Outagamie County, WI - Biography of Adam BLESER of Little Chute, Vanderbroek Township 1821-1895

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SUBJECT: Biography of Adam BLESER of Little Chute, Vanderbroek Township 1821-1895
SUBMITTER: Janice Marasch
EMAIL: jmmarasch@aol.com
DATE SUBMITTED: Apr 16, 1999
SURNAMES: BLESER, PAULY, JUSTEN
SOURCE: History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin, by Dr. L. Falge, v.2, p. 365-366, 1911-1912


BIOGRAPHY:

BLESER: Adam
born 26 June 1821 in Germany
parents: None listed
married: 27 April 1851 to Mary Elizabeth Pauly, (b. Neunkirchen, Prussia), dau. of James and Katherine (Justen)
Pauly of Outagamie Co., WI.
Children: Adam Joseph, Daniel Bernard, Nicholas James, Minnie E., Henry John, William C., Marie C., Ida J.,
Theresa Agnes, Margaret L. and Josephine.

Adam Bleser, who, during a long and useful life, was closely associated with the business, political and church
interests of Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, was born in Germany, June 26, 1821, and came to the United States in
1845. He located first in the state of Pennsylvania, and after traveling to a number of other points made his way to
Manitowoc county in 1847, first opening a store at Manitowoc Rapids, where he was engaged in business until 1861.
In that year he came to Manitowoc, opening a general store on Eighth street, continuing there for several years and
then moving to another location, where he was engaged in business until his establishment was destroyed by fire.
During his latter years he was engaged in selling sewing machines, and also was the owner of a farming property
in Rapids township.
On April 27, 1851, Mr. Bleser was married to Mary Elizabeth Pauly, who was born in Neunkirchen, Prussia, a
daughter of James and Katherine (Justen) Pauly, who came to the United States in 1842 and first located at Green
Bay, later going to Little Chute and also spending some time in Vanderbroek township, Outagamie county. Mr. Pauly
then purchased wild land in Outagamie county, when the country was in its virgin state and wild animals and Indians
were still to be found in plenty. There Mrs. Bleser's parents resided during the remainder of their lives. They had four
daughters and a son, of whom Mrs. Bleser and a sister survive. Mrs. Bleser came to Manitowoc as a young woman,
in 1847, and spent one year with her sister, and again in 1851 located in Manitowoc, where she met Mr. Bleser.
Eleven children were born to them: Adam Joseph, register of deeds, of Milbank, South Dakota; Daniel Bernard, the
owner of a large brewery in Manitoba, who married Bertha Hoyer and has four children; Nicholas James, bank
president, business man and land owner, of Milbank, South Dakota; Minnie E., deceased, who married (first) Dr.
Seeger, and (second) Mr. DuVal of Kewaunee; Henry John, who lost his life at the age of eight years by drowning;
William C., who died at the age of one and one-half years; Marie C., who died when twelve years of age; Ida J., who
married Frank Miller; Theresa Agnes, who married J. P. Staehle; Margaret L., who is deceased; and Josephine, who
married N. N. Knutzen. The members of this family are all connected with the Catholic church.
Adam Bleser was prominent in school work, was one of the first postmasters of Manitowoc, and in 1850 was county
treasurer. He was a devout member of the Catholic church, and he assisted in building one of the first structures of
that denomination in Manitowoc Rapids. From the time of its organization he was a member of the Catholic Knights.
He and his family were all great lovers of music and were instrumental in establishing one of the first choirs in this
part of the county. Mr. Bleser's death occurred September 16, 1895, and he was mourned by all who had known him.
Always a man of strict honesty and integrity, he was conscientious in his efforts to what he believed to he right, and
he stood high in the esteem of his fellow townsmen who had the utmost confidence in him.