Bio: Vetter, Jacob (1858 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Vetter, Keifer, Lemmer

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

Vetter, Jacob (24 August 1858 – 19??)

JACOB VETTER, who is the oldest born resident now; living in the Town of Marathon, owns 226 acres of fine land lying in section 30, three miles south of Marathon City. He was born in the Town of Marathon, Marathon County, Wis., August 24, 1858, and is a son of George and Julia (Keifer) Vetter.  

George Vetter was born in Germany, a son of Louis Vetter, who died when the child was nine years old. He attended school and then learned the mason trade and when eighteen years of age came to the United States by himself and found his first home at Pittsburgh, Pa. There he worked at his trade and there married Julia Keifer, who was also born in Germany and had come to America when aged eight years. While Mr. and Mrs. Vetter continued to live at Pittsburgh, three children were born, Joseph, George and John, one of whom died there. When George Vetter and family came to Marathon County he secured ninety-two acres of the present farm of his son Jacob. It was heavily wooded but, with the help of his sons it was all cleared and put under cultivation and later on he acquired 280 acres more. At first a log cabin sufficed for the family shelter, with only an earthen floor, and fireplace built in a stone wall, that served for heating and cooking. All the furniture was constructed of rough boards and poles brought in from the forest, but, in spite of its many deficiencies, here were born and comfortably reared a happy family of children and the survivors recall their parents with feelings of reverence and affection. The children born after the family came to Marathon County were: Jacob, Frank, Anthony, Herman, Elizabeth, Ann and Mary. George Vetter built the first brewery in Wausau and the place was long known as the Vetter Cellars. His wife died at the age of fifty-four years but he lived to be seventy-nine years old, dying on the present farm, April 15, 1902. They were members of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He was a strong democrat and was widely known, spending a part of his time at Wausau in his brewery and a part on his farm, and was well thought of by everyone.  

Jacob Vetter had district school advantages and afterward worked on the homestead. He is interested largely at the present time in stock raising and is a stockholder in the Range Line Dairy Company, which plant is on his farm. Mr. Vetter married Miss Augusta Lemmer, who was born on an adjoining farm, a daughter of the late John Lemmer, and they have the following children: Priscilla, Isabel, Hugo, Rodeby, Elizabeth, Bruno, Mary, Mark, Mattie, Jacob and Alexander. The family belongs to the Catholic Church and Mr. Vetter is a member of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. Politically he is a Democrat and has served as assessor and at present is serving in his second term as treasurer of the school board.