Bio: Wendorff, Albert (1844 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wendorff, Haasch, Fehlhaber, Radloff, Lemke, Grade, Lodholz, Kopplin, Loy, Boerner

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

Wendorff, Albert (19 October 1844 – 19??)

ALBERT WENDORFF, a well known resident and highly regarded citizen of the town of Stettin, where he owns 120 acres of land situated in sections 16 and 15, residing on the latter, six and one-half miles northeast of Marathon City, was born in Germany, October 19, 1844. He is a son of Gottheb and Louisa (Haasch) Wendorff, both of whom were born in Germany. They came to America with their three children and in 1857 settled on the farm now owned by Albert Wendorff. A forest then covered all this land and Gottheb Wendorff made the first clearing and erected the first building here. Both he and wife died here, his age being eighty-eight years and three months and that of his wife, eighty-four years, and their burial was in the cemetery of the Lutheran church, to which religious body they belonged. He was a very successful gardener in his own land and after getting established on this farm built a greenhouse and conducted a market garden.  

Albert Wendorff was twelve years old when he was brought to America and his home has been on his present farm ever since. He was the youngest born of his parents' four children and is the only one living. During his summers he devotes his attention to his farm industries, having eighty acres cleared and has made all the improvements here, official duties of various kinds absorbing his time and attention in the winters which, in earlier years, he spent in logging camps. He has a small nursery and raises considerable fruit and also keeps bees profitably. He belongs to the progressive wing of the Republican Party and has frequently served acceptably in public offices. He was a member of the county board for two years, was assessor for nine years, then was census enumerator, for five years was assessor of the Stettin Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and for twelve years was fire and game warden. He was the first president of the Berlin Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company and assisted in making the bylaws and securing the charter. The present officials are: Albert Fehlhaber, president; Mr. Radloff, secretary, and William Lemke, treasurer.  

Mr. Wendorff married Miss Wilhelmine Grade, who was born in Germany, a daughter of August Grade, and they had the following children: H. A., who is clerk of the town of Stettin; Edward, who was census taker and also formerly town supervisor, married Ottilie Lodholz; Lizzie, who is the wife of Gustave Kopplin; Emma, who is the wife of John R. Loy, and they live in Oregon; Bertha, who is the wife of Gustave Boerner, of the town of Stettin; Otto, who died at the age of eighteen years; Albert, who died when a babe; and an infant that also passed away. Mr. Wendorff and family are members of the Lutheran Church.