USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 76
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The parents of Herman Ramthun came to the United States in 1866 and settled first at Watertown, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, moving from there to the town of Easton in 1887. There the father died February 17, 1906, at seventy-three years of age. He was known as an industrious man, good citizen and successful farmer. His widow survives and two sons: Herman and August, the latter being a resident of the town of Hewitt, and four daughters: Vine, Rose, Mary and Guste, respectively, who reside in Chicago, Nebraska, Chicago, and Montana.
Herman Ramthun grew up on his father's farm and attended the country schools, after which he learned the carpenter trade and more or less devoted himself to this work for the next twenty years. In the meanwhile, in 1880 he purchased his present farm and settled on the same in 1890, making all the improvements and putting up the excellent buildings. Successful cultivation of the land followed and Mr. Ramthun is numbered with the prosperous farmers of this section and is a member of the local board of supervisors of Marathon county of which he has been chairman for fifteen years. In politics he is a democrat and fre- quently has been elected to responsible offices, serving several years as assessor and for many years as school treasurer.
Mr. Ramthun was married first to Miss Ida Kuntz, a daughter of Carl Kuntz. Mrs. Ramthun became the mother of five children: Fred, who is a resident of the city of Wausau, married Martha Ott and they
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have one child; Emma, who died at the age of fifteen years; and Edward, William and Matilda who reside at home. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Ramthun married again, Miss Millie Juedes becoming his wife, and to this second marriage the following children have been born: Ella, who is the wife of Paul Hahn; and Annie, Paul, Walter, Harvey, Elbert, Clarence and Priscilla. Mr. Ramthun and family belong to the Lutheran church in the town of Easton.
LOUIS WIECHMANN, who is one of the old hardware men of Wausau, Wisconsin, with which business he has been identified here for twenty-three consecutive years, occupies commodious quarters and owns his building at No. ITI Washington street. He was born at Algona, Wisconsin, February 9, 1871, and is a son of Adolph and Johanna Wiech- mann. The father was a contractor and builder and in 1875 moved with his family to Lacrosse, Wisconsin, in 1881 came to Wausau, and in 1890 established the hardware business here under the firm style of A. Wiech- mann & Son, which remained until the retirement of the elder partner in 1905, his death following on November 5, 1911.
Louis Wiechmann was ten years old when his parents came to Wau- sau, where he attended school and afterward for some five years or more, was in the employ of the Montgomery Hardware Company. In 1890 he became his father's partner in business and has continued alone since his father's retirement, the firm, in 1900 having purchased the valuable business block now occupied. Mr. Wiechmann is well known over Mar- athon County as a reliable dealer and honorable business man and his long experience has well fitted him to supply the hardware most in demand in this section and his patrons often come from far distant parts of the county as they have done for over twenty years.
In 1903 Mr. Wiechmann was married to Miss Emma Wegner, of Wausau, Wisconsin, and they have two children: Walter and Gertrude. He is a member of Zion church.
OTTO B. KAROSS, secretary of the Northwestern Dyeing & Clean- ing Works and the Badger Steam Laundry at Wausau, and also treasurer of the same. has been a resident of Wausau for the past seventeen years and is favorably known to the majority of its citizens. He was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 16, 1875, and was reared and educated there.
When seventeen years of age Mr. Kaross entered the office of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, at Milwaukee, and was sent by the
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company to take charge of its affairs at Wausau, in 1893, and for twelve years he had charge of this branch. His present business enterprises were organized in 1908, at which time the company was incorporated and the present large cement building was erected here, with dimensions of 45x90 feet, at Nos. 127-129 Clinton street, the capital involved being $20,000, with the following officers: J. S. Alexander, president; W. E. Hardloff, vice president ; Otto B. Kaross, secretary, treasurer and mana- ger; and George R. Lee, superintendent of the steam laundry. From thirty to thirty-five people are afforded employment and the business is exceedingly prosperous.
Mr. Kaross was married to Miss Paula Riebe, who is a daughter of Dr. Paul Riebe. As a citizen Mr. Kaross is interested in all that concerns the permanent welfare of Wausau but has never been very active in poli- tics. He is identified with the Masons and the U. C. T.
GEORGE STUHLFAUTH, who, for thirty years has been a resident of Wausau, Wisconsin, is one of the city's best known citizens and owns farming lands in different parts of Marathon county. He was born July 13, 1854, in Germany, a son of George Stuhlfauth, who was a baker by trade and who taught the business to his son.
After coming to America, the younger George Stuhlfauth located in Illinois and conducted a bakery there for two years and then came to Wausau and operated a bakery here for two years. He then went into the horse business, in which he is yet interested; he deals also in vehicles and harness, handling a line of wagons, carts, sleighs and buggies and is prepared to supply almost any kind of conveyance.
Mr. Stuhlfauth was married in Germany, to Miss Maria Fackt, and then have five children: George, who is a resident of Chicago, Illinois ; and Marie, Jacob, Louise and John. The family belong to St. Paul's church. He has long been identified with the Masonic fraternity. Dur- ing his many years of residence here, Mr. Stuhlfauth has seen the village develop into a city and other wonderful changes take place in Northern Wisconsin.
WALTER E. CURTIS, secretary and general manager of one of the very important business concerns of Marathon county, the Curtis & Yale Company, manufacturers of sash, doors, etc., is also vice president of the Fenwood Lumber Company of Wausau, and stands high in busi- ness circles in this section. He was born May 9, 1880, at Dennison,
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Iowa, and is a son of C. S. Curtis, one of the founders of the above manufacturing company.
Walter E. Curtis was an infant when his parents came to Wausau and here he was reared, attended the common and high schools and then spent two years at the University of Wisconsin. Upon his return to this city he entered the offices of Curtis & Yale and has worked his way through all departments, earning his way to his present responsi- bilities. Mr. Curtis has long been interested in and identified with Masonry, uniting with the local lodge when twenty-one years of age, is a thirty-second degree member and is serving in his second term as eminent commander of St. Omar Commandery, Knights Templar.
On June 12, 1906, Mr. Curtis was married to Miss Sadie Washburn, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and they have three children: Harriet, Emma and Catherine. He is identified with the Wausau Club, being one of its board of directors.
JARED ROLLIN GREEN, of the firm of Green Bros., proprietors of the City Bus Line, has been in the general transfer and transporta- tion line at Wausau since 1895 and owns the present business in partner- ship with his brother, George G. Green. He was born at Wausau, July 3, 1871, and is a son of George G. and Sarah J. Green. The parents were old settlers of Wausau and early in life the father was a lumber- man. His death occurred in 1893 and that of his wife several years later.
Jared R. Green was reared and educated at Wausau and practically throughout his entire life has been in the transfer business. He owns and operates by himself, a valuable farm of forty acres which lies in the town of Texas. The Green Bros. own four omnibuses and three trans- fer and baggage trucks and keep nine head of horses. The firm has established a reputation for reliability and promptness that makes it a leading one in the city.
Mr. Green married Miss Minnie L. Hinz, of the town of Berlin, Marathon county and they have two children: George G. and Elmer R. Mr. Green and family still occupy the house in which he was born, a comfortable residence standing at No. 405 Second street. He is iden- tified with the fraternal order of Knights of Pythias and belongs to the Royal Arcanum.
FRANK A. HUBING, who is assessor of the village of Athens, Wis- consin, is one of the three proprietors of the Athens Livestock Company,
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and also conducts a dray and ice business, is one of the representative business men of this section. He was born in Ozaukee county, Wis- consin, July 5, 1876, and is a son of Michael and Margaret (Klein) Hubing, who are natives of Wisconsin and now retired residents of Athens. They have seven children: John, Frank, George, Emil, Ernest, Clara and Catherine, the last named being the wife of George Beaver.
Frank A. Hubing secured a good, common school training and assisted his father on the home farm until he was twenty-one years old when he made a little venture in business for himself which resulted favorably, this being the purchase of a timber tract near Loyal, Wisconsin, which he cleared and then sold to advantage. After this Mr. Hubing came to Athens, where, for five years, he was foreman in a saw mill, retiring from that when he entered into the dray business and a few years later in the live stock business. He is still interested in timber to some extent in Marathon county, and is one of the stockholders in the Athens Tele- phone Company.
On November 28, 1905, Mr. Hubing was married to Miss Mary Degenhert, who was born in Monroe county, Wisconsin. Her parents, Henry and Catherine (Youngferdorf) Degenhert, were born in Ger- many and the mother still lives in Monroe county. The father, who was a farmer there for a number of years is now deceased. They had the following children: William; Martin; Anna, who is the wife of William Study; Frederick; Mary; Cecelia; Henry; Amelia, who is the wife of Frank Mushawk; Joseph and Catherine. Mr. and Mrs. Hubing have two children: Leona and Almyra. The family belongs to the Catholic church and Mr. Hubing is church treasurer. He has served the village in various public capacities, for six years being marshal and for the last two years has been constable and now is assessor. He belongs to the Eagles, to the Catholic Order of Foresters and to the Catholic Fam- ily Protective Association.
WILLIAM H. NABLO, who is one of the stable and representa- tive business men of Wausau, Wisconsin, of which city he has been a resident for fifteen years, during ten of which he has been engaged in the merchant tailoring business, with quarters in the Record-Herald Building, was born in the Dominion of Canada, June 20, 1871, and is a son of Adam Nablo, who followed an agricultural life.
William H. Nablo was reared on the home farm and attended the public schools. In early manhood he went to Buffalo, New York, where
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he learned tailoring and cutting and from there went to Jamestown. in the same state. At that place he worked as a cutter in one of the best establishments for three years. Later he was employed at Kalamazoo, Michigan, and afterward had two years of tailoring experience at Chicago, Illinois, after which he came to Wausau and entered the employ of Jacob Paff as cutter. He continued with this well known tailor for five years when he purchased the business which he has successfully conducted until the present. His patrons are among the most critical and best dressed men of the city and county and his name alone is sufficient recommendation for the quality and fit of garments.
On November 29, 1905, Mr. Nablo was married to Miss Ida M. White, who was born in Augusta, Wisconsin. He is well known in fra- ternal circles and belongs to both the Elks and the Knights of Pythias, also to the Wausau Club and the Country Club.
MAX L. TISCH, who is in the contracting, heating and plumbing business at Wausau, Wisconsin, is a well known resident, his whole life having been passed here, where he was born December 13, 1882. He is a son of Carl and Augusta Tisch, both of whom are now deceased. The father was a well known man in Marathon county and for nine years was superintendent of the county farm.
Max L. Tisch was reared at Wausau and secured a public school education and then learned the plumbing business and worked as a plumber with different firms until 1904. He then went into business for himself at Antigo, Wisconsin, and remained there until 1908, when he came to his present location and started business in his native city in 1909. He is well equipped for any work in the line of plumbing or hot water heating and his contracts are completed to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
Mr. Tisch married Miss Marie Janusick, of Wausau, and they have two children : Dorothy and Maxwell. He is identified with the Odd Fel- lows, the Eagles and the Fraternal Reserve Association. He owns a fine auto-delivery car and all his other business equipments are entirely up to date. He is a good, reliable citizen but takes no very active part in political matters.
OTTO C. LEMKE, president and treasurer of the Underwood Veneer Company, manufacturers of veneers and panels at Wausau, Wis., has been identified with this important business enterprise for some eleven years, first
OTTO C. LEMKE
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as bookkeeper and afterward assuming his present responsibilities. Mr. Lemke was born on a farm in the town of Berlin, Marathon county, October I, 1870, and is a son of Fred and Ernestine (Giese) Lemke. They were born in Germany and came to Marathon county in 1868. The father died on his farm in 1900, but the mother survives.
Otto .C. Lemke spent his boyhood on the home farm and attended the country school; afterward took a commercial course in a business college, and attended state normal school, following which he taught school for a number of years. In 1895 he came to Wausau where he was engaged in clerical work for a time, and then bought a part interest in a country saw mill in the town of Hamburg, Marathon county, which he operated for a num- ber of years, and when he retired to become bookkeeper for the Underwood Veneer Company returned to Wausau, but for some time afterward still was interested to some degree in his former business. As time went on his responsibilties in the Underwood Veneer Company increased and he became assistant secretary, treasurer and manager, subsequently becoming head of the business. The officers are: O. C. Lemke, president, treasurer and gen- eral manager: S. W. Underwood, vice president; A. W. Underwood, sec- retary. The products of the company are veneers and panels, birch, bass- wood, oak, ash, elm, maple and mahogany woods being utilized. Shipments are made to all the states and Canada and the North America and British Islands.
Mr. Lemke married Miss Bertha Nickel, of the town of Maine, Marathon county, and they have three children: Helen, Alvera and Margaret. As a citizen Mr. Lemke is very active. He was one of the organizers of the Wau- sau Commercial Club and became its first president, but finding his private business making constant demands on his time and attention, resigned that office although his interest in the organization continues. He is known as a man of business ability and equally so of business integrity.
ALBERT WENDORFF, a well known resident and highly regarded citizen of the town of Stettin, where he owns 120 acres of land situated in sections 16 and 15, residing on the latter, six and one-half miles north- east of Marathon City, was born in Germany, October 19, 1844. He is a son of Gottlieb and Louisa (Haasch) Wendorff, both of whom were born in Germany. They came to America with their three children and in 1857 settled on the farm now owned by Albert Wendorff. A forest then covered all this land and Gottlieb Wendorff made the first clearing and erected the first building here. Both he and wife died here,
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his age being eighty-eight years and three months and that of his wife, eighty-four years, and their burial was in the cemetery of the Lutheran church, to which religious body they belonged. He was a very success- ful gardener in his own land and after getting established on this farm built a greenhouse and conducted a market garden.
Albert Wendorff was twelve years old when he was brought to America and his home has been on his present farm ever since. He was the youngest born of his parents' four children and is the only one living. During his summers he devotes his attention to his farm industries, having eighty acres cleared and has made all the improve- ments here, official duties of various kinds absorbing his time and atten- tion in the winters which, in earlier years, he spent in logging camps. He has a small nursery and raises considerable fruit and also keeps bees profitably. He belongs to the progressive wing of the republican party and has frequently served acceptably in public offices. He was a mem- ber of the county board for two years, was assessor for nine years, then was census enumerator, for five years was assessor of the Stettin Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and for twelve years was fire and game warden. He was the first president of the Berlin Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company and assisted in making the bylaws and securing the charter. The present officials are: Albert Felhaber, president ; Mr. Radlowf, secretary, and William Lemke, treasurer.
Mr. Wendorff married Miss Wilhelmine Grade, who was born in Germany, a daughter of August Grade, and they had the following children: H. A., who is clerk of the town of Stettin; Edward, who was census taker and also formerly town supervisor, married Otilie Lodholz; Lizzie, who is the wife of Gustave Kopplin; Emma, who is the wife of John R. Loy, and they live in Oregon ; Bertha, who is the wife of Gustave Boerner, of the town of Stettin; Otto, who died at the age of eighteen years; Albert, who died when a babe; and an infant that also passed away. Mr. Wendorff and family are members of the Lutheran church.
OTTO MUENCHOW, one of the representative business men of Wausau, Wisconsin, a general merchant, with quarters at Nos. 103-105 Grand avenue. has been a lifelong resident of this city, in which he was born, September 29, 1873. He is a son of Carl and Carolina (Erdman) Muenchow, both of whom came to America from Germany. They came to Wausau in 1873 and here the father died in 1888, but the mother survives.
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Otto Muenchow obtained his education in the Lutheran parochial schools at Wausau but when thirteen years of age began to be self supporting, working in the sash and door factory where he continued for seventeen years. There he learned the trade of saw filing and worked in that capacity the following nine years. Mr. Muenchew was then appointed superintendent of the construction of the Stinchfield Creek canal, which is eight feet in diameter, built entirely of concrete. This is by far the largest canal construction in this part of the state. In 1906 Mr. Muenchow embarked in the mercantile business, erecting a fine two-story brick block on the corner of Grand and Forest streets, with dimensions of 36x68 feet. He has been a very useful and public spirited resident of the First ward, which he served as a member of the city council for four years, retiring in 1905.
Mr. Muenchow married Miss Margaret Buechner, a daughter of John Buechner, formerly town treasurer of the town of Johnson, Mara- thon county, and one of the first settlers at Athens, Wisconsin. Mr. Muenchow was reared in the Lutheran church.
FRED G. WIECHMANN, proprietor of the Wiechmann Drug Stores, one of which is located at No. 310 Scott street, and the other at No. 1703 North Sixth street, Wausau, has an experience covering thirteen years in the drug business. He was born at Wausau, Wiscon- sin. July 12, 1884, and is a son of Adolph Wiechmann and wife, the for- mer of whom died in this city in November 19II.
Fred G. Wiechmann has spent the greater part of his life in his native city, attending the public schols until old enough to make a choice of career and then becoming a clerk and student in a local drug store. Later he took a course in pharmacy in the medical department of the Milwaukee College and after graduating devoted his entire time to his profession. In May, 1907, he established his store on Scott street, and in March, 1909, his second store to accomodate patrons on North Sixth street. Both stores carry a complete line of pure drugs, conform- ing to the law in every way, together with the additional goods usually found in modern drug stores. He is a manufacturing chemist, one specially being Dr. Monroe's Rheumaloi, a patent medicine for the alle- viation of rheumatic afflictions, this branch of the business being carried on under the name of the Rheumol Remedy Company.
In October, 1911, Mr. Wiechmann was married to Miss Clara Kiefer,
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of Wausau. He is identified with no fraternal organizations but is a valued member of the Wausau Club.
JOHN STARK, who is one of the substantial and reliable business men of Wausau, is engaged in the confectionery business as manufacturer and retailer, with attractive quarters at No. 604 Third street. He was born at Milwaukee, Wis., June 3, 1869, and is a son of Matthew and Anna Stark.
John Stark was reared in his native city and in boyhood had the ex- cellent advantages offered by the fine public schools there. When it came time for him to learn a self supporting trade he chose that of candy- making, beginning at the bottom and learning every detail. He came to Wausau in November, 1901 and embarked in the confectionery and ice cream business and has prospered, manufacturing all the goods he handles and being thus assured of their cleanliness and wholesomeness. His heavy trade gives evidence that the public appreciates the care he thus exercises and admires his fine displays of choice confections.
Mr. Stark was married at Wausau to Miss Anna Jager of this city. He is identified with the fraternal organizations, the Elks and the Eagles. As a citizen he is law abiding and public spirited but takes no very active part in political campaigns.
GUSTAV TOBUREN, who, for the past seven years has conducted a photographic business at Wausau, his studio being situated at No. 408 Jackson street, which stand he has occupied since October, 1911, was born at Greenwood, Clark county, Wis., February 19, 1887, and is a son of William and Minnie Toburen .. Gustav Toburen was educated in the Greenwood schools and afterward worked as a farmer until he came to Wausau and embarked in the line of business for which his nat- ural bent best fitted him. He was associated with Carl Lemke, the well known photographer, from that time until he opened his own studio, which is well patronized, Mr. Toburen's artistic taste and mechanical skill being very generally recognized.
In May, 1908, Mr. Toburen was married to Miss Annie Manske, who was born in Germany but was reared at Wausau. She is a daugh- ter of Herman and Lena Manske, the former of whom died in 1908, but the latter survives. Mr. and Mrs. Toburen have one son, Clarence, who was born March 1, 1909. Mr. Toburen has his studio in his residence, having equipped the same with modern appointments of suitable nature
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for photographic work. He and wife are members of the German Re- formed church, and he belongs to the fraternal organization known as the Yoemen.
FRED W. MANECKE, jeweler, with well appointed store at No. 312 Washington street, Wausau, is one of the city's prosperous and re- liable business men. He was born in Westphalen, Germany, September 30, 1879, and is a son of Henry and Fredericka Manecke.
Henry Manecke and family came to America in the spring of 1882 and immediately located at Wausau, Wis., where he opened a jewelry store, a business he had previously followed in Europe. In 1901 he ad- mitted his son, Fred W., to partnership, the firm name being Manecke & Son, which name was retained until August, 1912, when the son bought his mother's interest, the father having died June 27, 1908. The mother yet lives.
In 1894 Fred W. Manecke started to work at the jewelry trade with his father and learned every detail including watchmaking. His educa- tion was secured in the public schools of Wausau and in this city he has always maintained his home. In 1900 he married Miss Bertha Schoen- feldt, also a native of Germany, and they have four children: Hilde- garde, Dorothea, Roland and Henrietta. The family belongs to the German Reformed church, and from its organization until within two years of his death, the father of Mr. Manecke was church treasurer, the latter then succeeding and serving six years in that office.
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