Frank Nagel, 1864

Posted4U@Charter.net on Thu, 15 Feb 2001

Surname: NAGEL, KUCHENBEEKER

Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

FRANK NAGEL, who is engaged in the real estate and insurance business, in Dorchester, Wis., where he has taken rank among the leading businessmen, was born in Germany, Mar. 14, 1864, son of Fred and Johanna (Kuchenbeeker) Nagel. His parents came to the United States in the fall of 1879. Frank came in the spring of 1880, locating in Calumet County, Wis., where he worked two years for others. His brothers, August and Charles having secured a farm of eighty acres in Holton Township, Marathon County, in April, 1882, the family moved there and began farming with
two oxen and two cows, and there Charles Nagel still resides. The father, Fred Nagel, died in the year 1900, at the age of 69, and his wife in 1908 at the age of 78. Frank Nagel in early manhood, learned the barber's trade, which he followed at intervals for a number of years, also working in lumber camps and in mines in Michigan' On one occasion, while on a "skift," he dropped 180 feet down an inclined shaft and was so badly injured that he spent a long time in the hospital.

In 1890 he came to Dorchester, where he followed the barber's trade for twenty-one years, during which time he made a large number of acquaintances. He was one of the village organizers in 1901 and was the first president of the council, serving in 1901 and
1902, and later, being elected six times. He was village assessor in 1914 and clerk in 1915 and 1916, was school trustee one year and has been justice of the peace since 1901. In 1911 he sold his barber shop and engaged in the real estate and insurance business, in which he is making good progress. He was one of the organizers of the Dorchester State Bank and in various ways has proved himself a useful citizen and capable business man.

Mr. Nagel was married Sept. 13, 1905, to Lena Fink, who was born in Milwaukee, Aug. 11, 1875, and who died Sept. 10, 1913. She left three children: Henry, born July 6, 1906; Elsie, born June 9, 1909, and Vilas, born Aug. 30, 1910, who reside at home with their father.