USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 75
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Under such conditions as above indicated, Robert Plisch, spent his early years in Wisconsin. The first school he attended was at Fond du Lac and the next one was in a cabin in which three families lived. In the morning the beds occupied were piled in a corner so that school sessions could go on and at night the cabin became again the sleeping place of the families. The benches were made of rough bass logs and a half window admitted light. Afterward Mr. Plisch worked in saw mill and on farm, teaching school during the winter season, probably about twelve terms. His first land purchase was in the town of Stettin. which he subsequently traded for his present farm which was then owned by his parents, this has been almost entirely improved by Mr. Plisch. He makes a specialty of growing thoroughbred Holstein cattle.
On April 14, 1872, Mr. Plisch was married to Miss Augusta Mathurig who was born in Europe and after coming to the United States lived for five years in Ohio prior to coming to Wisconsin. The following chil- dren have been born to them: Albert, who lives at Hamburg; Bertha, who is the wife of Adolf Zilsdorff, of Swift county, Minnesota ; Emma,. who is the wife of Henry Kukfahl, of Pine River; Eda, who is the wife of William Rollenhagen, of Sunset, Marathon county; Lena, who is the wife of Edward Zastrow, of Stettin: Anna, who is the wife of Edward Newman, of Hamburg; Mary, who is the wife of Edward Brantd of Ham- burg ; Minna, who is the wife of Paul Riechel, of Wausau; Clara, who is the wife of William Radloff ; and Lydia, Ernest and Walter are at home.
Ever since attaining his majority Mr. Plisch has been a democrat and served six years as chairman of the town of Berlin, and was honored by
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his party and fellow citizens of the First District of Marathon county by election to the General Assembly, in which he served with credit in 1895-6, being a member of several important committees. He filled various township and district offices, was deputy sheriff during 1893- 1894, and was employed in the legislature in 1893. He has served also acceptably as president of the Marathon County Agricultural Society, is a member of the Berlin Insurance Company, and for the past forty years has belonged to Wausau Lodge No. 215, Odd Fellows.
EVAN M. MACAULAY, M. D., who is engaged in medical practice at Wausau, Wisconsin, for the past ten years has devoted himself to his profession in Marathon county and through a considerable portion of it is well known. He was born February 4, 1873, at Balsover, County Ontario, Canada, and is a son of Rev. E. M. and Margaret (Monroe) Macaulay.
Rev. E. M. Macaulay was born in Inverness, Scotland. At the age of seventeen years, after having been a student at Edinburgh University, he accompanied his older brothers to the United States, they settling in Alabama and Florida. He entered Queens University, at Kingston, Canada, where he completed his medical studies, after which he turned to theology and from 1860 until his death in 1907, at the age of eighty- six years, he was a minister in the Presbyterian church. He married Margaret Monroe, who was born in Canada seventy years ago and sur- vives, the beloved mother of seven children, namely: Evan M .; John, who is a traveling salesman in Northwestern Canada; Angus, who is in business at Ottawa, Canada; Collin, who is a master mechanic for the Grand Trunk Railroad, in the shops at Ottawa; George, who is a printer now residing at Ottawa, Illinois; Thomas, who is connected with the Grand Trunk Railway ; and Jean, who resides with her mother.
Evan M. Macaulay received his early educational training in the Guelph Collegiate Institute, at Guelph, Canada, and after graduation became connected with the privy council department of the Canadian Government and continued until he entered Queens University of Physi- cians and Surgeons, at Kingston, where he was graduated in the class of 1899. Dr. Macaulay located immediately at Racine, Wisconsin, where he practiced until 1903, when he moved to Hatley, in Marathon county, and from there came to Wausau, in 1909, maintaining his office at No. 606 Third street. As a man of trained faculties and wide outlook, it is natural for Dr. Macaulay to be interested in public questions. He is
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independent in politics and the only public office he has held since com- ing to Marathon county was that of justice of the peace while residing at Hatley.
In 1899 Dr. Macaulay was married to Miss Edith Calvert, a daugh- ter of Thomas Calvert, of Kingston, Canada. They have a daughter, Evaline Josephine, a beautiful child of two and one-half years. Dr. Macaulay belongs to the leading fraternal organizations including the Freemasons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Eagles and the Owls. He and wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
KIEFFER BROS., well known business men of Wausau, operating two meat markets here, one situated at No. 308 Jackson street, and the other at No. 1516 Sixth street. They have been in the meat business in this city since August 1, 1898. The firm consists of Clement, Albert and John, Sr.
Clement, was born in 1870, in Alsace Lorraine, which was at that time a French Province. In the following year he was brought to the United States by his parents Jean Baptiste and Agatha Kieffer. The father was a tailor by trade and first located at Cincinnati, and later at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. There the other sons were born, and the children were all young when removal was made to Schofield, Marathon county, Wisconsin, in October, 1883, after twelve years at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The father died June 10, 1910. Clement, passed a busy youth and boyhood. After coming to Marathon county he worked in a mill and on a farm. In 1898 he with the other brothers, Albert and John Sr., went into the butchering business. They are all equal partners and are practical men in the business. They owned their own slaughter house which is situated south of the city, in the town of Weston. The brothers are all married, all have families and all belong to the Roman Catholic church. Clement married Miss Alvina Pickruhn and they have four children: Ida, Lawrence, George and Elmer. Albert married Miss Catherine Dreyer and they have two children: Raymond and Esther. John, Sr. married Miss Annie Tetzlaff and they have three children: Gertrude, Evelyn and John, Jr. As a firm the brothers stand high, while personally each one enjoys confidence and respect as a useful and repu- table citizen .-
JOHN E. CURTIS, who has been identified with the Curtis & Yale Company at Wausau, for the past eighteen years, is now assistant super-
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intendent of their large plant and stands in the relation of a thoroughly trusted employe. He was born at Dennison, Iowa, August 10, 1877, and is a son of C. S. Curtis.
The parents of Mr. Curtis came to Wausau with their children in 1881 and here he attended both the common and high schools and after- ward a military school at Knoxville, Illinois. He then returned to Wau- sau and entered the employ of Curtis & Yale and has had practical exper- ience in every department including the office. For thirteen years he was superintendent of the company's plant No. 2 and then came to plant No. I, in his present capacity.
Mr. Curtis married Miss Pauline Ringle, daughter of Valentine Rin- gle, and they have two children: Cornelius Valentine and Evelyn Pauline. Mr. Curtis has passed all the chairs in the local lodge of Knights of Pythias, of which he is the present chancellor, and he belongs also to the Elks and to the Wausau Club.
OTTO TRESS, one of the substantial and useful men of the town of Stettin, who owns 200 acres of fine land situated in sections 26 and 24, occupies that part of his farm lying in section 26, on the south side of the east and west road, six miles west of Wausau. Mr. Tress was born in Germany, June 16, 1868, and is a son of Ferdi- nand and Wilhelmina Tress, who came from Germany and have been residents of the town of Stettin for thirty-nine years.
Otto Tress was five years old when his parents brought him to the United States and to Wisconsin. He attended schools in the towns of Stettin and Wausau, after which he learned the carpenter trade, work- ing afterward at the same in summers and for fourteen winters laboring in the woods. He then turned his attention to farming and of his large acreage has seventy acres cleared, six acres preserved in fine timber and all the rest in native woods. He has been successful as a breeder of grade Shire horses, and of Red Poll cattle. All the improvements on his place he put here and is one of the busy men of the town. For the last three years he has been town treasurer, is also road overseer of District No. 9. In politics he is a democrat and religiously belongs to the Lutheran church. He is a member of the Stettin Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company.
LOUIS SCHARBAU, president of the Scharbau Land, Lumber & Mining Company, and of the Iron Range Timber Company, important
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LOUIS SCHARBAU
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business concerns of Wausau, Wis., is one of the prominent and forceful men of this section, and has been identified with the timber and land business for twenty-three years. He was born in the city of Hamburg, Germany, May 21, 1860, a son of Johann Ludwig Dominicus Scharbau and wife, the head of whose branch, Ludwig Christorer Dominicus Scharbau von Scharbautz, left Scharbautz in the year 1583.
Louis Scharbau was reared in a comfortable home by careful par- ents and was given good educational advantages, including attendance at a high school and also a technical school in his native land. Having acquired a knowledge of civil engineering he followed that profession for awhile in his native land. In 1883 he came to America, settling at once in Wisconsin. After a short period spent at Milwaukee he came to the more northern part of the state and embarked in the saw mill business and in merchandising. He operated a mill and store in Gillette and another mill seven miles from Cecil, Wisconsin. He continued in business at Gillette until 1898, when he came to Wausau, since which time he has given his attention largely to the timber business, and his personal dealings in both farm and timber lands are extensive. He is a man of wide business experience and his operations are acknowledged factors in the commercial life of Northern Wisconsin.
In 1890 Mr. Scharbau was married to Miss Hulda Zell, and they have two sons, Harold and Kurt, who are students in St. John's Military Academy. Mr. Scharbau has twice visited Europe since he first crossed the Atlantic, and on the last trip, in the spring of 1912, he was accom- panied by his wife. Together they visited the old home in Germany, also Paris, and extended their travels as far as St. Petersburg, Russia.
FRANK KURTH, who is one of the leading representatives of the hardware line, at Wausau, continues a business which he established in June, 1894, in association with his father, Gotlieb Kurth, under the firm · name of G. Kurth & Son, the senior member of the firm retiring in 1908. Mr. Kurth was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 2, 1874, and is a son of Gotlieb and Lena Kurth, who still live in this city.
Frank Kurth attended the public schools at Wausau and his first experience in business was in a hardware store. Afterward, for several years, he was in the employ of the Montgomery Hardware Company, and then, as stated above, embarked in business for himself. He car- ries a complete stock of hardware and cutlery, and a business house that has prospered continuously for eighteen years may be justly named as
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a representative one. In 1902 Mr. Kurth was married to Miss Anna Zastrow, of this city, and they have one son, Walter. They are members of Zion Evangelical Lutheran church. Mr. Kurth is considered a sound, reliable business man and his opinions as a citizen carry weight.
PAUL HAHNHEISER, furrier, who has been in this business at Wausau since he came here in 1887, is a man of established business reliability and a highly respected citizen. Like many other of the sub- stantial men of Wausau, he was born in Germany, in 1857, and learned his trade under his father, Leopold Hahnheiser, and an uncle, it being a family trade.
Mr. Hahnheiser has been identified with the fur trade since he was fif- teen years of age and his knowledge of furs and their treatment, their fashioning into garments and their preservation, is complete. From Germany he went to London, England, and from there, two and one- half years later, in 1885, came to America and two years afterward established himself at Wausau. He owns the brick building in which his store is located and his residence which adjoins it.
In the city of Philadelphia, Pa., Mr. Hahnheiser was married to Miss Hattie Hunple, and they have five children: Paul, Lorton, Magdalena, Ruth and Hattie. The family belongs to the Catholic church and Mr. Hahnheiser is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters.
WILLIAM P. KENNEDY, whose place of business is one of much activity and is located on the corner of Jackson and Fifth streets, Wau- sau, where blacksmithing and horseshoeing is done and carriages and buggies are repaired, has been a resident of Wausau since 1882. He was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, April 16, 1862, and is a son of Peter Kennedy.
William P. Kennedy obtained his education in the schools near his home and then learned the blacksmith trade under his father. He was twenty years old when he came to Wausau and afterward worked for several winters in the woods, after which he opened his first blacksmith shop on Second street, Wausau. He continued there until he found he needed larger quarters and in 1901 came to his present place. He has been industrious and painstaking and has always rendered good service for value received. Mr. Kennedy has many friends in this city and is a valued member of the order of Eagles. Mr. Kennedy is unmarried.
ERNEST E. SCHLEGEL
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GEORGE H. WILKE, who is engaged in the jewelry business at Wausau established himself March 1, 1912, at his present location, No. 314 Scott street, and has been a resident of this city since 1901. He was born at Port Washington, Wisconsin, January 21, 1880, and is a son of William and Wilhelmina Wilke.
Geogre H. Wilke attended the public schools at Port Washington and spent two years in the high school, after which he started to learn the jewelry and optical business and spent eleven years with Otto Mueller at Wausau and then went into business for himself. He is a practical watchmaker and optician and carries a complete line of watches and optical goods and a fine stock of silverware and jewelry. He enjoys the confidence of the public and has satisfactory prospects. Mr. Wilke belongs to the Knights of Pythias and values his social membership with the Wausau Club. He is unmarried.
ERNEST E. SCHLEGEL, deceased, who, for twenty-seven years had been a resident of Athens, Wis., at the time of death, November 23, 1911, was one of the very prominent men of Marathon county. He was vice presi- dent of the Bank of Athens and also of the Ceres Roller Mills Company, and financially interested in many other important business concerns. He was born in the town of Mequon, near Grafton, in Ozaukee county, Wis., February 1, 1865, the oldest of seven children born to Charles Schlegel and wife, the others being: Oscar ; Henry ; Matilda, wife of Benjamin W. Fick; Charles; Cora, wife of Hugo Brunswick; and George.
Ernest Edward Schlegel spent his boyhood and youth in Ozaukee county and in 1884 accompanied his father to Athens, then known as Black Creek Falls. The father established the Ceres Roller Mills Company, placing the management in the hands of his son Ernest, who ever afterward had charge of the mill and acquired a controlling interest in the same. He was a capable business man and exercised his foresight and judgment not only for his own benefit but also for the general welfare of the community and many a strug- gling business concern, in its early days, was placed on a sound foundation by his timely aid and interest. In 1900 he assisted in organizing the Bank of Athens, was its vice president and on its directing board, and was a large stockholder in the Athens Printing Company, in both the Athens and the Marathon County Telephone Companies and in the Central Park Association. He was long connected officially with school and village government and performed every duty of life in a manly. straightforward manner that se- cured and preserved the confidence, respect and esteem of his fellow citizens.
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At West Bend, Wis., Mr. Schlegel was married, April 29, 1890, to Miss Mary Boehm, who survives him. She was born in Germany and was four years old when her parents, Joseph and Mary (Alder) Boehm, brought her to Wisconsin. To Joseph Boehm and wife the following children were born : Joseph, who is deceased; Mary; Theresa, who is the wife of Joseph Rah- berger ; August; and Anna, who is deceased and was the wife of Clemens Wiler. To Mr. and Mrs. Schlegel eight children were born, namely: George; Ernst and Fred, twins; Florence; Jeanette; Helen; Marie and Mabel. The family belongs to the Evangelical church.
Mr. Schlegel's last illness was of a month's duration and as it was diag- nosed as an abscess on the brain it was deemed advisable to take him to the Milwaukee Hospital where an operation was performed, from which, how- ever, he did not rally. He was a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge of Abbotsford and of the Masonic Chapter of Medford and belonged also to the Black Creek Aerie of Eagles.
HENRY OSSWALD, proprietor of the City Bakery at Wausau and an experienced and reliable business man of this city, was born at Wau- sau, November 22, 1873, and is a son of Christian Osswald, who was a pioneer in the baking business here and now lives retired.
Henry Osswald was educated in the public schools and from youth assisted his father in his grocery store and later learned the baking business with him. When his father retired from business Mr. Osswald succeeded. This is one of the best known and most largely patronized bakeries in the city and Mr. Osswald finds it necessary to keep six men employed and also three clerks to handle the trade. In addition to the usual bakery goods Mr. Osswald prepares many German dainties for which there is a large demand. Mr. Osswald married Miss Martha Brockmann, who was born in Germany and they have two children, Henry and Walter. Mr. Osswald is identified with several German organizations.
OTTO F. MUELLER, jeweler and optician, with convenient quar- ters on the corner of Third and Washington streets, Wausau, has been engaged in business in this city for twelve years and has occupied his present building for eleven of these. He was born at Wausau, Wiscon- sin, December 19, 1875, and is a son of Gustav Mueller, a prominent citizen here for many years.
Otto F. Mueller was educated in the excellent schools of his native
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city and then began to learn the jewelry business in all its details, and also optical work, mainly pursuing his studies for eight years in Wau- sau, and then embarked in business for himself, his location during his first year being on Third street two doors south of his present store. He carries a large stock of goods, including cut glass and expensive nov- elties and his display is very attractive. He has additional business inter- ests, being president of the Badger Turpentine Company, of Wausau, and also president of the Wausau-Yakima Land Company.
Mr. Mueller married Miss Clara Thielke, of Maysville, Wisconsin, and they have three children : Anita, Margaret and Otto. As an earnest and intelligent citizen, Mr. Mueller is active in public affairs but has never been willing to accept any office except supervisor in the Fourth ward, in which office he served one term. He is identified with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the M. W. A., the E. F. U. and the Wausau Schuetzenverein, of which he is treasurer.
OSCAR H. BRIESE, who is one of Wausau's industrious, useful and well known business men, his carriage and wagon making plant being at No. 407 Sixth street, came here from Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he was born February 19, 1875. His parents are August and Bertha (Frick) Briese. They were born, reared and married in Ger- many, and the father learned the wagonmaking business before he came to the United States and located in Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he yet lives.
Oscar H. Briese learned his business wtih his father and worked with him for three years before coming to Wausau, having previously worked for three years in the railroad car shops at Creston, Iowa. In addition to manufacturing wagons and carriages he has a department for saw filing. His first location after establishing himself at Wausau was at No. 23 Washington street, in 1910 coming to his present place. His comforta- ble residence is at No. 702 Stark street, Wausau.
Mr. Briese was married in 1901 to Miss Minnie Esch, of Columbia county, Wis., and they have one daughter, Alberta. He is a man of quiet tastes, devoted to home and family and is identified with but one fraternal organization, that being the Royal Arcanum.
JOSEPH WAGNER, whose horseshoeing shop is situated at No. 308 Second street, Wausau, is well known in this business, having devoted much of his business life to this line although giving some attention to
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his farming interests in the town of Marathon. He was born at Mara- thon City, Marathon county, Wisconsin, April 12, 1874, and is a son of Henry and Katherine Wagner, the latter of whom survives. The father, who was a carpenter by trade and for many years a resident of Marathon county, died in 1889.
Joseph Wagner attended school at Marathon City and then learned his trade and after working at the same there for three years, came to Wausau, in 1894, and from 1897 until 1907 conducted his own shop here. He then located on his farm of 130 acres, situated in the town of Mara- thon and after selling the same came back to Wausau and since Feb- ruary 15, 1912, has occupied his present stand. He is widely known and his shop is usually the scene of much activity.
Mr. Wagner married Miss Bertha Schulze, who was born in Califor- nia, and is a sister of E. E. Schulze, of Wausau. They have four chil- dren : Helen, Ernest, Norma and Margaret.
CARL BLIESE, Jr., proprietor of a general store at No. 522 Scott street, Wausau, has been in the mercantile business since 1908. He was born on his father's farm in the town of Texas, Marathon county, Wis- consin, November 27, 1879, and is a son of Carl and Amelia Bliese. His parents were both born in Germany and in their childhood accompanied their parents to the United States. They were reared in Wisconsin and married here and for many years the father carried on general farm- ing in the town of Texas. He still owns his farm, having it under rental, and the family all live in a comfortable home situated on Lincoln avenue, Wausau.
Carl Bliese, Jr., was reared in the town of Texas and assisted on the home farm until he came to Wausau and embarked in his present busi- ness, purchasing from Conrad Bopf. He carries a large and well selected stock including dry goods, groceries and candies, and through pleasing manners, honest goods and square treatment, has built up a fine trade with prospects of its permanency. He has never been an active factor in politics but possesses the qualities which make that class known as the best and most effective citizens of a community.
CHARLES T. EDGAR, a member of the Florida and Wisconsin bars, with office in the Record-Herald Building at Wausau, and also interested in the Wausau Investment Company, was born in the city of New York, August 9, 1887, and is a son of Charles and Gertrude
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Edgar. Charles Edgar was, for a number of years, one of the big lumber men of Marathon county, Wisconsin, but now lives retired at Evanston, Illinois.
Charles T. Edgar had both educational and social advantages and completed his education in law at the University of Virginia, receiving his degree in June, 1910, after which, for several years, he was connected with the Wausau Law and Land Association. Following this came a period of travel both in the United States and in Europe. In February, 1913, he opened his law office in Wausau, well equipped for professional problems. He is a member of the Wausau Club and the Wausau Coun- try Club and the college Greek letter fraternity, Delta Tau Delta.
HERMAN RAMTHUN, who is a well known citizen of Marathon county, resides on his well improved farm of eighty acres, which lies in the town of Wausau, nine miles northeast of the city of Wausau. He was born in Pummen, Germany, in 1857, and is a son of William and Johanna (Hammond) Ramthun.
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