Bio: Speich, Fred G. (1923)
Contact: Anonymous

----Surnames: Speich, Crowley, Shea

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) page 548

Fred G. Speich, who is profitably engaged in the butter and cheese-making industry at Pittsville and elsewhere, was born at Monroe, Green County, Wis., Feb. 26, 1891, son of Abraham and Mary Speich. The parents settled in Green County about 40 years ago when they came from Switzerland, the father being a cheese and butter maker. In 1899 they moved to Oshkosh, where Abraham Speich followed butter making for 13 years. At the end of that time they moved to Clark County, locating at Greenwood, where they engaged in farming. For the last two years Mr. Speich has been in the feed business there. He and his wife have had 11 children, of whom ten are now living, namely: Jake, John, Abraham, Edward, Fred, George, Harry, Margaret, Rose, and Lillian. The one who died was Benjamin. Fred G. Speich was reared in Monroe and Oshkosh, attending school in the latter place. After that he worked in his father's creamery and learned the butter and cheese making business, which he has since followed. In 1912 he came to Pittsville and engaged with his brother Ed in the creamery business. At the end of six years the building was destroyed by fire, and Fred G. then bought out his brother and moved to Main Street, where he bought a building which he remodeled and enlarged, fitting up living rooms upstairs. In 1921 he made 230,648 pounds of butter and 95,595 pounds of cheese, the butter being sold chiefly in Wood County and the cheese in Chicago. He also owns a factory in Granton, Clark County. Mr. Speich was married in Wis. Rapids, Feb. 19, 1917, to May Crowley, daughter of James and Katherine (Shea) Crowley. Her parents, natives of Iowa, came to Babcock, Wood County, Wis., in 1898 and engaged in farming. Of their children two are now living: May, born in South Dakota in 1891; and Clarence, also born in South Dakota, who is now living in Babcock. Mr. and Mrs. Speich have one daughter, Lucille Marie, who was born June 16, 1918.