Bio: Ulrich Family

Surnames: ULRICH STOLL FIALA

Ulrich Family

Having been born in Germany, George Ulrich came to America as a young man, settling in Chicago, Ill.  He was married to Mathilda Stoll.  They moved to Peru, Ill. Where he worked in a foundry.

On Oct. 26, 1895, George Ulrich came to Neillsville, Clark Co., Wis. in search of land which he could purchas.  He was successful in his venture and purchased 320 acres in the township of Levis, from the Adams Land Co.  He paid cash for this land and returned to Peru, Ill. To work that winter.  In the spring of 1896 George and Mathilda and three children, namely, William, George and Bertha, together with their livestock, machinery, and household goods, moved by railroad to the township of Levis, Clark Co., Wis.  Her they built a small one room house and a lean-to shed for the cattle.  They cleared some land and raised enough food for the family, their three horses and two cows.  In the winters of 1896 and 1897 they cut logs and constructed a 30 by 60 foot log barn.  In the fall of 1897 they built part of the present frame house.  The present barn was built in 1911.  An addition to the house was completed in 1918.

Two more children were born to them in the town of Levis, Ernest, born March 8, 1898, and Karl, born March 12, 1905.  Karl became sick with polio in September of 1921 and passed away Jan. 14, 1922.  On July 22, 1922, George Ulrich passed away at the age of 76.  His wife Mathilda, passed away Aug. 3, 1953 at the age of 92.

On May 8, 1923, Ernest Ulrich purchased his father’s farm.  He married Helen Fiala Nov. 25, 1923.  Four children were born to them, Hilda, Elsie, Grace and George.

They built the machinery sheds, chicken house and silos and cleared much more land.

Ernest served on the school board of Washburn, District 1.  He was supervisor of Levis township for six years, and town chairman for seven years, as well as serving on the Clark County Board of Supervisors for several years.

On May 1, 1979, George Ulrich and his sisters took over the ownership and management of the dairy farm.  They built another silo.  At present the farm is 320 acres, of which 165 acres are cleared fields.

This farm has been in the Ulrich family 86 years and it is the family’s hope that it will become a century farm.

Source: Levis 125 Year Book (1981); provided by "The Jailhouse Museum".