William August Wegner, 1845
Posted4U@Charter.net on Wed, 14 Feb 2001
Surname: WEGNER, SCHUEMACHER, WITT, BENSTORF, HARTSON, WEISWANGE, BROWN
Source: 1918 History of
Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wegner
Rudolph Wegner and Family
WILLIAM AUGUST WEGNER, a well known and respected resident of Grant
Township, who has achieved success along agricultural lines, though without
any initial advantages, was born in Pommern, Germany, Feb. 25, 1845, son of
Johoon and Christina (Schuemacher) Wegner. The father was a weaver by trade
and both. he and his wife died in Germany. They had eight children: Johoon,
Carl, Wilhelm, William A., Carolina, Franc, Augusta and Louisa, the last
mentioned of whom is deceased. The family were members of the German Lutheran
Church. Four of the children came to the United States: William, Carolina,
Louisa and Augusta. Carolina was married in Germany to Helmot Bloom and came
to Clark County in 1882, and Louisa, who was unmarried, in 1884. William A.
Wegner, subject of this sketch, attended school in his native land and learned
the harness-maker's trade there, which he followed as a journeyman.
He was
married there in April, 1872, to Frederica Witt, who was born in Pommern,
Sept. 17, 1841, daughter of Carl and Christina (Benstorf) Witt,
whose children were Ludwig, Gustaf, Frederica, Carl, Carolina and Theodore.
The daughter, Frederica (Mrs. Wegner), was the only one to come to America,
which she did with her husband and four children in 1883. These
children
were: Albert, who is now a farmer in Rush County, Wis.; Otto and
Mox, of Marshfield, Wis., where they are engaged in the garage business, and
Rudolph, who lives on the home farm. On reaching Clark County, to which he
came from Germany, Mr. Wegner located in Neillsville. Procuring a wheelbarrow,
he began work in the stave yard, as he was without capital and had to earn a
living in any way he could. This work he continued for three years, during
which time he and his wife were as saving economical as possible. Owing to
their thrift, by 1886 he found himself able to start in for himself at
farming, and accordingly bought eighty acres in section twenty-nine, Grand
Township, of which tract a part had been cleared by Henry Hartson. There was a
log stable and also a log house, 18 by 20 feet, on the land. Mr. Wegner had no
tools but an axe with which to begin, and as progress was slow under such
circumstances, he had to continue working in the stave yard during the winters
for two years more, working on his farm in the summer. He had, however, a cow
when he started and the second year he procured an ox team. Each summer he
made a little more progress, and after quitting the stave yard he worked
during the winters in a logging camp, driving an ox team. In time he bought
forty acres more land and kept adding to his improvements, among which were
his present brick residence of nine rooms, erected in 1902; a barn, 36 by 60
feet in size, and a silo of 100 tons capacity. He raises Holstein graded
cattle, a good grade of horses and Chester-White hogs.
He is also a member of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator & Lumber Company, of Neillsville, and is interested in the Wausau Packing Plant and the Pleasant Ridge Creamery, which latter concern he helped to organize, also serving on its board of managers for many years. His society affiliations are with the sons of Herman, and he was formerly a member of the school board of his district. Rudolph Wegner, son of William A. and Frederica (Witt) Wegner, was born in Germany, Jan. 2, 1882, and was a babe when he came to America with his parents. In his boyhood he attended the district school and has since remained on the home farm, of which, as above mentioned, he is now the manager.
He also is a stockholder in the Wausau Packing Company and the Pleasant Ridge Creamery. He was married June 14, 1905, to Lydia Brown, who was born in Jefferson County, Wis., daughter of Herman and Augusta (Weiswange) Brown. Her father, a native of Germany, on coming to this country, located in Jefferson County, this state, but subsequently settled in Grant Township, Clark County, having a farm of forty acres in section 32, on which he cleared the land and built a frame house. He was making good progress on the road to prosperity when he was killed by lightning.
His widow subsequently married Fred Pirwitz, of Grant
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Wegner are the parents of two children,
Gertrude and Helen. He is now school clerk of his