Biography of William John Breunig, Arkansas, Pierce Co., WI Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives July 5, 2002 by Alana Henry ===================================================== USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of the author/contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The contributor has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ===================================================== Recently, I asked my great aunt for family history. She had a copy of a chapter from an old book. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the book. This history documentation is about my gr-great grandfather from Arkansas, Wisconsin in Pierce Co. WILLIAM JOHN BREUNIG was born in Germany on July 28, 1858, as the third born of 12 children for Carl and Eva (Kaylar) Breunig. His father was a farmer by occupation. William attended school in Germany, and at an early age began to learn the cigar maker's trade, at which he worked for two years. At the age of 16 he came to the United States with a friend, and located in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where he had an uncle in the brewing business. There he attended English school for three months. After farming in the vicinity of Jefferson for three years, he came to Pepin county and took up his residence with an uncle in Waterville township. The following spring he went to Minnesota, where he did farm work for one season, spending the following winter in the pineries. For twelve seasons thereafter he worked at lumbering on the Chippewa River for Knapp, Stout & Co., and at the end of that time purchased his first 80 acres of wild farm land. In true pioneer fashion he took up his residence in a log house and set to work to develop a farm of 240 acres, on which he successfully bred Durham cattle, Shropshire sheep, Poland-China hogs and a good grade of horses, realizing good returns from the different branches of his business. He was also a stockholder in the Waterville Creamery and the Telephone Company. In politics he was a Democrat and in religion, a Roman Catholic. He was married on November 8, 1886 to Anna Keller, who was born in Darien, Walworth county, Wisconsin, daughter of Carl and Elizabeth (Sattler) Keller. They were born the following children: Charles E, who traveled as a demonstrator in the employ of the Minneapolis Traction Company; Eva Elizabeth, wife of Frank Schultz; John, who died in infancy; Ida Margaret, wife of J E Denbar, of Clifford, ND, her husband was an expert machinist; John William who married Anna Marie Hei; Carolina Henrietta, who married Richard McCardle, a machine gun instructor in the US Army; Mary Annabel, who married David Bein; Henry Emil who married Florence Gray; Laura Regina who married Roy Lauer; and another child who died in infancy.