Bio: Virch, Andrew N. – Early Curtiss Pioneer (1872)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Virch

----Source: Olson Family Scrapbook

Another Civil War veteran proceded Lupient to Mayville and became prominent in the development of Curtiss. Andrew Nelson Virch, who was born in Norway in 1845, arrived in America in 1854, enlisted in 1862, came to Wisconsin in 1870 and to Mayville in 1872, moved to Curtiss the same year that the village was platted.

He established the first general store, in which the post office was located when he was appointed postmaster in 1883. His first term ended in 18S6, and he served again from 1888 to 1892. In 1895 he disposed of his stock of merchandise and in 1903 became the rural mail carrier, carrying the first mail out of Curtiss on Feb. 3. He was on the route 12 years according to his biography in the Clark County history.

When the area was ravaged by a tornado the night of June 3, 1905 (the same night that the McMillan community suffered heavy loss) the Virch residence, two barns and store building were razed. A year later the family returned to the Mayville farm.