Bio: Schwantes, Herman & Ernestine - Early Spencer Area Farm (1880)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Schwantes, Mellenthin, Wellnitz

Source: Spencer Centennial Book (1874 – 1974)

Herman Schwantes came with his parents from Germany when he was 14 years old. In October 1880 he married Ernestina Mellenthin, who had come with her parents from Germany when about 13 years old. Mr. Schwantes took his bride home to live in a log house on an uncleared 40 acres of forest located east of Spencer in the Town of Brighton. Her the family home was established, and here all of their children were born. Since there were no roads, when his young wife needed supplies for her cooking and baking, he walked the three miles to town and carried home a sack of flour and other articles. In later years he sold the farm to his son, George, who had married Louis Wellnitz. Their son, Donald, now owns and operates the farm, which now has an area of 160 acres, upon which 50 heard of beef cattle are kept.