"The BIOGRAPHICAL History of Clark County, Wisconsin"

Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, Chicago and Winona, H. C. Cooper Jr., & Co. in 1918

LOUIE STANGE, proprietor of the old Stange farm in section 33, Beaver Township, was born in a log house on the farm where he now lives, Mar. 6, 1874. His parents were Charles and Wilhelmina (Arndt) Stonge, the family name having since been changed in spelling to Stange. The father, Charles, was born in Bromberg, Germany, as was also his wife, and they were married in that place. In 1867 they emigrated to the United States, accompanied by their three children, Tina, Charles and Reika. Two others, Herman and Ferdinand, had died in Germany, and another, named Minnie, died on the passage over, the voyage, lasting sixteen weeks, being made in a sailing vessel. On arriving at New York the medical inspectors, after examination of the crew and passengers, ordered the vessel into quarantine and they remained eleven days more on the water, out of sight of land. When finally released the Stange family came west to Dodge County, Wis., where Charles Stange found employment in the iron mine at Iron Ridge. Later he worked on farms in that county and three more children were born to him-Anna, Bertha and Herman.

Subsequently they left there and came to Clark County, making the journey by train to Humbird, then taking the stage to Loyal, and from the latter place traveling to Beaver Township with an ox team. In the fall of that year, 1873, Mr. Stange bought a tract of forty acres in section 33, the land being covered with timber, and without buildings neither were there any roads. The first thing needed was a residence and Mr. Stange built a log house of three rooms, measuring 26 by 30 feet. With his ox team he used a jumper, but often had to carry supplies on his back through the woods from the nearest village. The family were members of the German Lutheran Church and Mr. Stange helped to build the old log church of that denomination in Beaver Township. In time he made good progress with his farm, but his life came to a close in,1887, when he was only 53 years old.

His wife died in 1906, at the age of 72. She had been a worthy helpmate to her husband, doing the spinning and knitting while he cleared the land. They had two children born in Clark County-Louie and Otto. Before he died Charles Stange had increased the size of his farm by the purchase of forty acres more, and had about sixty acres cleared. His son, Louie, into whose possession the property came, has bought still another forty-acre tract, which lies just across the road in section 34 and has cleared about twenty acres on the parental homestead, there being five acres cleared on the more recent purchase across the road, the rest being in pasture.

In earlier days Mr. Stange worked in the woods during the winters. He has always remained at his present location, and has made a number of valuable improvements, having built a brick house of nine rooms a barn, 36 by 70 feet, and a shed, 26 by 50 feet. He raises a good grade of stock and is doing a prosperous business as a farmer.

Mr. Stange was married, Nov. 25, 1908, to Martha Wolf, who was born in the province of Pommern, Germany, Sept. 11, 1888, daughter of Charles and Tina Wolf.. Her parents came to the United States in 1893, accompanied by their five children-Charles, Herman, Renald, Paul and Martha. The family located in section 27, Beaver Township, but the parents are now residing in Dodge County. Mr. and Mrs. Stange have two children, Clarence and Emeline.