BIOGRAPHIES: J. Casper RASSBACH, 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 5 May 2001 ==================================================================== J. Casper Rassbach, a worthy citizen, now deceased, was born in Saxony, Germany, Oct. 23, 1835, the son of Matthew Rassbach, who brought his wife and four children, J. Casper, Conrad, Jerry and Anna, to the United States in the forties, and located near Blue Mound, Dane County, Wis., where he spent the remainder of his life. J. Casper grew to manhood in Dane County, and was there married. In 1867 he brought his wife and three children, John Matthew, William and Julius, to Barron County. The trip was made with an ox team, and he also brought a span of colts and a cow. Upon their arrival here they settled on 160 acres of wild land in Section 36, Prairie Farm, not far from the Dunn County line. For a while the family lived in a tent until he could erect a log house, 16 by 22 feet. Most of the furniture for the little home was made from wood cut in the yard. The bedstead consisted of tamarack posts, between which ropes were stretched. The marketing point for the family was at Menomonie. The county was but little developed, most of its inhabitants being people who were working in the lumber camps. Mr. Rassbach for some years "toted" supplies for the Knapp, Stout & Co., receiving $35 a month for himself and a team of horses. In the meantime he gradually developed his own place and as the years passed built up a good farm. He was regarded with much respect by his fellow men and occupied a substantial place in the affairs of the community. He was in everything a loyal and patriotic citizen, who had the interests of the town and county deeply at heart. As one of the town supervisors he furthered the cause of good roads. He helped to get a school district organized in his neighborhood, and served on the school board. The Evangelical Church found in him a loyal supporter. He was a God-fearing, upright man, and served the church as class leader and exhorter. He was a good husband and father, a generous neighbor, a loyal friend. His death on Dec. 22, 1906, was sincerely mourned. His good wife died April 13, 1915. Mr. Rassbach was married at Blue Mound, Dane County, to Mary S. Harmon, who was born in November, 1841, at Schellburg, Penn., the daughter of Jesse and Julia Harmon, and descended from an early Pennsylvania family. This union has been blessed with eleven children. John Martin farms in Prairie Farm Township. William farms on Sheridan Prairie, Dunn County, this state. Julia is the wife of John Deringer, of Prairie Farm Township. Lena is the wife of George Holman of Cameron. Anna is the wife of John Neck, of Prairie Farm Township. Charles is in Maple Grove Township. Lizzie is the wife of William Henneman of Chippewa Falls. Henry, Walter, Helen and Matilda are dead. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 387-388.