BIOGRAPHIES: George OLBERT, Albany Township, Pepin Co., WI

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Submitted by:  oldstufn@hotmail.com  on  26 May 2005
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George Olbert, a prosperous general farmer residing in section 28, 
Albany township, was born in Pepin county, this township, Sept. 14, 
1864. His parents were Michael and Anna (Kassel) Olbert, the father 
born in Baden, Germany, Feb. 15, 1828, the mother in Hessen a few years 
later.  Michael Olbert was one of the pioneers of Pepin county, having 
previously resided in Pittsburgh, Pa. and Milwaukee, Wis. On arriving 
here he settled on the farm where Louis Guildner now lives and on which 
he erected a small log shanty of one room.  The usual pioneer work of 
clearing and grubbing followed, and by the time the Civil War broke out, 
he had four acres cleared. During this period he carried his flour and 
other supplies from Eau Galle or that vicinity, where also for some time 
he worked in a sawmill, walking back and forth between the mill and his 
home. Later, he went to Milwaukee, where he married Anna Kassel, bringing 
his wife back with him to his claim. He served as a soldier during the 
last nine months of the war. He had helped six of his neighbors to find 
substitutes, but was finally obliged to go himself and was injured in the 
service. On his return home he resumed farming, remaining on his original 
homestead for five years.  At the end of that time, his brother having 
died, he bought the latter's homestead and removed to it, spending the 
rest of his life there and dying in 1911. His first wife, Anna, had died 
a number of years previously, and after her death he later contracted a 
second marriage. For a number of years he served as a member of the town 
board and proved his usefulness. He also helped to organize the school 
district, being one of its first officers, and was an active church worker.  
George Olbert was the second born in a family of nine children. He attended 
school in Albany township and resided at home until 21 years of age. One 
season he spent in the employ of John Rider, of Buffalo county, and then 
took up the blacksmith's trade, working in Eau Claire and also in Mondovi, 
where he, with a partner, conducted a shop for about eight years, they 
having erected their own building.  Finding himself no longer able to stand 
the hard labor of blacksmithing, Mr. Olbert then gave it up and entered the 
employ of Pat Malony, of Mondovi, remaining with him eleven years. He then 
moved onto his present farm, which he had previously purchased and on which 
he erected a barn. Since then he has made a number of other improvements, 
all of a modern type, and now has a good farm of 82 acres which yields him 
a satisfactory profit.  He is also a stockholder in the Co-operative 
Creamery at Mondovi. He is a member ot the Lutheran church, and in politics 
is a republican, but has always declined local office. Mr. Olbert has never 
married.

-Transcribed from the "History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin, 
1919," page 883

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