Outagamie County, WI - Biography of Charles, COLWITZ of Bovina Township 1852-

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Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives
SUBJECT: Biography of Charles, COLWITZ of Bovina Township 1852-
SUBMITTER: W. David Samuelsen
EMAIL: dsam@wasatch.com
DATE SUBMITTED: Apr 15, 1999
SURNAMES: COLWITZ, MARKS, PILLSBURY, PARKER, BRUSE, CLASEN, BUTLER, HIBBARD
SOURCE: History of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, page 628, 1911


BIOGRAPHY:
COLWITZ, Charles

residing on a finely-cultivated farm of 120 acres, located in Sections 28 and 30, Bovina township, was the first settler
of this section, and during the seventeen years that he has lived here has watched the country develop from a wild,
uncultivated swamp land to some of the finest farming country in the county. Mr. Colwitz was born
August 4, 1852, in Germany, a son of Charles and Ricca (Marks)Colwitz, who came to this country when he was four
years old. The parents of Mr. Colwitz settled in Calument county, Wisconsin, where the father purchased 100 acres of
wild land, the country then being in a wild state and peopled with Indians, who, however, were not
troublesome. He spent forty years on this farm, during which time he cleared fifty acres, and in spite of many
disheartening misfortunes managed to become the prossessor of a good, valuable farm. The first log house built by
him was destroyed by fire, but this wsa replaced by a better one made of frame, and other substantial buildings were
also erected. At another time all of his cattle died from some strange disease, but he did not let himself become
discouraged, setting about to procure a new herd, and when he died at the age of
sixty-six years, at Brothertown, he was in comfortable circumstances and had the respect and esteem of all who knew
him. Mrs. Colwitz also passed away at Brothertown, when seventy years of age, and both were buried in Calumet
Cemetery.

Charles Colwitz was the oldest of his parents' six children, and he was twenty-four years of age when he started
farming for himself on rented property. One year later he bought eighty acres in Calumet county, but after eight years
here and one year on the eighty acres adjoining, he went to Brillion, Calumet county, where he established
himself in the livery business. Three or four years later he removed his business to Kaukauna, Outagamie county, and
he carried on a flourishing business at the latter place for four years, when a disastrous fire destroyed his harness,
buggies, wagons, household goods, and in fact all of his other possessions, which were totally without insurance.
Thus stripped of his worldly goods, Mr. Colwitz decided to make a new start, and in 1894 came to Bovina township
and bought his present farm, at that time all swamp land on which no improvements whatever had been made. He
erected buildings, drained the land, cleared the timber and brush, and started in to break the
land for planting, and he now has 100 acres under cultivation, most of which is fenced with barbed wire. He is now
engaged in general farming and stock raising, and gives special attention to dairying. he is a Reupublican in politics,
and is a member of the Lutheran Church, his wife being of the Congregational faith.

In 1876, Mr. Colwitz was married to Miss Clara Pillsbury, born November 8, 1859, the eldest of the four children of
Granville and Harriet (Parker) Pillsbury, natives of Illinois, Granville Pillsbury enlisted for service in the Civil War,
and at the battle of Gettysburg he was captured and confined in Libby Prison, where he died. He was captured in a
deep railway cut while engaged in tearing up ties in order to cut off rebel supplies. While thus employed the
detachment of which he was a member was captured by a superior force of the enemy and were almost all starved to
death in the notorious Andersonville prison. Mrs. Pillsbury was married (second) to Stephen
Hibbard, and now lives at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, having reached the age of sixty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Colwitz
have four children: Mabell, who married Walter Bruse and lives at Shiocton; Peter, who married Annie Clasen, and
lives with his parents; Laura, who married Clarence Butler, who died in 1910, and she is now living in New London;
and Francis, who died at the age of seventeen years.