Surnames: Achenbach, Barthel, Ross, Nielsen, Beach, Marden

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 3, 1946

Achenbach, Edward L (? - 30 December 1945)

Edward L. Achenbach Had an Exciting Life

Mined Gold in the Black Hills in Custer’s Day - Died in Neillsville.

Edward L. Achenbach, who died in Neillsville, last Sunday, lived a colorful life in an exciting period. Known hereabouts as a quiet farmer in retirement, his own memory ran back to a sight of Custer in the days of the battle of the Little Big Horn. He was then mining gold in the Black Hills, and he lived to see Teddy Roosevelt in that country, also.

Mr. Achenbach moved from the Black Hills to Pierre, S. D., and contracted with the government to supply beef to troops in that vicinity. Later he worked on a government boat plying the Mississippi, and eventually became captain of the boat. Mr. Achenbach tired of the big river and moved to Zumbrota, Minn., where he lived for two years; then to La Crosse, where he traveled for a wholesale grocery. In 1900, he purchased a farm near Columbia, in this county, and remained there 36 years. But the health of Mrs. Achenbach occasioned their removal to Neillsville. Here Mrs. Achenbach died in 1940.

Mr. Achenbach married Margaret Barthel at Zumbrota in 1885. There are four surviving daughters, Mrs. E. S. Ross, Mrs. J. K. Nielsen, Mrs. Hazel Beach and Miss Vivian Achenbach. Of these all except Mrs. Beach reside in St. Paul, and her home is in Minneapolis.

Mr. Achenbach died at the home of Mrs. Leslie Marden. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at the Lowe Funeral Home. Interment was in Neillsville Cemetery.