Biographies:  Gust John BOORTZ, Sumner Township, Barron Co., WI 

====================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information 
on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as 
this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may 
NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other 
persons or organizations.

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes 
other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file 
contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact 
the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:  
Victor Gulickson  <vic@indy.net>  19 April 1999
====================================================================

Gust John Boortz, a representative farmer of Section 33, Sumner Township, was
born in Germany, Nov. 17, 1878, the son of Herman and Otelia (Kruger) Boortz,
who brought him to Section 29, Sumner Township, in 1880. He was reared here 
and attended the district schools of the neighborhood. In 1899, he went to
Superior, Wis., and was employed in the ship building yards there for eleven 
years.  During this time he helped to build many of the famous freighters 
which now ply the Great Lakes. In 1910 he came back to Barron County, and 
bought his present place of 80 acres in Section 33. An old log house then 
stood on the place and a part of the land had been cleared. To the development 
and operation of this farm he has since devoted his attention.  He has 
greatly improved the land and has erected a fine set of buildings, including 
a modern cement house which he put up in 1917. He takes much pride in his 
place and it is pointed out to visitors as a model farm. Mr. Boortz is one of 
the real leaders in his community. He believes that farm life is the most 
desirable life in the country today, and he is in favor of everything which 
makes farm labor pleasant. He was one of the founders of the Greenwood Social 
Center Club, and is now its president. This is a notable community center 
project. Meetings are held with educational, musical and social programs, and 
the club has already resulted in much good, especially among the young people.  
Mr. Boortz is also a thorough believer in community co-operative effort, and 
he is one of the founders and the present president of the Farmers' 
Co-operative Store of Canton.  He is likewise a stock holder in the Canton
Shipping Association. In public life he is doing his duty as a good citizen, 
and has been the efficient clerk of School District No. 2 for five years. Mr.
Boortz was married on June 18, 1904, to Ella Lee, of Superior, Wis., daughter 
of Nels and Christina Lee, natives of Norway, who came to America as young
people, and were married in Wisconsin. The father died when Ella was six 
months old, leaving her and another sister, Hilda. The mother later married 
Odin Olson, and to this union was born one child, Ida.  Mr. and Mrs. Olson 
now live at Superior, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Boortz have ten children: Henrietta 
Christina, Clarence Herman, Ernest Otto, Neil Herman, Floyd Raymond, Laurna 
Silverta, Norene Ida, Glen Gustave, Elaine Gendina and Clyde Arndt. The two 
first named died in Superior, Wis.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.,
1922, pg. 411.