BIOGRAPHIES: Fred MAVES, Cedar Falls, Dunn Co., WI ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, 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. Submitted by: Laura Abood 16 March 2004 ************************************************************************ FRED MAVES, a well known and highly esteemed resident of the village of Cedar Falls, where he is now living retired, and who was one of the early settlers in the town of Elk Mound, was born in Germany, Aug. 16, 1850, son of Gottlieb and Carolina (Yoeks) Maves. The parents were natives of Germany who emigrated to the United States in 1855, crossing the ocean in a sailing vessel. Settling first in Milwaukee, they moved thence to Baldwin in Pierce County, Wis., from the latter place to Buffalo County, and from Buffalo County to Dunn County, arriving here in 1861 and locating on Iron Creek in the town of Red Cedar, where they engaged in farming. Later they sold that farm to Albert Maves, a nephew of Gottlieb, and moved to Eau Claire, where they resided for a few years. They then returned to Dunn County to make their home with their son Charles in the town of Elk Mound. There Mrs. Carolina Maves died in 1895, being survived by her husband, whose death occurred some 12 years later, in a hospital in Superior in 1907. They were the parents of nine children, Charles, Fred, William, Theodore, John, Edward, Sarah, Henry and August. Fred Maves was a child of about five years when he came with his parents to America and was about 11 or nearly when he arrived in Dunn County with them. He grew into manhood on their farm in the town of Red Cedar, which he helped to improve, and on which he resided until 1871. In 1872 he began farming for himself, buying a farm of 200 acres in the town of Elk Mound. The land was wild and he had to make a clearing before he could find a suitable place on which to build a log house and barns. He had been married in the previous year--on Oct. 19, 1871--to Amelia Lemke, a native of Germany, born April 26, 1851, who had come to America in 1868, settling at Portage, Wis., and arriving in Dunn County on Nov. 3, 1870. Having erected his buildings, Mr. Maves, with the assistance of his good wife, set to work to improve his property and make afarm of it. Early in his active career he received a sunstroke, which handicapped him at times for 14 years, and his wife often put on overalls and did a man's work in the fields, in the woods, or around the barns. With this hearty co- operation, they prospered and gradually advanced their fortunes, the farm assuming a more attractive appearance year by year, and in time it was recognized as one of the finest farms in what was known as the "Beyer Settlement." The year 1913 was the erection of a fine new residence containing eight rooms, with a full basement, and with a ground plan of 24 x 28 feet. Mr. Maves also erected a fine basement barn of 34 x 74 feet, equipped with the best modern appliances; and among his other buildings was one of the finest hog sties in the county, and also a large silo. In front of the house was a beautiful lawn, and flower beds and shrubbery were tastefully laid out to enhance the picturesqueness of the surroundings and give a thoroughly home aspect to the place. But the time came when Mr. and Mrs. Maves felt that they had done their part, and that it was due to them to retire and let the younger generation carry on the work, and so in 1917 they sold the farm to their son Walter and took up their residence in the village of Cedar Falls, where they have since lived. At the time they did so, Mr. Maves had 40 head of fine Holstein cattle, 80 hogs and 10 horses, besides a large flock of poultry and a full equipment of tools and machinery. On settling in the village he bought a good house, with four lots, and here he and his wife are enjoying a well earned period of restful ease. The date of Oct. 19, 19121, marked a notable event in their life history, as on that day they celebrated their golden wedding, 250 guests being present on the occasion. They were the recipients of a number of useful and beautiful gifts, with $200 in money, $120 of which was in gold coin. In addition to their property in the village of Cedar Falls Mr. and Mrs. Maves own an acre of ground in the Elmwood addition to Menomonie. They are members of the Evangelical Church, in which they have always been active workers, Mr. Maves serving for 25 years as superintendent of the Sunday school. They have had 12 children, all of whom with the exception of one now dead and two who are on the home farm, have their own homes and are working out successful careers. A full list of these children shows the names of Carl Benjamin, Amanda, Emma, Lillie, William, Frederick, Ida, Frank A., Otto, Walter, Esther, and Edwin, of whom the following is a further record. Carl Benjamin, born March 12, 1873, who went to California and was a merchant in that state, died Oct. 20, 1923. He married Elizabeth Haase and left three children, Clarence, Edith and Helen. Amanda, born Dec. 4, 1874, married Fred Anderson and is now living in Minneapolis. She has six children, Herbert, Esther, Amos, Earl, Elmer, and Ray. Emma, born May 2m 1876, is practicing the profession of a trained nurse at Los Angeles, Calif. Lillie, born Feb. 4, 1878, who is the wife of Henry Hohlbine of Cedar Falls, has five children, Laura, Nellie, William, Sophronia and Ida. William, born Aug. 10, 1879, resides in the town of Elk Mound, Dunn County, married Amanda Schroeder, and is the father of ten living children, Lucille, Marvin, Raymond, Wilmar, Evelyn, Emil, Harry, Vera, Wesley and Mildred. Two others (twins) died unnamed. Frederick, born March 19, 1881, is now a contractor and builder in California. He married Edna John and has four children, Caroline, Grace, George and Melvin. Ida, born July 30 ,1882, married Peter Anderson and lives in the village of Cedar Falls. She has two children, Russell and Ilah. Otto, born July 26, 1884, is now a farmer at Shiocton; he married Emma Schroeder and has one child, Weldon. Frank A., born Nov. 8, 1885, met a sudden and unexpected death at the age of 21, being killed by lightening on Thanksgiving eve, Nov. 25, 1908, on the farm of his brother William in the town of Elk Mound. He had been helping his brother with the chores during the progress of an electric storm. Having opened the barn door to observe the atmospheric conditions, he made the remark, "It is going to strike here," and an instant later the bolt struck him. The barn caught fire and was burned to the ground, the brother William, however, with remarkable presence of mind, saving 14 head of stock and six horses. Walter, born Dec. 9, 1887, who is on the home farm in the town of Elk Mound, harried Margaret Wieman. Esther, born June 22, 1889, is now Mrs. Henry Schroeder of Green County and her children are Eleanor, Vera, Nelda, Dorothy, Walter, Irene and Harold. Edwin, born March 6, 1891, and who lives in St. Paul, Minn., married Myrtle Yoeks. The Maves family history is one that may be regarded as descriptive of the best class of Dunn County citizens. In its pioneer beginnings, the patience, industry, thrift, and mutual cooperation practiced for the common advancement, and the neighborly kindness and hospitality always observed in the household; and, moreover, the striving after a higher standard of living, shown in the esthetic taste that prompted the beautifying of the home surroundings by flower beds, lawns and shrubbery; in all these things and others lie the evidence of those deep springs of character that, exercised on a wider scale, have raised mankind from barbarism to civilization. -Transcribed from the "History of Dunn County Wisconsin, 1925," pages 421-423 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm