BioA: Keiner, Christ & Elise (Gold - 1945)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: KEINER PETERS ROMANG SEVERSON CORBIN GOTZ

----Sources: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wis.) 11/27/1945

Keiner, Christ & Elise (Gold - 22 NOV 1945)

Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) - Mr. and Mrs. Christ Keiner celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home in Greenwood Thanksgiving Day with a family dinner. Bowls of gold chrysanthemums decorated the home and a three-tier wedding cake topped with a miniature bride and groom ornament and flanked with gold drip candles formed the centerpiece at the table. During the afternoon a picture was taken and as a sentimental gesture members of the family were arranged in the same positions they had assumed on a group picture taken 35 years ago.

In the afternoon, the grandchildren presented a program of recitations, dances, and vocal and instrumental selections. Mrs. Gottfried Roman and Mrs. Lawrence Neuenschwander gave several yodeling numbers and songs were sung by the entire group.

Mrs. Keiner, nee Elise Romang, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gottfried Romang Sr., was born in Gzteig, Switzerland, Sept. 7, 1876, coming to the United States with her parents in 1884, when she was seven years old, and settling in Black Creek Falls, which is now Athens, Wis.

Christ Keiner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Keiner, who was born at Aslar, Germany, Jan. 7, 1866, was brought to this country by his parents when he was three months old, the ocarina journey taking 42 days. They settled at Scranton, Pa., and when Mr. Keiner was 11 years old he began working in the mines cleaning coal for 35 cents a days. At Easter time, he remembers, he bought a dozen eggs with one day’s wages.

In 1879 the Keiner family moved to a farm 18 miles north of Milwaukee, at Cedarburg, where they resided until 1883, coming then to Black Creek Falls.

Mr. and Mrs. Keiner were married in Wausau, Nov. 22, 1895, with the Rev. H. Reineking officiating. Attendants at the wedding were Gottfried Romang, a brother of the bride, who was present at the golden jubilee, and Mrs. Herman Peters, the former Mary Searing. Both Mr. Romang and Mrs. Peters live in Athens at the present time.

The Keiners lived on a farm near Athens for five years after their marriage, then moved to town where Mr. Keiner was in the meat market business and took an active part in civic affairs until 1920. Since 1922 they have resided in Greenwood, where they operated a meat market and grocery store until recently.

They have six children, all of whom were present for the family celebration. They are Louise and Henry Keiner, Mrs. Hugh (Freda) Severson, Greenwood; Carl Keiner, Eau Claire; Mrs. Martha Corbin and Mrs. Frederick (Edith) Gotz, Pittsville.

Other guests included Mrs. Henry Keiner, Hugh Severson and daughter Carol, Greenwood; Mrs. Carl Keiner and daughters, Patricia, Mary and Marie, Eau Claire; Marlene Corbin, Frederick Gotz and daughters, Dolores, and son, Bruce, Pittsville; Mr. and Mrs. Gottfried Romang, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Neuenschwander, Athens.

Grandchildren who were not able to be present were Lawrence Corbin, seaman first class, US.C.G.; Sgt. Charles H. Corbin, U.S.M.C; Leonard Leberg, seaman second class, U.S. Navy; Mrs. Chester Nachtwey and daughters, Palma and Sharon, Los Angeles, Calif.

The Keiners received a number of gifts, a purse of money, bouquets of flowers and congratulatory messages in observance of the event.