Helmuth Blum, 1848

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Thu, 15 Feb 2001

Surname: BLUM, WEGNER, SCHROEDER, RAEPKE

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

HELMUTH BLUM, a farmer and stock raiser of Levis Township, who is doing a prosperous business, and ranks among the successful men in his line of 1ndustry in this township, was born in Pomerania, Germany, Nov. 13, 1848. He had a good schooling and learned the trade of brick maker, also serving in the German army in 1870.

On May 15, 1875, he was married to Caroline Wegner, who was born Sept. 21, 1848. In 1882 they set out for the United States, accompanied by three children-Helena, Johanna and Carl. Taking passage on a steamer at Hamburg on Aug. 13, they landed at New York, Aug. 26. Mr. Blium's intention was to get a farm, and knowing that the best opportunities were in the West and Northwest, he and his family came immediately to Clark County, Wis., arriving in Neillsville Sept. 17, with $100 in money, which was all they had left after paying the expenses of the journey from their native land. For a while they took up their residence in Neillsville, buying a cow, a stove, two chairs and bedstead, which purchases exhausted their funds, and Mr. Blum then went to work in the stave factory of Hine & Myers in order to earn enough to support his family.

As soon as he had saved a few dollars he bought forty acres of land in Levis Township, paying $45 down, and giving a note for the balance on which he had to pay 8 per cent interest. He then started to clear his land as he found opportunity, continuing his residence in Neillsville, and walking to and from his land. After he had got five acres cleared he built a log house, 16 by 24 feet in dimensions, and a log barn of the same size. He and his family then moved onto the tract, where they lived two winters and one summer, he walking to Neillsville to work, as he had to earn money on which to live. Moving back to Neillsville, they lived there five years and then returned to the farm. He had before this bought his place in Neillsville, which he now sold, using the money received to purchase eighty acres of land adjoining his own, and he now began the work of farming, and clearing his land with an ox team. From that start, fairly made after suffering many hardships,

Mr. Blum has steadily progressed along the road to prosperity. His land is now well cleared and under cultivation, and he has a barn 40 by 52 feet in size, and other good buildings. He raises Holstein cattle and other good stock, and he was a stockholder and a member of the company that built the Day Creamery, which has now been sold. He has also served as treasurer of School District No. 7.

Mr. Blum is a member of the German Lutheran Church at Neillsville, which he helped to build, and which he and his family attend. The following is a brief record of the seven children which have been born to him and his wife. Their names, respectively, are: Helena, Johanna, Carl, Elizabeth, Martha, Johannas and Paul. Helena, who is the wife of Fred Schroeder of Neillsville, has ten children: Marie, Carl, Louise, William, Paul, Elizabeth, Agnes, Bernhardt, Rudolph and Gerhardt. Johanna resides at home with her parents. Carl was drowned near Portland, Ore., at the age of 21 years. Elizabeth is the wife of Jacob Wendel of Chicago, and has five children: Valentine, William, Carl, Gretchen and Herbert. Martha, wife of Henry Reigel of Radisson, Wis., has an adopted child, Emma. Johannes of Neillsville, married Minnie Raepke of Chicago, and has two children, Henry and Carl. Paul married Mamie Raepke and lives in Chicago. June 1, 1917, he sold his farm and moved to Neillsville and bought a home where he now lives.