----Source: 1918 History of Clark County, Wisconsin

                           Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Herian

JOSEPH HERJIAN, for nearly forty years a well known farmer of Pine Valley Township, who died Mar. 7, 1917, was born in Bohemia, Austria, Oct. 28, 1843. His father, whose name also was Joseph, was a dry goods merchant in the town of Stankau, where he died in 1888. Joseph Herjian, Sr., married Margaret Schuh about 1830, her father being a farmer by occupation and a man who for twenty years held office in a position similar to that of the mayor of a city in this country. Joseph, Jr., acquired his education in the public school at Stankau, Bohemia. He remained in his native land until reaching the age of 25 years, and then, in 1868, came to the United States, locating at West Bend, Washington County, Wis., where he worked as a mason. August 15, 1871, he married Anna Scherf, at her home in Newberg, Wis. She was a native of Prussia, born Mar. 30, 1839, daughter of Nick Scherf, and came with her family to this country in 1852, the voyage, made on a sailing vessel, lasting three months. Her family settled in Washington County, where Mr. Herjian and his wife resided for seven years after their marriage, and where three daughters and two sons were born to them. They then came to Clark County, Mr. Herian buying 140 Acres of land in Section 22, Pine Valley Township, about sixty acres of which were cleared. There was also a small frame house and barn on the place. In 1884 the house caught fire and burned down, and Mr. Herian then erected a good nine-room brick residence, which is still standing. Mr. Herian kept on with his mason work after settling on his farm and during the early days did most of the work of that kind in this vicinity. Aside from that he was engaged in general farming, in which vocation he was successful, becoming one of the prosperous citizens of his township. Nearly nine years before his death he lost his wife, who passed away May 1, 1908. They were the parents of six children: Mary, Wilhelinina, Joseph, Anna, Henry and John, the last mentioned being born on the farm in Pine Valley Township. Mary is the wife of George Blakslee, a laundryman of Minneapolis, and has eight children: Oscar, Minnie, Thomas, Frances, Isabel, Lucille, Alice and Lawrence. Wilhelmina resides on the home farm. Joseph, who resides in Neillsville and travels in the interests of the Sharples cream separator, married Ella Phillips, and they have three children: Genevieve, Donald and Dale. Anna, wife of Elsworth Maxwell, of Elk Falls, Kans., has four children: Earl, Esther, Francis and Orville. Henry married Sadie Myers, and resides near the Herian homestead, which is now cared for by him and his sister, Wilhelmina. His children are Gwendolin (now deceased), Perry, Zerrelda and Louis. John, who is a dry goods merchant, at Glendive, Mont., married Elma Grasser and has two children, Lucille and John E.