Bio: Imig, Arthur (1885 - 1953)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Imig, Miller, Appleyard, Seif, Maxon, Riggs, Mattson, Lemke, Grap, Klement, Lea, McKinze, Hom, Swenson, Balcer, Wojtkiewicz, Rentz, Liebenow, Scherer, Young, Rosekrans, King, Ruedy, Mabie, Scott, Norenberg, Reindel, Warren, Jacob, Schultz, Zickert, Stelloh 
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) July 23, 1953  
 

Imig, Arthur (9 October 1885 - 15 July 1953) 
 

Arthur Imig was Pioneer in the Development of Dairying Here 
 

He started his work with purebred Holsteins 47 years ago— 
 

The year 1953, Centennial of Clark County, has now been marked by the passing of Arthur Imig, a pioneer in the county’s dairy industry.  Mr. Imig died of a heart attack on Wednesday, July 15.  He had completed a little more than half a century in developing a leading position as a purebred breeder and as a producer of a large volume of milk.  Arthur Imig came to Clark County with his parents in 1901.  He was then 16 years of age.  He was brought up in an atmosphere of dairying, for his father Henry, venturing into the relatively new farming region of Clark County, had brought with him from Jefferson County the best animals he had developed there, and these became the nucleus of the herd which subsequently stocked the large Imig farm about three miles north of Neillsville (at the corner of Hwy 73 and CTH C). 
 

Primitive Dairying 
 

Dairy conditions were still primitive when Arthur Imig and his brother William bought the old home farm.  Arthur Imig has told the editor of The Press how the average stable of those days had an oversupply of ventilation, which came not through the ventilating system of modern times, but through the many cracks and crevices of the siding which made no pretense of being tight.  It took years to develop as a standard the basement barn, with protective masonry and earthen fill. 
 

Arthur Imig was a steady, obedient farm boy, who listened to his father and learned from him.  But he was also, even as a young man, reaching out for what the texts and the professors knew. So he went to the University for the short course and learned there the possibilities of progress through purebreds. The cows brought to Clark County by his father were good grades, but 47 years ago Arthur and his brother went into the development of a herd of purebred Holsteins, and Arthur Imig, at first with his brother William and then with his sons, Harold and Elton, persisted in the purebred line.  He stuck to purebred Holsteins year after year and decade after decade, through good times and bad.  He kept himself informed of the status of his herd by steady testing.  He knew all the time just what he was doing and the degree of success which he was attaining. 
 

A Business Contribution 
 

Arthur Imig was essentially a dirt farmer, as well as a breeder of fine cattle.  He chased no rainbows, but stuck to the practical. 
 

He demonstrated the value inherent in the free enterprise system of America, making an important contribution to the progress of the entire dairy industry of the county. The animals which he sold carried with them, on the average, a contribution of quality.  They contributed to the improvement of the Holstein breed even beyond the limits of Clark County.  The present improved status of the Holstein breed in Clark County cannot be accounted for without making liberal allowance for the contribution made by Mr. Imig.  His career as a breeder reached its climax when, in 1952, one of his animals gained recognition as a Gold Medal sire, selling for $13,000 at the state auction. 
 

A Ton of Milk per Day 
 

In his last years Mr. Imig had a herd of about 80 purebred Holstein cows, with a daily production in the flush of one ton or more of milk per day. 
 

Arthur Imig’s qualities as a practical business farmer gained him recognition as a director of the Neillsville Bank and as an appraiser for the Neillsville Production Credit Association. 
 

As a good citizen and large property owner Mr. Imig gave attention to the public service and its cost.  He was secretary-treasurer of the county branch of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, and made appearances for that organization before the county board and elsewhere in the interest of efficient and economical government.  He served in various town and school offices, his last such service being as clerk of the Town of Weston. 
 

Pillar of the Church 
 

Apart from his business and official relations, Mr. Imig’s chief interest was in his church.  He carried on in the  tradition of the old-style "pillar" of the church.  His membership was in the Congregational Church of Neillsville, of which he was a trustee for many years.  He was carefully attentive to whatever duties might fall upon him there, doing his part thoroughly, whether it was in attention to the repairing and painting of the church building or in the singing of the Sunday hymns.  His presence at Sunday service was a foregone certainty except as sickness or absence prevented. 
 

His record was definitely better than that of another Congregationalist, the editor of The Press, who, after a series of absences, addressed Arthur Imig on the church steps after the morning service. 
 

No Joke to Arthur Imig 
 

"Arthur" said the editor, "I haven’t seen you here for quite a good many Sundays."  There was a twinkle in the editor’s eye, but probably Arthur did not see it.  Instead, in all sober seriousness he said:--"Well, I’ve been here  every Sunday." 
 

Perhaps Mr. Imig saw the intended joke, and perhaps he didn’t.  But in any case his church relation was no joke to Arthur Imig. 
 

Arthur Imig’s birthplace was Fort Atkinson, and the date was Oct. 9, 1885.  His father was Henry Imig.  His mother was Louisa Miller.  He married Mayme Appleyard June 11, 1914. She survives him, as well as their three children; Harold, Elton and Dorothy, Mrs. Louis Seif.  Surviving also is a brother, Charles of Wisconsin Rapids.  There are nine grandchildren.  
 

A sister Amelia Maxon, died in 1942, and his brother and partner, William P. Imig, died in 1948. 
 

The Last Rites 
 

Many friends called at the Georgas Funeral Home to pay their last respects.  The Congregational Church was filled for the final rites at 2 p.m. Saturday.  The minister for the solemn service was the Rev. Jess Norenberg, state superintendent of the Congregational Church.  Dr. Sarah Rosekrans sang, "The Lord’s Prayer," and a number was sung by a quartet composed of Milo Mabie, Randolph Griggs, Roy King and Earl Ruedy.  Mrs. Jess Scott was the instrumentalist. 
 

Flowers were in charge of Mrs. Clarence Reindel, Mrs. Neil Warren, Mrs. Paul Jacob and Mrs. Bertie Schultz.  Pallbearers were: Paul Jacob, Frank Zickert, Otto Warren, Fred Stelloh, Herman Schultz, and Frank Zickert. 
 

Present from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Imig, Miss Louise and Carl Imig, Wisconsin Rapids: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Riggs and family, Mrs. Warner Matson, Mrs. Robert Lemke, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Grap, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Otto Klement, Salina, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lea, Escanaba, Mich.; Mrs. Bell McKinze, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hom, Silvis, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Swenson and family, Marshfield; Mrs. Fred Hom, Osseo; Mr. and Mrs. John Balcer and Louie Wojtkiewicz, Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. Leo Rentz, Mrs. E. Liebenow and Mrs. M. C. Scherer, La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. J. Young Willard.