Bio: Huser, Alois (1923)

Contact: Ken Wood.

----Surnames: Huser, Wirsch, Jannet, Hiles, Regli, Frawley, Wirtz, Ruseth

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) pages 563-564

Alois Huser, one of the surviving pioneers of Seneca Township, where he settled 37 years ago, and which he has helped to improve, was born in Switzerland, Jan. 4, 1847, son of Xavier and Rosa (Wirsch) Huser. The parents spent their lives in Switzerland, where Xavier followed the occupation of a merchant. Of their five children, but two are now living, Alois and Eliza, the latter, who is the widow of a Mr. Jannet, a civil war veteran, being now a resident of San Antonio, Texas. Alois Huser grew to manhood in his native land, where he learned and followed the spinner's trade, and in time he rose to be manager of a silk spinning factory. When 36 years old he emigrated to the United States, landing in this country Jan. 4, 1884, and going to Richmond County, New York, where he found occupation on a dairy farm. He had resolved, however, to become.his own master and to own his own farm, and as a farm in New York State cost more than he could afford to pay, in 1885 he came to Wood County, Wis. He began operations by renting 80 acres in Section 2, Seneca Township, near Altdorf, where a number of his countrymen had already located, and this land he later bought. His early improvements were slowly effected, as the land producing nothing at first, he had to find some way of earning money, and accordingly worked at logging and lumbering for George Hiles. Later from time to time he bought additional land until he owned 308 acres. All of this land was wild, there being but a small clearing, and the trees being so abundant that he could not see the road from his house. This house was a small log structure that was on the place when he took it, and which he remodeled and enlarged, sheeting it over on the outside with basswood clapboards. He.spent many years in clearing his land, adding buildings as he needed them, including two barns, one 40 by 80 feet, and the other 32 by 50, each with a full basement, and he also erected two stone silos and other buildings. In fact, Mr. Huser claims the distinction of having had the first silo in Wood County in 1887, as before any such thing had been seen here, he dug a hole in the ground in the basement of his house, cut up the corn by hand and packed the hole full as provender for his cattle. For many years he carried on general farming and dairying, and becoming prominent in his township, served for a long time as township treasurer. For 18 years he was-a member of the school board, and in 1919 he was elected town clerk, which office he still holds.

Alois Huser was married in 1875 at Altdorf, Switzerland, to Catherine Regli, daughter of Casper and Rosa Regli, of whose three children Catherine is the only one now living. The parents also are now passed away, the mother having died in Switzerland, and the father, who subsequently came to the United States, at Sheboygan, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Huser have had 13 children, ten of whom are now living, namely: Rosa, wife of Peter Frawley and residing in Tennessee; Louis, who lives in North Dakota; Frank, of Hansen Township, Wood County; who married Anna Wirtz; John and Henry on the home farm; Mary, wife of Leo Ruesth of Sigel Township; and George, Casper, Carl and Anna, at home. In 1913 Mr. Huser sold his land to his sons, John, Henry, Casper, George and Carl, and in the same year they organized the, Union Grove Dairying Farm Association, and incorporated for $12,000, with Henry president, John vice president, George treasurer and Casper secretary. They carry on general farming and dairying and make a specialty of breeding and raising pure-bred Holstein cattle, of which they now have 35 head. They have had some official tests of their cattle made and one cow produced 700.3 pounds of milk in seven days, or 24.2 pounds of butter. A yearly test showed 26,084 pounds. of milk, or 896 pounds of butter. One seven-day test of a two year old was 343- pounds of milk or 23.2 pounds of butter, which is the record for the county. The Huser brothers also make a specialty of raising seed potatoes, and in 1922 they won a Ford tractor as a prize for raising the best bushel of potatoes in Central Wis., which were exhibited at the fair held in Marshfield. George and Henry are both married and live in a good frame house on the farm. This farm when the father first came here was partly a tamarack swamp, but has all been cleared and tiled and the land made tillable. During the late war Casper and Carl were in the United States military service. Casper, who enlisted on July 1, 1918, was in the light artillery. He trained at Camp Taylor, Ky., and served six months in this country. Carl, who enlisted in the light artillery at the same time as Casper, was in the service nine months and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Both served as truck drivers.