"The BIOGRAPHICAL History of Clark County, Wisconsin"

Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, Chicago and Winona, H. C. Cooper Jr., & Co. in 1918, pp. 462 - 463.

FRED THEILER, a thriving dairy farmer of Mentor Township, who is also largely interested in the cheese-making industry and other enterprises, was born in Switzerland, July 27, 1866, son of John and Mary (Theiler) Theiler. The father was a farmer of Switzerland, who never came to America, but died in his native land in March, 1915, at the age of 84. Mr. Theiler's mother is still living in Switzerland, being now 83 years old. There were seven children in the family: John, now in Switzerland Mary, wife of John Zimmerman, of Green County, Wis. David, who is deceased Fred, subject of this sketch Elsie, who married Fred Theilkaes and resides in Switzerland Rosa, wife of Jacob Blum, of Green County, Wis., and Mary Anna, wife of John Theilkaes and residing in Switzerland.

Fred Theiler came to the United States at the age of 17 years, locating in Green County, Wis., where he learned and followed his trade of cheese-maker and farmer. In 1897 he moved to Clark County and purchased the farm in Section 29, Mentor Township, which he is now operating, and which contains 160 acres, adjoining the village of Humbird. The place is well improved, with modern house, a 36 by 70-foot barn, a silo 14 by 30 feet, and other buildings. He raises improved Berkshire hogs, Holstein cattle and Percheron horses, and is doing a good dairy business, milking twenty-five cows. He has also purchased a 160-acre farm in Mentor Township, which is conducted by his son Fred, as a dairy farm. Enterprising and progressive, Mr. Theiler has not confined his energies entirely to his farm, but is a stockholder in and manager of cheese factories at Humbird, Fairfield, Springbrook, Brookside and Hewittville. He is also a stockholder and director of the First State Bank of Humbird and the Humbird Auto Company. In 1900 he was elected to the town board of Mentor Township, becoming chairman in 1908, in which office he is still serving.

His fraternal affiliations are with Camp No. 2430, M. W. A., of Humbird, and in the German Reformed Church, of which he is a member, he holds the office of trustee.

Mr. Theiler was married, Nov. 20, 1890, to Elsie Zeller, who was born in Switzerland, May 26, 1868, daughter of Fred and Sophia Zeller. Her parents, who came to America in 1884, settling in Green County, Wis., are now deceased, the father, who was a cheese-maker, dying in 1911, at the age of 79, and the mother in 1901, at the age of 50 years. They had six children: Sophia, Emma, Louisa, Bertha, Elsie and Lena, the last mentioned being now deceased. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Theiler are five in number, their names and birthdates being respectively as follows: Fred, Dec. 19, 1891 Lena, Dec. 25, 1892 Sophia, Feb. 9, 1894 William, Nov. 4, 1896, and Louisa, Dec. 10, 1897. Fred was married in 1914 to Anna Porath, and is a farmer in Clark County. Sophia, formerly a schoolteacher, is now the wife of Irvin Colburn of Chicago.

    1906 Clark Co. Plat Map Photo of Fred Theiler