Surnames: Vetterkind, Roeder, Miller, Devine, Jennings, Berg

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 10/23/1947

Vetterkind, Ernest (26 DEC 1868 - 17 OCT 1947)

Ernest Vetterkind, who had made his home in this vicinity for nearly 60 years, was laid to rest Monday afternoon when funeral services were conducted for him from St. John’s Lutheran Church at Withee (Clark Co., Wis.), with the Rev. Walter Schedler reading the final rites. Interment was made in the Riverside Cemetery.

Pallbearers at the service were: Edward Nevels, George Baehr, Harry Baehr, Herman Doege, Nels Myrin and Bill Courter.

He had passed away at his farm home west of Withee, which he had developed from a wild piece of timber into a modern farm, on Oct. 17th, 1947. Death was attributed to old age complications. He had attained the age of 78 years, 9 months and 22 days.

Ernest Vetterkind was born on Dec. 26, 1868, at Slasing, Germany. As a lad of nine years of age he came to America and spent his boyhood and early manhood days at Milwaukee, where he was employed until he was 21 years of age. At that time he moved to Thorp, Wis., where he met and married Augusta Roeder, who preceded him in death, having passed away on Feb. 25, 1946.

The couple settled on a wild piece of timberland four miles west of the village of Withee, where they labored hard and diligently at developing it, until today it is one of the longest standing modern farms in that area. During those pioneering days he had ample opportunity to pursue his favorite pastime of hunting and fishing, as the woods were filled with game and the Black river was abundant with fish. He was a thrifty pioneer and was known for the quality of wood that he sold annually to residents of Owen and Withee, which he would cut off his place every year as a part of a clearing project. Hard work kept him well conditioned and never until the four weeks prior to his passing away, was he never confined to his bed because of illness for any length of time.

His passing is mourned by his three sons, Charles, William, and Arthur, all of Withee; four daughters, Mrs. Carl (Ella) Miller of Withee, Mrs. Morris (Marth) Devine, Owen, Mrs. Berlie (Ethel) Jennings of Chippewa Falls, and Mrs. Alex (Emily) Berg of South Milwaukee, a brother Charles of Island Lake, nineteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.