BioA: Ohlinger, Mr./Mrs. John (50th Anniv. - 1935)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: OHLINGER KAISER QUINN HORTMAN GENDT APFELBECK KUNZE FORTMAN SCHMIDT LANG

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 10/31/1935

Ohlinger, Mr./Mrs. John (50th Anniv. - 27 Oct. 1935)

Mr. and Mrs. John Ohlinger, prominent farmers of the town of Hull, who live on a farm six miles east of Colby, celebrated their fiftieth or golden wedding anniversary at their home Sunday afternoon and evening.

Mr. Ohlinger, who was seventy-four years old last August, was born in Germany, and came to America when he was two years old. His parents lived for a time at Lomira, later moving near Stratford. Mrs. Ohlinger, age sixty-nine, was born near Lomira; her maiden name was Mary Kaiser and her parents also moved to the Stratford community.

Mr. and Mrs. Ohlinger were married at the Catholic church at Rozellville, Oct. 27, 1885, and have since lived on the home farm which Mr. Ohlinger acquired shortly before and which was then still a wilderness. They experienced all the hardships of the early pioneers and succeeded in making an attractive farm out of virgin forest.

Mr. and Mrs. Ohlinger can tell many interesting stories of the days of their youth, but like most of the early settlers they are reluctant to talk about the past and prefer to live in the present and to forget the hardships of other days.

They are the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living: Bert Ohlinger, Argonne; Lawrence, Colby; Mrs. Nora Quinn, Lancaster; Mrs. Henry Hortman, Ft. Recovery, Ohio; Mrs. Matt Gendt, Boyd; Mrs. Carl Apfelbeck, Mrs. Leo Apfelbeck and Mrs. Albert Kunze, town of Hull; and John, Jr., and Arnold, at home. There are 45 grandchildren.

Mr. and Mrs. Ohlinger have always been members of St. Mary’s congregation, Colby. Mr. Ohlinger belongs to the Holy Name society, and Mrs. Ohlinger is a member of the Christian Mothers society.

All the children and their families were present at the celebration except Bert, Mrs. Quinn and Mrs. Fortman. Other guests were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schmidt and family, Mr. and Mrs. Allie Schmidt and family, John, Jake and Albert Kaiser, Stratford and the Rev. L. J. Lang, Colby.