Bio: Goetz, Phillip & John
Contact: Stan

----Source: Centennial History of the York Center United Methodist Church, 1880 - 1980.

PHILLIP GOETZ FAMILY AND JOHN GOETZ

Phillip Goetz and his wife Barbara were born and raised in Germany. Phillip was born February 9, 1844, and his wife on March 10, 1847. They were married about 1869. Phillip was a farmer, and they had five children: Joseph, Barbara, Theresa, Anna, and John.

Phillip and Barbara brought their family to the United States in 1884. They lived in Jefferson County, Wi. for three years, and then came to Clark County, stopping for awhile at Mr. Spangler's in York Township. Phillip secured about six acres of land where he established a home for himself and his family, then added forty more acres which he cleared. When he started he had two cows, but no team. The family would travel to Neillsville maybe twice a year for groceries with a horse and buggy. Flour was carried home to Heinetown on someone's back many times.

Their son John was born in Doberstof, German, April 28, 1876. John Goetz first attended school in Germany. He came to the United States at the age of eight and attended school in Jefferson County. John recalled later that his father had only $1 left after his family was settled in Jefferson.

After they moved to Heiaown, eleven-year-old John walked five or six miles to Pelsdorf where there was a Catholic church and school. Here John learned his lessons in German. Later he learned to speak English by himself with the help of a German-English language book.

As a young man, John worked in Heine's mill at Heinetown where he saved enough money to buy forty acres of land in Section 5, York Township. This land was then wild. He cleared that land and secured another forty acres in Secton 6. On this second tract of land there were about twenty acres cleared when he bought it, and a small house stood on it. He remodeled this into a modern farm home. For some time John lived at home while he cleared his own land. When John worked at the mill at Heinetown, he received 35cents for eleven hours of work a day. Eggs sold for 7c a dozen and spool of thread cost 5 cents. Money was then all silver and gold, no paper.

When John and Tony Heine moved their sawmill business to Deertail (Tony), Wi. in Rusk County, John followed them. He worked there for eight years. He married Margaret Newhouse in Tony on Jun 5,1906.

Margaret Newhouse was born in Brown County, Wis., February 20, 1885, daughter of William and Mary (Leonard) Newhouse. Her parents were of German descent. Her father was a farmer and mill worker. They also lived in Heinetown. Margaret was one of five children. The others were Francis, Lizzie, Tillie and Henry.

After eight years of work at Tony, John and his wife began farming on his farm in Heinetown. He built a 34 by 102 foot barn with a good basement and kept a good grade of stock. His farming prospered. John and Margaret had four children, Romie, Margaret, Florence and Lucille. Later Romie farmed and lived on this farm. Margaret married Robert Fenner, Florence married Delbert Becker, and Lucille married Herman Noeldner. Herman and Lucille still live in the town of York. John Goetz died at the age of 99. He had been in good health.