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

Schliesmann, Adam F. a well known citizen of Rhinelander, who, during his active life, has been engaged in various business enterprises and is still in the harness, was born in the town of Scott, Portage County, Wis., Jan. 14, 1857, son of Peter and Amelia (KONOLD) SCHLIESMANN. The parents were natives of Hesson, South Germany, the father coming to America in 1874 at the age of 18, and the mother in 1848 at the age of thirteen. The former located first in Philadelphia, where he worked in a powder-mill until it blew up in 1849, after which, having had enough of that business, he came to Wisconsin, settling in Portage and taking up land in Columbia County. He subsequently improved a tract of 120 acres. He and his wife were married in 1853 and they settled on his farm, where they remained until 1872. They then moved to Portage County, where he bought 120 acres near Stevens Point. This was wild land but he cleared it and it remained his home until his death in May, 1916. His wife is still residing there, being now 87 years old. They had five children: Adam F., of Rhinelander; Anna, wife of John EIDEN of Portage County; Theresa, wife of August OESTERLE of Portage; Mary, who is Mrs. Martin WELCH of Portage; and Henry, who is on the old homestead. Adam F. SCHLIESMANN acquired his elementary education in the district school, in Columbia County, and also went to a parochial school in Columbia, which he attended until 1869. Until reaching the age of 26 years he resided at home. He bought timber from the Government, logged it and sold lumber, and was engaged in logging on Plover River from 1879 to 1884. In the spring of 1884 he came to Rhinelander and with Archie SIEVWRIGHT went on a cruise of 100 days to locate timber with the view of investing. They located and bought 20 40's of timber land, comprising 3,500,000 feet of standing timber and constructed a camp two and a half miles northeast of Rhinelander. In the winter of 1884-85 he started logging the timber and sold logs to the highest bidder, obtaining from $6 to $12 per 1000 feet. During President Cleveland's administrative the bottom fell out of the timber market and he sold what he had left to Michigan lumbermen. This was standing timber on Pine Lake. Mr. SCHLIESMANN then came to Rhinelander and bought the old Oneida House, and he then owned all the real estate property from New North to Squire's jewelry store, but sold it all before the "Soo" line came to Rhinelander. In 1885-86 he was logging for the Curren Lumber Co., and in the summer of 1886 he opened a saloon just north of where the Oneida Hotel now stands. In 1887 he became a co-partner with Frank BALL in the ice, livery and beer business in Rhinelander, which he carried on for 11 years. He finally sold all of his interest to Mr. BALL except the beer business, which he conducted where the Northern Grain Co.'s plant is now located. In 1898 he bought 160 acres of tax title land in Section 26, town of Newbold, and subsequently cleared 65 acres of it, which he now rents out. For 29 years mr. SCHLEISMANN was agent for the Pabst Brewing Co.-from 1888 to 1916. Then for two years he operated a grocery store. He was the inventor, or original compounder of the Oneida Chief Tonic, manufactured for the Oneida Remedy Co., of Rhinelander, in the sale of which medicine he is interested. A Catholic in religion, he was one of seven men to build the present St. Mary's Catholic Church and one of a committee of five to build the parochial school. Mr. SCHLIESMANN was married at Stevens Point, Wis., June 27, 1883, to Mary PERRON, daughter of Abraham and Lucy (GERARD) PERRON. Both her parents died in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. SCHLIESMANN became the parents of eight children, all of whom are living, namely: Walter J., born June 18, 1884, now in Miami, Fla.; Leon, born Dec. 5, 1887, who is a music teacher in Balliton, Minn.; Alice, born July 27, 1889, who is the wife of Dr. G. M. HAMILTON of Chicago; Thruman, born March 4, 1891, who lifes in Miama, Fla.; Nicholas P., born Jan 11, 1893, now of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Theodore, born Feb. 13, 1898; Noella, born oct. 14, 1900; and Francis, born Oct. 3, 1907. The four sons saw service in the World War, Thruman being in the Naval and Aviation department; he served altogether for seven years in the navy. Theodore enlisted at the age of 17 years. Thus the family has a good patriotic and industrial record well deserving of perpetuation.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 412-413, 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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