History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Baumgartner, William C. proprietor of a modern steam laundry plant at Tomahawk, was born on a farm in Stephenson County, Ill., near the city of Freeport, in 1866, son of John and Mary BAUMGARTNER. The father was a native of Ohio and the mother of Pennsylvania; the parents came west as children, their respective families driving overland and settling on farms near Freeport, Ill. at a time when Indians were still numerous in that section. John and Mary BAUMGARTNER remained there after their marriage until 1882, in which year they moved to Naperville, Ills., where they spent the remainder of their lives, the husband and father being engaged in carpeter work; he died in April of 1911 and his wife in March of the same year, leaving three children living: Samuel, who lives at Naperville and is a painter by trade; Anna, also of Naperville, wife of John BENTZ; and William C. William C. BAUMGARTNER attended district school near Freeport, and when 16 years of age removed with his parents to Naperville. He continued his education at the latter place, subsequently attending Northwestern College, and then for some time worked at painting with his brother Samuel and at carpenter work with his father. He next operated a hand laundry for two years, and after selling that enterprise went to Batavia, Ill, where he conducted a similar business for a time. From Batavia he went to Waukegan, Ill., and from there in 1902 he came to Tomahawk, remaining here only briefly at that time, however, before going to Wisconsin Rapids, where he subsequently spent four years in the hand laundry business. For the five years following this period he was head laundryman for the state of Wisconsin, and after leaving that position he returned to Tomahawk and purchased the laundry here, which he has since operated. He has improved the property and equipment and has built it up into a thoroughly modern steam laundry, employing five people and constituting a fine addition to the conveniences of life in the city of Tomahawk. Mr. BAUMGARTNER has been in the laundry business for 30 years, and the city is very fortunate in having a man of his type connect with the enterprise. He is a member of the Tomahawk Commercial Club, and his fraternal affiliations are with the Woodmen of the World. Mr. BAUMGARTNER was married at Naperville, Ills., in 1890 to Mary A. SHAFFER, daughter of Aaron and Alice SHAFFER, who were engaged in farming near that place; Mrs. BAUMGARTNER'S parents are both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. BAUMGARTNER are the parents of three children: Ruth A., now Mrs. Michael HICKEY of Antigo, Wis.; Charles W., associated in business with his father; and Ralph E., who is employed in the Searles feed business in Tomahawk. Charles W. and Ralph E. both made excellent records for themselves in the World War enlisting 1917 in the Tomahawk Machine Gun Company; they trained at Waco, Texas, and went to France attached to the 119th Machine Gun Battalion, 32nd Division, serving 16 months and taking part in the operations at Chateau Thierry, on the Soissons front, and in the Argonne, with the 10th Army Corps. At the conclusion of hostilities they were with the army of occupation on the Rhine. Both are members of the American Legion at Tomahawk.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 539-540, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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