History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc., Part 41

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052

USA > Wisconsin > History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc. > Part 41

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

CHRIST FLORIN, hardware dealer, Fountain City, born in Switz- erland, April 30, 1843, came to America in 1868, and located in this town and engaged in present business with Mr. Stoll. He married Miss Emma Stoll, a native of this county. They have three children-John J., Olga and Oscar.

JOSEPH FUGINA, of the firm of J. & M. Fugina, general mer- chandise, Fountain City. This firm having been established in 1860, in a small frame building, on the corner of Main and Liberty streets, and in 1869 moved into the brick building which they now occupy. They also make grain buying a part of their business. In April of 1875, the above firm started a branch store at Arcadia, Trempealean Co., in com- pany with J. M. Fertig, and are also connected with him in the brewery at that place. They also own farm and wood land to the amount of 950 acres. They are both members of the Catholic Church, and Joseph was a liberal contributor to the Catholic school at Fountain City, which was erected in 1871. The subject of this sketch was born in Austria, March 25, 1835, and came to the United States in 1856, and stopped in Chicago, where he lived for four years. His brother, Mark, was born in the same country in 1837, coming to America two years after he did, which was in 1858, and in 1860, they came to Fountain City.

MALCOLM FYFE, Justice of the Peace, and tailor, Fountain City, was born in Scotland on the 28th of March, 1830. In 1868, he came to the United States and immediately located,at Fountain City, where he has made his home since. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1870, and has hell that office ever since. He was married in Scotland in 1865, to Jane Bryce, a native of that country, and they have had seven chil- dren, of whom five are living-Mary A., Elizabeth M. V., John B., Margaret and Lorenzo. Mr. Fyfe is a member of the Fountain City Lodge No. 13, of the A. O. U. W.

AUGUST GERLICH, billiard hall and saloon, Fountain City, was born in Germany, Dec. 10, 1829. IIe came to America with his parents in 1833, and lived with them in Cincinnati until 1848, when he went to Dubuque, la., where he worked at tailoring, and also in Galena, Ill. In 1853, he started to work at painting, which he followed until 1856, and then came up the Mississippi to Fountain City, where he remained but a short time returning to Galena. Ile there married Mrs. Gerlich, widow of his deceased brother Frederick J., by whom she had two children, Frederick A. and Caroline E. After his marriage he returned to Foun-

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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY.

tain City, in the Fall of 1865. he has made it his home ever since. He engaged at house and sign painting until 1880, when he started his pres- ent business. He has nine children - Fidelis, Ludwig W., George H., Emma, Lena, John E., Alford, Nora and one infant son unnamed.

CASPER F. G. HAHN, shoemaker, Fountain City, was born in Germany, June 12, 1836 ; came to the United States in July of 1871, and immediately located in Fountain City, and commenced to work at his trade, which was that of shoemaking. He was married in Germany on the 17th of November, 1865, to Wilhelmina Langfeld, by whom he has six children - Henrietta D. T., Angusta M. B., Louise W. K, Magdalena C. C., Karoline M. and Frederick M.

WILLIAM HECK, engineer of the steamer " Robert Harris," was born in Germany, Aug. 30, 1843, and came to the United States with his parents, landing at New Orleans where they remained but a short time. Then they moved to Ste. Genevieve Co., Mo. In 1855, he came up the Mississippi River to Reed's Landing, Minn., with his father, where they remained for two years working in a saw-mill, and in 1857 moved to Buffalo County and engaged in farming. In the Fall of 1858 the subject of this sketch went back to Missouri and worked at teaming in the Iron Mountains until 1861, at which time he returned to Wisconsin and com- menced farming again with his father in Buffalo County. He was mar- ried in 1867 to Barbara Fuches, who was born in Germany, and they then moved into Fountain City where he engaged in a saw-mill for Frank Maultauch for seven years, and then started engineering on the Missis- sippi, and, in 1875, formed a partnership with Peter J. Schneider. to run a daily boat between Winona and Fountain City, and is now engineer and partner of the same, and is a member of the I. O. O. F., Steuben Lodge, No. 280.

FREDERICK HEPP, soda water manufactory at Fountain City, was born in Prussia on the 13th of February, 1832. In 1852, he came to the United States, locating at Galena, Ill., where he worked in a flouring- mill, and afterwards in the lead mines. In 1855, he came to Fountain City, and in 1856, returned to Galena and bought a yoke of oxen, which he brought up the river on a boat to Fountain City, and commenced breaking a farm. In 1858, he was mail agent from Fountain City to St. Croix, a distance of 150 miles by land. He afterwards followed team- ing until 1874, when he commenced in his present business. He has been Town Treasurer of Fountain City, also a member of Town Board for two terms, and Constable, and is a member of the Catholic Church. He was married in 1857, to Sophia Multhaup, who was born in Han- over, Germany. They have eight children - Matilda, Mary, Elizabeth, Tracy, Rosa, Adolph, Lena and Ragena.

PAUL HUEFNER, grain dealer, Fountain City, was born in Kathea, Bavaria, Germany, June 29, 1839. When he was eleven years of age his parents came to America and located in Southbridge, Worcester Co., Mass., where they lived until 1860, when they came to Madison. Two years later they again removed to Hastings, Minn. Mr. Huefner has been permanently located in this place since 1870. IIe has two ware- houses in Alma and one in Buffalo City and two here. He married Louisa Demeler, a native of England. They have one child, Ferdinand.

CHARLES IRMSCHER, foreman of Teekenburg's saw mill, Foun- tain City, was born in Germany, Jan. 8, 1834. He came to the United States in 1849, first locating in Manitowoc County, where he lived for two years, then went to Sheboygan County and in 1854 came to Fount- ain City, where he has made his home ever since. He enlisted in March, 1865, in the 48th Wis. V. I., Co. K, and served until the close of the war as sergeant of that company, afterwards returning to Fountain City. He was married in 1857 to Fredrica Meyer, who was born in Germany. They have had a family of thirteen children, seven of whom are living -- Emma, now Mrs. John Smith, of Dakota ; Frederick; Mary, now Mrs. Jacob Erler ; Charles, Bernhart, Phillip and Albine, Mr. Irmscher has held the office of Justice of the Peace in Fountain City for one year, also Treasurer cne year.

S. KAMMERER, miller, Fountain City. was born in Switzerland, Sept. 18, 1850, came to America in 1872 and located in Green Lake, . Montgomery Co., Penn. He rented and run a grist-mill four years. In April, 1878, he came to Wisconsin, and was in various occupations until the Spring of 1881, when he purchased his present mill. It is the first flouring mill built in this county. Mr. Kammerer intends to put in a few improvements, and will soon have a capacity of 100 barrels per day.

JOJIN KOSCHUETZ, brewer, Fountain City, was born in Ger- many, Dec. 25, 1848 ; in 1873, came to America, locating at Fountain City, where he worked in the brewery for Behlmer & Fiedler. In 1874, he rented the same, and run it for five years, and in May of 1880 bought it for himself. He now brews from 400 to 500 barrels per year. He was married to Louisa Erhart, who was born in Fountain City. They are both members of the Catholic Church. They have one son, Frankie.

JOHN KROPP, shoemaker, Fountain City, was born in l'russia, June 29, 1836. In 1856, he came to the United States, where he trav- eled about for two years, working at his trade in different places. In 1858, he located at Fountain City, where he started a shoemaker shop, his being the second one in that place. Ile has been a member of the

band at Fountain City for twenty-five years, and was married in Rock- ford, Ill., to Tracy Multhaulp. They have had eleven children, having now living three sons and three daughters.

JOSEPH MATTAUCH, blacksmith, Fountain City, was born in Germany, Aug. 8, 1840. In 1857, he came to America with his parents. They located in La Crosse County on a farm, and the subject of this sketch, having learned the trade of blacksmithing in the old country, worked at it here in different places. In 1863 he came to Fountain City, where he worked for Jacob Stull for seven years, and then started a shop for himself. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., Fountain City Lodge No. 13. He was married to Annie Herdick, who is also a native of Germany. They have six children, three sons and three daughters.

MARTIN NICK, proprietor of the Eagle hotel and saloon at Foun- tain City, was born in Switzerland, Nov. 15, 1828, and came to Amer- ica in 1855, first locating in Sauk County, where he lived until 1858. He then removed to Buffalo County. Here he started to farming, on some land which he purchased from the Government, and on this he lived until 1874, when he traded his farm for some property in Foun- tain City and commenced keeping hotel. He was Treasurer of the town of Mondovi for twelve years, and in 1880, was one of the village Trustees of Fountain City. and is a member of the A. O. U. W., Lodge, No. 13, at that place. He was married to Miss Doratea Pfosz, in Fountain City, she having been born in Switzerland. They have eight children, two sons and six daughters.

CHARLES NIEMANN, saloon, Fountain City, was born in Ger- many, in State of Mecklenburg, Aug. 6, 1823, and in 1853, came to America and first settled in the State of Indiana, where he was em- ployed at constructing railroad. In August of 1855. he moved to Foun- tain City and worked in a saw-mill, and in 1857, carried the mail be- tween Fountain City and La Crosse. At one time was fourteen days making the trip on account of the bad roads, and at another time when they were impassable for the snow, he hired C. W. Gilbert, who skated down the river to La Crosse, and back, bringing with him 100 pounds of mail. Mr. Niemann continued at this business until 1869, and after- wards erected the large brick block, where he now does business. He has been a member of the Lutheran Church for twenty-two years. and was married at La Crosse, in the year 1860, to Margaret Carrisch, by whom he has one son and two daughters.

G. G. OPPLIGER, retired merchant, Fountain City, was born in Switzerland, May 16, 1837. In 1853, he, with his parents, emigrated to America and settled in Rochester, N. Y. He came to Fountain City in 1858, and was employed for a few years as clerk. In 1861, he started The Buffalo County Republican, of which he was publisher and editor until 1870, when he sold it to Mr. Leicht. He then went into the drug business ; continued until 1870, when he sold his stock to Beckman & Son. He married Anna Ebner, a native of Baden, Germany.

MARTIN RAHN, cigar manufactory, Fountain City, was born in Switzerland, Sept. 22, 1848. He came with his parents to America in 1854, and lived with them on a farm in Buffalo County until 1871, when he went to Milwaukee and learned the cigar making trade. remaining there two years. He then returned to Buffalo County and started a cigar manufactory for himself in Fountain City, and has since followed that business. He was married in Milwaukee to Mary France, who was born in Wisconsin, and by whom he has four children - Annie M., Louisa B., Olka M. and George A.

ALBERT SCHERER, hotel, Fountain City, was born in Baden, Germany, Nov. 16, 1831. In 1854, he came to America and landed in New York City where he remained one year, employed as a baker. In 1857 he came to Fountain City. In 1863, he opened a hotel and has been in that for the past eighteen years. He married Charlotte Wagner in 1857. She also was born in Germany. They have six children-Char- lotte, Sophia, Ferdinand, Charles, Lena and Amelia.

PETER J. SCHNEIDER, captain and pilot of the steamer " Robert Harris," which runs daily between Winona, Minn., and Fountain City, is a resident of the latter place, having been born in Germany on the 19th of March, 1830. He came to America in 1854. first locating in Galena, Ill. He engaged on the Mississippi River, first as deck hand, then as watchman, then as pilot, and finally as captain. In 1860, he ran a boat between Galena and Bellevue, Iowa, and afterwards was engaged as cap- tain and pilot with John Robinson of Winona, on a boat which plied between Le Claire, Iowa, and Ft. Snelling, continuing this for five years. He then was employed by the Diamond Joe Line, and in 1875 entered a partnership with William Heck, and bought the steamer " Express," which they run daily between Winona and Fountain City as a passenger and freight boat. After running this for four years they bought the steamer "Robert llarris," which they have run ever since. Mr. Schneider was married in Germany in 1851.

JACOB STOLL, hardware dealer, Fountain City, born in Switzer- land. Feb. 2, 1831, came to America in 1850, and first located in Madison, where he lived two years. From there he removed to New Glarus, Green County. and in 1853 he went to Ohio, remained a short time, and in 1854 came West again and settled in Galena, I11. In 1855 he moved

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

again, and has since been a resident of this village. Ilis occupation was blacksmithing until 1869, when he went into the hardware business with Mr Florin. He married Barbara Lichti, also a native of Switzerland. They have three children-Emma, John J. and William G.

HENRY TECKENBURG, merchant, Fountain City, was born in Germany, Feb. 10, 1827. In 1852, he came to America and settled in Davenport, Iowa. He staid in Iowa six months, and, in 1853, he came to La Crosse and started a general store. He only remained a short time, however, when he removed his goods to this place, being the first store in Buffalo County. He married Margaret Ruhan, a native of Switzerland. They have four children - Emma. Matilda, Albert and Flora.

TOBIAS VOEGELI, Postmaster. Fountain City, was born in Switz- erland, Dec. 6, 1832. In 1855, he came to America, and landed in New York City on the 29th of April. He staid for a few years in New Glarus. Green Co. In 1857. he removed to this village, where he has since lived. He was employed as a carpenter and builder until 1874, when he was appointed Postmaster. He married Annie R. Wichser, also a native of Switzerland. They have four children-Thomas, Fred, Kate and Henry. In 1864, Mr. V. enlisted in Co. D. 9th Wis. V.I., and was mustered out June 3, IS65.

F. H. WESTERKAMP, boot and shoe store, Fountain City, was born in Germany, July 19. 1818 ; came lo America in IS53, and settled in Galena, Ill., and in 1854, came to Fountain City, and has since been engaged in shoemaking. He married Maria Engel, a native of Ger- many. They have four children-Henry, Gerhardt, Dora and Lizzie.

ZIEGENFUSS BROTHERS, butchers, Fountain City. Christoph, the elder brother, was born in Prussia, Dec. 13, 1837. He married Teresa Reid, a nalive of Baden. They have five children-George, Lena, Mary, William and Eddie. He enlisted in Co. F, 12th Ill. I., in 1861, and was discharged in 1864. He has been Justice of the Peace, Village Trustee and Marshal of Fountain City. Michael, the younger brother, was born in the same place, April.14, 1843. He also enlisted in the U. S. A. in Co. G, 19th Ill. I., in 1861, and was discharged in 1862. He married Lena Reid, of Baden. They have four children- Aloise, Herman, Emma and Kale.

George Ziegenfuss, their father, was born in Prussia in 1806. In 1852 he came lo America with his family, and their first location was in Galena, III., where they lived three years, when they removed to this place. Ilis business has been, and still is, brewing. He married Cath- erine Engelhart, also horn in Prussia. They have four children living- Mary, John, Christoph and Michael, the last two of whom sketches ap- pear elsewhere.

BUFFALO CITY.

This city is situated in the southeastern parc of the county, on the Mississippi River ; was first settled by Mat- thias Hammer and John C. Wecker, in 1853, who erected a log shanty, and were engaged in cutting cord-wood and trading, on a small scale, with the Indians. They remained here only a short time. In 1856, a Cincinnati colony, com- posed of Frederick Pfeiffer, George Messinger, Robert Stromann, and others, imagining that this place offered facilities and guarantees for a thriving and permanent busi- ness, purchased the land where Buffalo City now stands, from Rudolf Kockwelp, John Baumann, William Snook, Jacob Mueller, and - Yager, and laid out and platted a village site, Robert Stromann doing the surveying. In April, 1856, Leopold Arndt, now a resident of Buffalo City, came to Buffalo City, and assisted in laying out the village and making the contracts for the land. Mr. Arndt subsequently purchased a lot and built the first frame house in the place, procuring his lumber from Fountain City. Later in this year came Frederick Kirchner, Joachim Goettinger, and a Mr. Becker, who were engaged in chopping down the trees and clearing out the streets for the Cincinnati Colony. When Mr. Yager first came, and the village plat was laid out, he built a log house, and these men all lived in that while doing this work. In 1857 came Herman Schraeder, Henry Busdecker, George Reider, Ferdinand Horst, and Franz Huebsch. These men mostly worked at the carpen- ter's trade, in the construction of new houses. In 1858, one Michael, an agent for Edward Gunkle, a baker in Cincin- nati, arrived in the embryo city, and at once commenced the erection of a saw-mill, which was completed and put into operation in the Fall of the same year. The next year, in 1859, Edward Gunkle came himself, and erected a flour-

ing-mill in connection with his saw-mill, the same engine furnishing the motive power for both. From this date the population increased very rapidly, and on every hand were evidences of civilization, and from appearances then, this was soon to become the metropolis of the county.

The first death occurred in the Winter of 1857-8, and was Mr. Becker. He was buried on an island in the Mis- sissippi River.

The first marriage ceremony was performed in 1859, by John P. Stein, the contracting parties being Michael Damm and Annie Kaththaler.

The first store was opened by Charles Schaettle, in 1859. The post-office was also established during this year, with Mr. Schaettle as postmaster, who kept it in his store.

The first blacksmithing was done by Joseph Mattausch, who built a shop and commenced business in 1859.

The first school was taught in the Spring of 1859, in the dwelling house of Mr. Schaettle. Lawrence Kessinger was the first teacher. In the Fall of 1859, the first school- house was built. Their present school-house was built in 1876, at a cost of $1,400.

The first religious services were held at different places in the village in 1860, by preachers who came from else- where. The place is at present supplied with two neat little churches-the German Lutheran, built in 1866, at a cost of $400. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Struve. It has at present no resident priest, the pulpit be- ing supplied by a minister from Fountain City. The Ger- man Catholic was built in 1868, at a cost of $1,200, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. Spitzelberger.

By an act of the State Legislature, approved March 18, 1859, Buffalo City was incorporated as a city, and has since maintained a separate municipal existence. Frederick Pfeiffer was the first Mayor, Charles Schaettle, Charles Kes- singer, George Schraeder, Herman Schraeder, Edward Gun- kle and George Gaat were the Aldermen. At this time the city was divided into two wards, but now there is only one. The present officers are Franz Huebsch, mayor; Charles Ott, John Hoevel, Jacob Hillmann and Leonard Kachen- doerfer, aldermen ; Leopold Arndt, chief of police.

A city hall was built in 1862, at a cost of $2,000. The population of the city is 248.

MONDOVI.

The beautiful village of Mondovi is an inland village, situated in the northeast corner of the county, in the town of Naples, on the bank of Buffalo River, at the conflu- ence of Mill Creek, and has all the advantages of a city. This creek furnishes ample water-power for a custom flour- ing mill, built in 1878 and owned and operated by James T. Brawnlee; two repairing machine shops-one built in 1871 by N. K. and Hiram Fisher, and now owned and operated by N. K. Fisher, the other built in the Spring of 1881 by Ezra Myers, and now operated by him.

The great pine regions of the Chippewa Valley furnish' a market for beef, pork and grain at better prices than can be obtained in eastern markets. The village has a graded school building, erected in 1878, and cost about $4,000. This building is not only an ornament to the place, but proves that the citizens appreciate the advantages of good educational facilities, which are made an object of individ- ual interest and are above the usual average. The village is abundantly supplied with churches-containing three, viz., the Methodist, built in 1865 at a cost of $2,000, and now has a membership of about one hundred; the Congrega- tional, built in 1871, and now has about sixty-five members; the Baptist, built in 1873 at a cost of $4,000, and now has a membership of over one hundred. Rev. B. F. Morse has been pastor of the Baptist Church and society for twenty- four years.

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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY.

Mondovi also has a newspaper, published weekly and is a lively sheet and fair exponent of the enterprise and intel- ligence of the community. The town was first settled by H. P., L. D. and P. Farrington, William Van Waters, Thomas Glasspool and H. Brown in 1855. Some of these persons are still residents of the town. The inhabitants of the vil- lage are principally from the New England States-descend- ants from the good old Puritan stock, and have brought with them from their Eastern homes the true Yankee pluck and enterprise.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

GILE O. BUMP, wagon-maker, Mondovi, was born in Washing- ton Co., N. Y., on the 5th of September, 1839. and came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1856, locating in the town of Naples. His step-father, Robert Nelson, built the first frame house in this town, and was also the first Postmaster, holding that position for fifteen years. He died in 1874. The subject of this sketch remained at home on the farm until August of 1862, when he enlisted in the 25th Wis., Co. G. V. I., serving until the close of the war. He had three brothers who were also in the war, two of them being in the same company and regi- ment with himself, and who served until the war closed. Gile O. was with Sherman on his " march to the sea," and was also in a good many other important engagements. After the war, he returned home and learned the trade of wagon-making, and has followed that ever since. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. Mondovi Lodge, No. 23, and of the Good Templars, being a temperance man in every sense of the word. Ile was married in the Spring of 1870, to Miss Minnie Morse, daughter of the Rev. B. F. Morse, of Mondovi. Their family consists of three sons-Clayton C., Benjamin F. and Herbert Lee.

FRANK H. DILLON, general merchandise, Mondovi, came here with his parents from New York, in 1858, when one year old. They located on a farm in the town of Naples, and here he remained until 1872, when he began to clerk in a general merchandise store in the vil- lage of Mondovi, continuing at that for three years. He then estab- lished a small grocery store, near where he now does business, and has kept increasing his stock until he does an annual business of $30,000. He was born June 19. 1856, in New York, and was married June 24, 1877, to Miss Louisa Smith. She was also from the same State.

STEPHEN G. FULLER, Fuller Hotel at Mondovi, was born in Vermont, March 1, 1832 ; came to Wisconsin in June, 1861, to Buffalo County, and settled in town of Gilmanton and engaged at farming. In 1871 he rented his farm and moved to the village of Alma, where he built a hotel which was called the Fuller House. In 1874. he moved to Minneapolis, Minn., and kept a boarding-house and restaurant for five years, then returned to Alma and kept the Union House a while, and then moved to Independence, Trempealean Co. In 1879, he moved to Mondovi into his present house. He was married in Vermont to Miss Sarah E. Woodward, in 1854 ; she being also a native of Vermont ; by whom he has five children-Ella E. (now Mrs. E. L. Ainsworth), Ells- worth D., Addie E., Bertha V. and Frederick L. He is the son of Lenard and Sally Fuller. His father died in Vermont, May 1, 1860, at the age of sixty-one years. His mother was born in 1806 and is still living with him. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Minneapolis Lodge No. I, also the A. O. U. W., Mondovi Lodge No. 23.

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Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1052

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052