Wegner, William August, b. 1845

Bio: Wegner, William August 1845
Contact: Stan

----Source: Transcribed: Wed, 14 Feb 2001, 1918 History of Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

Surnames: WEGNER, SCHUEMACHER, WITT, BENSTORF, HARTSON, WEISWANGE, BROWN

 

William August Wegner, 1845
.

Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wegner
Rudolph Wegner and Family


WILLIAM AUGUST WEGNER, a well known and respected resident of Grant Township, who has achieved success along agricultural lines, though without any initial advantages, was born in Pommern, Germany, Feb. 25, 1845, son of Johoon and Christina (Schuemacher) Wegner. The father was a weaver by trade and both. he and his wife died in Germany. They had eight children: Johoon, Carl, Wilhelm, William A., Carolina, Franc, Augusta and Louisa, the last mentioned of whom is deceased. The family were members of the German Lutheran Church. Four of the children came to the United States: William, Carolina, Louisa and Augusta. Carolina was married in Germany to Helmot Bloom and came to Clark County in 1882, and Louisa, who was unmarried, in 1884. William A. Wegner, subject of this sketch, attended school in his native land and learned the harness-maker's trade there, which he followed as a journeyman.

He was married there in April, 1872, to Frederica Witt, who was born in Pommern, Sept. 17, 1841, daughter of Carl and Christina (Benstorf) Witt, whose children were Ludwig, Gustaf, Frederica, Carl, Carolina and Theodore. The daughter, Frederica (Mrs. Wegner), was the only one to come to America, which she did with her husband and four children in 1883. These children were: Albert, who is now a farmer in Rush County, Wis.; Otto and Mox, of Marshfield, Wis., where they are engaged in the garage business, and Rudolph, who lives on the home farm. On reaching Clark County, to which he came from Germany, Mr. Wegner located in Neillsville. Procuring a wheelbarrow, he began work in the stave yard, as he was without capital and had to earn a living in any way he could. This work he continued for three years, during which time he and his wife were as saving economical as possible. Owing to their thrift, by 1886 he found himself able to start in for himself at farming, and accordingly bought eighty acres in section twenty-nine, Grand Township, of which tract a part had been cleared by Henry Hartson. There was a log stable and also a log house, 18 by 20 feet, on the land. Mr. Wegner had no tools but an axe with which to begin, and as progress was slow under such circumstances, he had to continue working in the stave yard during the winters for two years more, working on his farm in the summer. He had, however, a cow when he started and the second year he procured an ox team. Each summer he made a little more progress, and after quitting the stave yard he worked during the winters in a logging camp, driving an ox team. In time he bought forty acres more land and kept adding to his improvements, among which were his present brick residence of nine rooms, erected in 1902; a barn, 36 by 60 feet in size, and a silo of 100 tons capacity. He raises Holstein graded cattle, a good grade of horses and Chester-White hogs.

He is also a member of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator & Lumber Company, of Neillsville, and is interested in the Wausau Packing Plant and the Pleasant Ridge Creamery, which latter concern he helped to organize, also serving on its board of managers for many years. His society affiliations are with the sons of Herman, and he was formerly a member of the school board of his district. Rudolph Wegner, son of William A. and Frederica (Witt) Wegner, was born in Germany, Jan. 2, 1882, and was a babe when he came to America with his parents. In his boyhood he attended the district school and has since remained on the home farm, of which, as above mentioned, he is now the manager.

He also is a stockholder in the Wausau Packing Company and the Pleasant Ridge Creamery. He was married June 14, 1905, to Lydia Brown, who was born in Jefferson County, Wis., daughter of Herman and Augusta (Weiswange) Brown. Her father, a native of Germany, on coming to this country, located in Jefferson County, this state, but subsequently settled in Grant Township, Clark County, having a farm of forty acres in section 32, on which he cleared the land and built a frame house. He was making good progress on the road to prosperity when he was killed by lightning.

His widow subsequently married Fred Pirwitz, of Grant Township. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Wegner are the parents of two children, Gertrude and Helen. He is now school clerk of his

 

 


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