Bio: Degner, Henry (1852 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Degner, Neudahl, Teggart, Bruss, Rietbrok, Halsey, Winch, Kreutzer, Whipking, Rodermund,

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

Degner, Henry (3 November 1852 - 19??)

HENRY DEGNER, architect and builder, and dealer in builders' supplies, at Athens, is one of the substantial men of this place and is concerned in many successful and reputable enterprises. He was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 3, 1852, and is a son of Frederick and Frederica (Neudahl) Degner. The parents of Mr. Degner were born, reared and married in Germany. After coming to the United States they lived for three years in the city of Milwaukee and then moved on a farm in the town of Grafton and remained there until 1882 and then came to Marathon County. Here the father continued to be a farmer as long as he was active, surviving until he was eighty-two years of age. His widow reached the unusual age of ninety years. They were well known and highly respected people and are recalled as early settlers in this section. They had the following children: Henry, Emily, wife of Gustav Teggart: Herman; William; and Elvina, wife of Otto Bruss.  

After a rather short school period, Henry Degner gave his father assistance on the home farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Milwaukee and there spent eight years working at the carpenter trade, and two years as a contractor, during which time he erected a number of church edifices. In 1880 he came to Athens; then called Black Lick Falls, commissioned to build a saw mill for Rietbrok & Halsey, and during the first ten years of the village's growth, did the main work of construction. He started also a hardware store in 1882 and. continued the same until 1909, and in 1890 started what is now the E. E. Winch Heading Mill. He continued to be interested in that concern until 1904, about fifteen years, then made it into a stock company and was one of the partners of the same for six years, then sold and since then has taken life a little easier although still carefully looking after his investments. These include stock in the Athens Bank and in the Long Distance Telephone Company, and the ownership of a handsome residence property and two entire business blocks.  

In 1882 Mr. Degner was married to Miss Caroline Kreutzer, and they have the following children: Lydia, who is the wife of Baldwin Whipking; Adaline, who is a teacher in the public schools; Caroline, who is the wife of Dr. A. M. Rodermund; Hilda, who is a teacher at Columbus, Wisconsin; and Herbert. Mr. Degner and family are members of the German Lutheran Church. In politics a strong Democrat, he has frequently been honored by his party with election to important offices and served seven years as town treasurer arid is now serving in his second term as assessor.