----Source: 1918 History of Clark County, Wisconsin, Clark Co., Wis. Family History ©

CHARLES BUDDINGER, proprietor of an excellent farm in section 17, York Township, was born in Mt. Carmel, North Cumberland County, Pa., May 5, 1864. His father was Anton Buddinger, a carpenter who had to Mt. Carmel from the province of Baden, Germany, where he had been born and reared, and where he had learned and worked at his trade. Anton came to the United States in 1860, when 40 years of age. He had been married in Germany in the early forties, at the age of about 24 years, and had resided in his native land for about sixteen years after his marriage, during which time he and his wife had eight children born to them-stepbrothers and sisters of the subject of this sketch. Anton's first wife died about two years after their arrival in this country, and two years later, about 1863, he married for his second wife, Mary Boyer, mother of Charles Buddinger. Anton then settled in Mt. Carmel, Pa., where he did carpenter work in and about the mines for about fifteen years. He then went to Iowa, where he bought eighty acres of prairie land, which he farmed for about three years, at that time using oxen. Next he moved to the vicinity of Lake Superior, in Wisconsin, finding employment as carpenter in the copper mines.

After being thus occupied for eight years he returned to Pennsylvania, where he continued to follow his trade, dying in Mt. Carmel. His children, in addition to the children of the second wife were: John, William, Peter, Davis, Paul, Lizzie, Mary and Rose. Charles Buddinger remained with his father until the latter's return to Pennsylvania. He was then 11 years old, and, leaving the family, he went to Manitowoc, Wis., where he found work on farms. At the age of 15 he was put on a salary of $30.00 a year, and put $15 of his first year's pay out on interest at 10 per cent. He worked on the farm until he was about 20 years old, and then began working in the woods near Wausaukee. He also worked in the lime kiln at Brillion, Wis., for eight years, being foreman six years. It was while engaged in this work that he met and married Emma Fisher, a native or resident of that place, who at the time was working in the boarding house being conducted for the convenience of the logging woods laborers, she being paid only 50 cents a week and her board. Mr. Buddinger was then 27 years old, and for eight years after his marriage he was foreman of the logging camp in that vicinity. He then bought forty acres in section 17, York Township, Clark County, the tract being all wild land. He had a team of horses and with the aid of his brother built a log house and barn. For some time he carried all the water he and his wife needed for a distance of a quarter of a mile, as he at that time had no well dug. He also cradled his grain, as there was no other way to harvest it.

Twelve years or so after coming to Clark County, his wife died, after a happy married life of twenty-one years, and a year later, Jan. 13, 1909, he married Mrs. Minnie Kauffman daughter of Christian and Augusta (Lauterbach) Kauffman, her father being a carpenter who had come from Altenburg, in the province of Thuringer, Germany, where he followed the trade of a carpenter, and where she was born. Mr. Kauffman had settled on a tract of eighty acres in Grant Township, building a log house and barn and clearing his land with a team of oxen. He and his wife had four children, who were all born in Germany, and who were, for the most part, reared in Clark County, namely, Alvenia, Minnie, France and, Olga. The daughter, Minnie, had two children by her first marriage, Ernest and Frances. As Mrs. Buddinger she became the mother of three others, Carl, Bernice and Beatrice.

The year after his second marriage Mr. Buddinger built a nine-room brick house. He had already a barn, 36 by 70 feet in size, which he had erected in 1903, and later, in 1911, he built a machine shed, 24 by 70 feet. When Mr. Buddinger first settled on his farm, there was no road and the of farm produce was so low that it is a wonder how anyone had the courage to cultivate the land. Eggs were about eight cents a dozen, pork two and a half cents a pound dressed, beef one and a half cents dressed, potatoes ten cents a bushel and oats ten to fifteen cents a bushel, while as butter, though the farmers in some localities got ten cents a pound for it, Mr. Buddinger says he could not sell it for wagon-grease. Since then a great change in conditions has taken place, culminating in the present era of high prices. Mr. Buddinger bought his farm for $700 and now values it at $10,000, most of the increased value, however, being due to the work he has done on his place. I-le has attained a recognized place in the community as one of its successful men, and one, moreover, who takes an interest in everything calculated to benefit his township, or the county in general.

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Carl Buddinger

En 1931, the wife of Charles Buddinger passed away leaving the home in charge of her husband, son Carl, and two daughters, Beatrice and Bernice. In the spring of 1938, the younger daughter, Beatrice, married Anthony Walter and moved to her new home.

In 1939, Charles passed away at the age of 75 years. In time, the estate was settled and Carl purchased the home farm in the Town of York, Section 17. He and his unmarried sister worked together until she went to work for herself. In the sprint of 1942, Carl's marriage to Velma Turner took place. She is the only daughter of Allie and Grace (Walls) Turner. Her father died in 1918, and her mother in 1946. Carl and his wife have carried on the work of the home farm as of now. They have made some improvements, adding a machine shed, hog house, and two silos, along with a modern home.