William Ernest Sanger, 1880

Transcribed by Janet

Source: 1918 History of Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge, pg.495 - 496.

Surnames: SANGER, VIERGUTZ, THOMAS, LOVELESS, HOTON

                       Mr. & Mrs. William E. Sanger

WILLIAM ERNEST SANGER is a well known and respected resident of Fremont Township. He is engaged in farming and dairying with profitable results, was born in Section 35, this township, May 21, 1880, the scene of his birth being the log cabin erected by his father, Gottlieb Sanger, mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Brought up on his parents' farm, he attended district school in his boyhood and when a little older became familiar with all the various branches of agriculture, an occupation he has since followed with much success. In 1903 he took over the old homestead, on which he has made various improvements, including the erection of a modern frame house, to replace the old brick structure; a basement barn,
40 by 70 feet in size; a machine shop, 18 by 52 feet, and a stone silo, 14 by 40 feet. Mr. Sanger raises Holstein cattle, a good grade of horses and Poland-China hogs; also some Shropshire sheep.

He is a member of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Company at Chili, being one of its board of directors, and is a stockholder in the bank at Chili and the Wausau Packing Plant. He has also held office on the board of the German Lutheran Church of Fremont Township, of which he is a member. His farm contains 120 acres, and besides raising stock and the usual crops, he also carries on dairying successfully. Mr. Sanger was married, May 1, 1907, to Amanda Viergutz, of Lynn Township, daughter of Albert and Albertina Viergutz.

He and his wife have three children, Leona, Ella and Wilbur. M. C. Thomas, a farmer and dairyman of Washburn Township, who has also served as a township official, was born on a farm near the village of Columbus, in Columbia County, Wis., son of C. H. and Martha (Loveless) Thomas. The father, a son of Merritt Thomas, was a veterinary surgeon, as was also Merritt, and they came together from New York State, settling in Columbia County, Wis., where C. H. Thomas has resided for the last fifty years. In the Civil War he was attached to the army as a "mule whacker," his principal business being to pick up and remove the wounded from the field of battle. M. C. Thomas remained with his father until he was 22 years old. He followed various occupations in Columbia County, until the year 1900, when he went to Waterloo, Wis., where he bought a meat market, conducting it for a year. He then sold out and went to Deerfield, Wis., where he followed the same business for six months. After-that he worked four months as a butcher in Madison, this state. Going from that city to Hermansville, Mich., he there went to work for the Wisconsin Land and Lumber Company, remaining eighteen months.

He then returned to his home at Columbus, where he was married, Mar. 19, 1902, to Helen Hoton, who was born in that county, Jan. 11, 1861, her father, James Hoton, being a farmer. After remaining six months in Columbus, Mr. Thomas came with his wife to Washburn Township, Clark County, and being now tired of wandering, bought eight acres of land, constituting his present farm in Section 10. Here he is engaged in dairying and general farming, and has recently built a barn, 58 by 34 feet in dimensions and an eighty-ton silo. He is also president of the cheese factory at Shortville and has an interest in the elevator at Neillsville. Since coming to Washburn Township he has closely identified himself with its interests. He served as assessor for seven years and is thoroughly familiar with the growth and development of the township, of which he is one of the best known citizens. He has also served as auctioneer in Clark County for seven years. He and his wife are both members of the Mystic Workers of the World, and he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.