BIOGRAPHIES:  Peter J. UHL, Galesville, Trempealeau Co., WI

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:  
Nance Sampson, Trempealeau Co. WIGenWeb Coordinator,  1 June 2001      
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Peter J. Uhl, a retired farmer now residing in Galesville, where he is 
largely interested in several important industries, is a native son of the 
township, the date of his nativity being Nov. 28, 1864.  His parents were 
Peter and Abbie Uhl, both born in Germany.  Both also came to the United 
States before marriage, accompanying their respective parents.  The Uhls 
first settled in Milwaukee, Wis., but came to Trempealeau County with the 
pioneers, and Mr. Uhl spent the rest of his life here, being engaged in 
agriculture.  He served for some time on the school board and was a useful 
and industrious citizen, widely respected.  His wife is now living in 
Galesville.

Peter J. Uhl was the fourth born in a family of nine children.  He attended 
school in Crystal Valley and afterward was a student at Gale University.  
Reared on the home farm, on which he lived until his marriage, he acquired a 
good knowledge of agriculture.  When 24 years of age he purchased a farm 
from his father, continuing to live on his parents' homestead for about two 
years longer.  Oct. 9, 1890, he was married to Sophia Becker, who was born 
in La Crosse, Wis., daughter of Phillip and Sophia Becker.  Her father was 
born in Germany in 1830 and her mother in Alsace, France, in 1843.  Phillip 
Becker in early life was a carpenter and butcher.  He came to the United 
States with his parents' family when 16 years old, locating in Washington 
County, Wisconsin.  Later the family moved to La Crosse, where, after 
residing on a farm for some years, he engaged in carpenter work, afterward 
taking up his other trade of butcher for a short time.  He then took a farm 
near Glasgow, Trempealeau County, and was engaged in agriculture there for a 
period of about 40 years, when he sold out and retired.  His death took 
place 11 years after, in 1913.  During his active career he held a number of 
local offices.  He and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom 
Sophia was the eldest.

After his marriage Peter J. Uhl moved onto the farm in Gale township, which 
he had bought two years previously from his father, and which contained 320 
acres.  Here he lived until 1913, when he sold the property and moved to 
Galesville, where he has since lived retired from active work.  As a farmer 
he was enterprising and successful, making money at the business, so that he 
is now well to do.  He is one of the largest stockholders in the Galesville 
Realty & Improvement Company, a stockholder in the Farmers & Merchants Bank 
and in the Arctic Springs Creamery, and he also holds the maximum amount of 
stock permitted in the Farmers Elevator Company, the Farmers Co-operative 
Company and the Western Wisconsin Telephone Company.  In politics he is a 
Republican.  He has never sought to be active in governmental affairs, but 
for some time rendered good service on the school board of Gale Township.  
He attends the Presbyterian church, although not a member.  His fraternal 
affiliations are with the order of Beavers, while his wife is an active 
member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.  They are the parents of 
two children:  Elsie Adelle and Forest Gladson.

--From the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917," pages 504 - 505.