Bio: Prange, Emil D. (1880 - ?)

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

Surnames: PRANGE, HERMAN, HABISHORST, SPICKER, KLINE

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

Emil D. Prange, 1880

EMIL D. PRANGE, a successful farmer and cheese manufacturer of Grant Township, and former proprietor of the North Star Cheese Factory, now giving entire attention to farming, in section 15, Grant Township, was born at Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan County, Wis., July 20, 1880. His parents were William and Wilhehnina (Herman) Prange, both natives of Germany, William being from the Rhine provinces, and his wife from Spieker. William was born Feb. 20, 1836, and at the age of 16 years came to America, locating in New York. He afterwards visited many other places in this country, finally taking up his residence in Sheboygan County, Wis., where he took land in Herman Township, lived for years in a log cabin, and with an ox team cleared up a good farm.

He died Mar. 11, 1917, at Sheboygan Falls. He and his wife celebrated their golden wedding, May 20, 1916, at Sheboygan. To them thirteen children were born: Emma, Herman, Albert, Edward, Gusta, Laura, Emil, Rudolph, Lois, William, Walter (who entered the U. S. service as a member of the Third Regiment, Wisconsin N. G.), Minnie and Fred. Emil D. Prange grew to manhood in Herman Township, Sheboygan County.

He attended district school and at the age of 15 years was sent to Sheboygan Falls high school. After that he had to work at home for two years and then continued his education in a business college at Sheboygan, attending one year. The next six years of his life were spent on the farm of Henry Habishorst. At the end of that time he began to learn the trade of cheese-making in the employ of H. M. Scott, of Sheboygan County, remaining with him three years, after which he made cheese for a year for Fred Raceburg of Sheboygan County. Being now in a position to support a wife, he was married Dec. 5, 1908, to Amanda Spicker, a native of Sheboygan County and daughter of Frank Spicker, a German settler there. Then, with his wife, he came to Clark County, locating in Grant Township, where he bought what was known as the South Grant Cheese Factory, which he operated for three years, increasing the output. Then, selling his interest in that factory he purchased the Ebby Cheese Factory, at Marshfield and conducted it for two years.

At the end of that time he came to Granton and rented the Mike Kline farm, which he is still operating. In the fall of 1915 Mr. Prange bought the cheese factory now known as the North Star Cheese Factory, but which was formerly the Dodge Creamery. This he is now running on a profitable basis, having twenty-four patrons and turning out sixty-one or sixty-two hundredweight of full cream cheese per year, finding a ready market at Marshfield. Mr. Prange is also a member of the Lynn Telephone Company and of the Lynn Insurance Company. He and his wife have four children: Relia, Oswald, Orvill and Alvin.