Bio: Edward Missling (1872  - ?)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Wed, 14 Feb 2001

Surnames: MISSLING, BERGMAN, DREGER, BOHLMAN, SCHMIDT

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

EDWARD MISSLING, a well-to-do farmer of Longwood Township, owner of 240 acres of land, was born in Fond du Lac County, Wis., June 27, 1872, son of Louis and Sophia (Bergman) Missling. His parents were of German birth and came to this country in 1869, locating first at Waupun, Wis., and later in Outagamie County, where Louis Missling engaged in farming. He died in 1877 at the age of fifty years, and his wife, Feb. 4, 1908, at the age of seventy-five. The father's death left the mother a widow with a large family, the oldest seventeen years old, and Edward but five. Edward was reared on the home farm, a tract of forty acres, and received his education in the district schools.

As a young man he became interested in creamery work and followed this line for eighteen years. He and his brother, under the firm name of Missling Brothers, had a combined cheese factory and creamery in Black Creek Township, Outagamie County, and a cheese factory five miles from there in Main Township. They also had a farm of 270 acres, and engaged extensively in stock raising. The brothers were prominent men in Black Creek Township, and helped to build the Lutheran Church there. After a successful career there the brothers moved to Appleton, where they purchased the Briggs House, a deteriorated hotel, and improved the property into the modern place that it is today. Edward, William and Richard Missling came to Clark County, Edward and William purchasing a considerable tract of land in Longwood Township, most of which they sold, Edward now having 240 acres. This farm was improved when he secured it, but he has made many further improvements, having cleared a large amount of land, built fences and done other necessary work. He has now 130 acres of plowed land and has lately built a silo of 100 tons capacity. Mr. Missling raises Durham cattle, milking forty cows, and also raising Chester-White hogs, His crops are hay, corn, oats, barley, peas and potatoes. He helped to organize the Longwood Dairy Co., of which for two years he was secretary and manager.

Mr. Missling was married Oct. 17, 1900, to Minnie Dreger, who was born in Germany, May 20, 1870, and came to America with her father and sister, the mother having died in her native land. The father, Michael Dreger, settled at Fond du Lac, Wis., where he died in 1903 at the age of seventy-one years. Besides Minnie, there were two other girls in the family, Laura, now Mrs. Fred Bohlman, of Fond du Lac, and Emma, now Mrs. Julius Schmidt, of Oshkosh, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Missling have five children: Eva, born Feb. 18, 1902; Raymond, June 27, 1903; Robert, Jan. 1, 1905, Linda, Jan. 30, 1907, and Herbert, August 28, 1910. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran Church, Mr. Missling being one of the trustees of the church at Longwood, in the building of which he and his brother, William, were among the most active promoters.