Bio: Lemke, Carl (1862 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lemke, Gofif, Block

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Lemke, Carl (9 August 1862 - 19??)

Carl Lemke one of Wausau's best known business men, who for twenty-eight years has been in the photographic line here, was born in Pomerania, Germany, August 9, 1862, and is a son of Frederick Lemke, whose life was passed in Germany.

Carl Lemke was reared in Germany and after attending the public schools learned the art of photography, which he successfully followed for seven years before coming to the United States. In the fall of 1884 he came first to Wausau and spent the following winter in the employ of Lee Gofif, a local photographer, in the spring of 1885 embarking in business for himself. His studio at No. 508 Jefferson Street is in a fine brick building which he entirely remodeled and in addition owns other valuable city property. Mr. Lemke's artistic work is known all over the county and embraces everything in the line of photography.

Mr. Lemke was married in 1885 to Miss Ulricke Block, who was born also in Germany and came to Wausau in 1883. They have had five children: Alfred, who died when aged fifteen years; Walter J., who is a member of the faculty of an academy at Enterprise, Kans., was given fine educational advantages, including four years of college and a post-graduate course at Berea, O.; Meta, who is a student at Berea College; Carl, who is his father's assistant; and Erna, who is a student in the Wausau High School. Mr. Lemke and family are members of the German Methodist Church.