USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Memoirs of Milwaukee County : from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Milwaukee County, Volume II > Part 46
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Lester C. Manson, special assistant city attorney of Milwaukee, was born at Beaver Dam, Wis., Dec. 11, 1879, and is the son of Alexander G. and Lina (Germaine) Manson, the former a native of
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Lewiston, Niagara county, N. Y., and the latter of Juneau county, Wis. His father, a carpenter by trade, came to Wisconsin in 1843. Lester C. was reared in Beaver Dam and attended school until he was thirteen years of age, and then began carning his living by driving delivery wagons, first for a laundry and afterward for a grocery store. Later he was employed in the Malleable Iron Works at Beaver Dam, first as a core-maker and later as a moulder. During this time he learned stenography and then decided to return to school, leaving to go into a law office as clerk, and also resuming his studies in the high school, studying and at the same time supporting himself by doing short-hand work. The breaking out of the Spanish-American war interfered for a time with his plans, as he enlisted as a private in Com- pany K, Second Wisconsin infantry. He was attached to the staff of Major-General Brooke, commander of the First army corps, and par- ticipated in a number of skirmishes on the island of Porto Rico, among them being the actions at Arroyo Guayama and at Cayay. He was mustered out with the Second regiment in the winter of 1898, and returned to school, being graduated at the high school of Beaver Dam in 1899. From the high school he went to the University of Wisconsin, entering the college of law, and remained from October, 1899, until March, 1900, when he left there and entered the Columbian University at Washington, D. C., in which he was graduated in 1903 with the degree of LL. B. While studying law he was employed by the United States government in the census office and as auditing clerk, and after graduation was also in the government employ, traveling for the Department of Commerce and Labor, as special agent, on the inves- tigation of public finance. Returning to his native state in April, 1905, he located in Milwaukee and began the practice of his pro- fession, as a member of the firm of Manson & Osgood, and later became a member of the firm of Kelly & Manson. In April of the following year he was appointed to his present position as special assistant city attorney, and still occupies that office. Mr. Manson's church affiliations are with the Episcopalians, and his social life is connected with several city clubs, among them the Deutscher and Calumet. Among the secret and fraternal organizations, he belongs to the orders of Masons and Elks ; his military experiences are recalled through his membership in the Society of Spanish-American War Veterans, and his professional connections are maintained through the Milwaukee Bar Association, of which he is treasurer. Mr. Manson is among the most active and promising of the younger attorneys, and with his determination, energy and ability, has before him the pros- pect of a brilliant success in his chosen line. The perseverance that enabled him, in the face of many obstacles, to acquire his general and professional education, the courage and patriotism that made him lay aside his personal ambitions to take up the duties of a private in the field, and the business efficiency which has already obtained recognition for him, indicate for him a future of exceptional advantages and oppor- tunities.
John C. Strasen, pastor of the Holy Cross Lutheran church, is of German antecedents. His parents are Rev. Charles and Augusta
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(Mueller) Strasen. The former was born in Mecklenburg, near Rosrock, Germany, in August, 1827, and is a clergyman of the Lutheran church. Coming to this country in 1845, when he was about eighteen years of age, he located in Fort Wayne, Ind., and two years later was ordained as a Lutheran minister. In 1859 he came to the church at Watertown as pastor, and remained there for forty-two years, retiring from active work some six years ago and going to Milwaukee to make his home with his son, Rev. John C. Strasen. He served as assistant- pastor part of the time after going to Milwaukee, but is now in feeble health. For ten years he was president of the Northwest district of the Missouri Synod. His wife, who was a native of Saxony, is deceased. The family consisted of four sons and one daughter. Three of the sons: John C., Charles, and Henry, are clergymen in the Lutheran church, Charles being stationed at Chester, Ill., and Henry near Nicollet, Minn. The second brother, Gotthold, is a teacher in a parochial school in Michigan, and the sister resides in Milwaukee with her brother, John C. The last named was born in Collinsville, Ill., Nov. 7, 1853, and was educated in the parochial school at Watertown, ยท Wis., Concordia College, Fort Wayne, Ind., where he remained two years; and he then spent four years in Northwestern University at Watertown, Wis., in which he was graduated in 1873 with the degree of A. B. His theological course was taken at Concordia Lutheran College, St. Louis, Mo., from which he was graduated in 1876 and ordained at Omaha, Neb., in August following. He remained there as pastor until May, 1879 and since then has been pastor of the Holy Cross church, Milwaukee. He was president of the Wisconsin district of the Missouri Synod for six years-1894 to 1900- and is now vice- president of the General Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states. He has done some writing for the publications of the Synod. On Oct. 8, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Doermann, daughter of Rev. J. H. and Mary (Allwardt) Doermann, of Aurora, Ill., and to the union ten children have been born. Emma, the oldest, is the wife of Rev. H. Haderberg, of Jacksonville, Ill., and has two children, Dora and Gertrude; John C., pastor of the Lutheran church at Middletown, Conn., is married to Gertrude Ourstadt, and has one son, John; Johanna is a teacher in a parochial school in Middletown, Conn .; Clara is a teacher of music in Milwaukee; Augusta; Mary is private secretary at the Conservatory of Music; and Minnie, Martin, and Elizabeth, all reside with their parents in Milwaukee, the three younger now attending school. Lydia, the sixth daughter and seventh child, is deceased.
Bernard George Traudt, priest of the Catholic church and sec- retary of Archbishop Messmer, is a native of the metropolis of Wis- consin, and was born on Aug. 29, 1876. His parents are John and Mary Anna ( Dienstberger) Traudt, the former a native of Legendern- bach, Germany, born Dec. 2, 1827. He sailed from Antwerp on Aug. 3, 1853, landing in New York on Sept. 14, 1853. He first went to Columbus, Ohio, where he remained several months and from there he came to Milwaukee. He was a carpenter and builder by trade, but later entered the mercantile business as a dealer
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in dry goods, and retired from active business life in the year 1888. His home was formerly on the land now occupied by the David- son theater, and he with many others believed that the advent of the Milwaukee & Watertown railroad-now a part of the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul system-would injure his property, and he disposed of it, but regretted the transaction not long after. He is still living and resides in Milwaukee. His wife was born in New York, of Ger- man and French parentage, her mother belonging to the latter nation- ality. She came to Milwaukee in the fifties, and is still living. Of the family of twelve children born to them, eight are living, all of the six sons being residents of the city, and all, except Father Traudt, are engaged successfully in business. The two surviving sisters also live in Milwaukee, one of whom is married. Bernard G., of this sketch, acquired his early education in the parochial schools of St. Mary and St. Peter and Paul parishes. He entered St. Francis' Semi- nary on Sept. 2, 1890, taking the regular course, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1899, by Archbishop Katzer at St. Francis church, Milwaukee. He said his first mass on July 9, 1899, at St. Peter and Paul's church, Milwaukee, and was then appointed assistant pastor of St. Michael's church in the city, where he was on duty from July, 1899, until July, 1901. At the latter date he was appointed secretary to Archbishop Katzer. Much of the diocesan work falls upon Father Traudt. He is a member of the fraternal order, Knights of Columbus,and of the Catholic Protective Association. An uncle of Father Traudt, Henry Traudt, served in the Civil war, enlist- ing as a private in a Wisconsin infantry regiment and served until the close of the war.
Gustav Stearns, pastor of the English Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Scott and Reed streets, belonging to what is officially known as the United Lutheran Church of America, was born in New Richland, Minn. His parents are Halvor K. and Bergite (Sevats) Stearns, both natives of Norway. The father came to this country at the age of sixteen years, and the mother at the age of six years, and both were reared in the vicinity of Beloit, Wis. Shortly after they were married they went to Minnesota in the conveyance known to the last generation as the "prairie schooner." The father followed the vocation of a farmer until 1879, when he entered the mercantile business, in which he was engaged until his death in 1905. He was a prominent man in the community where he resided, taking much interest in local politics, assisted in the movement which brought the railroad through the town, held many town offices and contributed in many ways to the development of the country and the advance- ment of the community. The mother is still living and has a home in Northfield, Minn. Gustav attended the public schools, there acquir- ing his elementary education, after which he entered St. Olaf College, at Northfield, spending two years in the preparatory department and then taking the full classical course in the college proper and was graduated in 1896 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His theologi- cal training was obtained at the United Lutheran Theological Seminary, at St. Anthony Park, Minn., where he spent three years receiving the
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degree "Candidate of Theology" in 1899. He was president of the class during his senior year, and was one of the three in a class of eighteen who received the highest standing, and the designation "exceptionally competent" written on his diploma. While a student he spent his vacations as traveling salesman for a wholesale house, thus assisting in paying his way through college. Just before graduation he was called to the church where he is now officiating, and has remained in that pastorate ever since, although he has had flattering calls to other large and prominent churches. He was notified by the war department of the United States that President Roosevelt had designated him as a chaplain in the regular army with the rank of first lieutenant, but he did not accept the appointment because he thought he could accomplish more good in his present field in Milwau- kee. He said, however, that he would accept such a position in case of war. The congregation has grown rapidly since he took charge of the church, and in the summer of 1907 he started a branch church, of which he is also pastor, and he has at present about 375 communi- cants. He is able to preach in both English and Norwegian, although his congregation is an exclusively English-speaking people. That he is a working pastor is shown by the fact that his first confirmation class numbered eight and his last, in 1908, was fifty. He writes for the press occasionally, and is the official reporter for the St. Paul and Minneapolis daily papers during the annual convention of the church. He came prominently before the people of Wisconsin in a public debate with the editor of the Social Democratic Herald, the official organ of the Social Democrats. The editor challenged debate upon the question: "Resolved, That Chrstianity has been of no use, and can be of no use to the masses under existing economic conditions." Rev. Mr. Stearns accepted the challenge, taking the negative, and the debate was carried on before an audience of 3,000 people. There were no judges in the debate, but the daily press spoke highly of Mr. Stearns' effort, and he received many personal compliments and was subsequently invited to address a large meeting on Memorial Day in the Exposition building, where the mayor of the city, the superintendent of the public schools, and other prominent citizens also spoke. At the largest banquet of Norsemen ever held in the state, at the Pfister Hotel, at which Governor Davidson was the guest of honor, Rev. Mr. Stearns responded to the toast, "Norse Blood in Wisconsin Veins," and the effort was highly commended. He has served as president of the Young People's Lutheran League of the state for two terms and now holds office in a number of religious organizations. A paternal uncle, Knud Stearns, served in the Civil war, and although he was pierced with seven bullets on the battlefield, his health was restored and he received high honors for his bravery.
Waldemar C. Wehe, attorney-at-law, with offices in the Pereles building, is one of the group of young lawyers that is rapidly com- ing to the front in the metropolis of the state. He was born in the city where he now practices, and is of German ancestry. His paternal grandfather, and old soldier of the Napoleonic wars, came to the United States from Germany in 1838, during a period of religious
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persecution. He was a gardener by trade, and followed that calling in Milwaukee. Of his family of eleven children, all lived to be over fifty years of age, and seven are still living, their ages ranging from fifty-five to eighty years. The father of Waldemar C .- August M. Wehe-was born in Milwaukee, March 17, 1845, and is among the survivors. He married Maria Schwassmann, a native of Germany, born May 9, 1847, and who is also living. During the Civil war the father enlisted as a private in the Forty-eighth Wisconsin infantry, in 1863, but saw no active service, as he was detailed to recruiting duty and was engaged in Milwaukee. He was promoted to the rank of corporal, and was authorized to recruit another company, of which he was to be appointed captain, but before this was accomplished the war closed. He was mustered out with his regiment at the close of hostilities. Waldemar C. Wehe was born on Jan. 4, 1880. He attended the public school at Butternut, Wis., and then the model department of the State Normal School, of Milwaukee. He was graduated at the West Side high school in 1898. Entering as a student of the Univer- sity of Wisconsin, he was graduated in the College of Letters and Science in 1902, with the degree of B. L. In the fall of 1902 he entered the Columbia Law School of Columbia University, New York city, and in the fall of 1903, he entered the College of Law of the University, graduating in 1905, with the degree of LL. B. He im- mediately began the practice of his profession in Milwaukee, at first opening an office by himself, and except for one year, when he was in partnership with Oscar H. Leister in the firm of Leister & Wehe, has maintained his practice by himself. His business is of a general rather than of a special character, and in connection with it he is the special agent of the American Bonding Company of Baltimore. In politics he is a Republican, and in religious matters a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation. He belongs to the Milwaukee County and Wisconsin State Bar associations, and is a member of the Law Fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta. On Oct. 23, 1907, Mr. Wehe married Miss Ruby M. Chapman.
Oscar Hiram Leister, lawyer, of Milwaukee, is the son of Chas. C. and Mary (Hickman) Leister. The former was born on Feb. 14, 1840, in Montgomery county, Pa., and came west with his parents in 1846, settling in the town of Granville, Wis. Mrs. Leister was born in Pennsylvania in 1848, and came to Wisconsin in the fifties. She died on Oct. 29, 1905. On Aug. 14, 1862, Mr. Leister enlisted in Company E, Twenty-fourth Wisconsin volunteers and was engaged in the battles Perryville, Stone's River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, and many minor engagements. He was engaged for some time in guard duty, the building of fortifications, and in the pursuit of the Confederates after the battle of Nashville. Mr. Leister was wounded in an action at Mud Creek, Ga., June 18, 1864, and was mustered out with the regiment on June 10, 1865. He afterward en- gaged in the dry goods business, later in the grocery business, and finally the wholesale produce commission business, where for fifteen years he was vice-president of R. Stafford Co. He is now employed
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in the Milwaukee postoffice. Mr. Leister married Miss Hickman on Sept. 9, 1869. Oscar H., born on June 24, 1875, was educated in the public schools of the city, and later entered the Milwaukee Law School, in which, he was graduated in 1903, and was admitted to the bar on examination. After a number of years in the employ of the Milwaukee Harvester Company and the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, he engaged in the practice of law, as a member of the firm of Trost & Leister. This partnership continued for one year, after which a new business connection was formed with Mr. Wehe, the firm name of Leister & Wehe, which was maintained until Ang. I, 1907, since which time Mr. Leister has been alone. His practice is of a general nature, and his professional associations are with the legal societies of the city and state, being a member of both. On June 25, 1908, the honorary degree of LL. B. was conferred on him by Marquette University. Mr. Leister is also interested in the Wussow Drug Co., wholesale and retail druggists, located on the northwest corner of Sixth street and Grand avenue, in which firm he has a half interest. In politics he is a Republican and is actively interested in the movements of the party, having frequently taken the stump, although not for personal preferment, as he does not care to hold office. His church connections are with the Presbyterian Society, being a member of Immanuel Presbyterian church. Mr. Leister is unmarried.
Hugo J. Trost, attorney, Milwaukee, was born in Mayville, Dodge county, Wis., Aug. 5, 1880. His parents, Franz and Minna (Hagen) Trost, were both natives of Germany and came to this country with their respective parents when they were about eight years of age. The father was born on Aug. 21, 1850, and died in 1907, and the mother, born in 1856, also died in 1907. The former was a moulder by trade, but later, about 1881, came to Milwaukee and was employed by the Schlitz Brewing Company, retiring from active work in 1906, about a year before his death. Hugo J. was educated in the public schools of the city, became a student in the McDonald Business College, in which he was graduated in 1898, and he was then admitted to the Milwaukee Law School, where he acquired his legal training. He was admitted to the bar by examination, Sept. 3, 1904, and began his practice alone ; and he has so continued, except for one year, when he was a member of the firm of Leister, Trost & Leister. He does a general legal business, following no specialty. In politics he is inde- pendent, and has thus far given little attention to political movements ; is a member of the bar associations of the city and the state, and to a number of social organizations, including the Millioki Club, the Greater Milwaukee Gymnasium, the Milwaukee Rowing Club, and the Milwaukee Maennerchoir ; and also to the fraternal order, Knights of Pythias. He is vice-president of the Alumni Association of the College of Law of Marquette University. On Dec. 31, 1907, he was united in marriage to Miss Selina Hamm, daughter of Henry and Louise K. Hamm, of Milwaukee.
Thomas Edward Barr, pastor of the "People's Pulpit," a non- sectarian church established in Milwaukee, is descended from an old
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Scotch-Irish family, the ancestors having emigrated from Scotland in the Tenth century. There have been seven generations of the family born on American soil. Col. John Barr was in the Revolutionary war, and served under General Washington. He was killed in battle by the Indians, about a month after having received his commission. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Barr, was a Presbyterian minister, and from 1810 to 1835 was a home missionary. He had a family of nineteen children and all except two grew to maturity. Of his ten sons six were clergymen, among whom was Edward, the youngest, and the father of Thomas E. of this sketch. The former was born near Wooster, Ohio, Dec. 15, 1827, and died on Feb. 8, 1904. He mar- ried Millia Webb-who was born at Bedford, Ind., July 4, 1831, and who is now living at Elkhart, in that state-and was a leading Pres- byterian minister of Indiana for forty years, being recalled to four different pastorates. He served a year in the regular army, being stationed at Fort Atkinson. During the Civil war he was very active, although his health did not permit him to enlist for active duty. His preaching on the topics connected with the war made him the subject of hostile demonstrations by -southern sympathizers, and his house was fired upon while he lay ill in bed, and only for the circumstance that the position of his bed had that day been changed, he would have been killed. Rev. T. E. Barr's maternal grandfather, Hadforth Webb, lived to be nearly ninety-eight years of age, and at the age of ninety-six years he traveled from Indiana to Mexico alone. The Webbs are of English ancestry, but Mrs. Webb was of Welsh origin. Rev. Thomas E. Barr was born in Bedford, Lawrence county, Ind., April 21, 1860, and was educated first in the public schools, later becoming a student in Lake Forest University, where he remained five years, graduating in 1885, with the degree of B. A. Entering the Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church at Princeton, N. J., he continued his studies for a year, but on account of impaired health was obliged to suspend his preparation for the ministry for a time. On Oct. 8, 1886, he was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry at Snow Shoe, Pa. (Huntington presbytery), where he began preaching. The three succeeding years he was stationed at Beloit, Wis., in 1890 went to Racine, Wis., and in 1892 to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he was for a year pastor of the First Presbyterian church, and from 1893 until 1896 the pastor of the First Congregational church. From that point he went to Elmhurst, Ill., where he served one year and then withdrew from the ministry for a time, devoting most of his time to the development of some inventions. In 1900 he came to Milwaukee and organized the People's Pulpit, a non-sectarian church, which appeals to a large class of people and is meeting with large success. The organization holds its services in Pabst's Theater. In politics, Rev. Mr. Barr is an independent Republican. On Sept. 15. 1886, he was married to Miss Laura B. Balch, daughter of Albert V. and Sarah (Parmelee) Balch, of Weyauwega, Wis., and to this union four children have been born, namely: Edward Balch, Sarah Katherine, Millia Jane, and Henrietta Ruth.
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John J. Gregory, attorney, and a member of the firm of Dorr, Gregory & Stiglbauer, of Milwaukee, was born in that city on Dec. I, 1872. His father, George K. Gregory, was a native of Ireland, born in 1818, and died in 1890. He came to the United States in 1845, locating first in Chicago, where he followed the profession of civil engineer and surveyed the western addition to the city. Later he removed to La Crosse, where he was the city engineer, and in the early sixties held a similar position in the city of Milwaukee. He had a com- mission as quartermaster in the Civil war, but could not go to the front, having been elected to the legislature in the fall of 1861, and he filled the place of representative from Milwaukee the following year. He was also elected county surveyor, and justice of the peace. He married Mary O'Halloran, born in La Crosse in 1842, who is still living. John J. was educated in the public schools of Milwaukee, and studied law in the office of Thomas H. Dorr, being admitted to the bar by examination on Dec. 30, 1895. He began practicing the follow- ing year, at first alone and later in company with Mr. Dorr, Mr. Stiglbauer having been added to the firm in 1904. In politics Mr. Gregory is a Democrat and has been a delegate to the city, county and state party conventions for some years, and has for the past six years been a member of the county Democratic committee and secre- tary of the fire and police commission for nine years. In religion he is a member of the Catholic church, and belongs to a number of fraternal orders, including the Knights of Columbus and the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. On Oct. 10, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Whitehead, daughter of Richard D. and Cynthia Whitehead, of Milwaukee.
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