JOHN JACOB GATTIKER - Biography

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Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 620-623

JOHN JACOB GATTIKER, deceased, through 40 years of his identification with 
Sauk County enjoys the highest respect of his fellow citizens by reason of 
his strict integrity, true manhood and intellectual attainments. He was a 
gentleman of refinement and culture, and his deportment was always courteous 
and kind. His devotion to the public welfare also made him a valued factor 
in public life, and by his death Baraboo was deprived of one of her best 
citizens. 

Mr. GATTIKER was born in Zurich [Canton Zurich], Switzerland, 18 Apr 1826, a 
son of Henry and Maria M. GATTIKER, also native of Zurich, and 
representatives of good old Swiss families. The father was a teacher and 
followed that profession in Zurich throughout life, dying where when our 
subject was a young man. In 1871 his widow came to the new world and died in 
Baraboo [Sauk County], WI, the same year, at the age of 76.

Our subject was given excellent educational advantages, and at the age of 20 
graduated from a college in Zurich, after which he engaged in teaching for 
ten years in a gymnasium there, where the languages and higher branches were 
taught, his special studies being French, mathematics and Italian. Later he 
was a private tutor in an English family at Chamberi, Italy.

In 1855 Mr. GATTIKER came to the U. S. and located on a farm in Honey Creek 
Township, Sauk County, WI, where he devoted his energies to agricultural 
pursuits for a time. It was not long before his true worth and ability 
became known in this county, and in 1858 he was elected county clerk, in 
which capacity he served for eight years, making his home in Baraboo. He 
then embarked in the hardware business at that place, in company with his 
brother, A. GATTIKER, and enjoyed an extensive trade until he retired from 
active life in 1886.

In May 1851 Mr. GATTIKER wedded Miss Mary Madalene, daughter of Henry 
TRUNINGER. She was born in Winterthur [Canton Zurich], Switzerland, 30 Oct 
1828, and died in Baraboo [Sauk County, WI] on 03 Aug 1898. Of the six 
children born to them, only three are now living. For three years Mr. 
GATTIKER was afflicted with slow paralysis, and death finally ended his 
sufferings on 02 Apr 1895. He has led a busy and useful life and was held in 
the highest esteem by the citizens of Sauk County. He was not identified 
with any social or religious organization, but took a commendable interest in 
all worthy public enterprises. In political sentiment he was a stanch 
Republican and represented Baraboo in the county board of supervisors for a 
number of years, serving as chairman of that body two years of this time. He 
always took an active interest in educational affairs and was chairman of the 
board of education when the first and second ward school houses were built.