Bio: Meyer, Fred H. (1923)

Contact: Ken Wood.

----Surnames: Meyer, Davis, Meyer, Fritz, Neuman, Bushow, Thrun, Meyers

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) pages 555-556

Fred H. Meyer, farmer, dairyman, and cheesemaker of Cary Township, was born in Germany April 9, 1876, son of Dietrich and Marie Meyer. The parents were natives of Germany, and the mother died in that country when the son Fred was two years old. The father continued farming there until 1885, when he came to the United States and settled at Avoca, Iowa, working there as a farm hand for a time and subsequently operating rented farms. In the spring of 1900 he came to Wood County and bought 160 acres of wild land in Section 16 of Cary Township. There were no roads through that region then, and development was in a very primitive stage. For the first two years the father and Fred carried all supplies for the family on their backs. The farm was on the site of an old logging camp and some old shacks had been built on it which had no roofs or floors; the father secured lumber at the Progress mill with which to cover one of these buildings, and this served as a residence during the first trying period of their journey to success. The father and the son Fred set to work to clear the land, and each passing year saw the development of the farm carried a step farther. In 1903 a good frame house was built, and later a fine barn and two good silos; 85 acres of the land are now cleared, and as a result of the hard work of this pioneer family another splendid farm has been added to the list of the agricultural properties that are keeping Wood County at the front. The father operated this place until his death in 1916, which occurred as a result of being gored by a bull. Since that time the farm has been operated by Fred, subject of this sketch, who was the only son. He keeps a herd of 35 Holstein cattle including a number of pure-bred animals, and is in every way a progressive and successful farmer. He is also doing a thriving business as owner and operator of the Progress Cheese Factory. This enterprise was started in 1904 by a co-operative society of 17 farmers, with Dell Davis as president, Fred Meyer as secretary, and Fred Fritz as treasurer. This company was dissolved after several years of operation, and was reorganized by Fred Meyer, August Thrun, Fred Fritz, Fred Bushow, and August Neuman. The factory was operated under the ownership of these men until 1912, when Mr. Meyer and Mr. Neuman purchased the interests of the other members of the company and operated it in partnership until 1919, in which year Mr. Meyer bought out Mr. Neuman; since that time Mr. Meyer has been sole proprietor. When first organized the factory received 800 pounds of milk per day; the patronage has steadily grown until today 4,000 pounds are received daily, and this growth is continuing every year. Mr. Meyer is now making about 300 pounds of cheese daily. This success is due to his fine business ability and to the personal qualifications which have made him so well liked throughout the community. He was clerk of the township for 17 years, which gives some indication of the esteem in which he is held. Mr. Meyer was married in 1902 at Boscobel, Grant County, Wis., to Anna Fritz, daughter of Adam and Emma Fritz. Mrs. Meyer's parents were early settlers in Grant County; both are now deceased. There were nine children in their family, all of whom are now living, as follows: Fred, Richard, Albert, Anna, Emma, Ida, Emil, Leo, and Adolph. Fred is now farming in Cary Township, this county; Emma is living at Woodman, Wis.; Ida lives at Boscobel, Wis.; Emil, Leo, and Adolph are farming in Woodman Township, Grant County, Wis.; Richard and Albert live at Park Falls, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Meyers have three children, Theodore, Marie, and Rudolph, all of whom are living at home. Marie is attending the high school at Pittsville. Rudolph, after finishing the district school, completed two years in high school and is now carrying on the operation of the home farm.