"The BIOGRAPHICAL History of Clark County, Wisconsin"

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

                              John Wuethrich & Family

JOHN WUETHRICH, proprietor of the Farmers Progressive Creamery of Eaton Township, who is also the owner of a good farm, known as Grass Land Dairy Farm, is a native of Switzerland, born June 10, 1883, son of Samuel and Catherine (Ramseir) Wuethrich. The parents were both natives of that country, the father being a cheesemaker by trade, following it in the Alpine districts of Switzerland, where it was made in the summertime.

John Wuethrich learned the art of cheese making from his father, and came with the rest of the family, to the United States in 1892. There were six children all told-Karl, Fred, John, Alfred, Catherine and Rose, the youngest being 2 years old, and the eldest 14. John was then a boy of 11. They located at Woodland, Dodge County, Wis., where Samuel Wuethrich engaged in cheese making. A cousin, Chris Gassner, who had come to this country some ten years before, was one of their neighbors. The father continued working there, and also for a time at Mayville, until he had saved some money, when he bought a farm in the vicinity. He died there at the age of 71 years, and was survived by his wife, who is now living at Iron Ridge, Wis., being 64 years old.

Samuel Wuethrich was a Lutheran in religious faith, and was a man well liked in his community. John Wuethrich first attended school in Switzerland and afterwards a church school in Wisconsin also the district school of his neighborhood in Dodge County, the Dairy school at Madison and Northwestern University at Watertown, acquiring a good education. In addition to cheese making, he had learned the art of making butter, and for about two years he worked for Karl Grashorn, of Mayville. Mr. Grashorn then sent him to Greenwood, Clark County, to take charge of the Greenwood Creamery, now known as the Eau Claire Creamery. After being thus occupied for a year, he went to Doylestown, Columbia County, where he remained for a year. Then returning to Clark County he helped to organize the Farmers
Progressive Creamery Company, and to build the plant and install the machinery. He was a stockholder in the concern and was made general manager, which position he held until 1914, when he purchased the entire plant, and has since been the sole owner. Starting with twenty-one patrons, the number increased until at one time he had as many as 225--at the present time there are about 125. Since he came here, Mr. Wuethrich has paid over one million dollars to the farmers. He makes both butter and cheese in this factory, and is also the owner of a cheese factory in the Township of Weston, the former proprietor of which was Mr. Blodgett. At the time he bought it, two years ago, it was lying idle. Mr. Wuethrich handles at his factory in Weston Township about 5,000 pounds of milk a day on an average, in addition to cream. He also owns a farm in Sections 11 and 14, Eaton Township, having forty acres in each section, and keeping a fine herd of full-blooded Holstein cattle. It was a partly improved place when he bought it, in 1909, and is now one of the finest farms in the township. The most important improvements have been made by himself, and include a basement barn 36 by 80 feet in size, ventilated, and with patent stanchions, a silo 12 by 26 feet, and another 14 by 28 feet. He has also built a cement block house.

Mr. Wuethrich was married, 1909, to Vera Drummond, daughter of John and Ida (Williams) Drummond. He and his wife have two sons--John Drummond and Lee Allen.

Notes, Photos and Links

John Wuethrich belonged to the prestigious Greenwood Commercial Club and was "Toastmaster" for the Banquet held in honor of the unveiling of the Peace Monument given to the city by Ernest Durig in 1937.  He was also one of the area residents who had a bust made by the artist.