History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918)

                   William Reinheimer and Family
 

WILLIAM REINHEIMER, who is successfully carrying on farming and dairying in Section 26, Sherman Township, and has also other financial interests, was born in a log farm-house in Scott Township, Sheboygan County, Wis., March 6, 1856, son of Daniel and Reginia (Emley) Reinheimer. The parents were natives of Wittemberg, Germany, but came to this country when single and were married in Ohio. Daniel Reinheimer, who was a carpenter, emigrated in the early forties, and subsequently followed his trade in Ohio and later in Wisconsin, to which state he came in 1854, locating on wild land in Sheboygan County. After having cleared a farm there he died at the age of 83 years. His wife died much earlier, at the age of 57. They had a large family numbering eleven or twelve children, of whom William was one of the youngest. William Reinheimer acquired his education in the log school house of his district. He was eight years old when the family moved three miles east in the same township, and there he attended the Batavia school, a frume structure. Growing to manhood on the farm, he started out for himself at the age of 22 years and during the summer of 1879 worked in Nebraska.

In the same year, on December 4, he was married to Catherine Illian, of Scott Township, Sheboygan County, Wis., a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Illian. Frederick Illian, a Pioneer, having been born in Danistoff, Germany, and after coming to this country, spending his remaining years in Scott Township, Sheboygan County. Mr. and Mrs. Reinheimer came to Clark County on their wedding trip, arriving here December 8, and making their temporary residence at the home of the Fisher brothers, with whom they were acquainted and who had come to the county before them. The journey after reaching Spencer, was made in a sleigh. Mr. Reinheirner had made a visit to this locality the previous Winter but had not then bought any land. However, a month before his marriage he had come here directly from Nebraska and bought a tract of eighty acres in Section 26, Sherman Township. The land was wild and without buildings, and there was no road by the place.

Until December 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Reinheimer resided in a little log house on the Fisher farm, and then moved into a similar house on their own land, which he had built, and which measured 16 by 24 feet, and contained four rooms, two below and two above. Since then it has been improved and remodeled into the present commodious dwelling. When they started farming here they had a yoke of oxen, one cow and four chickens. Mr. Reinheimer had ten acres of the place chopped by hired labor. He often carried butter and eggs to Spencer, following a foot-path through the Woods, and returning with groceries on his back. It was ten years before he got a horse. In time--some twenty-two or twenty--three years ago--he bought 160 acres more land, lying across the road in Section 23, and cleared it, as well as the original tract, also building a barn his son, Williarn F., who now lives there, building the house. The place is called Clover Leaf Farm. Mr. Reinheirner keeps a good grade of cattle and horses, and formerly had a flock of 100 sheep. He plants his crops according to a general rotation plan. In 188,5 he built on his original farm a good basement barn, 36 by 80 feet in size, with 18-foot posts, which was then the largest barn that had been erected in Sherman Township. He also has a silo of 90 to 100 tons capacity. His yard is ornamented with shade and evergreen trees, and he has a good apple orchard, growing several kinds of apples, selected after considerable experimenting. His place is called "Enuf Good Farm."

Mr. Reinheimer is a shareholder in the Spencer Co-operative Elevator Company, of which he was made president on its organization five years ago, and is also a director of the Spencer State Bank. He is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church at Veefkind, and has served seven years in all as township chairman--at first for five years in succession, and then, after an interval, two years more. He has also been supervisor on the township side board.

He and his wife have had four children: William F., Cora, Elmer and Elenor. William F. married Minnie Ganz, and has one child, Milton Harold. Elenor died at the age of 4 months.