Oconto
County WIGenWeb Project
Collected
and posted by RITA
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FAMILY
STORIES
OF
THE
PESHTIGO FIRE
Survivor Stories of the Peshtigo
Fire
October 8, 1871
This page is
dedicated to the people who lived
to tell of their survival and stories of the Peshtigo Fire. All
submissions
are from the family members and are welcome for posting.
RITA
Editor's Note:
Louisa J. SCHEELK
Birth: 9 JUL 1870 in
Peshtigo, Oconto County,
Wisconsin - age 15 months at the time of the Peshtigo Fire, October 8,
1871.
Death: 12 NOV 1963 in
Spirit, Wisconsin
Burial NOV 1963 Spirit
Hillcrest Cemetery,
Price County, Wisconsin
Father: Charles SCHEELK (
also Schelke, Scheelke,
Schelk)
Husband:
Frederick H. Marheine - immigrated
from Germany in 1860 - farm owner
Married: 1889 Wisconsin
Residence in 1900: town of
Knox, Price County,
Wisconsin
contributed
by descendant : Robin
Warner
Baby Louisa
Scheelk and the Years
After the Peshtigo Fire
Louisa Scheelk, my Great
Grandmother,
is listed as a survivor.
I have
heard the story that her parents had hidden her under the
bed while they dug a trench around the house to keep the fire from
leaping
across .. she was an infant then, and repeating a story she'd been
told.
As they were scrambling to keep the fire at bay, her father yelled
"where's
the baby?" and my great-great grandmother yelled "under the
bed."
They did have more children later; two more daughters.
She lived until 1963, and was I believe 93
years old at death. She lived her married life on a farm outside of
Tripoli,
Wisconsin, and bore 17 children, 13 who lived to adulthood. All are
deceased
now but many, many great, great great and great great great grand
children
continue her legacy attending family reunions every year in Wisconsin.
The
decendents of Louisa gather almost yearly -- about 200 this summer --
in
Brantwood at the Community Center to celebrate at a family reunion.
I am Louisa Scheelk Marheime's
greatgranddaughter,
and granddaughter of her oldest daughter Esther Marheine Datel,
daughter
of Bette Datel Cocking . My mother was born and raised in Wisconsin
with
four other siblings; her three sisters and brother all were born and
raised
in Phillips, Lugerville and finally Tripoli, Wisconsin. My late mother
was the only one to leave Wisconsin. The rest, except their brother,
who
died during the Korean War, continue to reside in Wisconsin.
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