Bio: Daniel Ernest Gluch, 1848

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Fri, 16 Feb 2001

Surnames: GLUCH, HYDER, WORCHEL, PISCHER, GARBUSCH, HOWARD

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

DANIEL ERNEST GLUCH, who died in Grant Township, Nov. 14, 1913, was an early settler in the township, coming here in 1871. He was a man who, through industry and thrift, had fought his way upward from poverty to a condition of comfortable prosperity, and a prominent place in the community in which he lived. He was born in Slassen, Germany, Nov. 3, 1848, son of Johann and Susana (Hyder) Gluch, whose other children were Gotlieb, Henry, John and Rosena. The parents were farmers who lived and died in their native land. Daniel E. Gluch was the only member of the family to emigrate to the United States. He was brought up on the farm and was a young man when in 1871 he appeared in Grant Township, this county, and took up his residence at the house of Carl Worchel. The lumbering industry was then flourishing, and there were always opportunities for strong young men to go into the woods logging. To this work he applied himself, and was thus occupied for nine years.

On Nov. 28, 1872, the year after his arrival in Clark County, he assumed domestic responsibilities, being united in marriage with Mary Pischer. She was born in Germany, Oct. 1, 1851, daughter of Gotlieb and Marie (Gluch) Pischer. She was one of a family of seven children-Henry, Gotlieb, William, Christina, Daniel, Mary and Johann. All of these children came in 1871 to the United States States, leaving the parents in Germany. The latter came later to this country, but afterwards returned to Germany, where they died. The children, on their arrival here went to the home of an uncle, Johann Gluch, who lived in Grant Township. Daniel E. Gluch and wife, after their marriage, resided for two years at the home of Ferdinand Johnson. At the end of that time Mr. Gluch secured 140 acres of land in Section 9, Grant Township. It was covered with pine stumps, wood and brush, and there was no road in the vicinity.

One of his first acts was to build a log house, 24 by 18 feet in size, and containing two rooms. He possessed a hoe and an axe, and he taking one and his wife the other, they worked together in the clearing of their place. After a while he got two oxen, but it was not until the fourth year of their residence on the place that they got a cow, the event being a red-letter day in their lives. In the same year also they got eight chickens, so had now made a fair start on the road to prosperity. It was Hard work, however, and they often had to carry home flour and feed on their backs from Neillsville. To that village also Mrs. Gluch used to take her butter and eggs, with raspberries she had picked, walking all the way through the woods. When she got to market receiving only 8 cents a pound for her butter, 10 cents a dozen for eggs and 10 cents a quart for raspberries. But conditions improved with the lapse of time.

Mr. Gluch got his farm cleared and put up good buildings on it, including a modern house of ten rooms; a barn 60 -by 40 feet, to take the place of the original log barn, and a silo 36 by 16 feet. He raised good stock, besides the usual crops, and at one time was the owner of the cheese factory, known as the Star cheese factory. He also became a considerable land owner, buying in all five tracts of eighty acres each, so that he was able to give each of his sons a good start in life.

A German Lutheran in religion, he aided in establishing and supporting the Pischer church. Daniel E. Gluch and wife had eight children: August, a resident of Neillsville; Christine, wife of Henry Garbusch; Daniel, who resides on a farm in Grant Township; Amelia, now Mrs. Robert Garbusch; Herman, of Grant Township; Ida, wife of Archie Howard, of Neillsville; John, who lives on the home place, and Alwin, who died when eight days old. John Gluch, mentioned above, was born on his parents' farm, March 24, 1891, and took over the farm in 1915, which he is now operating successfully. He was married Dec. 25, 1914, to Lillie Garbusch, who was born in Grant Township, daughter of David and Emelia Garbusch. He and his wife have one child, Lelia, who was born Jan. 1, 1916.