Obit: McKimm, Anna Mary (1869 - 1940)
Contact:  Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: McKimm, Esselmann, Gergen, Holt, Dux, Lehnard, Bersie, Claridge, Erbst, Longenecker, Schultz, Wittke, Milton, Hetzel, Christie

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 5 Dec. 1940

McKimm, Anna Mary (9 April 1869 - 2 Dec. 1940)

Mrs. Joseph McKimm passed away at her home in the town of Pine Valley Monday afternoon, December 2, after a brief illness.

Mrs. McKimm was born at Trenton, Washington County, Wis., April 9, 1869, daughter of Clement and Anna Esselmann, natives of Germany, her given name being Anna Mary. When she was 8 years of age she came to Loyal Township with her parents. They came as far as Hatfield by train, making the balance of the trip by ox team. The first day’s trip brought them to the Herlan farm just south of Neillsville, the family completing the journey the following day.

On the tenth day of July, 1892, she was married to Joseph McKimm at Greenwood. Having been raised in a pioneer home, Mrs. McKimm was equal to the task which confronted her that of rearing a large family and the hardships of the rural life of that day and assisting her husband, who was busy in logging camps in the winter, log drives in the spring and driving team whenever that work was available. Little by little they cleared their land in the town of York, later purchasing the farm in Pine Valley where Mrs. McKimm made her home until she died.

They were the parents of seven children, Florence and James having preceded their mother in death. Mr. McKimm passed away May 4, 1936.

The surviving children are Isabelle, Mrs. Vernie Gergen, Neillsville; Mae, Mrs. Clarence Holt, Weston; Della, Mrs. Robert Dux, Wisconsin Rapids; Ernest and Raymond, who conduct the home farm. She is survived also by five sisters and three brothers, namely: Mrs. Joe Lehnard, Mrs. Gus Bersie and Miss Mary Esselmann, Minneapolis; Mrs. Geo. Clardige, Reedsburg; Hermand Louie, Athens, and Clement, Loyal. One sister, Mrs. Joe Erbst, preceded her in death. There are 12 living grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She had being a member of Golden Link Camp, No. 78, RNA, for 32 years.

Brief services will be held from the Lowe Funeral Home today, December 5, services to be conducted at the Congregational Church at 2 p.m. by the Rev. G. W. Longenecker. Interment will take place in the Neillsville Cemetery. Edwin, Allen, Leslie and James Milton, Paul Dux, Charles Schultz and August Wittke will act as pallbearers.

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----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 12 Dec. 1940

Out of town relatives who came last week to attend the funeral of Mrs. Joseph McKimm included: Gale Hetzel, a grandson, in training with the local Service Company at Camp Beauregard, La.; Miss Josie Esselmann, Minneapolis; Mrs. Arthur Bersie, Mrs. Sophie Lehnard, Mr. and Mrs. Merton Gergen and Mr. and Mrs. Leinwander, all of Marshfield; Herman, Theressa, Bernard, and Louie Esselmann, Loyal; Phillip Christie, Abbotsford; Hugh Christie and wife, Greenwood; and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dux, Wisconsin Rapids.