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

Korpal, Stanley proprietor of Clover Range Dairy Farm, in the town of Washington, Vilas County, and an official of that town, was born in Lincoln County, Minnesota, April 14, 1891, son of John and Elizabeth (BRATKOWSKI) KORPAL. The father was born in Posen, Germany, May 13, 1851, and the mother was born in the same city Aug. 22, 1854; they were married in Germany July 15, 1877, and came to America in 1881. Here for three years they resided at La Salle, Ills., and then, in 1886, removed to Lincoln County, Minnesota, purchased land, and began the development of a farm. But money was scarce and times were hard, and soon failure seemed imminent. Mr. KORPAL Sr., however, was a man who did not know the meaning of defeat; he did not give up his plan, but locating with his family in St. Paul, he remained there until he could earn money to proceed. When this had been obtained, they returned to the farm and were successful in completing its development, building up a nice 160-acre farm with a good home and an adequate set of buildings. In 1904 they sold that place, and the following year came to Vilas County and purchased 224 acres of land, of which 104 acres were in Section 2 and 120 acres in Section 11 of what is now the town of Washington. Some time later they sold the 104 acre tract, continuing the development of the 120 acre farm in Section 11. This was all brush land when they acquired it, and a vast amount of hard work was required to put it into shape for agriculture; the same courage and resourcefulness that had overcome all obstacles in developing the farm in Minnesota were again successful here, however, and today this property is one of the leading farms in Vilas County. Mr. KORPAL Sr., carried on farming here until 1920, at which time he built a comfortable little home just across the road from the farm, where he and his wife are now living practically retired. Four children, as follows, were born to these parents: Agnes, born Jan. 17, 1880, now Mrs. John HAUSER, her husband being a farmer on Lynx Lake in the town of Washington; John Jr., born Aug. 24, 1885, who resides with his parents, and has been patrolman on the Vilas County roads for the past two years; Veronica, born Dec. 26, 1888, now Mrs. Edward HAUSER of Chicago and Stanley, subject of this sketch. Stanley KORPAL received his education in the schools of Lincoln County, Minnesota, and has since followed farming at home all his life, with the exception of the time he spent in military service during the World War. He helped his father clear, break, and develop the farm in Vilas County, and he now owns the building and 80 acres of the land and carries on operation of the entire 120 acres. He does general diversified farming along the most modern lines and makes a specialty of potatoes, raising a large crop of these each year, and he also devotes a great deal of attention to dairying. He has a fine herd of Holstein cattle with a pure-bred sire at the head, and he is recognized as a competent and successful farmer. He enlisted in the service fo the United States during the World War, entering the Beloit College U.S. Training Detachment on Aug. 15, 1918. After two months at Beloit he was sent to Camp Crane at Allentown, Pa. for one month and then left for Camp Merritt, N. J. for embarkation. He sailed for overseas Nov. 13, 1918, and landed at Liverpool, England, Nov. 24th. From Liverpool he proceeded to Winchester and then to Southampton, and from the latter point he went to LaHavre, France, and thence to Bordeaux, where he was in the ambulance corps at Beaudesert Hospital Center June, 15, 1919. He was then sent to Camp Genecart for re-embarkation; he arrived in New York July 7, 1919, and was discharged at Camp Grant, Ill, July 14, 1919. During his service in France he was granted a week's furlough, and he made use of this to visit many of the famous battlefields and other points of interest; he was at the fields of Chateau Thierry, Rheims, Verdun, and Soissons, and then went on to Paris and Bordeaux. At the close of his army career he returned to the farm in Vilas County and has since continued the operation of the property. He is highly regarded in his community, has been township treasurer and treasurer of the Washington school board, and is at present serving as assessor of the town of Washington. He is a stockholder in the Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Eagle River, and in the Eagle River Co-operative Creamery. His fraternal affiliations are with the Catholic Order of Foresters and he is a member of the Catholic Church. Mr. KORPAL was married June 30, 1920, to Frances GONIA, of Chicago, who was born March 18, 1890.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 518-519; History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others; H.C. Cooper Jr. & Co, 1924

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