Bio: Ohlinger, John Sr. & Mary

Surnames: OHLINGER KAISER

----Source: ABBOTSFORD, WIS. CENTENNIAL BOOK - 1973

Ohlinger, John Sr. & Mary

John Ohlinger Sr. was born in Germany in 1860 and was brought to the United States by his parents in 1861. Mary Kaiser, his wife, was born in Dodge County, Wis. in 1867.

The Ohlinger farm was purchased by John Schraufnagel from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company in 1879. The railroad company had been given title to every other section extending six miles along each side of the track as a land grant for building the railroad.

John Ohlinger bought this one hundred-twenty acres from John Schraufnagel in 1880, settled on the land and started to make a farm out of the wilderness.

The Ohlinger’s raised a family of 11 children: Lena, Bert, Nora, Theresa, Lawrence, Susan, Hildegard, Margaret, John Jr., Loretta and Arnold.

Mr. Ohlinger Sr. was a prominent man in the area, having owned and operated a threshing machine and hay baler and threshed grain and baled hay for many of the settlers. These machines were powered by a steam engine from 1900 to 1918. In 1919 a tractor was bought and used for power.

The farm work was done by oxen until 1890. In that year, Mr. Ohlinger went to Lomira and drove back three horses which were used for farming until the first tractor was bought. The first automobile, a “Crow” was bought in 1916.

Mr. Ohlinger died in 1939 and Mrs. Ohlinger in 1941.

While some of the land has been sold, the home has been in the family since 1880 and is now owned by John Ohlinger Jr.

*Both John and Mary are buried in the Colby St. Mary's Cemetery.