This is the obituary for Alfred's father.
Rudolph Puchner obituary.
It is lamentable true that Death, the destroyer, is rapidly removing from their
sphere of usefulness the sturdy pioneers who carved Calumet county out of the
wilderness and made it one of the gardens spots of Wisconsin. Every issue of The
Times adds a name to the list of those who have passed on to the reward of their
labors and when you scan the ranks of those remaining but few can be found who
figured in the early history of Calumet county. This week on Sunday, Jan. 19th,
Rudolph Puchner, one of the most prominent figures in the history of Calumet
county and especially of the town of New Holstein, died at the home of his son
in Wittenberg at the venerable age of 84 years.
Rudolph Puchner was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan. 24, 1829, of rich, influ-
ential parents, his grandfather being a minister of the duke. He left his native
home during the revolution of 1848 and came to America, landing in New York and
proceeding thence to Sheboygan, this state, where after a short stay, he went 
to New Holstein to join the colony of his countrymen who had settled there the
year before. In 1849 he put up a shanty in which he and a young man named
Bruckner opened up the first store in New Holstein and conducted the same until
1851, when Mr. Puchner left for Chicago. In 1854 he returned and in partnership
with his brother-in-law, Chas. Heins, established a store on a larger scale.
In 1857 this partnership was dissolved and Mr. Puchner built a combined store
and tavern, the latter being the resort of all the earlier settlers. Three
years later he closed the hotel but continued to run the store until 1879, when
he took as a partner his son, George. He carried a large stock and did an
enormous business for so small a town. He retired from business several years
ago after the death of his wife, and has since spent his time with his children.
His first stock of goods was valued at $60.00 and customers did not occupy his
time then as they did in later years. He found ample time to read Shakespeare
and Shiller, reflect on the beauties of their imagery and develop a remarkable
poetic talent which distinguished him throughout his life.
Although a poet and scholar, Mr. Puchner did his full share of physical labor
and underwent hardships that young men of today would call impossible. He was
the first postmaster of New Holstein, which by the way, did not mean that he
merely kept the office open, received and distributed the mail. He carried
the mail himself to Hayton, sometimes wading through the water breast deep and
holding the mail bag high above his head to keep it dry. In transporting his
goods from the nearest shipping point to his store he was often in great danger,
most of the streams had no bridges and it was necessary to ford them. At one
time in fording the Sheboygan river with a load, during high water, the greater
part of his goods were lost and he was unable to recover them.
An experience in his business life which he like to tell his friends of later
days was of an insult which he unconsciously gave to an Indian, one of the wild
Menomonees, who came into his store one evening, put his gun in the corner and
asked to stay overnight. Mr. Puchner's refusal to allow him to remain was taken
as a deep insult by the Menomonee brave and he silently departed. On the morrow
he returned, however, accompanied by three others, all besmeared with paint and
armed with guns, tomahawks and knives. Mr. Puchner knew that their appearance
boded mischief and so prepared to sell his life as dearly as possible. He loaded
his pistol and sat calmly behind the counter, his only hope being that some
customer might come to his assistance, but his hope was in vain. Although the
Indians came early in the morning and staid(sic) until evening, sitting as still
as statues, not a customer came. Mr. Puchner was hourly expecting a team loaded
with flour from Calumet, but not until the dusk of evening did the welcome sound
of its wheels fall upon his ear. The Indians then saw that they had more than
one to deal with, so they stood up, one by one, silently filed out of the store
and were seen no more for years.
Mr. Puchner lived to see all these conditions change and exerted his share of
influence toward the general advancement of the community. He was in touch with
all the prominent men of early days, with whom his suggestions and advice had
great weight in settling public affairs. He was shrewd in business and successful
in all his undertakings, which, considering the obstacles surmounted, means more
than were it said of the business man of today.
He is survived by four sons, Dr. Edward and Rudolph of Wittenberg, Wm. of Chicago
and Alfred of Edgar. Funeral services were held at Wittenberg Wednesday afternoon,
the body being taken to Milwaukee for cremation on Thursday.
1-25-1913 from The Chilton Times