Bio: Mueller, Hon. Gustav (1847 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Mueller, Quandt, Schroeder, Siegrist, Kickbusch, Gensmann, Ringle, Kressin

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

Mueller, Hon. Gustav (3 June 1847 - 19??)

Hon. Gustav Mueller, senior member of the well known firm of Mueller & Quandt, shoe dealers at Wausau, Wis., is one of the leading business men and of high standing as a citizen. He was born in Bonin, Kreis Regenwalde, Province Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, on the 3rd day of June, 1847, a son of August Mueller and his wife Caroline (Schroeder) his father being parish teacher in this place, serving in that capacity for fifty years. Gustav Mueller attended the common school of his native land, and was reared in a comfortable home. At the age of seventeen he enlisted voluntarily in the army of Prussia in expectation of promotion, and being accepted, was sent to the military school at Juelich, Rhenish, Prussia. After taking the course for six months he was taken sick with typhus fever and laid up at the barrack hospital for six months. As soon as his condition warranted his transport to his parents' home, he was sent there as an invalid on furlough. When the war with Austria broke out in 1866 he was called into service, but after examination by the physicians was declared unfit for service by reason of poor health, and mustered out of service as an invalid. He then remained at home until the fall of 1867 when he immigrated to this country reaching Wausau, where he had come with a friend, in the last days of November. He was an entire stranger when he came here, but was soon employed as a clerk in the general store of August Kickbusch, doing farm work for his employer at odd times.

After an engagement of two years in that sphere, he was employed as a clerk in the dry goods and general merchandise store of Otto Siegrist, and stayed in that establishment for nearly one year, when he embarked in business for himself. At the store of August Kickbusch he had made the acquaintance of Chas. Quandt, another clerk in the same store, which acquaintance had ripened into friendship, and the two formed a partnership under the firm name of Mueller & Quandt, opening the first exclusive boot and shoe store in Wausau at the corner of 3rd and Washington street. On December 1st, 1885, the firm moved into their present quarters in the J. Gensmann Block. Their venture proved to be a profitable one, and was carried on successfully until the death of Charles Quandt in the year 1901. The business however is continued under the same firm name and with the same good fortune, Mrs. Mary Quandt having taken over the interest of her deceased husband, and the firm of Mueller & Quandt is now the oldest establishment mercantile firm in the city of Wausau.

Gustav Mueller was married to Miss Elizabeth Ringle in the year 1872 and five children were born to them namely: Louise, and Otto, both of Wausau, and Ida, Caroline and Emma of St. Paul, Minn. Mrs. Elizabeth Mueller died at Wausau on the nth day of January, 1887. Gustav Mueller entered into a second marriage with Miss Clara Kressin of Milwaukee his present wife, on the 7th day of January, 1894, and they had one child, which died in infancy.

Gustav Mueller was elected Mayor of Wausau in the year 1890, and his administration was a very commendable one. He is a member of Wausau Lodge 215 I. O. O. F. since 1873, having joined the order in 1869. He is conductor of the "Liederkranz" since 1888 which he joined as a member several years earlier at its organization. Both he and his family are members of the St. Paul's Evangelical Church of Wausau, where his wife belongs to the Ladies sewing and other societies connected with this church.