Obit: Marth, Frank Christian (1855 - 1939)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Marth, Marshall, Ulrich, Wilsmann, Naedler, Nemitz, Hemp, Viergutz, Heller, Gazel, Giese, Tuaffner, Grob, Shotsberger, Peterson

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 21 Dec. 1939

Marth, Frank Christian (17 May 1855 - 15 Dec. 1939)

Frank Christian Marth, a pioneer resident of Clark County, passed away at his home in this city Friday morning at the age of 84, after an illness and invalidism of about three years.

Mr. Marth was born in Germany May 17, 1855, and came to the United States with his parents in 1867. For a few years they made their home at Cedarburg, Wisconsin, coming to Clark County in 1870. They settled on a farm in the township of Pine Valley. He worked on the farm, in the woods, at carpenter work, (assisting in building many of the first homes in Neillsville). He also hired out by the month. As a very young man he worked for the John Marshall family where he cared for the driving horses and the large lawn and garden. When he was 17 years of age, he purchased 40 acres of land and started farming for himself. While clearing the land he worked in logging camps and at other jobs during the winter to get cash to carry on his farm and to buy more land, adding forty acres to the original purchase.

On June 27, 1875, he was married to Henrietta Ulrich, living on their neat, well-equipped farm until 1901 when they sold and built *[miss a few words here.]* had since made his home. He operated a hardware store here for several years.

He served his township as a member of the town board for a number of years and for 17 years he was director of the school board. He also served as an alderman of the city council of Neillsville for a time.

Mr. Marth worked as an agent for the Lynn Fire Insurance Company for 17 years, and was a member of the board of directors for several years. For thirty years he was general traveling agent for the Lutheran Aid association of Appleton, remaining in this work until he was stricken with illness.

Mr. Marth was a shrewd observer of life, a good conversationalist and a thorough reader, and up to the last few weeks kept himself will informed on current events. He never complained of the hardships through which he passed during the greater part of his youth and middle age, dwelling rather upon his accomplishments through sober, honest living and hard work.

He is survived by three daughters: Lora, Mrs. Henry Heller; and Emma, Mrs. Ben Gazel, Milwaukee; and Miss Alma, at home; two sons, Andrew W. Marth; Pasadena, Calif.; and Alfred W. Marth, Kankakee, Ill. There are seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mrs. Marth passed away August 27, 1922, and a son, Herman, died in 1903.

The pallbearers were William Naedler, Sr., Harry Wilsmann, William Nemitz, Frank and Albert Hemp, and Frank Viergutz.

Relatives and friends here for the rites were: Alfred Marth and two sons, Frank and Carleton, Kankakee; Mrs. Henry Heller, and Mrs. Ben Gazel, Milwaukee; Mrs. Louis Giese, Mrs. Ella Tauffner, Alex Grob, and Mrs. Herbert Giese, Wausau; Mr. and Mrs. A. Shotsberger, and Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, Jump River.