Outagamie County, WI - Biography of John SCHUH of Grand Chute township. 1840-1892 *********************************************************************** 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. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives SUBJECT: Biography of John Shuh of Grand Chute township. 1840-1892 SUBMITTER: Janice Marasch EMAIL: jmmarasch@aol.com DATE SUBMITTED: 09 July 1999 SURNAMES: SCHUH SOURCE: Commemorative Biographical Record of the Fox River Valley Counties of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago, J.H. Beers & Co, p. 793, 1895 BIOGRAPHY: John SCHUH JOHN SCHUH, well-known and respected as a representative well-todo farmer of Grand Chute township, Outagamie county, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, born April 5, 1840. Jacob Schuh, father of our subject, was a carpenter, and followed his trade in Germany until 1854, when he concluded to try his fortune in the New World. Gathering together what means he could, he sailed with his wife and family-consisting of three sons and one daughter-from Bremen on the three-masted schooner "Gustav," bound for Baltimore, at which port they landed after a voyage of forty-five days. Their destination was Wisconsin, as cheap homes were offered to settlers there at that early date, and, journeying by rail to Chicago, they went on by boat to Milwaukee, thence pushing their way into Washington county, where, in Addison township, Mr. Schuh bought forty acres of wild land, paying $350 for same. He commenced to work at his trade, for six shillings a day, and our subject assisted him at three shillings per day, the other boys devoting their time to clearing the farm. The family lived there until 1865, when they moved to Freedom township, Outagamie county, and here Mrs. Schuh passed away in 1870, aged seventy years; Mr. Schuh died in Milwaukee in 1892, at the advanced age of nine-two years. Their children were as follows: Josephine, Mrs. Joseph Foster, of Milwaukee; Jacob, who died in 1889 in Freedom; John; and Charley, who died in Marshfield, Wisconsin. John Schuh received all his literary education in his native land, for after the family came to this country his parents needed all the assistance he could give them, and he has been self-supporting from an early age. Under his father's tuition he learned the trade of carpenter, and remained under the parental roof until past twenty years of age, when, on August 28, 1861, he enlisted, at Addison, Wis., in response to the call for 300,000 men, becoming a member of Company G. Ninth Wis. V. I. They were sent to Milwaukee, drilling there until early in 1862, when they were ordered to Fort Leavenworth, and in the following April started for Fort Scott; Mr. Schuh participated in the Indian expedition sent out from there under Gen. Blunt, which commenced actively with the engagement at Newtonia, Mo., where they opposed Gen. Price. On December 7, 1862, the battle at Prairie Grove, Ark., was fought, and thence the regiment went to Van Buren, Ark., finally entering winter quarters near Springfield, Mo. In the following spring, under Gen. Heron, they went through southern and southwestern Missouri, and after moving to various places went by rail to St. Louis, Mo., and were placed on provost guard duty until August, when they were again sent to points in Arkansas, Helena, Little Rock, Pine Bluff, etc. In the spring of 1864 they took part in the Red River expedition under Gen. Steel, with the Seventh Army Corps. On January 1, 1864, Mr. Schuh veteranized, at Little Rock, and remained in the service until January 21, 1866, when he received an honorable discharge at Little Rock, Ark., and returned to Milwaukee. During this long term of service he never received a wound from the enemy, and was never in hospital, the only injury lie sustained being a kick from a horse, in the early part of the war. On November 6, 1866, our subject was united in marriage, in Milwaukee, with Miss Maggie Gleisner, who was born January 20, 1850, in that city, daughter of Michael Gleisner, who settled there at an early day. Mr. Schuh having saved $1,000 during the war, after his marriage came to Freedom township, Outagamie county, and invested in eighty acres of timber land lying in Section 22, going in debt therefor to the amount of $800. He built the first house and barn on the land, and began the tedious work of clearing, living there until 1881, the year of his removal to Grand Chute township. Here he bought eighty acres in Section 11, where he has ever since re- sided, actively engaged in general farming. A comfortable residence and commodious barn are among the many improvements he has made upon the place, which repays him well for all the labor he has put upon it, and which is necessary to conduct it property. In addition to general farm products he pays considerable attention to the raising of garden stuff, and small fruits, and is also engaged in dairying to some extent. Mr. Schuh is strictly a self-made man, for he has accumulated his fine property solely by his own industry, and with the help of his estimable wife has established a pleasant home. Mr. and Mrs. Schuh have had children as follows: Joseph, of Grand Chute; Jacob, whose death, when he was twelve years old, was caused by a runaway team; John H., at home; Kate, Lizzie, George, Clara, Edward, Anton, Mary, Maggie, Charles, Leo and Rosa, all living at home. Politically a firm Republican, Mr. Schuh cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln, and always supports the ticket of his party in National elections, taking an active interest in its success. He has served as assessor and treasurer of Freedom township, acting in the latter capacity four years. In religious connection he and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Church at Appleton.