Captain Johannes Karl Audorff was born aboard an English Man-O-War at sea on May 26, 1819. His father was a captain in the British Navy. At least part of his schooling was had in Germany, where he became acquainted with Doris Frehling, who in 1845 became his wife. They lived together for fifty-three years and had a family of three boys. All of these boys died in one day while the father was serving in the British Army in the East Indies during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1858. This caused his wife to lose her mind. They traveled for some time at the queen's expense that she might regain her reason. During this period they were ship wrecked and were rescued by an American warship bound for New York. The excitement of the ship wreck caused his wife to regain her mind and they then settled in America. They lived in New York until she died in 1898.

On August 23, 1899 he was married to Meta Ammerman of New Haven Connecticut.  In 1902 they settled on the farm in the town of Butler, Clark County Wis., where they lived ever since.

Mr. Audorff was the veteran of five wars. He served in the war between Denmark and the German Federation in 1848 and 1849, in the Crimean War, 1854-56. During this struggle the entire regiment of which he was colonel was wiped out with the exception of five men. He served in the British Army in the East Indies during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1858. He was captain of Co. E. of the 54th New York Cavalry during the Civil War and acted as drill sergeant of the volunteers during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Johannes Karl Audorff lived just shy of 104 years.  He was found dead in his rocking chair at 6:20 a.m. on March 7th, 1923.

Family Notes