History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918)

HERMAN FRIESS, one of the largest cattle shippers in Clark County, and a breeder of fine race horses, residing at Thorp, was born in Germany, July 7, 1869, son of Anton and Ernestine Friess. The parents, who never came to this country, died in their native, land, the father in 1882, and the mother in 1888. There were five sons in the family, only two of whom came to the United States, Ewald and Herman. The former, who came in 1885 died in 1890. In the year after his brother's death Herman landed in America and made his way to Chicago, where he was employed as butcher by Morris Co., and afterwards by Swift Co., for awhile. He then took a sub-contract to furnish beef for construction gangs employed on the "Soo" Line Railway, then building in North Dakota, this work lasting for about a year. This led him into the cattle shipping business, which he followed in the West for some time, making regular shipments to Chicago. He then moved east to St. Croix County, Wis., following the same business, buying stock from farmers and shipping to Chicago. About this time he also began buying and shipping horses.

In March, 1897, Mr. Friess came to Thorp, Clark County, and bought the meat market business of August Schmidt, and he operated that business subsequently for over fifteen years in the meanwhile continuing to ship live stock. He also did a large wholesale business, butchering and supplying railroad and lumber camps with beef. During that period he killed and shipped thousands of head of cattle. In 1901 Mr. Friess began to breed standard pure-bred American race horses and has from time to time entered horses on many of the principal race tracks in the Middle West, winning prizes. Each year he usually has one or more horses at the Minnesota State and Chippewa Falls District Fair tracts. He has raised and sold many good horses, some for as high as 1,000 per head. He has a fine residence at Thorp, situated on several acres of ground, on which he also has large modern breeding stables. At times he feeds a thousand head of cattle on his pastures near Rice Lake.

Mr. Friess is also president of the Farmers' Exchange Bank of Thorp and a stockholder in the Peoples State Bank of Thorp and owns considerable property in around the village. The things he has accomplished show him to be a man of marked business ability and he naturally takes his place as one of the foremost citizens in this part of the county.

He is a member of the Masonic Order and the Beavers.

Mr. Friess was rnarried in 1897 to Emma Banderoh, who-was born in New Holstein, Wis., daughter of George Banderoh, her parents being natives of Germany who settled in Thorp in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Friess have five children: Ella, born Feb. 23, 1898 Mattie, July 14, 1899 Gertrude, Feb. 11, 1901 Rienard, Nov. 9, 1902, and Albert, Sept. 8, 1904.