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

Gumtz, John city editor of the Merrill Daily Herald, was born in Wausau, Wis., Dec. 1, 1886, son of John and Wilhemine (HOEFT) GUMTZ. The father, who came to Wausau at the age of 16, in 1869, before the advent of the railroad, spent the rest of his life in the lumber industry. At first he ran the river, was afterwards employed as an edger in the W. D. MCINDOE, B. G. PLUMER, Knox Bros. and the Alexander-Stewart Lumber Co.'s saw mills, and later, in the 90's built and operated in partnership a saw mill 12 miles northeast of Wausau, which burned to the ground on his own birthday anniversay in about the year 1896. He met an accidental death, July 13, 1906, at Wausau, aged 56 years. His wife came to Wausau in her girlhood, her father locating on a farm in the town of Stettin, Marathon County. Following their marriage the parents were among the very first resident on the west side of the city of Wausau. Three children of seven born to the union survive: Mrs. Paul F. JAEGER of Antigo; John GUMTZ of Merrill; and Arthur GUMTZ of Shawano. The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of the city of Wausau, leaving school at the close of his sophomore year. For a number of years thereafter he was employed in the woodworking industries and in 1906 took up journalism and reporting as a study. In May, 1908, he became a reporter of the Merrill Daily Herald, beginning on the first day of its issue under the management of W. R. JAEGER, who was editor of the Herald during the first two year of existence. In the fall of that year he resigned and worked for the Republican campaign committee during the 1908 presidential campaign, and during the next two years he worked for the Wausau Record-Herald and Antigo Republican. He then worked in turn on the Elgin Courier, Battle Creek Morning, Enquirer, two years, 1911-1913, on the Merrill Daily Herald, seven months for H. W. CULBERTSON of Chicago, ten months on the La Crosse Leader-Press and from 1915 to 1919 on the Wausau Record Herald. For a year he was employed as a salesman in Billy's Toggery, Wausau and since June 28, 1920, has been city editor of the Merrill Daily Herald. On Aug. 26, 1915, Mr. GUMTZ was united in marriage to Miss Violetta DEBARR of Merrill, and two children have been born to this union, John Franklin and Marinore Violet. Mr. GUMTZ has always been deeply interest in the historical phases of this section of Wisconsin and the preservation of its natural beauties. In 1920 he purchased the residence at 900 Sixth Street, Merrill, built in the 90's by E. A. DUNN, who was editor of the Merrill News for many years.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 768-769, 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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