BIOGRAPHIES:  Fred MEWES, Sr., Turtle Lake Township, Barron Co., WI

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Submitted by:  Vic Gulickson <vic@indy.net>  14 January 2004
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Fred Mewes, Sr., who for a number of years was an active and successful
farmer of Turtle Lake Township, but who now resides in Clayton Village,
Polk County, was born in Landau, Germany, Aug. 1, 1866, son of Henry and
Mary Mewes. The father was by occupation a farmer and mail carrier and died
about 1874, having survived his wife about two years. They left four
children, Carl, Henry, Louisa and Fred. Fred, being thus early left an
orphan, resided until the age of fourteen with a cousin. After finishing
his schooling, he began to learn the tailors' trade, but finding that
occupation not suited to his health, he returned to the home farm, where he
remained for a year. After that he spent a year in Greshein, lived for a
while in Frankport, and then spent several years on the farm. About 1886 he
came to America, landing at New York, whence he proceeded to Chicago, where
he first got a job at organ painting, and afterwards with the Nelson &
Morris Packing Co. as carpenter. With that company he remained several
years, at the end of which period he came to Wisconsin. About 1899 he came
to Barron County, buying 80 acres of wild land in Turtle Lake Township,
that section being then but thinly settled and destitute of roads. The
purchase of this land having exhausted his finances, Mr. Mewes returned to
Chicago and re-entered the employ of the Nelson & Morris Co., remaining
until he had accumulated enough cash to enable him to make a start on his
farm. He then came back to Barron County and began the development of his
farm, on which he built a good house, barn and silo, with other necessary
buildings. He also bought 80 acres of adjoining land and ultimately
increased the extent of his property to 320 acres. The present barn is 36
by 70 by 12 feet in size, with an eight-foot basement, and an "L" 36 by 38
feet. Eighty acres of the land are under the plow. Mr. Mewes carried on
general farming and dairying very successfully until the spring of 1921,
when he rented the place to his sons, Fred, Jr., and Rudolph, and removed
to Clayton Village, where he has 40 acres of land, with a good brick house,
barn and chicken house. Mr. Mewes was married in Chicago, Oct. 10, 1891, to
Rosa, daughter of John and Catherine Schlagel, of Henderson, Minn. He and
his wife have been the parents of thirteen children: Anna, born Oct. 26,
1892, now the wife of Martin Yager, of Turtle Lake Township; Fred, Jr.,
born March 28, 1895, and Rudolph, born Jan. 10, 1897, who together are
operating the old farm; Henry, born Sept. 7, 1899; Louisa, born Oct. 2,
1901, who is keeping house for her brothers, Fred and Rudolph; Rosa, born
Sept. 15, 1903; Leo, April 3, 1905; Clara, Aug. 6, 1907; Agnes, April 7,
1909; Hazel, April 16, 1911; Reuben, May 8, 1913; Harry, May 6, 1915, and
Esther, Aug. 20, 1917. The five youngest, with Henry, are residing at home
with their parents. Fred Mewes, Jr., was inducted into the United States
service, Oct. 3, 1917, and left Barron the same day for Camp Grant, where
he remained for a year. He was then transferred to Camp Upton and assigned
to the 341st Infantry. In September, 1918, he sailed from Hoboken for
Liverpool, which port was reached in 13 days. From there he went to Havre,
France, and then to Bordeaux, where he remained six weeks, when he started
for the front. The signing of the armistice prevented him from
participating in battle service and he was soon started for home, the
return voyage being made by way of Gibraltar and occupying 17 days. He was
discharged at Camp Grant, April 3, 1919, and reached home on the following
day. The Mewes farm, which he and his brother are working, is seven miles
southeast of Turtle Lake and three miles from Clayton. It is well stocked
with about 35 head of good graded cows, with about 25 or 30 young stock.
Fred Mewes, Sr., attends the German Lutheran Church at Clayton, Mrs. Mewes
and the children being Catholics.

--Transcribed from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper,
Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 164-165.

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