Bio: Berres, Thomas and Mary (Servatius)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Berres, Lehman, Meyer, Fischer, Krell

----Source: 1880 - 1980 Rietbrock, Marathon Co., Wis. Centennial, pg. 52

Berres Pioneers

Thomas (27 Jun 1856, Kewaskum, Washington Co., WI - 7 Feb 1924) and Mary (21 Sep 1856 - 6 Jun 1945) Berres were among the pioneer farmers of the Town of Rietbrock that started from what is now known as "scratch". Thomas was born in West Bend, Wisconsin, in 1856, and Mary was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, also in 1856. They were married in 1881 in Fond du Lac and shortly after they moved to Marathon, Wisconsin. A brother-in-law (John Lehman) was engaged in the hardware business there, so Thomas could earn a livelihood and learn a trade. A year or so later, they purchased 40 acres of a so called "woods" and started to cut down trees, to begin their intention of establishing a farm.

Building a log cabin was an establishment - a necessary beginning. There was no demand for logs at that time, so they needed to burn the downed trees- was a trying procedure-to hurry the process of clearing the land. Later, a log barn was built to pro- vide for the farm animals; as many as they could provide feed for were gathered between the stumps of trees. In 25 years, their 40 acres was all tillable. In about 1895, they built a small addition to their log cabin and Thomas established what was then called a Tin Shop. He made stove pipes, pails, kettles or whatever could be made with tin to be used in homes or for farm use. Out of the scraps of tin, he made cooky cutters; his wife fashioned them and he soldered them. Many of these are still in use in the Meyer household. When hardware stores were established in Athens and Edgar, he discontinued his shop; and by that time, and work that went with it.

there was enough clearing The permanent house was built in 1897 and the barn was built in 1903. Thomas died in 1929 and their farm was sold to Herman Fischer. His wife lived with a daughter in Milwaukee and the last 2 years she was in the care of her daughter, Mrs. Mathilda Fischer of rural Edgar. She died in 1945.

Family Notes

Thomas and Mary (Servatius) Berres married 16 Mar 1881 in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin. Thomas was the son of John and Catherine (Rodermund) Berres.  His father was born 25 Jun 1827 in Kennfus, Prussia and died 14 Jun 1898 in Wisconsin.  His mother, Catherine Rodermund, was born 6 Dec 1832 and passed away 30 Jun 1900.  She had married John Berres 8 Se 1852.

Children of John and Catherine (Rodermund) Berres

Mary Berres b: 17 Sep 1854 in Wisconsin
Thomas Berres b: 27 Jun 1856 in Kewaskum, Washington, Wisconsin
Peter Berres b: 15 May 1858 in Kewaskum, Washington, Wisconsin
Margaret Berres b: 8 Jul 1861 in Wisconsin
Matt Berres b: 20 Nov 1863 in Wisconsin
Emma Berres b: 13 Apr 1866
Katherine Berres b: 11 Jun 1868
Phillip Berres b: 17 Apr 1874
John Berres b: 19 Mar 1872 in St. Michaels, Washington County, Wisconsin

1900 Federal Census, ED 94 Rietbrock town, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States, pg. 2, family 31

Thomas Berres, white, male
marital status: Married
years married: 18
estimated marriage year: 1882
father's birthplace: Germany
mother's birthplace: Germany

Household Members
head Thomas Berres M 44 (Jun 1856) Wisconsin
wife Mary Berres F 44 (Sep 1856) Wisconsin
daughter Nora Berres F 17 (Aug 1883) Wisconsin
daughter Clara Berres F 14 (Jun 1886) Wisconsin
daughter Anna Berres F 11 (Nov 1889) Wisconsin
daughter Mathilda Berres F 9 (Oct 1891) Wisconsin
son Thomas Berres M 6 (Jan 1894) Wisconsin
niece Emma E Krell F 1 (Jul 1899) Wisconsin