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LAND RECORDS FOR PROELL FARM, NW 1/4 OF SECTION 24, TOWNSHIP OF EATON THE PROELL FARMSTEAD John Proell, Sr. (1814-1889), in the company of his son John Proell, Jr. (1843-1879), emigrated from Bohemia and arrived in the port of New York on the ship Saxonia from Hamburg, Germany on August 18, 1858. On October 22, 1858, John Proell, Sr. purchased from Father Ambrose Oschwald, for the price of $700.00, 120 acres of land that would become the base of the Proell Farmstead, which to this day remains within the Proell family. The 120 acres of land purchased on Oct. 22, 1858 consisted of the E ½ of the NW 1/4 (80 acres) and the S 1/2 of the W 1/2 of the NW 1/4 (40 acres) – both parcels being in the Township of Eaton, Section 24. Following are the land records for what today is the 160 acre John Proell Farm, Section 24, Eaton Township. Feb. 11, 1847 – By an act of congress enacted on Feb. 11, 1847, William Benson, a private in Captain Baylon’s company Battalion Texas Mounted Volunteers, was awarded 160 acres of land in compensation for his military service. This 160 acres was the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. This land was then assigned by William Benson to Augustus L. McCrea, a land speculator living in the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [665-374] Aug. 22, 1854 – Augustus L. McCrea and his wife Louisa sell to Father Ambrose Oschwald a total of 3,840 acres of land in the townships of Eaton and Liberty. This land sells for $3.50 per acre or for a total of $13,440. A part of this 3,840 acres includes the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton. [I-457] Oct. 22, 1858 – Father Ambrose Oschwald sells to John Proell, Sr. 120 acres of land for $700.00. This 120 acres comprises the E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 and the S 1/2 of the W 1/2 of the NW 1/4 - both parcels in Section 24, Township of Eaton. [R-371] Nov. 2, 1858 – Because Father Ambrose Oschwald is not able to keep payment on the 3,840 acres he originally purchased, much of the land goes on sale at a public auction in the City of Milwaukee. On that day, Nov. 2, 1858, John C. Starkweather of Milwaukee purchases (as the highest bidder) the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton plus the NW 1/4 of Secton 23 of the same township. This is a total of 200 acres at a price of $327.25. Once this auction sale is made, John Proell, Sr. owns 120 acres of the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton. The remaining 40 acres is owned by John C. Starkweather. [R-429] June 1, 1865 – John C. Starkweather of Milwaukee sells to John Proell, Sr. the remaining 40 acres of the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton for the price of $200.00. With this purchase, John Proell, Sr. owns the entirety of the NW 1/4 of Section 24, which is the Proell Farmstead as it exists today. [6-24] Feb. 13, 1884 – John Proell, Sr. sells to his son Frank Proell the 160 acres of the NW 1/4 of Section 24 plus the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 28 – at total of 200 acres all within the Township of Eaton – for $2.600.00. Included with this sale is “Also all and singular the personal property, stock, machinery and implements now belonging to the above described farm.” [42-351] Feb. 4, 1898 – Frank Proell and his wife Katie sell to Mathias Strack for $1,800.00 a part of the NW 1/4 of Section 24. This parcel is described as “commencing at the SE corner of NW 1/4, running W 44 rods, N 2 rods, W 23 rods, N 100 26/67 rods, E 67 rods, S 102 26/67 rods”, which would put one back to the starting point. [67-64] Jan. 16, 1923 – Mathias Strack and his wife Louisa sell to Frank Proell for $2,800.00 the same property described in #7 above. [130-457] Sept. 10, 1937 – Frank Proell dies and the 160 acres of the NW 1/4 of Section 24, Township of Eaton is inherited by his widow, Katie Proell. This is verified on Oct. 22, 1945 in Vol. 222, p. 518 of the Manitowoc County Land Records. Oct. 22, 1945 – Katie Proell (widow of Frank Proell) assigns the 160 acres of the NW 1/4 of Section 24 to her son Walter Proell (who is single). [218-598] April 22, 1975 – Walter Proell dies on Oct. 18, 1973. He is a single person. On April 22, 1975, the 160 acres of the Proell Farm are assigned to Walter Proell’s brother, John F. Proell. [534-35] John Proell, Sr. – Oct. 22, 1858-Feb. 13, 1884 Frank Proell (son of John Proell, Sr.) – Feb. 13, 1884-Sept. 10, 1937 Katie Leichtnam Proell (widow of Frank) – Sept. 10, 1937-Oct. 22, 1945 Walter Proell (son of Frank Proell) – Oct. 22, 1945-April 22, 1975 John F. Proell (son of Frank Proell) – April 22, 1975-May 29, 1978