MANITOWOC COUNTY PERSONAL SKETCHES

GEORGE E. SOGGE
This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.470.

George E. Sogge, keeper of the Life Saving Station at Two Rivers, 
Wisconsin, who has given long and faithful service to his adopted 
government in one of the most perilous of occupations, was born in Norway,
October 29, 1857, and is the son of Ole and Marguerite (Iverson) Sogge, and
a grandson of Ole Soggebokke.  The parents of Mr. Sogge spent their lives
in Norway, where the father died in 1905, at the age of seventy-six years,
and they had five children: Ole; George E.; Elsie and Louise, who are
deceased; and Emil, who also resides in America.
George E. Sogge came to the United States in 1882, having been a sailor in
his native country, and he began following that occupation on the Great
Lakes, shipping from Frankfort, Michigan.  He continued to engage in 
sailing until becoming connected with the Frankfort Life Saving Station, as
surfman No. 1, and he was then promoted to the command of the station at
Two Rivers, having charge of seven men.  The old station, built in 1876,
was given an addition in 1898, and in 1907 the new station was erected. 
Mr. Sogge is well known to sailor-men along the rivers, and his bravery 
and absolute fearlessness have never been questioned.  Fraternally, he is
connected with the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen.  On June 24, 1885,
he was married to Anna Anderson, at Frankfort, Michigan, a native of Norway,
who died in 1893, at the age of thirty-one years, leaving two children,
Elert and Gilbert, and in 1896, Mr. Sogge was married to Hilda Hanson, also
a native of Norway, and they had five children, Esther, Harry, Louisa, 
Emma, and George J.


George E. Sogge




CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON
 From the Manitowoc Pilot, February 29, 1872:
 DIED - In this city, at the residence of his son-in-law,
 Fred Rudolph, Mr. Christopher Solomon, at the age of 85
 years, 4 months and 17 days.
 The deceased, the father of ex-Governor Ed. Solomon of
 New York, Gen. Fred Solomon, and Col. Eberhard Solomon
 of Missouri, and Herman Solomon, and Mr. Rudolph of this
 city, came here in 1855 with his beloved wife, who has
 preceeded him to the better land but a few months.
 He went through the principal wars against the 1st Napoleon,
 distinguished himself repeatedly, and was twice decorated,
 first with the "Iron Cross," of Prussia, and the Russian
 Cross of St. George. His final surrender to the conqueror,
 death, was quiet and peaceful. The funeral will take place
 this afternoon at Turner Hall.



JOHN SORENSON, Capt.
Manitowoc Pilot, April 17, 1868
CAPT. JOHN SORENSON.  Was born in Norway, and was 40 years of
age. Like Captain Nelson, he was an old salt-water sailor, and
was also a first-class ship carpenter. He came to Manitowoc 
about 19 years ago, and since that time has usually sailed
during the summer and worked at his trade in the winter time.
He had just sold his interest in the schooner Walhalla, but
there was some mistake in the papers, and it was for the
purpose of having this rectified, that he was on his way to
Chicago. He was an honest, industrious man, a good neighbor
and a good citizen, and his loss will be deeply felt. He
leaves a wife and two children, who reside in the Fourth Ward.


SORENSON HOME


The Sorenson home at Pinecrest Village, one of restored buildings located on
40 acres of rolling hills near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The photo is from a
post card and it doesn't say which Sorenson family.


FRANK SORGE

Submitted by a family researcher/see contributors page

    From "History of Northern Wisconsin" published 1881, Vol I, page 533:

Frank C. Sorge, manufacturer and dealer in wagons and sleighs, Manitowoc, was born
in Saxony, Germany May 23, 1830.  He emigrated to America in May, 1849, and settled 
in Green Bay; learned his trade of wagon making, and lived there until Spring, 1853; 
then he went to Chicago and followed his trade a few months, after which he went to 
Racine.  In October, 1863, he came to Manitowoc, and began his present business.  
He was married, in Racine, 1859, to Miss Hannah Huepner; [should be HUEBNER]she was 
born in Germany.  He had four sons and one daughter by first wife.  He was again 
married, in 1873, to Miss Henrietta Hintz; she was born in Prussia.  They had three 
children now deceased.
                       ****************
From The History of Northern Wisconsin, Vol II. Chicago: Western 
Historical Pub. Co., 1881, p. 533

Manufacturer and dealer in wagons and sleighs, Manitowoc, was born in Saxony, 
Germany, May 23, 1830. He emigrated to America in May 1849, and settled in 
Green Bay; learned his trade of wagon making, and lived there until Spring, 
1853; then he went to Chicago and followed his trade a few months, after 
which he went to Racine. In October, 1863, he came to Manitowoc, and began 
his present business. He was married, in Racine, 1859, to Miss Hannah Huepner; 
she was born in Germany. He had four sons and one daughter by his first wife. 
He was again married, in 1873, to Miss Henrietta Hintz; she was born in 
Prussia. They had three children, now deceased. 
                     *****************

Following is an account of the fire from the front page article in the 
Monday, July 22, 1912, MANITOWOC DAILY HERALD: (complete with original spelling)   
From microfilm at the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison, WI.

                       SORGE BLOCK IS GUTTED BY FIRE
                     BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INCENDIARY
                                ----------
                 Frank Sorge and Family Have Narrow Escape
                From Burning Structure Early Sunday Morning
                             ----------------
                         Police Working on Clew
                         That May Lead To Arrest
                              ----------
   Fire, which evidence points to having been of incendiary origin, gutted the 
Sorge block at Ninth and Commercial streets early Sunday morning, causing a 
loss estimated in excess of $2,500 with practically no insurance. Frank Sorge 
and family, occupying rooms in the east end of the block, over the Sorge 
blacksmith shop, had a narrow escape from death in the flames, being forced to 
leave their home hurriedly and without being able to save any of the furnishings
or personal belongings. The Golden & Stein Co., second hard dealers who occupied 
store rooms in the block, sustained loss to stock but are practically protected 
by insurance.
   Discovery of the fire was made by Mr. Sorge at 5:15 while he was dressing for the 
day. Sorge, a few seconds before had heard a noise at the door below but paid no 
heed to it, believing that it was the opening of the door of the Hall Bros. garage, 
across the street. Soon however he detected the smell of smoke and opening the door 
to the stairway leading to the street, discovered the stairs to be in flames, and 
egress in that direction cut off. Hurriedly arousing other members of the family, 
Sorge hurried from the building by a rear stairway and turned in an alarm. Mrs. Sorge 
and daughter, followed hastily and were cared for at the home of neighbors.
   The fire started in the rear of the center section of the building, under the 
stairway leading to the Sorge living rooms and when discovered the stairway and side 
of the building was a seething mass of flames. Simon Schurr, who occupies a residence 
on Ninth street the window of which opens on the rear of the Sorge block, was one of 
the first to see the fire. Mr. Schurr had raised his window a few minutes before and 
says that there was no indication of fire which, when he was aroused five minutes later, 
was burning fiercely under the stairway, flames leaping to the top of the stairway and 
up the wall. Mr. Schurr's statement supports the theory of incendiarism.
One of the oldest structures in the city and of wood, the buildings burned rapidly 
and the firemen had a hard fight to check the flames to prevent the total destruction 
of the block.
   Saturday's rain had soaked the buildings and probably aided in checking the more 
rapid progress of the fire which however spread to the west wing of the block, occupied
by the Stein and Golden Co., and gutted the store room of the company and scorched 
the warehouse at the extreme west end.
   Hall Bros. Co. are owners of the west end of the block, having purchased the 
property from Mr. Sorge some time ago and Stein & Golden were tenants of the company.
A driveway, covered by a roof, had been opened in the center section of the block, 
between the Stein & Golden store room and the Sorge shop and it was in the rear of 
this driveway that the fire was started. The driveway is protected by a door in the 
front, which was closed and if the fire was started by incendaries, they operated 
from the rear of the building. Two bales of paper were stored under the stairway but 
the fire was not started in this paper, as it was only partially burned. Two wooden 
counters, stored in the driveway by the Stein & Golden Co., fed the flames and the 
company's stock of goods, which was large was completely ruined.
   So rapid was the spread of the fire that it was impossible to save the furnishings 
of the Sorge rooms and the loss is complete, the upper portion of the building having 
been almost totally destroyed. The blacksmith shop on the ground floor was not 
seriously damaged and will be repaired and occupied by Mr. Sorge to continue his 
business. The warehouse at the extreme west end of the block also escaped serious 
damage, though badly scorched by the flames. The building occupied by the blacksmith 
shop is an addition to the original block and was built 28 years ago. The structure 
covering the driveway as a roof was built about ten years ago.
   Mr. Sorge's loss is total, there having been no insurance on the building and none 
on the household furnishings of his home. The fact that the buildings were wooden 
and old made the rate prohibitive and Mr. Sorge had made no attempt to secure insurance. 
The Stein & Golden Co., had, however, secured a small insurance, said to be $400, on 
the stock of second hand goods and will not lose heavily as result of the fire. The 
latter company had been in business only a few months.
   Both North and South Side fire departments responded to the alarm and one worked 
from the front and the other from the rear of the building. A large crowd gathered 
at the scene and watched the fight of the firemen which, it seemed would be futile as 
the fire burned fiercely and spread rapidly to envelope practically the entire center 
section of the structure.
   It is probable that the block, with possible exception of the Sorge blacksmith 
building, will be torn down, this having been in contemplation by Hall Bros., next 
year when the company intends to erect a modern garage on the site. Mr. Sorge will 
if permitted, repair the blacksmith shop building and occupy it and the second story 
will be rebuilt for his family.
   Evidence points strongly to the fire being of incendiary origin and the police, 
with the state fire marshal's department is working on the case and it is said there 
is a clew that may lead to arrests. The attempt is the second in recent years to burn 
the Sorge block, the first, about nine years ago having been discovered in time to 
prevent serious loss.
   The Sorge block is one of the landmarks of the city, having been built forty 
years ago and the structure was in delipitated condition, except the east wing which 
was of more recent construction and was occupied by Mr. Sorge and had been kept in 
repair. The Iron & Metal Co. occupied the west end of the building for years and 
carried a large stock of rags, etc., in storage but had never had a fire.


ADOLPH SOULAK

This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.173-174.

Adolph Soulak, one of the progressive young farmers of Manitowoc county, 
who is carrying on operations on a well regulated property located in the 
town of Manitowoc Rapids, was born on the home farm, March 21, 1882, and 
is a son of Fabian and Katherine (Sipol) Soulak, natives of Bohemia. Fabian
Soulak was four years of age when he accompanied his parents to the United 
States in 1850, the family settling in Manitowoc county, where he grew to 
manhood. As a youth he did not have much opportunity to gain an education, 
the family being in rather humble circumstances, but keen observation and 
plenty of reading have made him an exceedingly well informed man. He was 
reared to the life of a farmer, and that was his occupation until his 
retirement in 1902, at which time he occupied a high place in the esteem of
his fellow townsmen.
Adolph Soulak is one of a family of nine children. He attended the 
district schools of his town, and at the time of his father’s retirement 
he purchased the old homestead, which he has been engaged in operating 
ever since. On September 15, 1903, he was married to Mary Shimek, daughter 
of Mathew Shimek, a resident of the town of Franklin. Two children have 
been born to this union: Emil, born October 11, 1904; and Lumilla, born 
October 21, 1907. The parents are affiliated with the Catholic church.


AUGUST SPECHT     From the Manitowoc Pilot, Jan. 18, 1894

Mr. August Specht who has a fish pond a few miles up the river, complains
of the ravages of fish otters among his fish. Mr. Specht at one time 
placed 5,000 carp into his pond and informs us that they have all 
disappeared from some cause or another. He tells us he has considerable
difficulty in keeping his trout. They have a peculiar habit of jumping out
of the water and many of them drop on the shore and die.


HERMAN SPECHT

This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.268-269.

Herman Specht, a prosperous general farmer residing on section 26, town of 
Kossuth, Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, was born on the place on which he 
lives, January 6, 1865, and is a son of Frank and Katie (Spoentgen) Specht.
The parents were born, reared and married in Germany, coming of sturdy, 
hard-working people. They remained in their native land for a number of 
years after their marriage and five of their children were born before they
decided to emigrate to America. These were Matthew, Peter, William, Katie 
and Lizzie, all of whom lived to accompany their parents to the United 
States in 1861, except Katie. After the family had settled in Manitowoc 
county, four more children were born namely: Henry, Herman, Frank and 
Henry, the first and the last of whom are now deceased. For some time after
reaching this county the Specht family lived on rented land adjoining the 
present homestead, forty acres of which was the first purchase made by the 
father. A little log shanty was the family home for some years but, later 
on, a comfortable frame house was built and a barn with dimensions of 
thirty-four by eighty feet was commenced, which was subsequently completed 
by Herman Specht. Frank Specht was a prudent man and excellent manager and 
to his first forty acres soon added a second forty. Like other settlers on 
virgin land he found it necessary to make use of oxen to accomplish the 
heavy work incident to clearing. He lived to see all his land cleared and 
under cultivation and to enjoy some years of comparative rest, his death 
occurring in 1896, when he was in his seventy-eighth year. His wife, who 
was born in 1828, survived until 1903. They were good people and highly 
respected members of the German Baptist church.
Herman Specht, like his father, has been a busy man all his life. For about
eight years before his marriage he worked away from home and learned the 
trade of cheese maker, which he followed for eleven years, since which 
time he has given his entire attention to farming and owns land on sections
25 and 26 in the town of Kossuth, Manitowoc county. After coming into 
possession of the home place he has made considerable improvements, has 
finished the barn and erected other farm structures and has shown his 
progressive ideas by building a silo for the winter feeding of his stock.
In 1894 he was married to Miss Laura Matilda Krieser, who was born at
Cooperstown, Manitowoc county, July 13, 1876, and died November 16, 1909;
her father, August Krieser being an early settler in that section of the 
county. Mr. and Mrs. Specht had one child, Edwin, born on March 30, 1896. 
In April, 1912 Mr. Specht was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Krieser. 
He has never been interested to any degree in politics, as his farm 
exploits and undertakings demand his close attention and all the time he 
can devote to them.


HENRY SPENCER

From The History of Northern Wisconsin, Vol II. Chicago: Western 
Historical Pub. Co., 1881, p. 541

Farmer, Sec. 24, Kossuth, P. O. Manitowoc, was born Jan. 14, 1817, in England. 
Came to Rhode Island in 1843; worked in a manufactory till 1847, when he came 
to Manitowoc County and settled on this farm, which was entered by his family. 
He now owns 160 acres, a large portion of which is well improved. He has held 
various local offices, among which are Assessor, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, 
School Treasurer, etc. Married, in 1840, to Eliza Hothersall, of England. 
They have seven children. 


EDWARD JOHN SPETTEL

This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.435-436.

Edward John Spettel is the owner of a fine farm in Schleswig township, 
Manitowoc county, which he is successfully operating. He was born in 
Franklin, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, on the 19th of October, 1864, and 
is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Aulbach) Spettel. The father was born and 
reared in Bavaria, Germany, and there he learned the shoemaker’s trade. In 
his early manhood he emigrated to the United States, first locating at 
Herman, Sheboygan county, where he established a shop and followed his 
trade for nineteen years. During that period he accumulated sufficient 
capital to enable him to buy a farm so he came to Manitowoc county and 
purchased some land in Schleswig township, and thereafter devoted his 
attention to agricultural pursuits. Upon this place he passed away in 1887 
at the age of sixty-three years. He was survived by the mother, who was 
sixty at the time of her death, which occurred in 1901. The family of Mr. 
and Mrs. Jacob Spettel numbered twelve, the living members of the family 
beside Edward John Spettel being as follows: Emma, the wife of Adam Kerr, 
of Sheboygan Falls; Anna, the wife of Rich Hartman, a farmer of Schleswig 
township; Henry, who is living in Kiel; Jacob, a farmer of Eaton township; 
Margaretha, the widow of John Hartman, of Schleswig township; John, who is 
living on the farm of our subject; and Mary, a resident of Milwaukee.
Edward John Spettel was reared on his father’s farm, in the cultivation of 
which he began to assist while only a school boy. When old enough to begin 
working for himself he left the parental roof and obtained employment as a 
farm hand, following this occupation until he was twenty-seven years of 
age. He was then married and following this event he purchased his father’s
old homestead, that he operated for three years. At the expiration of that 
time he removed to Sheboygan and took a position in one of the factories, 
but he subsequently withdrew from this and located on his father-in-law’s 
farm. He cultivated this for seven years, but at the end of that period he 
once more withdrew from agricultural pursuits and located in Sheboygan. 
Later he again took up farming but gave this up to enter the employ of J. 
B. Laun of Kiel. Subsequently he worked at the stone mason’s trade.
For his wife Mr. Spettel chose Miss Mina Reimers, a native of Schleswig
township and a daughter of Hans and Henrietta (Voss) Reimers, both of
whom are now deceased. The parents came here in pioneer days, locating on 
a farm which the father cultivated during the remainder of his life. Three 
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Spettel, as follows: Harry, who is
twenty years of age, now living in Kiel, this state; Lilly, who is ten 
years of age; and Harvey, who has celebrated the eighth anniversary of his 
birth.
Fraternally Mr. Spettel is a member of the Equitable Fraternal Union. He
is one of the well known residents of Schleswig township, where his family 
has resided since pioneer days.


ANTON SPEVACEK

(Picture sent in by family researcher/see contributors page)


Anton and Anna (Hanna) Spevacek



JOHN SPEVACEK

(Picture sent in by family researcher/see contributors page)


John and Marketa Spevacek



JOSEPH SPEWACEK  (Picture sent in by family researcher/see contributors page)


The family of Annie (Cizek) Spevacek.  Annie is the daughter of Joseph and 
Mary (Shara) Cizek.  The family later moved to Nebraska.



CHARLES E. SPINDLER
This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.92-93.

Charles E. Spindler, one of Manitowoc’s retired business men, than whom no 
man is better known in the type foundry business, was for many years 
connected with the firm of Barnhart Bros. & Spindler, and is still a 
director of the company which bears his name, although he has been retired 
from active participation in the work of the concern for a long period. Mr.
Spindler was born June 25, 1841, in Germany, and is a son of John and 
Johanna Spindler, who came to the United States in 1849 and located at 
Northampton, Massachusetts, one year later going to Winchester, New 
Hampshire, and from there, after one year, to Jonesville, Massachusetts. In
1855 the family came to Wisconsin, where the father purchased the old 
Williams farm, situated six miles from Manitowoc, in Newton township, but 
after three years he sold his land and moved to Manitowoc, where he died in
1877, his wife having passed away in 1868. They had a family of four 
daughters and one son, all of whom are still living. Charles E. Spindler 
received a public-school education. and in 1859 went to Champaign, 
Illinois, in the vicinity of which city he worked on a farm until his 
enlistment, in 1861, in Company A, First Illinois Cavalry. He was taken 
prisoner at the battle of Lexington, and was mustered out of the service in
the fall of 1861, when he returned to the Illinois farm and continued to 
work for two years. He then went to Otter River, Massachusetts, where he 
learned the trade of machinist, and afterward to Winchendon, Massachusetts,
and later to Keene, New Hampshire, from whence, in 1866, he made his way to
Chicago. He was in the type foundry business from 1866 until 1869, being 
connected with the Chicago Type Foundry Company for three years, and he 
then built machinery for Carl Toepfer & Sons, who in 1869 sold out to the 
newly organized firm of Barnhart Bros. & Spindler, which was destined to 
become the largest independent type foundry concern in the country, and of 
which Mr. Spindler was superintendent and manager until 1880, at which time
he retired. During the great Chicago fire of 1871, it was principally 
through Mr. Spindler’s efforts that the foundry of this company was saved.
In 1911 the company was reorganized with a capital of three million 
dollars, and the following branch houses were taken in under the name of 
Barnhart Bros. & Spindler: Minnesota Type Foundry Company, St. Paul; Great 
Western Type Foundry, Kansas City; St. Louis Printers Supply Company, St. 
Louis; Barnhart Type Foundry Company, New York city; Southern Printers 
Supply Company, Washington, D. C.; Great Western Type Foundry, Omaha; The 
Barnhart Type Foundry Company, Dallas, and the Pacific Printers Supply 
Company, Seattle. The company manufactures superior copper-mixed type, 
brass rule, leads and slugs, metal furniture, wood type and wood goods, 
cylinder and platen presses, electric-welded steel chases, hand and power 
paper cutters, labor-saving iron furniture, complete printing outfits and 
printing materials of all kinds, and the foundry is situated at Nos. 
168-172 West Monroe street, Chicago. In addition to being a director in the
new organization, Mr. Spindler has numerous other business interests, and 
he is considered one of the leading figures in the industrial world of 
Manitowoc.
Mr. Spindler was married to Miss Kittie Baker, of Chicago, and three 
children were born to this union: Ida May, who married J. G. Johnson; 
Edwin C., who is engaged in the coal and ice business; and Walter E., who 
is proprietor of the Northern Wisconsin Produce Company. Mr. Spindler is a 
prominent member of the Elks, and is also well known in Grand Army circles.



HENRY SPOENTGEN
This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.131-132.

The Henry Spoentgen shoe store of Manitowoc is well known because of its
reliability. The owner was born in Germany, August 17, 1858. His parents,
Herman and Mary Spoentgen, left Goch, Germany, in 1861 and came to America,
settling in Manitowoc, where the father was employed in a shipyard. His
death occurred in 1906 when he was seventy-five years of age, and his wife
passed away in 1900.
After receiving a good common-school education Henry Spoentgen laid aside 
his text-books at the early age of twelve years. At that time he began
learning the shoemaker’s trade, spending three years as an apprentice and 
working for about ten years as journeyman in Manitowoc. At the end of that
time he removed to Milwaukee and in that city was employed in various shoe
factories until 1888, when he returned to Manitowoc. He purchased the store
of his former employer, P.M. Peters, which he is still conducting. At the 
time he took charge of the enterprise it was a very small concern, but 
business has developed so that now his is one of the largest of its kind 
in this section, as well as one of the most creditable. The service is as 
near perfect as Mr. Spoentgen’s efforts can make it, and the volume of 
trade is constantly growing.
On the 1st of January, 1894, Mr. Spoentgen was married to Miss Lydia 
Geterman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Geterman. Her father came to 
this country from Germany about 1848. when a young man, and met the lady 
who afterward became his wife in Manitowoc Rapids, where they were married,
afterward making their home in the town of Newton. Both are now deceased,
Mr. Geterman dying in 1886 and his wife in 1906. In their family were ten 
children, all of whom are living with the exception of one, Mrs. Spoentgen 
being the youngest. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Spoentgen: 
Reuben and Gertrude, both of whom are attending school. The family reside 
in the apartment which is situated on the second floor of Mr. Spoentgen’s 
business block erected by him in 1898, fifty by seventy-five feet in 
dimensions.
Mr. Spoentgen holds membership in the Reformed church and in politics 
maintains an independent attitude, he has taken a public—spirited part in 
the welfare of his community but has not desired political office. His 
long experience in the shoe business has made him particularly well fitted 
to carry on an enterprise of the size to which his has grown. He attributes
his success to hard labor and the popularity of his goods to the honest 
principles to which he has ever adhered.
(my note: Mr. Geterman is probably Mr. Gaterman)


HERMAN SPOENTGEN SR.   These were contributed by K.J. Spoentgen


Herman Spoentgen Sr.


Mary Kaiser Spoentgen




HERMAN SPOENTGEN, JR.
This was sent in by S. Wilson, a descendant 

From the Manitowoc Citizen, Nov. 23, 1904:
A pretty home wedding took place at 5'o'clock last evening at the home of
Henry Kiel on the river road a few miles from the city when Herman Spoentgen
of this city and Miss Emma Kiel were united in marriage in the presence of
only relatives and a few intimate friends.  Their arrival in this city late
last evening and departure for Appleton on the 9:54 train was a surprise to
their many friends, the couple having secured a special dispensation.
The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Zenk and was simple, the couple
being unattended.  The home was beautifully decorated, the parlors being
decorated in palms, smilax and crysanthemums, while the tables in the dining
room were draped with carnations, smilax and pink ribbons.  The bride wore
a gown of white silk tulle and carried bridal roses.  After the ceremony a
wedding banquet was served to those present.  The wedding party then drove
to the city and Mr. and Mrs. Spoentgen left on the 9:54 train for and 
extended wedding trip, which will include a visit to St. Louis.  Those 
present last evening from abroad were: Richard Kiel of Kiel, Hugo Kiel of
DePere and J.O. Wellner of Ripon.  The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Kiel, well known and prosperous farmers.  The groom is one of 
Manitowoc's young business men associated in the shoe firm of Henry
Spoentgen as a traveling salesman.  After their return to Manitowoc the
couple will be at home at 920 South Twelfth.



HERMAN SPRANG
This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.538-543.

Herman Sprang, whose excellent farming property, located on section 1, 
town of Two Rivers, has been developed from wild timberland, is an honored 
veteran of the Civil war, and one of Two Rivers’ sterling citizens. He was 
born December 11, 1841, in Baden, Germany, and is a son of Antone and 
Teresa (Markley) Sprang, who died on the same day in Germany, the father 
being about thirty-eight years old and the mother about thirty-five. They 
had seven children: Antone, Adam, Norbert, Herman, Elizabeth, Teresa and 
Amalie, of whom Adam is deceased. Herman Sprang came to the United States 
with his brother Antone and an uncle, Ulrich Kuntzweiler, in 1855, and 
after landing in New York came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from whence the 
little party made their way on foot to the town of Eaton, where Herman 
Sprang was reared.
In 1863 he enlisted in Company A, Thirty-fifth Regiment, Wisconsin 
Volunteer Infantry, under General Steele, and while with this organization 
participated in some of the hardest fought battles of the war. The 
movements of Mr. Sprang’s regiment may be briefly sketched as follows: to 
Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, thence by boat to Mississippi, on to 
New Orleans on the “Lady Gay,” to Fort Morgan, up the Red river to join 
General Banks, on to Memphis, Tennessee, and up the White river twenty-five
miles; then to Fort Morgan again, on a six weeks’ expedition through the 
state of Mississippi, participating in the battles of Spanish Fort and 
Fort Blakeley, across Mobile bay to Mobile, Alabama, where Mr. Sprang was 
on picket duty at the fortifications for forty-eight hours without relief; 
thence to Montgomery, and down the Bigby river to Mobile and on to Misler 
station, and then by steamer across the gulf of Mexico to Galveston, going 
thence ten miles up the Rio Grande river, and on thirty miles further to 
Brownsville, and to old Fort Brown, where the regiment remained nine 
months, Mr. Sprang here receiving his honorable discharge in 1866. He had 
an excellent war record and was always a brave and faithful soldier.
After his services were completed he went to Madison, Wisconsin, from 
whence he came to Manitowoc county, and followed the trade of carpenter 
until his marriage in 1871 to Bertha Tirschmit, a native of Germany, and 
daughter of Antone and Aggie Tirschmit. Mrs. Sprang was born in 1851, and 
came to the United States with her parents and five other children in 1868,
locating in the town of Two Rivers near the present farm of Mr. Sprang, 
where Mr. Tirschmit located on forty acres of wild land, built a log cabin 
which is still standing, and with an ox-team commenced clearing his land. 
He later added forty acres, built a brick house and modern barn, and here 
spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits, his death 
occurring in his seventy-ninth year, while his wife died when she was 
seventy-four. Mr. and Mrs. Sprang were the parents of the following 
children: Bertha, who died in infancy; Joseph, deceased; Herman, who died 
at the age of twenty-three years; Antone, Josephine, Amalia, Ida, Adolph, 
Hettie, Charles and William, all surviving; Rosa, deceased; and Rosalie, 
residing at home.
After his marriage, Mr. Sprang located on his present property, on which 
not a stick had been cut and erected a log house eighteen by twenty-four 
feet, and two log barns, sixteen by thirty feet and eighteen by thirty 
feet, and started to clear the property with an ox-team, it being two years
before he owned either a hog or a cow. After clearing the original 
purchase, he added forty acres more, and he now has a fine house, large 
barn and substantial outbuildings, and breeds fine cattle and owns good 
horses. He has served as road overseer for nine years and is prominent in 
democratic politics. A devout member of the Catholic church, he has 
assisted in organizing a number of churches of this denomination, and has 
also been instrumental in founding schools.

              
          Herman Sprang                                      Mrs. Herman Sprang




AUGUST SPRINGSTULE
This is a bio. sketch from "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin",
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.553-554.

August Springstule, one of the successful farmers of the town of Rapids, 
has spent his whole life here and was born in a little log house on the 
farm which he is now cultivating, July 9, 1871. His father, William 
Springstule, was born in Germany, and came to the United States with his 
wife, Christina, and two children, William and Minnie, during the early 
‘6os, settling on wild land in the town of Rapids after spending a short 
period in Chicago. With his axe he felled trees, cleared a small space and
built a primitive log house, which served as the family home for a number 
of years, and here he carried on farming until his retirement. Mr. 
Springstule now lives on the home farm, having attained the age of seventy 
years, while his wife passed away here in 1907.
August Springstule received a district-school education, and his youth was 
spent much the same as that of other farmers' boys of his day and locality 
being reared to the hard work of the home farm. When he was seventeen or 
eighteen years of age he began working among the farmers of his neighbor-
hood, but after his marriage, in 1892, he returned to the home place, of 
which he has since had charge. He has a wide knowledge of things 
agricultural and is a firm believer in the use of scientific methods and 
modern machinery in the cultivation of the soil, and the large crops 
yielded by his land have proven to his own satisfaction that his ideas are 
correct. Mr. Springstule was married to Miss Frances Watruba, who was born 
in the town of Rapids, a daughter of Michael Watruba, and they have had 
eight children, as follows: Alice, Agnes, Clara, Clarence, Gus, Mamie, 
Annie and Pearl.