Henry Scheel Biography - Grant County Wisconsin

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Submitted by David W. Taft, dtaft@cowtown.net

Commemorative Biographical Record of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa, and
Lafayette Counties, Wisconsin
J. H. Beers, 1901, Pages 472

HENRY SCHEEL, a retired farmer of Platteville, Grant county, is the
possessors of a handsome property, and is enabled to spend his declining
years in the pleasurable enjoyment of his accumulations. The record of his
early life is that of an active, enterprising, methodical and sagacious
business man, who bent his energies to the honorable acquirement of a
comfortable competence for himself and family.

Mr. Scheel was born in Holstein, Germany, May 1, 1818, a son of Hans and
Catharine (Wolfe) Scheel, also natives of Holstein, who in 1846 emigrated to
America.  The family sailed from Hamburg, Germany, to England; from Hull to
Quebec, Canada; and by the chain of lakes to Chicago, whence they proceeded
across the country to Galena, Ill., where the mother died the same year.
The father made his home with his son Henry after coming to this State, in
1847, and died in Elk Grove, Lafayette county.  In early life he was a
sailor and fisherman on the Baltic sea, and also followed farming, owning
and operating a tract of land in Germany.  He had only two children, Henry
being the only son.  Anna was married in Germany to Peter Schroeder, who
died in California, and her death occurred in Platteville, in 1896.  To
their union were born five children: Henry, a resident of Platteville; Mary,
of Platteville; Frederick, of Elk Grove; Christopher, deceased; and
Catherine, of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Henry Scheel was reared and educated in his native land, and was there
married, in 1841, to Miss Catherine Kay, also a native of Germany, and a
daughter of Joseph Kay, who spent his entire life in that country.  On the
emigration of the family to America, in 1846, they stopped first in Galena,
Ill., where they spent one winter, and the following year took up their
residence in Elk Grove, Lafayette Co., Wis., where Mr. Scheel opened up and
improved a farm.  For about thirty-five years he was successfully engaged in
general farming and stuck raising, and is now the owner of a large amount of
land at Elk County having several good farms.  This property has all been
acquired through his own industry, perseverance and good management, and he
well deserves the prosperity that has come to him.  In 1881 he moved to
Platteville and has since lived a retired life.

Mr. Scheel has been called upon to mourn the loss of his estimable wife, who
died in Platteville in 1897.  To them were born five children, namely: Anna.
Deceased; William, who died at the age of twenty-two years; John, deceased;
Jane, Mrs. Niehans; and Mary, at home.

As a Democrat Mr. Scheel has taken quite an active interest in political
affairs, and served on the town board in Elk Grove seven years, and in the
town council of Platteville two years.  Religiously he holds membership in
the Lutheran Church.  He has been identified with the interests of Wisconsin
since Territorial days and has witnessed almost its entire development and
progress.  He is one of the prominent men of Platteville, honored and
respected by all who know him.