BIOGRAPHIES:  Gottlieb G. BRUNER, Porcupine, Pepin Co., WI

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Submitted by Nance Sampson, Pepin Co. Archives File Manager on 19 November 2004
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**Posted for informational purposes only - submitter is not related to the
subject of this biography and has no further information.

Gottlieb G. Bruner, farmer, P. O. Porcupine, Pepin county, was born at
Interlachen, Switzerland, July 2, 1840, where his father, John Bruner,
was also born, January 12, 1802, and married Margaret Ahbecken.  Their
children were as follows:  John, Christopher, Peter, Jacob, Gottlieb
G., David, Michael, Margaret (Mrs. J. Stuter) and Fritz.  Four of their
sons served in the United States army during the rebellion, and one of
them, David, died at Round Hill, S. C.  Gottlieb attended a German
school until 1853, when the family came to Spades, Ind., where his
father worked on a railroad.  In 1857 they removed to Wisconsin, and
landed at Pepin, hired their goods and provisions drawn to Maiden Rock
township, where the father purchased some wild land, and he and his
sons set themselves to work to improve and pay for the same.  The panic
of that year had depressed nearly all kinds of business, and labor was
in small demand and poorly paid, though provisions were very high. 
Flour cost them $12.00 per barrel at Pepin, and having no team, they
were obliged to pay $1.75 to have it delivered.  That season will long
be remembered as one of great hardship by the settlers who came at that
time.  Gottlieb and his brothers caught trout in the neighboring
streams and carried them to Pepin, where they sold them and with the
proceeds bought potatoes, at $1.25 a bushel, which they carried home on
their backs.  In addition to other discouragements, Mrs. Bruner was
suffering from an incurable disease, which caused her death a few
months later (March 18, 1858).  Gottlieb found employment in the mills
in Menomonie and Eau Galle and, later, kept a wood yard opposite Red
Wing.

February 10, 1865, he enlisted in Company G, Fiftieth Wisconsin
volunteers.  The regiment was sent from St. Louis to Lexington, Mo.,
where they were engaged for some time in driving in guerrillas.  Later
they were sent to Fort Rice, Dak., and June 14, 1866, he was
discharged.  In 1867 he purchased his present farm.  January 23, 1872,
he married Dora, daughter of J. A. Rode, who came to Pepin about 1855,
and still resides near here.  Mr. and Mrs. Bruner have six children, as
follows:  Emma, Gusat, Frances, Mary, Lee and John.  In June, 1887, Mr.
Bruner came near being killed by logs rolling upon him at a barn
raising.  The winter of 1857 was noted for deep snow, and toward spring
the deer and bears were tamed by starvation, and many of them were
slaughtered by the Indians.  Six bears entered a tepee near here, in
search of food, and the Indians, who were absent at the time, returned
and slew them.  Mr. Bruner has always been a republican in politics,
and is a member of the G. A. R.  His father died here October 8, 1874.

-Transcribed from the "Historical & Biographical Album of the Chippewa
Valley Wisconsin, 1891-2," pages 839-840.


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