BIOGRAPHIES: J. William MEYER, Elk Mound Township, 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 13 January 2004 ************************************************************************ J. WILLIAM MEYER, proprietor of Fairview Stock Farm in Sections 22 and 27, town of Elk Mound, which is the product of 23 years' hard work on the part of Mr. Meyer and a credit to his creative genius, was born in the town of Eagle Point (now Tilden), Chippewa County, Wis., April 13, 1869, son of Ludvig and Anna Catherine (Todter) Meyer. The parents were among the considerable number of immigrants who came to this country from Germany, in 1848, the year of the unsuccessful revolution, though there is nothing to show that their emigration from their native land partook of the nature of flight. The struggle for a greater degree of liberty having been suppressed, they were doubtless seeking a land of wider opportunity with less restraint upon the individual and with fewer taxes to pay. When they embarked on board the vessel bound for the United States they were as yet single, but on the vessel they were married and as man and wife they landed. Evidently they had small means, f! or on coming west to Washington County, Wisconsin, they settled on 40 acres of timber land, made a clearing, built a log cabin, and remained there for ten years, moving in 1858 to the town of Sigel, Chippewa County. But soon they went to Chippewa Falls, where they spent a year, and from there moved to the town of Eagle Point (now Tilden), where Mr. Meyer bought 140 acres of wild land and began the development of a new farm, in time putting up excellent buildings and clearing all but 40 acres of the land. On March 27, 1896, he sustained a severe bereavement in the death of his wife, how had proved a loving companion and effective helpmate. He continued, however, to live on the farm for 19 years longer, or until his own death on March 28, 1915. They had been the parents of nine children, Herman, Louis, Anna, Otto, Gustave, Adolph, Caroline, Michael and J. William, all of whom are now living except Gustave. J. William Meyer acquired a public school education in what is now the town ! of Tilden and resided there until 1898. Then coming to Dunn County, he bought an 80-acres farm in Section 25, town of Elk Mound, which he operated for three years. It was at the end of that time that he bought his present farm of 160 acres in Sections 22 and 27. There was an old house and a poor set of buildings on it and Mr. Meyer started with them, making his improvements gradually. From time to time he would tear down one of the old buildings and put up a new one of more modern type. In 1912 he erected his present fine residence of nine rooms and bath, installed with a hot water heating plant and lighted by electricity. Two fine porches add to the architectural beauty of the front of the house, one for each story. in 1901 Mr. Meyer built a full basement barn of 34 x 64 feet in ground plan, with an "L" attachment to serve the purpose of a horse barn. This barn has a full patent equipment of stanchions, drinking cups, litter carriers, etc., has cement floors and is electrically ligh! ted. The year 1910 saw the erection of a cement block silo and among Mr. Meyer's other substantial buildings are a granary, machine shed and chicken and hog houses, a garage and a pump and milk house. On the farm he has two drilled wells. His Phelps individual electric light plant provides abundant illumination for all the buildings and yard, and also the power to operate his milking-machine and pump. He carries on general farming and dairying, keeping grade and full blooded Holstein cattle, with a pure bred sire; also Poland-China hogs. he still owns the 80 acres he first bought in Section 25, and also has 15 acres of woodland in Section 29 and 20 acres of woodland in Section 10. One of the organizers of the creamery, he served on its board of directors for 17 years and is still a stockholder, being also a stockholder in the Bank of Elk Mound. For many years he has been one of the prominent citizens of his town, for seven years serving as supervisor, and for four years being chairm! an of the town board and a member of the county board. Mr. Meyer was married Dec. 29, 1895, to Mary Scheibe of Elk Mound, who was born in Germany, Sept. 18, 1868, and came to this country with her parents when only six months old. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, namely, Irene, Agnes, Reual, Lawrence, Wilbert and Vernon. Irene, is now Mrs. Herbert Paff, her husband being a farmer of Chippewa County; she has one child, Robert. Agnes, is the wife of William Hart, a farmer of Chippewa County, and has two children, Merlin and James. Mr. Meyer and family are members of the Evangelical Church in Elk Mound village, of which he is a trustee. -Transcribed from the "History of Dunn County Wisconsin, 1925," page 516 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm