Herman Schwarze, a blacksmith, and also a dealer in plows, of section 29 to 27, Warner Township, was born in Lippe-Detmold, Germany, June 24, 1850, the son of Hans H. and Mary S. (Hoefer) Schwarze, both natives of Germany. The former died when Herman was nine years old, and the latter when he was ten years. He came to the United States in 1867 and first lived in Sheboygan County one year, working at his trade, after which he spent two years in Miami, Manitowoc County. In 1870 he came to this county, locating in Warner Township, which he has since made his home. He worked in the lumber camps as blacksmith five or six winters, and in 1874 began work in his present shop, which, with the exception of two years spent in the camps, he has since continued. He owns a farm of 121 acres, twenty of which is cleared.

Mr. Schwarze was married in the fall of 1874, to Christina Meier, who was born in Brandenburg, Prussia, November 5, 1848, the daughter of Michael Meier. They have had nine children, eight of whom are now living: Helen, Matilda, George, Albert, Herman, Adolph, Augusta and Otto. Mr. Schwarze was a member of the Side Board four years, and is the present incumbent Road Overseer two years, and School Treasurer twelve years. He is a member of the German Reformed Church, of which he is a deacon, and also superintendent of Sunday school at Immanuel Church. In politics he votes for the man, regardless of party.


The home of Herman Christina (Meier) Schwarze, built in 1901

Greenwood, 27 JAN 1881
Measles has made it appearance at Loyal and now we expect to have a full run of that disease.
Congestion of the lungs still prevails to considerable extent. A family by the name of Schwarze (Herman Christina's children) northwest of town, have five children down with this dreaded disease. Dr. Thomas reports most of these cases convalescent. The doctor has been very successful in fact, so far as we know, has not lost a single case of either diphtheria or congestion this winter, and he has had a great many cases to treat.
Clark Co., Press 28 JAN 1881

*On the 1905 WI Census, Christiana Warnke @ 14, was listed with this Schwarze family as a farm laborer and she her relationship to Herman was termed "ward."

EXCERPTS FROM "GREENWOOD, THE HUB OF CLARK CO."
1. "Fred Decker, and his son Henry W., who was seven years old, HERMAN SCHWARZE, William Vollrath, John Syth, Carl Richlieu, Elias Peterson, Sylvanus Gates and Henry Johnson (Solid Hank) came in 1871. A.W. Bailey, first undertakeer in the village, came in 1872.

2. "In the year 1873 Rev. C.H. Schoepfle came from La Crosse and held services in a public schoolhouse, known now as the Decker school. About a year later, in January 1874, the Immanuel Reformed Church was organized with the following seven charter members: John and Philip Vollrath, Mrs. Henry Schwarze, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Buker, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Deckerr and Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Noah. Aside from these Wm. Vollrath and HERMAN SCHWARZE took active part in this newly organized church. In April 1875, forty acres of land were purchased from Russel H. Penfield for 160.

A two-storied log-house was then erected, the upper story serving as the church auditorioum and the lowere as the parsonage. This log church was latter torn down, sawed into lumber, and made into a house which still stands three miles west of Greenwood, just south and across from the Herman J. Olson farm. In 1890 a new church building was erected and in 1910 the present brick church was built."

3. "During the summer of 1882 HERMAN and JOHN SCHWARZE and Henry Decker built a turnpike road of Eaton graded and prepared the road beginning at the city limits and graveled south, John Nichol was town chairman and supervised the work. This stretch of graveled or surface road held up for many years, and proved Mr. Nichol's keen judgment and knowledge of road building. Dan Cook during his terms as town chairman also proved himself in the building of good and long lasting roads.
4. "HERMAN SCHWARZE, now a retired farmer living in the old Dingley home, came to the United States in 1867 and to Greenwood in 1870. He was a blacksmith by trade and a dealer in plows. After locating here in the town of Warner, he worked in the lumber camps as a blacksmith for four or five winters.

5. In the fall of 1870 Lige Eaton sold three acres of land to Eaton Township for sixty dollars, to be used as a cemetery. As the land had to be cleared of brush and logs Mr. Eaton hired HERMAN SCHWARZE, Anthony Larson, Carl Richelieu and Jake and Bill Bonsil to do the work. Since then more land has been bought and added to the cemetery on the south and the Rev. Mr. Hendren gave a strip of land on the east to make it larger. The cemetery lies on a knoll about a quarter of a mile west of the city near the banks of Black River. With its pine trees, pretty shrubs, rose bushes, and beautiful flower beds it is one of the prettiest cemeteries in the country."

6.  Business Venture of Herman Schwarze

(note: many Schwarze descendents are buried in this "Greenwood Cemetery", including George and Freida Schwarze and Ewald and Sarah Schwarze).

SOURCE: 1891 History of Clark and Jackson Co., WI Family Records Greenwood "Hub of Clark County"