Bio: Carl F. Bachman

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Sun, 11 Feb 2001

Surnames: BACHMAN, STENDER, FARNSWORTH, FRESENNIUS, CLAUSSEN, BRILL

----Source: 1918 History of Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

CARL F. BACHMAN, Sr., was born in Wanfried, Hessen, Germany, and The son of Lawrence Bachmann, a ship builder. He left home at the age of 14 years to join a sister, Elizabeth, who was the wife of William Stender, of Pittsburgh, Pa. His main idea in visiting America, however, was one of adventure, common to boys of his age, and in this desire he was fully gratified, the boat in which he took passage was a sailing vessel, and he was landed at New Orleans with but 35 cents in his pocket. To make his situation worse, he was taken with chills and fever. With his last five-cent piece he went into a German bakery to purchase bread, and the good German woman, who ascertained his story, took him in. The next morning he went out with her on the delivery wagon and she found a place for him to work in a German boarding house, doing odd jobs, for 50 cents a week. While there he became acquainted with a William F. Farnsworth, of Memphis, who came every three months to New Orleans to purchase drugs. The latter took a liking to Carl and after a few years took him to his home, placing him in his drug store, where, in time, he became manager. But he was still not satisfied.

He had heard much of the Golden State of California, and the fever of adventure once more seized him, so, following Horace Greeley's advice to " go west, young man," he went to Sacramento, Cal. He had had some vague thoughts of engaging in gold mining, but the time for making sudden fortunes in that precarious industry were practically over, and as, moreover, he found the drug business already overcrowded, he turned his attention to the wholesale grain and produce business, in which he met with fair success.

A few years later he went back to Germany and took a course in chemistry under Professor Bunsen, of Heidelberg University, subsequently pursuing similar studies under Professor Fresennius, who is still connected with the laboratory at Wiesbaden. He also studied medicine. Meeting with Margaret Claussen, a native of Terre Haute, Ind., who was then on a visit to Germany, he married her and they returned to the United States, Dr. Bachmann again engaging in the grain and produce business in Sacramento. After three years he took up the study of chemistry again as first assistant under Professor Fresennius, at Wiesbaden, and so continued until 1881, in which year he returned to Sacramento and engaged in the grist mill business. About this time, however, the health of his wife began to fail and he took her to Switzerland, in the hope of her recovery, but she died two years later at the age of 30 years.

They had four children, three sons and a daughter. One died in infancy. The others were: Robert; Otllia, now Mrs. A. P. Brill, of Pittsurgh, Pa.; and Carl F., Jr. Robert studied medicine and surgery and became chief surgeon on the U. S. S. Delaware, with the rank of lieutenant major. He has recently been made chief surgeon and physician in charge of the Navy Hospital at Philadelphia, Pa. After his wife's death, Carl F. Bachmann, Sr., returned to this country, and took up his residence in Pittsburgh, where he lived retired until his death at the age of 74 years. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging both to the Canton and the Encampment.