Obit: Dietrich, William #2 (1871 - 1956)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Dietrich, Witting, Klein

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 01/19/1956

Dietrich, William #2 (24 MAR 1871 - 12 JAN 1956)

Funeral services for William Dietrich, 84, were held at two o’clock Monday afternoon from the First Congregational Church, with the Rev. Ralph Claybaugh officiating.  Burial was made in Trout Run Cemetery at Black River Falls, Wis.

Acting as pallbearers were Elwood Fischer, harry O’Konski, Marvin Churkey, Walter Cattanach, Walter Fritz and Harvey Wedding.

William Dietrich was born March 24, 1871, in Black River Falls, Wis., to Susan Witting and Henry Dietrich, the second of six sons.  He passed away at his farm home in the town of Green Grove (Clark Co., Wis.) Jan. 12, 1956, suffering from bronchial pneumonia.

He graduated from the Black River Falls High School.  In 1899 he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.  While attending the University of Wisconsin he took an active part in sport, winning his varsity "W" letter by being a member of the Wisconsin’s famous crew.  During the first two years after graduation he taught school.

Feb. 27, 1901, he was married to Mathilda Klein, and for the following two years was manager of a farm in Hixton, Wis.

In 1903 and 1904 he was a soils expert in the Bureau of Soils, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

In the fall of 1904 he went to the University of Illinois as an instructor in swine husbandry, at the same time working on his Master of Science Degree, which he obtained in 1906.  While there, he was honored by being elected to Sigma Xi, honorary scientific fraternity.  He continued at the University of Illinois as assistant professor of swine husbandry until 1912.

While at the University of Illinois, he was author of the book entitled "Swine" published in 1912, which for a number of years was used as a text book throughout the country in teaching of feeding and management of swine.  He later was the author of another book entitled "Livestock on the Farm", and a number of bulletins.

From 1913 to 1918 he was assistant professor of animal and dairy husbandry at the University of Minnesota’s Northwest Experiment Station at Crookston, Minn.

From 1918 to 1922 he was county agricultural agent of Fillmore County, Minn., and held a similar position in Floyd Co., Ia., from 1922 to 1929.

In 1929 he took over the active management of his farm in Green Grove Township south of Owen, and continued to take an active part in farming until 1952 when he had an accident with his flock of sheep.  Since that time, he has been able to help only in an advisory capacity.

He is survived by his oldest brother, Louis, Tacoma, Wash.; a daughter, Norma of Madison, Wis.; and a son, Manford of Owen.