Boniface & Anna (Weber) Wehe

Loyal, Clark Co. Wisconsin

Boniface Wehe was born May 12th, 1882 in Heustreu Germany.  He was the third child of Veit Wehe and Johanna Halbig.  Boniface's father Veit Wehe was a soldier in a war believed to have been the Franco-Prussian War 1870-71.  Because of a war injury Veit Wehe had to sleep sitting up. Veit Wehe died May 9th, 1895 of lung problems.  When Boniface's father died he left his widow Johanna with four children - Oskar age 19, Cornelia age 17, Boniface 3 days short of his 13th birthday and Anton age 9.  The oral family history says that there wasn't enough money or food for everyone from the farm and Boniface volunteered to go to America where his uncle lived.  Killian Wehe was the brother of Veit Wehe. Killian Wehe immigrated to La Hogue Illinois US about 1883 where he purchased land to farm.  He married Bertha Vogenbacher February 11th, 1890.  They had no children.  In 1895 Johanna Wehe wrote to her brother in law to ask if Boniface could come to America to live with him and if Killian would pay for the passage.  Killian sent the money.  Boniface Wehe left Heustreu Germany 1896 at age 13 and went 272 miles to Bremen Germany where he boarded the ship Havel.  He arrived at Ellis Island New York, NY, on August 6th, 1896.   He told his children that he had a tag around his neck that stated his name and destination.

It could be assumed the trip of 844 miles was by train from New York City to his Uncle Killian Wehe in La Hogue Illinois.  Killian and his wife Bertha lived close to the farms of Julius Illig and Bernard Weber who were both from Heustreu.  Bernard Weber was a 1st cousin once removed of Boniface Wehe through his mother Johanna Halbig.   In the 1900 US Census for Douglas Country Illinois, Boniface Wehe is listed as living with Bernard Weber and his family as a servant.  Boniface told his children that his Uncle Veit refused to pay him any wages for his work and when he was old enough he left.  He was 18 years old in 1900.

Some time after 1900 Boniface, Julius Illig and family, Bernard Weber and family and Ben Krause move to an area where there was a lot of logging around Rozellville in Marathon County WI.  Boniface is shown in a picture cutting lumber with Julius Illig.   He met his wife Anna Weber when he worked at the John Nickolay Saw Mill in Rozellville.  She was working at the lumber mill helping to prepare meals.  Anna Weber Wehe said that she met Boniface 3 or 4 years before they married.  She also thought that he probably stayed with Bernard Weber or Julius Illig in the Rozellville area.    In 1903 Boniface bought 80 acres of woodland in Loyal Clark County Wisconsin for $600 from the lumber company.  It is not know exactly why he bought land in Loyal. On March 14th, 1907 there is an item in the Loyal Tribune that says "Arthur Judd, John Anderegg, Boni Way (Wehe), Jos. Vogel and Jos. Schmidt were guest of George Walter and family Sunday.  They report a jolly time."   His daughter remembers that Boniface worked for the Judd's and the Hannon's in Loyal.  September 29th, 1904 Boniface Wehe signed a declaration to become a US Citizen.

Boniface went to the John Weber farm in Rozellville courting his daughter Anna.  According to family oral history, after six months John Weber told Bonie either get married or get lost.   Boniface and Anna married May 7, 1907 and moved to Loyal WI, where his 80 acres were.  A story told to Bernie Wehe by his dad Bonie was that the year before Boniface was to move to Loyal and the farm Boniface hired Art Judd to clear ten acres of the land so he would be able to build a log cabin for him and his new bride to live in.   Bonie went up the following spring only to discover that Art Judd had cleared the stony hill, which was not very level and not suitable for anything. Bonie and Annie moved to the land May 13th, 1907.  Her father John Weber went with them and saw some swampland 5 or 6 miles from Marshfield (about half way between Marshfield and the farm in Loyal) as they were going. He asked Bonie if his farm was anywhere around there.  Bonie said no and Grandpa Weber said that is good because "if it is I am taking Annie home right now."

They had to do a rush job to clear the land.  They lived in a shanty and built a log house before winter.  Annie and Bonie each brought a cow with them and they sold milk to the cheese factory.  They carried the milk over 40 acres to a neighbors to have it picked up.  They didn't have a horse for 3 years.  They had a garden, chickens, eggs and a pig.  On June 5th, 1907 Boniface and Anna Wehe borrowed $600.00 from the Farmers State Bank of Granton Wisconsin.  The loan was for five years at six percent interest.  Notes written on the loan agreement said that the bank would accept payments of $100.00 minimum.  It also states that a Real Estate Mortgage secured it.  He paid interest only payment in 1908.  In June 1909 he paid $200, in August 1909 he paid $100, in March 1910 he paid $100 and he paid the loan off in August 1910.  John and Louise (Sister Imelda) remember waking up on winter mornings and finding snow on their quilts.   The big house was built in 1918.  They got electricity in 1948.  The farm in Loyal was sold to the youngest son of Boniface and Annie Weber Wehe Jerome Wehe in 1950.  Boniface bought his first car a 1919 Model T Ford in 1926.  His son Bernie remembers how proud they all were the first Sunday they drove in it to church.

In 1926 Boniface purchased the farm that he later sold to his son John Wehe.  The Deed shows that he purchased the farm from the Arquettes in 1926 for $7600.00.  Bernie seems to recall that his father may have loaned the Arquettes some money and then took the farm instead of being paid back in cash.  There is a story that the people who lived on the farm made moonshine.  This was during the prohibition era.  Boniface would walk the cornfields looking for the moonshine so he could drink it! Suzie Anderegg the wife of neighboring farmer Edwin Anderegg confirmed this story to Albert Wehe on a visit in 1996.  She said that the people wanted to make the moonshine in the Anderegg s basement because they didn't have any children.  They offered Suzie and Edwin a percent of the profit but their offer was declined.  Louise Wehe (Sister Imelda) also recalls that one summer before Boniface sold the farm to John, Boniface kept his cows at that farm.  After supper Boniface, Louis and John would walk over to milk the cows and do the chores.  They would spend the night in that house to do the milking in the morning and then walk home. Louise recalls that her mother didn't much like that because she was all alone with the little ones.

Boniface and Anna Weber Wehe moved to Neillsville in 1950.  Boniface had purchased the house in 1951 for $1200.  It was very close to the Black River.  In later years Annie Wehe would rent rooms to hunters during hunting season.  In 1953 Boniface lost his leg to diabetes.  Boniface Wehe died of pneumonia on December 7th, 1956 at age 74.

Sources for the above information include Ellis Island Records, US Census Records, documents from Boniface Wehe and oral family history told by Louise (Sister Imelda) Wehe, Bernard Wehe and grandchildren of Boniface and Anna Wehe.