BIOGRAPHIES:  Fred WEGE, Elk Mound, Dunn County, WI

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From the 1925 History of Dunn County.
 
FRED WEGE, who has a long and creditable record as a Dunn County farmer, 
though now retired, was born in Hanover, Germany, July 21, 1862, son of 
Henry W. and Mary (Hesemeir) Wege.  As a boy he attended school in his 
native land and when of suitable age was confirmed in the Lutheran church.  
It was in 1881, at the age of 19, that he came to the United States and 
to Dunn County, Wisconsin, locating at Elk Mound.  For the next 17 years 
he worked on farms during the summers and at logging in the woods during 
the winters.  The year 1896 saw the end of his life of bachelorhood, for 
he was married on March 24th, to Minnie Ausman, who as born in the town 
of Spring Brook, Dunn County, May 23, 1864, daughter of Henry and Martha 
(Sipple) Ausman, her parents being settlers in this region.  At the same 
time he began his career as an independent farmer, buying 80 acres of 
land in Section 24, town of Elk Mound, and 80 acres just across the line 
in Chippewa County.  Some of the land had been broken but there were no 
buildings.  Mr. Wege erected a comfortable dwelling and he and his wife 
took possession of it.  In the years that followed he built up a fine 
farm, one of the best in the town.  After he had made considerable 
progress on it he bought another 80-acre tract in Chippewa County, which 
gave him 240-acres, and he carried on farming very successfully until 
1918.  In that year he sold the farm to his son-in-law, Alvin G. Meyer, 
and he then bought another, in Section 24, and across the road from his 
original farm.  It was an improved piece of property, but had poor 
buildings.  He conducted that farm for several years, and in 1924 had 
his barn destroyed by fire; but on the whole he was very successful.  
In the fall of 1924 Mr. Wege gave up farming, passing the task on to 
his son-in-law, Mr. Meyer, who is operating the 80-acre farm in addition 
to the farm of 240 acres.  Mr. and Mrs. Wege were the parents of three 
children, one of whom, Della M., born June 24, 1897, is now Mrs. Alvin 
G. Meyer.  Mr. and Mrs. Meyer own the old home farm of 240 acres, which 
they have named Cedar Crest Farm.  They are prominent among the younger 
elements in the town of Elk Mound.  On June 4, 1923 they lost their barn 
which was struck by lightning and totally destroyed, but they have 
erected a fine new one, 36 x 100 feet in ground plan, with full basement, 
and which is fully equipped with modern conveniences for handling the 
stock, including home water and light systems.  The cattle on the farm 
are choice specimens of the Red Pole breed.  Mr. and Mrs. Alvin G. Meyer 
are the parents of two children:  Eleanor Della, born July 6, 1920, and 
Luverne Alvin, born Oct. 28, 1922.  The other children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Wege were Clayton, born June 15, 1899, and died Feb. 28, 1903, and Alvin, 
born July 12, 1901, and died Oct. 19, 1909.