- CHARLES W. KEMMERER. Few if any better examples of agricultural
success in Rock county
- could be found than that presented by the life of the subject
of this sketch, who has scarcely more than passed the half-century
mark. He is a native of Rock county, began life for himself by
renting land, and now owns 480 well-tilled acres in La Prairie
and Turtle townships, Rock county. His father was a pioneer of
Rock county, and one of its successful farmers.
- Our subject was born in Rock township, Rock county, Nov.
12, 1850, son of S. H. and Elizabeth
- (GISH) KEMMERER, natives of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandfather,
Conrad KEMMERER, lived to the age of ninety, and had a family
of thirteen children. He was born in Pennsylvania, of German
extraction, and was a lifelong farmer. The maternal grandfather
was a sailor early in life, and after his marriage became a miller.
He lived to the age of about sixty years, and had six children.
- It was in 1848 that S. H. KEMMERER, the father, emigrated
from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin. He
- was a farmer, and settled on a small tract of forty acres
which he purchased in La Prairie township. To this little homestead
he afterward added 212 acres of adjoining property in La Prairie
and Turtle townships. This he improved, and upon his land in
Section 32, La Prairie township, he reared his family. In 1885
he sold the farm and removed to Janesville, where he lived retired
until his death, March 6, 1901, at his home in that city. He
was a member of the Methodist Church, to which his widow also
belongs. Six children have been born to them, four sons and two
daughters: Abram, of Spink county, S. Dak.; Charles W., our subject;
Miss Blandena, of Janesville; John F., of Clinton, Rock county;
Louis, of Janesville; and Ida, wife of W. VAN VALEN, of Atlanta,
Georgia.
- Charles W. KEMMERER was reared on the farm, and has passed
all his life in Rock county. He
- attended the district schools, adopted farming as his vocation,
and by his industry, thrift and good business judgment has had
a most successful career. He began for himself by renting land,
and the second year after he became of age purchased forty acres.
This he sold later, and bought other land. Mr. KEMMERER has dealt
quite successfully in farming lands, and now owns 480 acres,
including the place of 240 acres in Section 32, La Prairie township,
where he resided until recently, a tract of eighty acres in the
same township, and 160 acres in Turtle township. In the spring
of 1901 he retired from farming, and moved to Janesville to reside.
- Mr. KEMMERER married Sept. 5, 1877, Miss Jennie E. LOUCKS,
daughter of Adam H. and
- Magdalene Ann (VAN WIE) LOUCKS, natives of New York State.
Mr. LOUCKS in 1854 came West, and located at Shopiere, in Turtle
township, Rock county. Two of the great-grandfathers of Mrs.
KEMMERER, both of Holland-Dutch ancestry, were Revolutionary
soldiers - Henry LOUCKS and Andrew VAN WIE; the latter married
the sister of Gen. Philip SCHUYLER, of the Revolutionary war,
and a resident of Albany, N.Y. The paternal grandfather of Mrs.
KEMMERER, Adam LOUCKS, was a shoe merchant in New York State,
and died comparatively early in life. Her maternal grandfather,
Philip Schuyler VAN WIE, a farmer of New York State, migrated
to Rock county, Wis., in 1857. He died the year following, aged
fifty-seven years. Adam H. LOUCKS, the father of Mrs. KEMMERER,
was a shoemaker in his early years, and later a farmer. After
his migration to Wisconsin, in 1854, he was a resident of Turtle
township for many years, becoming a prominent citizen. He served
as a member of the school board and as supervisor for a number
of years. In 1885 he removed to Janesville, for two years conducted
a show business, and then retired from the active duties of life.
In 1896 he moved with his wife to California, and engaged at
Burbank in fruit growing. He died in December, 1897, aged sixty-nine
years. Seven children were born to Adam H. and Magdalene Ann
LOUCKS: Mary Catherine; Charles N.; Annette, wife of George C.
HEALD, of Chicago; Jennie E., wife of our subject; Clark N.,
of Chicago; George C., of Chicago; and Olive Belle, wife of George
B. MIER, of Daggett, California.
- To Mr. and Mrs. KEMMERER have been born five children, three
sons and two daughters:
- Herbert C., who died, aged four years; Lee C., who died at
the age of two years; Eugene M., who died, aged six years; Ina
Belle; and Olive May. Mr. and Mrs. KEMMERER are prominent members
of the M. E. Church, and Mr. KEMMERER is a member of the board
of stewards. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America,
and himself and wife are members of the Royal Neighbors. Politically
Mr. KEMMERER is a Republican. He is now serving as school clerk,
and has held various local offices. He is highly respected and
esteemed by his wide circle of friends and acquaintances for
his sterling traits of character, for the admirable business
results of his career, and for his interest and devotion to the
many affairs of local welfare, which for their success depend
upon the encouragement and support of prominent and influential
citizens.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901; pp. 481-482.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|