USA > Wisconsin > Marathon County > History of Marathon County, Wisconsin and representative citizens > Part 84
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RAY M. FRAWLEY, M. D., a practicing physician of Wausau, was born June 27, 1882, at Clinton, Calumet county, Wis., a son of Daniel and Annie (Mulcaley) Frawley. The father of Dr. Frawley was born
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at Boston, Mass., and the mother in Wisconsin, and they are farming people. The family consists of three sons and four daughters: Kittie- belle; Nellie T., who is the wife of Dr. W. J. Foot, of Appleton, Wis .; Genevieve; William J., who is a student in the Marquette University : Ethel M., a student in Lawrence University, Appleton; and Donald D., residing at home.
Ray M. Frawley attended the local schools and then was graduated from the Oshkosh Normal School in the class of 1905, and from Mar- quette University with the class of 1910, in June of that year, having received his medical diploma in the month preceding, and in June he opened his office at Wausau but for some years prior to this had been teaching school. He is a member of the Marathon County Medical So- ciety, of the Wisconsin State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association retains his college fraternities connections, and, as a Catholic, belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Knights of Columbus and to the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin.
WILLIAM E. GENSMANN, who has cleared sixty acres of his farm of 160 acres, situated in the town of Main, carries on general farm- ing and dairying and is numbered with the substantial men of this sec- tion. He was born at Wausau, Wis., February 18, 1870, and is a son of Jacob and Amelia (Wilde) Gensmann, well known people of Wau- sau, where they now live in comfortable retirement.
William E. Gensmann attended the public schools at Wausau and then accompanied his father to the woods and with him engaged in log- ging and lumbering. In May, 1896, he came to his present farm where he has been engaged ever since. He raises dairy stock and sells cream and butter.
In November, 1895, Mr. Gensmann was married to Miss Anna Kolbe, who was born in Germany and was about eleven years of age when she came to the United States with her parents, Emil and Christianna Kolbe. They survive and live on their farm in the town of Marathon. Their children are: Max: Mary, wife of Wilhelm Katz: Emil; Herman : Minnie, wife of Paul Oertel; and Ernest. Mr. and Mrs. Gensmann have five children : Minnie, William, Albert, Ella and Henry. Mr. Gensmann and family attend St. Paul's Lutheran church at Wausau. He is a mem- ber of the town school board, elected on the Democratic ticket. He be- longs to the order of M. W. A. and attends its meetings at Wausau.
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WILLIAM J. WEISBROD, who is serving in his third term as alderman, representing the First Ward, Wausau, is engaged in the painting contracting business, with residence and office at No. 801 Plumer street. He was born in Germany, March 16, 1873, and is a son of Henry and Annie (Hartman) Weisbrod, who came from Ger- many to the United States in 1883 and immediately located at Wausau, Wis. After three years in the city the father decided to become a farmer and moved to the town of Hamburg, where he and wife still live.
After coming to Wausau, William J. Weisbrod completed his edu- cation and then began to learn the painting trade, which interested him more than farming; hence he did not accompany his parents to the country, Wausau continuing to be his chosen home ever since, although, in attending to his business he has lived in other places, including Chi- cago and Milwaukee. He established his contracting business at Wau- sau in 1903 and gives employment to seven painters and decorators. From the age of eighteen years Mr. Weisbrod has been interested in politics and is a factor in Democratic circles and a very highly regarded citizen of the First Ward, which he is representing in his sixth year in the city council, being ever ready to work for the advancement of ward enterprises and ward people, while not forgetting his public responsi- bilities to the city as a whole.
In 1903 Mr. Weisbrod was married at Wausau to Miss Frances Odenweller, a daughter of Henry and Theresa (Appel) Odenweller, who were Germans who came to Wausau in 1883, before Mrs. Weisbrod was born. Mr. and Mrs. Weisbrod have three children: Henry, Wil- liam and Edward. The family belongs to the Roman Catholic church. He is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, the St. Joseph So- ciety, the Beavers, the Eagles, and Bankers Life Insurance Co.
FRANZ WINNINGER, who occupies his comfortable residence at No. 715 Forest street, Wausau, has been a resident of this city since 1895 and now lives retired. He was born in Austria, December 3, 1848, was reared and educated there and before coming to the United States spent eleven years and eleven months in military service. For three years he served as a musician and for nine years was a member of the reserves. There are few names better or more favorably known in this section of the country than that of Winninger, it representing an unusual aggrega- tion of musical talent and continued achievement in this direction.
In his native land Mr. Winninger learned the blacksmith trade but, 54
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with such marked musical gifts as his, it was inevitable that he should turn to music as his business in life. He was married in Austria, to Miss Rosalie Grassler, a daughter of Joseph Grassler, a blacksmith by trade. In 1881, with his wife and four children Mr. Winninger came to the United States, in this move seeking wider opportunities for his talented children. It is doubtful if any of the family was prepared for the hard life that faced them in the Wisconsin woods, their chosen home being two and one-half miles beyond Athens, in Marathon county. They made the best of it for six years and then gave up attempted farming and moved to Ashland, Wis. There Mr. Winninger became a teacher of music and was made the leader of the Ashland band and teacher of the Ashland Maennerchor, and for eight years Ashland remained the family home after which they came to Wausau. This removal was in acknowl- edgment of the request of many leading people of this city after they had listened to the concerts given here by Mr. Winninger and family as a troupe. For two years after locating here he conducted Columbia Hall as a concert and amusement place. After that, accompanied by his family, he traveled all over the country under the style of the Winninger Bros. & Co. Dramatic Company, Mr. Winninger being the leader of the brass band and orchestra. Although practically retired Mr. Winninger still has students of clarinet and violin and also, on occasion, still teaches band music.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Winninger: Frank, who travels with a dramatic company; John, who is also an actor and musi- cian; Theresa, who is the wife of Leon Miller; Joseph, who travels with his eldest brother as his secretary, is also a musician; Adolph, who be- longs to the dramatic profession; and Charles, who is the husband of the popular actress, Blanche Ring, is a member of her company now playing in The Wall Street Girl. It certainly is unusual to find an entire family so evenly gifted and all are known all over the United States on both the concert stage and in the leading theatres.
WILLIAM MEYER, who is now serving in his third year as super- visor of the town of Stettin, resides on section 25 where is situated his farm of eighty acres, reached by way of the old Marathon road, lying seven miles east of Marathon City and seven miles west of Wausau He was born in Germany, December 2, 1860, was reared to manhood there and before thinking of coming to America, fulfilled the law of his native land by serving for three years in the German army.
HON. JOHN N. MANSON
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When Mr. Meyer came to the United States it was by himself and he was then twenty-five years of age. He came to Marathon county, WVis., and worked first in the town of Main for six months and after- ward at Wausau, where he was married April 25, 1891, to Mrs. Amelia (Beyer) Patrick, who was also a native of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer lived at Wausau until 1894, when they moved to the present farm, twenty-five acres of which he has cleared. He takes much inter- est in his agricultural operations and makes them profitable. He is a member of the board of directors of the Farmers Produce Company of Wausau. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Meyer while they lived at Wausau, Ella, who died in infancy, and Frank, and after coming to the farm a daughter, Emma, was born. To Mrs. Meyer's first mar- riage three children were also born: Katie, Freda and an infant named Ida, who died. Mr. Meyer is a Democrat in politics with independent tendencies.
HON. JOHN N. MANSON, who is engaged in the fire and life insurance business at Wausau, with offices in the First National Bank Building, is recognized as one of the active and stable business men of this city. He was born here March 4, 1857, and is a son of Rufus P. and Catherine (Nicolls) Manson.
John N. Manson has been a lifelong resident of Wausau and in many ways has been identified with the city's development. He left school at the age of fifteen years and later became a member of the firm of R. P. & J. N. Manson, which continued until 1892, since when he has given his main atten- tion to the insurance business. He is a director of the First National Bank of Wausau and is financially interested in a number of the successful enter- prises of this section. In politics a Republican it has been his aim to give his party loyal support. In 1898 he became mayor of Wausau and served one term, and at different times has accepted other official responsibilities.
Mr. Manson married Miss Helen Stewart, a daughter of William R. Stewart, of Wausau. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Manson belong to the Universalist church.
AUGUST KLUG, one of the good citizens and reliable business men of Mosinee, Wis., owner and proprietor of a meat market, came to this place when a young man of twenty-three years from his home in Ger- many, where he was born June 8, 1871, a son of Bernard and Minnie
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Klug. The father was twice married, his wives, two successive, Minnie and Bertha being sisters. To the first union the following children were born: Augusta, wife of William Passow; Anna, wife of Fred Passow ; Emma, wife of Emil Stiemke, still in Germany, and August. Mrs. Min- nie Klug died when her only son was two years old. To the second mar- riage four children were born and survive their mother: Bernard, Otto, Martha, wife of John Sparbel, and Marie. The father now lives retired at Mosinee.
August Klug learned the butcher's trade after his school days were over, and when nineteen years old joined the German army and served the last two years as corporal. He then came to the United States and worked at his trade for one year in shops at Milwaukee, Wis. On Decem- ber 1, 1895, he opened his first meat shop at Mosinee and conducted the same for ten years and then sold and went into the flour, feed and imple- ment business and for four years dealt also in stock. Then he sold and went to North Dakota, where he conducted a general store for two years and a half but then decided to return to Mosinee. Here, for seven months, he was in the hay business and by that time secured the oppor- tunity and took advantage of it of buying out the meat shop in which he had first started into business here and has since continued at the old stand. While in North Dakota he was postmaster at Stillwater and served also on the village and library boards, his solid qualities of citi- zenship being immediately recognized.
On December 25, 1895, Mr. Klug was married to Miss Emma Ruhm, who was born in Germany. Her parents are deceased but she has one brother, Carl Ruhm. Mr. and Mrs. Klug have three children: Eirich, Walter and Sylvia. The family belongs to the Lutheran church. They have a very pleasant and attractive home at Mosinee and Mr. Klug owns other property. He is an Independent Republican in politics.
WILLIAM EMIL HUDTLOFF, cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Wausau, Wis., was born in Berlin, Marathon county, Wis., July 13, 1871, and is a son of Rev. William and Frederica (Rusch) Hudtloff. The father and mother were both born in Germany and they came to Marathon county in 1865. The father was one of the early ministers of the Lutheran faith in this section. In 1884 he moved with his family to Shawano county and then to Wausau, his death occurring in this city in 1903, at the age of seventy-four years. The mother died while the family still resided in Berlin. There were three sons and three daugh-
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ters born to the first marriage, five of which survive; and seven children to the second marriage six of which survive.
William E. Hudtloff attended school at Belle Plaine, Wis., and the High School at Shawano, afterward entering the First National Bank of Shawano, where he remained for nineteen years and when elected to the office of register of deeds was assistant cashier of that institution. In 1907, after serving one year as register, he became cashier of the Citi- zens State Bank of Wausau, the first incumbent, and has served ever since. In politics he is a Republican and fraternally a Mason and Knight of Pythias. Mr. Hudtloff married Miss Zora Harden, daughter of M. Harden, of Augusta, Wis., in 1898. He is identified with the Wausau Commercial Club and Wausau Club.
GEORGE J. LEICHT, attorney at law at Wausau, a member of the law firm of Smith & Leicht, with offices on the second floor of the Cohn Building, was born at South Germantown, Washington county, Wis., February 26, 1887, a son of Jacob and Minnie (Zimmerman) Leicht. For a number of years the father was a farmer but now lives retired at Menomonee Falls. The mother died in 1896. The family consisted of five children.
George J. Leicht was educated in the primary, graded and High Schools at Menomonee Falls, graduating from the latter in the class of 1906, and for a time attended the Whitewater Normal School. Later he entered the University of Wisconsin, spending two years taking a course in literature and science and three years in law. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1911 and in October of the same year came to Wausau and entered into partnership with Frank J. Markus. In November, 1912, the firm of Markus & Leicht was dissolved and the latter entered into another partnership with Brayton E. Smith, the firm operating under the name of Smith & Leicht. He is a member of the Marathon County Bar Association, politically is a Republican and fra- ternally a Mason. He is a member of St. Paul's Evangelical church.
CHRISTIAN LUND, florist, whose greenhouses are situated at No. 914 Grand avenue, Wausau, Wis., and his offices at No. 517 Third street, is one of the old settled business men of this city, having established himself here nineteen years ago. He was born in Denmark, August 23, 1861, and is a son of Hans Lund and wife, the latter of whom died in
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Denmark. The former followed his son to America some years later and spent his last years with him.
Christian Lund was reared and obtained his education in his own land. When he came to the United States in 1882 and located at Wau- sau, he found practically an open field in the florist business, no other gardener having ventured here, and much encouraged he opened up in a small way and by persistent endeavor and through untiring in- dustry has built up a very considerable business. He now owns five acres of land and his own residence and six greenhouses, and has 1700 square feet of glass. He is very successful with all kinds of plants and his houses are a beautiful wilderness of bloom of all flowers in their special seasons and, through modern appliance are preserved far beyond their time of natural bloom so that he is prepared to furnish blossoms for every occasion, shipping to other points.
Mr. Lund was married at Wausau to Miss Christina Houltman, who was born in Sweden and they have seven children: Marie, who is the wife of James Colby; and Johanna, Hans, Caroline, Edith, Evelyn and Alice. Mr. Lund and family belong to the Presbyterian church. He is identified with the Royal Arcanum but takes no active part in political life.
ALFRED H. ZIMMERMAN, a member of the well known firm of Zimmerman & Rowley, dealers in investment bonds and insurance, with offices in the Marathon County Bank Building, is associated with his father, Ernst C. Zimmerman and J. A. Rowley, under the above firm name. He was born at Wausau, Wis., September II, 1885, and is a son of Ernst C. Zimmerman who has long been a representative citizen of Wausau.
Alfred H. Zimmerman attended the public schools and after being graduated from the High School, entered Lawrence University at Apple- ton, where he spent one year and subsequently spent a year at the Uni- versity of Wisconsin at Madison. For about six months afterward he was in the employ of the H. L. Wheeler Insurance Company, and later, from July, 1906, until February, 1907, was in the employ of J. N. Manson, after which he purchased his interest in the present firm. This business was really founded by Ernst C. Zimmerman as early as 1878 and he' con- tinued in the general insurance line alone until March 1, 1880, when the firm of Zimmerman & Wheeler was formed. This continued until 1892, when E. C. Zimmerman sold his interest to his partner, H. L. Wheeler.
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After the death of Mr. Wheeler, in January, 1906, the business was con- tinued by his daughters, Lida E. and Dorothy E. Wheeler, and on July 18, 1906, they sold a one-third interest to J. A. Rowley. On February I, 1907, Ernst C. Zimmerman and Alfred H. Zimmerman purchased the two-thirds owned by the daughters of Mr. Wheeler and the present firm name was adopted.
On March 10, 1908, Mr. Zimmerman was married to Miss Lora Win- nifred Harris, who was born at Rochester, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Elizabeth. Mr. Zimmerman belongs to the Knights of Pyth- ias; Forest Lodge No. 130, F. & A. M .; and is identified with the Wau- sau Club.
WILLIAM A. GREEN, M. D., physician and surgeon, who has been professionally established at Wausau since 1904, with office at No. 520 Third street, was born at Sterling, Ill .. March 27, 1877, and is a son of S. Green, a contractor there.
William A. Green was reared at Sterling, attended the excellent pub- lic schools there and graduated from the Sterling High School, immedi- ately afterward entering upon the study of medicine and was graduated from the Chicago Homeopathic College in the class of 1901. For one year afterward he was an interne in the Homeopathic Hospital and then opened an office and practiced at Ohio, Ill., until 1904, when he came to Wausau. Dr. Green has built up an excellent practice here, keeps fully abreast with the times in his profession and is a member of the Wisconsin State and the American Medical Associations.
At Quincy, Ill., in 1902, Dr. Green was married to Miss Clara Welch. He has never found time to be very active in politics although always interested as a good citizen in affairs of importance both at home and abroad and is ever willing to exert his influence in support of law and order. He is identified with the Elks.
CARL KRAUSE, who was born in Germany, June 7, 1840, resides in section 21, town of Stettin, where he carries on general farming and raises Guernsey cattle, owning 320 acres of land, 120 of which is in . timber. His parents were Wm. and Louise Krause, the former of whom was a public official in Germany.
In 1867 Carl Krause the younger came to the United States and re- mained in the city of New York for two years and reached Wausau, Wis., in December, 1869, where he secured work as clerk in a store.
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Afterward, for about twelve years, he taught school in the towns of Stet- tin and Rib Falls, Marathon county, and in other sections, and then be- gan farming. At that time all this part of the country was covered with woods. Mr. Krause has about 200 acres of his land cleared, clearing eighty acres of the same by himself. He married Henrietta Weber, a daughter of Fred and Frederica Weber, of the town of Rib Falls, and they have had ten children: Annie, wife of Edward Gehrpe of Stettin; Emma, of Wausau; Louise, wife of Alexander Trantow, of the town of Maine; Ida, a teacher for eleven years in the town of Maine; William, Edwin, Margaret and Arthur, all at home and two that died in infancy. Mr. Krause and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican and has served as assessor and as treasurer of the town of Stettin. He belongs to the Stettin Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
CHARLES N. GOERLING, under sheriff of Marathon county, belongs to one of the well known families of this section and was born at Wausau, Wis., February 21, 1871, and is a son of Nicholas and Henrietta Goerling, descendants of two of the oldest families of Marathon county.
Charles N. Goerling was reared at Wausau, attended school here and, with the exception of five years spent on a farm in the town of Stettin, has always been a resident of his native place. Prior to accepting his present responsible office, appointed to the same on January 6, 1913, by Sheriff Abraham, he was in the retail liquor business on Washington street. For eighteen years Mr. Goerling was connected with the Wisconsin State Militia, a member of Co. G., 3rd Regiment, WV. N. G., entering as a private and being promoted until, when he resigned from the organization he was lieu- tenant of his company. Lieutenant Goerling was no carpet soldier either, but took part with his regiment in its movements during the Spanish-Ameri- can war at Porto Rico.
Mr. Goerling married Miss Marie Belim, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Behm, residents of Athens, Wis., for the last twenty-eight years, and our subject and wife have six children: Lillian, Carl, Elmer, Arthur, Grace and Edwin. He is somewhat active in politics as a wide-awake, in- terested citizen, while fraternally he is identified with the Eagles.
MRS. JOSIE BLECHA, who is the widow of John Blecha, is a daughter of Martin and Mary (Zigmund) Chesak, and is well known in and near Athens, Wis. The late John Blecha was born in Washington county, Wis.,
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August 27, 1867, a son of Frank and Mary (Hubing) Blecha. Frank Blecha and wife were natives of Germany and both are now deceased. For some years he was proprietor of a hotel at Athens, Wis. His children were as follows: John, George, Frank, Edward, Charles, Arthur, Anna and Cecelia.
John Blecha obtained his education in the public schools and then learned the butcher's trade, which he followed for some time but later engaged in farming and died on his farm December 19, 1905, at the age of 38 years. He was married to Miss Josephine Mary Chesak on September 12, 1893. He was a Republican in politics and was a member of the Catholic church.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WILSON; president of the Wilson Mercan- tile Company, wholesale grocers, of Wausau, Wis., has also many other im- portant business interests and is numbered with the most substantial and enterprising citizens of this section. He was born at Belmont, in County Middlesex, Ontario, Dominion of Canada. November 7, 1859. He attended the country schools there and resided with his parents on a farm. When seventeen years of age he left home and went to Manistee, Mich., where he entered the employ of Charles F. Ruggles, a banker and pine land owner, his position being that of office boy in the banking department of Mr. Ruggles' institution. Here he remained five years, during the last two years of this time being head bookkeeper. He then became head bookkeeper for Bradley Bros. of Milwaukee, pine land owners, with whom he remained four years.
Mr. Wilson then returned to Manistee, where he entered the employ of the Manistee Lumber Company, and continued with them seven years as head bookkeeper. He was then again with the Bradleys of Milwaukee, which had been incorporated into a stock company known as the Land, Log & Lumber Company, becoming a director, secretary and treasurer of the latter company.
In 1897 Mr. Wilson formed a partnership with H. E. Salsich, in the manufacture of lumber at Star Lake, Wis. This business association was carried on very successfully until 1907 under the firm name of Salsich & Wilson, the output of the concern during this time being some 400,000,000 feet of lumber, lath and shingles. During a part of this time Mr. Wilson was a resident of Star Lake, but in 1901 he moved his family to Wausau. Since closing his plant at Star Lake he has devoted his time to other impor- tant concerns, having heavy investments in timber lands, lumber, paper mills and street railroads. He is president of the Wilson Mercantile Company. wholesale grocers of Wausau, Wis., he is a director of the Marathon County Bank, of Wausau, Wis. He also takes much interest in the development of
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