half miles southeast of Marathon City. Mr. Knauf is a stockholder in the Marathon City Telephone Company and also owns

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stock in the Marathon City Brewery Company, and is president of the Central Creamery Company of the town of Marathon.

On May 29, 1900, Mr. Knauf was married to Miss Benedicta Lang, who was born and reared in the town of Cassel, a daughter of Erhardt and Mary Lang, and they have the following children, the two older ones being natives of the town of Cassel and the others of the town of Marathon : Annie Maria, Lena Anna, Anthony, Jacob, Jr., Edwin, Louis and Philip. Mr. Knauf and family are members of St. Mary's Catholic church. He has been a lifelong Democrat and for many years has served his town acceptably in public office, being supervisor in 1911 and since 1912 has been town treasurer. He is identified with the Catholic Order of For- esters.

EDWARD W. LEMKE, carpenter, contractor, and also carriage painter, with residence and office at No. 521 Jackson street, Wausau, is a very well known citizen and is serving in his second term as a mem- ber of the city council, representing the Second Ward, of which he has been a resident his entire life. He was born at Wausau, April 18, 1865, and is a son of August and Caroline (Seymour) Lemke. The parents of Mr. Lemke were born and reared in Germany and when they came to the United States both located at Watertown, Wis., where they soon after were married, and one year later came to Wausau. August Lemke was a wagonmaker by trade and all his sons were instructed by him in his own shop which stood on Washington street across from the City Hall, the public library board now owning the ground.

Edward W. Lemke attended the public schools through boyhood and then learned carriage painting under his father and still later learned the carpenter trade, following the same for a number of years and then going into contracting. As he grew up he was identified with the move- ments which have contributed to the development of his native city, and for twenty-two years was a member of the old volunteer fire de- partment.

In 1894 Mr. Lemke was married at Wausau to Miss Mary Hussong and they have had six children to grow up, while two, Howard and Viola, died young. The others are: Lida, Myrtle, Edward, Lucile, Georgette and Dorothy. In politics Mr. Lemke is a Democrat but has cared little for public office, although, as an alderman, he has given ex- treme satisfaction to his ward. He belongs to the fraternal order of Woodmen of America.

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J. J. BLUME, who has been assessor of the town of Marathon for the past eight years, owns a valuable form of 128 acres lying in section 7, one-quarter mile south of Marathon City. He was born in the town of Marathon, Marathon county, Wis., May 31, 1862, and is a son of John and Augusta (Bumgartner) (Reidel) Blume. John Blume was born and grew to manhood in Germany, where he learned the shoe- making trade. He came to America when thirty-three years old and in a few years had become a prosperous business man. He opened the first general store at Marathon City, Wis., where he was postmaster for twenty-four years. Later in life he removed to Oregon where he be- came a farmer and died there at the age of seventy years. While a resi- dent of Marathon City he served as village president, as town clerk and as a notary public and at one time owned considerable property here. He married Mrs. Augusta (Bumgartner) Reidel, who died also in Ore- gon, aged about seventy years. They were faithful members of the Catholic church. Six children were born to them.

J. J. Blume put aside his school books when he reached the age of fourteen years and for two years more assisted his father, following which he worked for eight winters in a logging camp and in a saw mill, fol- lowing farming in the summer. Since his marriage in 1887, he has lived on his present farm, about one-half of which is cleared, Mr. Blume hav- ing cleared thirty acres by himself. He carries on a general farming line, does a little dairying and grows his own cattle.

On June 21, 1887, Mr. Blume was married to Miss Bertha Trauba, who was born in Germany, a daughter of Joseph and Louisa Trauba, who came to Marathon county when Mrs. Blume was three years old and here she was reared and educated. The mother died when aged fifty-two years and the father when aged seventy years and both were buried in St. Mary's cemetery. Mr. Trauba was a carpenter by trade and was well known through the town of Marathon as a skillful work- man. Mr. and Mrs. Blume have a family to be proud of, twelve vigorous, intelligent children, all born on the home farm: Mary, who is the wife of John Riech, and they live at Wausau: Charles, who is at- tending college at Stevens Point; and Laura, Augusta, Louisa, Hilda, Gertrude, George, Josephine, Ella. Irene and Mildred. Mr. Blume and family belong to St. Mary's Catholic church. In addition to his farm interests Mr. Blume has others, being a stockholder in the Central Creamery of the town of Marathon ; a stockholder in the State Bank of Marathon City ; also in the Farm Produce Company of Marathon City

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and the Marathon City Brewing Company. Politically he is a Democrat and his methods as town assessor have been so satisfactory to party and people that he has been elected and reelected to office for eight years. He is identified with the Catholic Order of Foresters.

CHRIST FRANZEN, capitalist and a retired farmer living at Strat- ford, Wis., is one of the leading and representative men of Marathon county and has served in the office of village assessor since this organi- zation was brought about. He was born in Holstein, Germany, Decem- ber II, 1845.

When only eleven years of age Christ Franzen went as cabin boy on a sailing vessel on the seas and while he remained a sailor probably touched the shores of every seaboard country in the world. After sail- ing for twenty years he was made mate of a fine vessel. Finally, in the port of New York he left his ship and came to the southern part of Wis- consin in order to pay a visit to some relatives at New Holstein, Calu- met county, and when the wide expanse of the Great Lakes spread out before him, the old fascination of the water returned and in 1870 he began to sail the lakes and continued until his marriage in 1876 and for one year longer while living in Calumet county. He then settled as a farmer on forty acres in the town of Bergen where he had to clear the land of timber and here built a log cabin home and later added eighty additional acres. At one time he owned 240 acres. He sold his land in- cluding his old homestead in 1903 and then came to Stratford where he has a handsome modern residence and four acres of land.

Mr. Franzen has been a very useful and far sighted citizen of this section and probably served as chairman of the county board for a longer time than any other incumbent in Marathon county. When he came to Stratford he was serving as assessor in the town of Cleveland and re- signed the latter office when elected assessor of Stratford. Earlier he served many years as a justice of the peace and in that capacity per- formed many marriages. In the summer of 1912 he was appointed a jury commissioner, and for twenty-two years before coming here served as town school clerk. He at present represents The Wisconsin Farm Mutual Hail and Cyclone Insurance Company, of Juneau, Wis. He is one of the main stockholders in the Stratford Telephone Company and also in the Marathon County Telephone Company.

Mr. Franzen was married December 12, 1876, to Miss Fredrika Wegner, who was born in Prussia-Germany, February 9, 1852, a daugh-

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ter of Christian and Frederika (Lehman) Wegner, who died in Ger- many. Mr. and Mrs. Franzen have four children: Irma, who is the wife of Charles Brinkman, of Rozellwell, Wis .; Margaret; Herman, who attended the dairy school at Madison, Wis., married and is now in business at Ephrata, Pa .; and Walter, who was educated at Wausau, resides in that city. Since its organization Mr. Franzen has been vice president of the Stratford State Bank. With his family he belongs to the German Lutheran church.

FRANK P. O'CONNER, ex-sheriff of Marathon county, Wis., is widely known also through the county as an able business man and as an upright and stable citizen. He was born in the town of Emmett, Marathon county, June 29, 1866, and is a son of Hon. Thomas and Catherine O'Conner. His father for many years was in pubilc life and served as a member of the State Assembly.

Frank P. O'Conner was reared on the home farm and since the age of fifteen years has engaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account and owns a valuable farm in his native town. He also was engaged for many years in the lumbering industry on the river and in the northern woods, and for five years prior to entering upon his official duties as sheriff, was superintendent of the Clifford Lumber Company. He was the candidate of the Democratic party for sheriff in 1904 but that was the year of Republican victory, but in 1906 he was elected sheriff and appreciation was shown of his admirable administration by his reelec- tion in 1910. In carrying out the duties of sheriff Mr. O'Conner was in- flexible and made his name one of terror to law-breakers in Marathon county.

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History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens, Part 65

Author: Marchetti, Louis. cn Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Marchetti, Louis. cn
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1042