Obit: Frantz, Barbara (1834 - 1929)
Poster: Stan
 

Surnames: FRANTZ SONTAG

Source: NEILLSVILLE PRESS (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 04/25/1929

Frantz, Barbara (25 JAN 1834 - 20 APR 1929)

Mrs. Barbara Frantz, doubtless the oldest settler of Clark County, Wis., died about 10:30 Saturday night, April 20, 1929, at the home of her son, Rudolph, on Division St. At the time of her death she had reached the advanced age of 95 years, 2 months and 25 days. Her health had been uniformly good and her bodily and mental faculties active till within a short time of her death.

Barbara Sontag was born in Baden, Germany, Jan. 25, 1824. She came with her parents to America in 1848. The family settled in Jefferson Co., and there she was married to George Frantz, Nov. 15, 1855. Mr. Frantz had come to Clark County in 1848 and secured a tract of land south of Neillsville, now the Gus Borde farm, and had built a log cabin on the place. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Frantz set out for Neillsville with an ox team and covered wagon. Five other men with ox teams accompanied them, but Mrs. Frantz was the only woman in the party, and when she arrive here, only six white women lived in the county. They got to Neillsville on Christmas Day 1855, and found that the Indians had burned their log house. Mr. Frantz got a job in a logging camp and his wife went in as cook. In the spring they came back to their land, where Mr. Frantz built another log house, and there they started to develop a farm out of the wilderness. Mrs. Frantz saw every phase of pioneer life, taking her place in all the work and activities of the day, sharing with her husband in their successes and difficulties and hardships, with cheerfulness and courage. Through all the years she remained active in mind as well as body, and kept in touch with all the changes and improvements that took place in the community. In later years each of her birthday anniversaries was celebrated by her children, grandchildren and other relatives meeting with her, and these occasions she greatly enjoyed. Two years ago when the new concrete bridge across Cunningham was completed, and officially opened to traffic, she had the honor of being the first citizen to cross it. Her memory of events was very clear and she could relate most entertainingly many incidents of life in this locality, from early days down to present times.

Mr. Frantz died in Sept. 1921, when they had nearly completed 66 years of married life.

At an early age Mrs. Frantz had faith, and all her life, even when opportunities for public religious worship were meager, she continued faithful to her principles and the teachings of her youth.

To Mr. and Mrs. Frantz nine children were born, six sons and three daughters; of these four sons are living: Conrad, George, Henry and Rudolph, all of Neillsville. She leaves also 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at the Rudolph Frantz home, Rev. Wm. A. Bauman, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, officiating. The four sons and two grandsons, Robert and Ben, acting as pallbearers.

Those from away who attended the funeral were George Becker, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Becker, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Goddard, all of Fort Atkinson; Mrs. Ed Roethe, Attorney George Frantz, and Mrs. Victor Hetland of Fennimore; Mrs. Cecil McLyman and little daughter Meredith of Duluth; …..(the rest of my copy was cut off)