- ESAJAS BLUMER. The American Republic owes much to her foreign-born
citizens, but to no
- country does she owe more than to her sister republic of
Switzerland for the high class of citizens she has contributed
to the arts and trades of America. Thrifty and honest, industrious
and patriotic, they hold a prominent place in the communities
in which they live. Esajas BLUMER, a highly respected citizen
of Monroe, Green county, Wis., was born in Canton Glarus, Switzerland,
Aug. 15, 1839, a son of John and Dorothea (BLUMER) BLUMER.
- John BLUMER was born in Switzerland, and, as his father died
while he was quite young, he was
- early obliged to earn his own livelihood, which he did as
a laborer, and for a time found work in the factories of his
native country. In 1853 he came to America, and located in Washington
township, Green county, Wis., where he purchased forty acres
of land, later adding several different tracts, all of which
he finally sold and bought a 200-acre farm in the same township.
He was frugal and industrious, and by his careful cultivation
his property rapidly increased in value. He sold his farm in
Washington township in 1881, and purchased 300 acres in Mount
Pleasant township, remaining about three years, in 1884 locating
in Monroe, where he lived retired until his death, Dec. 11, 1900,
at the age of eighty-four years. In Switzerland he married Dorothea
BLUMER, whose death at the early age of thirty-five years occurred
in 1849. Five children were born to them, as follows: Anna, wife
of Jost TSHUDY, of Palmer, Neb.; Esajas, of Monroe, Wis.; John,
of Monroe; Sarah, wife of Jacob FREITAG, of Monticello, Wis.;
and Caroline, wife of Joseph HILTON, of Ireton, Iowa. After coming
to America Mr. BLUMER married a second time, Miss Mary Ann STUESSY
becoming his wife, and to this second union were born ten children,
six of whom are now living: Ursula, wife of Henry FREITAG, of
near Monticello, Wis.; Mary, wife of John LEGLER, of Juda, Wis.;
Fred, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Samuel, of near Elkhorn, Wis.; Katharina,
wife of W. F. TRUCKENBROD, of Monroe; and Jacob, of Washington
township.
- Esajas BLUMER was about fourteen years of age when his father
brought him to America. He
- attended the schools of his native land, and after coming
to Wisconsin attended during the winter term for a time. Before
leaving Switzerland he had been employed in the calico printing
factories, working from six o'clock in the morning until six
o'clock in the evening for five cents per day, and after coming
to this country he worked out by the month on farms for four
dollars per month, giving his earnings to his parents until he
was twenty-one years of age. Upon attaining his majority he started
out in life for himself, working the first year for his father
for one hundred dollars, and then worked for other people. When
the Civil war threatened the disruption of the Union he shouldered
a musket in defense of his adopted country, becoming a member
of Co. K, 16th Wis. V.I. in 1863, and was mustered out in Louisville,
Ky., July 15, 1865. He took part in over twenty battles, went
with Sherman to the sea, and marched back to Washington, D.C.,
in time to participate in the grand review there. While too sick
for duty a number of times, he kept well enough to avoid the
hospitals. After the war was over he returned to Wisconsin, and
worked that fall for $20 per month, but rested through the winter,
and with the opening for farm work the next spring he entered
into contract with Mr. J. J. TSCHUDY, of Clarno township, to
work the season for $250. In a short time he purchased a farm,
and by his untiring industry and practical economy he has acquired
a comfortable competence. Farm work has been his life work in
this country, but since 1897 he has lived retired in Monroe,
at his comfortable home No. 724 Church street. Mr. BLUMER takes
an active interest in public affairs, and socially belongs to
the O.F. Pinney Post., G.A.R.
- On April 2, 1867, Mr. BLUMER was united in marriage with
Miss Henrietta GROSSE, daughter
- of Gottlieb and Rosina (WINTER) GROSSE, and these children
came to bless this union: Rosa, who married Ernest HOLCOMB, of
Adams township, and has had eight children, seven of whom are
still living, Fred, Robert La Follette, Harold, Ira, Henrietta,
Clarence, and an infant; John, of Washington township, who married
Fannie BLUM, and has one son, Werner; Wilhelm Gottlieb, of Adams
township, who married Katherina BLUMER, who died May 21, 1900,
leaving two children, Robert William and Adam Ezra; Ezra, of
Washington township, who married Emma BLUMER, and has one child,
Margaret; Edward, ex-county superintendent of schools of Green
county, now a student in Rush Medical College, Chicago; Anna,
who married Albert ZIMMERMAN, of Washington township, and has
three children, Edna, Clara and Clarence; Fred, who married Sophia
ZIMMERMAN, and lives on his father's old homestead in Adams township;
Henrietta, who married Thomas HOESLY, of York township, and has
one child, Esther; Bertha, who married David PFEIFFER, of Monroe,
and has one child, Elsie; Caroline, who makes her home with her
brother Wilhelm Gottlieb, caring for his motherless little ones.
Mrs. Henrietta BLUMER, the mother of this family of children,
passed away March 18, 1895, at the age of fifty-four years. She
was a faithful member of the Swiss Reformed Church, of Washington
township.
- On July 16, 1897, Mr. BLUMER was married a second time, Mrs.
Magdalena SCHMID, widow of Benjamin SCHMID, and daughter of Christian
NEUNSCHWANDER and Anna STREET. Both Mr. BLUMER and his wife are
members of the German Evangelical Church, of Monroe. No children
have been born of this second marriage, but Mrs. BLUMER, by her
former marriage, is the mother of eleven children, as follows:
Gottfried, a soldier in the Spanish-American war, is now in the
Philippines; Carl of Dundee, Ill., married Rosa CHRISTIE, and
has three children, Emma, Freddie and Warner; Ernest, of Elgin,
Ill., married Rosa KOHLER, and has three children, Ernst, Frieda
and an infant; Adolph married Rosa DIESCHER and lives in Monroe;
Mary married Edward GUGGISBERG, of Monroe, and has two children,
Lydia and Bertha; Anna married Andrew SIGNER, of Elgin, Ill.,
and has two children, Lydia and Carl; Rosa married Dietland THOM,
of Monroe, and has three children, William, Clara and an infant;
Lena married Adam BLUMER of Monroe, and has one son, Harold;
Lizzie is at home; Bertha married Louis YOUNG, of Elgin, Ill.;
one died young.
- John BLUMER, brother of Esajas BLUMER, was born in Schwanden,
Canton Glarus,
- Switzerland, Dec. 24, 1840, and at the age of thirteen came
to America, where he grew to manhood. He learned the necessary
details of farm work on his father's farm in Washington township.
In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, 9th Wis. V.I., and
served until January, 1866, having re-enlisted in January, 1864,
when he was assigned to company B, same regiment. He participated
in the battles of Newtonia, Prairie Grove, Saline Bottom in Arkansas,
and numerous skirmishes. He enlisted as a private, and was discharged
as a sergeant, and for a time has served as company clerk. After
the war closed he worked one year for his father, then in company
with his brother, purchased 212 acres in Adams township, later
adding 160 acres, from which they sold twenty acres, making their
farm consist of 348 acres, which they farmed together until 1886.
John then sold his interest and removed to Monroe, where he has
since made his home. For a time he engaged in the cheese business,
but soon retired from that also. Mr. BLUMER is a member of St.
John's Evangelical Church. Socially he belongs to O.F. Pinney
Post, G.A.R., of which he has been quartermaster, and is now
junior vice-commander. He is one of the highly respected citizens
of the town in which he takes an intelligent interest.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 405-407.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
|