BIOGRAPHIES: Frederick KAHL, Prairie Farm Township, Barron County, 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Vic Gulickson 25 April 2001 ==================================================================== Frederick Kahl, a pioneer of Prairie Farm Township, is one of the best known men in this region, and had an active part in the events of the township in the days when the county was just beginning to develop from a wilderness. He was born in Prussia, Germany, son of Johaken and Sophia (Bovholtz) Kahl, who were small farmers of that country. In the family there were five children, Frederick, John, William, August and Sophia, and of these, two, Frederick and Sophia, now the wife of Fred Fisher, of Menomonie, came to the United States. Frederick attended school in Germany, and as a youth learned the mason's trade. In 1869 he came to the United States, landed at New York, and found his way to Menomonie in Dunn County, this state, where he entered the employ of Knapp, Stout & Co., and was sent by them to Barron County, where he was employed for some years driving a lumber team under the direction of John Quaderer. During this time he bought the rights in 160 acres of land on Sheridan Prairie, Dunn County, but soon afterward sold that property. After his marriage in 1874, he and his wife conducted John Quaderer's boarding house on the present site of Barron for a year. Then they moved onto a homestead in Section 4, Prairie Farm Township, upon which he had filed as early as July, 1869. Here he built a log cabin, 14 by 16 feet and lived in it long enough to prove up on the homestead. Some time later he sold this homestead. In the meantime, in the fall of 1875, after having lived on the homestead during the summer, he purchased a tract of 160 acres in Section 26, in the same township. A log house, log stable and log granary had been erected, and some nine acres had been cleared. Here he started farming with an ox team, four cows, two head of young stock, 150 bushels of grain, and a few tools. As prosperity increased he put up a good set of buildings and developed a good farm. By judicious purchases he added to his holdings, until he owned half a section of land, but he has sold some, so that he now owns 148 acres. He successfully carries on general farming and dairying, and is one of the prosperous men of the community. He has a fine herd of high grade Guernseys with a pure blooded sire, and is a member of the Guernsey club. His swine are full blooded Poland-Chinas, and his horses are of the Percheron breed. He is a believer in everything that will build up the community. He helped to start a cheese factory over the line in Dunn County in the early days and one in Prairie Farm Township, and he was also instrumental in starting the Farmers' Co-operative Creamery at Prairie Farm Village, of which he was president for four years. He was active in starting the Bloomer Store Co. and is now one of its directors. He likewise helped to get the Evangelical congregation at Prairie Farm started. He was prominent in it in the days when meetings were held in his home and in the school house, he helped to build the church, and he has served in a number of its offices. In public life he has served on the town board and on the school board, with credit to himself, and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Mr. Kahl was married at Menomonie, Sept. 24, 18714, to Christena Muller, who was born in Germany, March 11, 1850, and came to America in 1871. This union has been blessed with five children: Otto, who is farming in this township; Ernest F., who is farming in this township; Mary, who is the wife of Rev. W. W. Kreger, of Arcadia, Wis,; Edward, who operates the home farm with his father, and Lydia, who is the wife of Fred Jordan, of Prairie Farm Township. In 1908 Mr. Kahl built a modern residence of eight rooms and in 1917 installed the Delco system of electric lights, which furnishes light for his two houses, barns, granary and yard. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 618-619.