----Source: LOYAL TRIBUNE (Loyal, Clark County, Wis.) 01/28/1909

Esselman, C. (1 DEC 1834 - 24 Jan 1909)

Died, at his recently purchased home at Marshfield on Sunday evening at half past six o'clock, C. Esselman at the age of seventy-four years, of heart failure.

The deceased was born in Germany on Dec. 1, 1834, and came to this country with his family in the spring of 1867, and settled on a farm near Newberg, Washington Co., Wis. In the fall of 1877 he came to Clark County, Wis. and settled on the farm near this village, which at present one of the most up-to-date farms in Wisconsin, which when he settled on it was a wilderness. He recently sold the farm and about a week ago moved to Marshfield to occupy his home, recently purchased, where he passed away.

He was a devoted husband and a kind and indulgent father; to his friends the soul of fellowship. But the greatest of all was he as a man. And as a man it is that those who knew him best love to contemplate him. He was a faithful member of the Catholic Church. He believed that the man who scatters flowers in the pathway of his fellow men, who lets into dark places of life the sunshine of human sympathy and human happiness, is following in the footsteps of his Master. In his heart of hearts he carried those he loved, and his hand was never weary, his steps never failed in caring for and administering to those who were in any way dependent upon him.

The funeral services were held at the Catholic Church at Marshfield on Wednesday morning at half past nine o'clock and the remains interred in the Catholic Cemetery in that place.

Besides a devoted wife he leaves to mourn his loss three sons, Herman of Athens, Clemens and Louis of the town of Loyal, and seven daughters, Mrs. Joseph Leonard of Marshfield, Mrs. McKinn of the town of York, Mrs. Joseph Herbst of Brainerd, Minn., Misses Josie of Peoria, Ill., Mary and Gusta of Marshfield, and Mrs. George A. Claridge of Reedsburg. We can only remind these mourners that he is not dead, he is only asleep, resting after a long and well spent life here.