Obituary: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin: Frederick E. TOENLESSEN ************************************************************************ Submitted by Mary Saggio, September 2007 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ The Cedarburg Weekly News Ozaukee County, Wisconsin March 18, 1885 Another Old Settler gone to Render his Final Account Frederick E. TOENLESSEN died at Mequon last Wednesday, March 18th of old age. The deceased came to this country in the year 1846 together with a younger brother and a friend by the name of CORDES direct from the dukedom of Oldenburg, Germany, where he was born at the town of Jever on the 5th day of October in the year 1804 and consequently had passed his four score of years last October. The three immigrants bought of George MANLY and eighty acre farm on the Green Bay road joining on the north the present REYNOLDS farm in Mequon where they carried on for some years what the Germans call "Latin" farming. All three gentlemen were well educated but not so much that they could make a living in a log house and on a few acres of cleared ground. After a few years of sore trial, they sold out the farm, the younger TOENLESSEN went to the southern part of the state and circumstances pointed out very strongly that he was murdered for his money at or near Kenosha; his body was probably thrown into the lake, as it was never discovered after his disappearance. CORDES went to Green Bay and remained there or in that neighborhood for some time; he is probably alive yet as he was some twenty years younger than the deceased, but of late we have not heard from him. The trio used to come regularly every Saturday evening to Cedarburg while residing together on the farm to recuperate from the hard labor (?) of the week past. The late Col. HORNEFFER's Washington House was then made their head quarters, where in those early days beer was on tap so muddy that a frog could not be discovered if he had been with the beer in the same glass. Not to stir the barrel so often unnecessarily and avoid frequent tapping, they had it drawn off in a pail, and we remember them sitting around it and helping themselves by dipping the glasses into it, cracking their jokes and enjoying themselves with the company then and there assembled. This was nearly forty years ago, since then beer has greatly improved not only in cleanness but also in strength. The stuff in those days and in the country was little better or stronger than brown pop. Our deceased friend was an old bachelor and never left the town of Mequon, but resided there until his death, boarding around from place to place where it suited him best. He was a very careful and excellent surveyor and held the office of county surveyor for a number of years. For the last thirty years or so he kept school in different districts of the town, and as he had some money of his own and was never extravagant must have left quite a little sum behind him which, we understand he disposed of by a last will and testament, the particulars of which we have not learned. The deceased, like most old bachelors was a peculiar kind of a man; he seemed to enjoy life, was always cheerful and had a high sense for the ludicrous, whenever he could get hold of something of the kind to communicate to his friends. He was the soul of honor, carrying sometimes his views in that respect a little too far, censuring people that did not quite deserve such criticism as fell from his lips. His funeral took place on Saturday last and was attended by a large concourse of friends and acquaintances and his remains were deposited in the Mequon cemetery. Mr. W.F. JAHN who knew the deceased intimately from the time of his arrival, and was highly spoken of by all those who were in attendance at the grave. It is said that TOENLESSEN before he died expressly stipulated that the earth over his body should (unreadable) and no monument (unreadable). We regret very much that we were unable to follow our old and much esteemed friend to his last resting place, on account of sickness which has confined us to our home for the past two weeks. He lived to the full extent of the time allotted to man, and passed away peacefully after a short illness and without pain. May the earth be light over him.