BIOGRAPHIES: John BADERTSCHER, Oak Grove Township, Barron Co., WI *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Submitted by: Vic Gulickson 24 February 2004 *********************************************************************** John Badertscher, of the firm of Badertscher Brothers, cheese manufacturers, owners of the Dobie Cheese Factory in Dobie Village; the Oak Grove Cheese Factory in section 15, Oak Grove Township, and the Long Lake Road Cheese Factory in section 15, Oak Grove Township is an expert in his line, he knows his business thoroughly, he has faith in the still further progress of the county as an agricultural center and he has built up a good trade. He has the confidence of the farmers from whom he buys his milk and produces a cheese which is in high favor with the consumer. He has achieved everything by his own efforts and with but little encouragement, and as he is still a young man his friends predict that he will rise high in the ranks of big cheese men of the state. He was born in Switzerland, April 30, 1889, son of Christ and Anna (Beer) Badertscher. He was reared in his native land, early became interested in cheese making in that country noted for its cheese makers, and in 1909 graduated from the famous Bern Dairy School which has produced some of the best experts in dairying. With this preparation he followed cheese making in his native land a few years more. He came to America in March, 1913, and settled in Stevenson County, Illinois, where he was in charge of the Spring Valley Cheese Factory at Orangeville. While there he looked about for a permanent location and finally hit upon Barron County as one of the best dairy regions in the Northwest. Accordingly he and his brother, Otto, came here in 1918 and built a cheese factory at Dobie, in Oak Grove Township. This plant was destroyed by fire Aug. 20, 1920, but was rebuilt as soon as material could be obtained. It was erected and equipped along the latest improved lines and is one of the best in the county. This factory, which is under the direct supervision of John Badertscher, has a daily summer output of 1,000 pounds of cheese, and a daily winter output of 500 pounds, making a total annual output of 273,752 pounds. The other two factories also have a good output. The Oak Grove Factory in section 15 was purchased in 1920 and the Long Lake Road Cheese Factory in section 15 was erected in 1918. Mr. Badertscher is a stockholder in the Industrial Co-operative Union at Monroe, Wis. He was married Feb. 9, 1917, to Alice Oberli, who was born in Switzerland Nov. 29, 1887, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Reber) Oberli, natives of that country who still reside there. Mr. and Mrs. Badertscher have one child, Gertrude E., born June 6, 1919. The family attends the Swiss church. --Transcribed from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pg. 344. © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm