GUS DRAGER - Biography

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Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 462


GUS DRAGER, a well-known conductor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad and 
a worthy citizen of Baraboo, has made his own way in the world from an early 
age and now holds an honorable position with one of the greatest railroad 
corporations in the U. S. He was born in Jefferson [Jefferson County], WI, 
25 Dec 1864, and is a son of John and Rosa (DRAGER) DRAGER, natives of 
Germany, who came to the new world in 1850, and located near Jefferson, WI, 
where the father died upon his farm during the infancy of our subject. The 
mother died in Fort Atkinson [Jefferson County], WI, 20 Oct 1869, aged 70 
years. Her father, Frederick DRAGER, died in Jefferson [Jefferson County], 
WI, about 1872, at the advanced age of 96 years. He was active and vigorous 
up to the time of his death.

The early boyhood of our subject was spent with his paternal grandfather and 
an uncle in Jefferson, and at the age of ten years he began earning his own 
livelihood by working on a farm. Three years later he entered the chain 
factory at Fort Atkinson, where he was employed until attaining his majority, 
and then secured a position as brakeman with the Chicago & Northwestern 
Railroad Company, with which corporation he has been continued almost 
continuously since. In 1891 he was made conductor, and most of the time has 
run a train on the Madison division of the line.

Mr. DRAGER was married in 1891 to Miss Nellie NILAND, a daughter of Patrick 
and Ellen (BOYLE) NILAND, of Fort Atkinson. Her parents were both natives of 
Dublin, Ireland, and came to the U. S. in 1823. After living for some years 
in VT, they came to WI about 1856. The father died in Fort Atkinson 
[Jefferson County, WI] 08 Aug 1875, aged 53 years, and the mother died in the 
same place 30 Sep 1896, aged 72. Mrs. DRAGER is a member of St. Patrick's 
Catholic church of Baraboo. Politically our subject is independent, and 
fraternally has been a member of the Order of Railway Conductors since 1898. 
His success in life is due to his integrity of character and faithful 
performance of duty. He is held in high regard by all who know him.