Bio: Kunkel, August (Commemorative Bio - 1895)

Poster: Crystal Wendt

August Kunkel

August Kunkel, whose early days were passed beneath the genial skies of the German Fatherland, is now one of the leading blacksmith of Merrill, Lincoln County. He was born in Germany, August 17, 1862, and is a son of Jacob Kunkel.

The father is also a native of Germany, his birth having occurred there in 1832, and by trade he is a blacksmith. His wife’s maiden name was Christine Hins, and they had eight children: Johanna, August, Mary, Adolph, Frederick and Lena, Edwin and Augusta. All of the children have come to America with the exception of Johanna, who is married and yet resides in her native land. The parents arrived in this country in 1890, and now make their home in Merrill. The paternal grandparents both died in Germany, where the grandfather, Christian Kunkel, was engaged in blacksmithing. The maiden name of the lady who became his wife was Krouse, and they had a family of five children: Godfrey, Jacob, Christian, August, and Christine.

Our subject in his childhood lived in the beautiful land of his birth, where he also received his education. There he learned the trade of blacksmith with his father, which occupation he followed until 1883, when at the age of twenty-one he enlisted in the German Calvary, serving three years. After his discharge he again worked at his trade in that country for one year. In September, 1887, first setting foot in Baltimore, but proceeded on his westward journey until arriving at Antigo, Wis., where he remained a few days. He then came to Merrill, where he worked at his trade for others until 1892, but in that year he and Martin Larsen purchased their present shop, where they are now doing general blacksmithing under the firm name of Larsen & Kunkel. They have a large and constantly increasing trade, and all the work which they turn out is of a first class description.

In 1890, Mr. Kunkel married Johanna De Graff, also a native of Germany, where her birth occurred in 1869. With her parents, William and Christine De Graff, she came to America in 1877; her father now lives in Merrill, where he carries on shoe making; her mother died in April, 1891, leaving a family of six children: Theressa, Helmina, Laura, Johanna, William and Emil. To our subject and his wife has been born one children, Raymond. Mr. Kunkel exercises his right of franchise in support of the Republican Party, whose principles he always espouses, and in religious belief is a Lutheran. On his arrival in this country he had no capital with which to begin life, in fact he was fifty dollars in debt; but by industry and economy he has worked his way upward until now he has secured a comfortable home, and is the manager of a good business.

---Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin Counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano. publ. 1895 by J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago 1110 pages, illustrated; Page 1009-1010