Bio: Munes, Anton M. (1867 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Munes, Dries, Kreft, Ruder, Hildebrand,

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

Munes, Anton M. (6 July 1867 - 19??)

ANTON M. MUNES, owner and proprietor of a general store at Athens. Wis., interested in numerous other successful business enterprises and somewhat prominent in public matters, was born at Saukville, Wis., July 6, 1867, and is a son of John and Marie (Dries) Munes. John Munes was born in Germany and was brought to the United States when six years old and died at Athens, Wis. in 1901. Prior to coming to Marathon County he engaged in farming in Ozaukee County, Wis., and in 1882 opened the first store at Athens and continued in the mercantile business here until 1900, when he sold out to the Athens Farmers' Store Company. He was a well known and highly respected pioneer here. He married Marie Dries, who was born in Germany, eighty-one years ago, and still lives at Athens. They had the following children: Nicholas; Anton; Mary, wife of August Kreft; Margaret; Anna; and Fannie, the last named being Sister Vivine in the Franciscan Convent at La Crosse, Wis.  

Anton M. Munes attended the public school and afterward spent two and one-half years in a Catholic School at St. Francis, Wis. For some eight terms he afterward taught school, mainly in the winter time and during other seasons assisted his father in the store, later becoming his partner. In 1904 he opened his own store at Athens and has conducted the business ever since, making it one of the first class business houses of the village. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Athens; in the Athens Manufacturing Company; the Geo. Ruder Brewing Company; the Marathon County Telephone Company; and also of the Wisconsin and the National Life Insurance Company of Oshkosh, Wis. A stanch Democrat he has frequently served in public office was town chairman for one term, clerk for four years and a justice of the peace for five years.  

Mr. Munes was married in 1893 to Miss Elizabeth Hildebrand, who was born in Switzerland, and died in 1893, five months after marriage. She was a daughter of Alexander and Maria Hildebrand, farming people, who came from Switzerland directly to Athens with two of their children, Samuel and Elizabeth, while four sons and one daughter remained in their native land. Mr. Munes belongs to St. Anthony's Catholic Church at Athens, and he is identified further with the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Wisconsin Catholic Family Protective Association.