Calumet County, Wisconsin Genealogy & History
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John D. Engel
"History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin"
by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.615-616

John D. Engel is one of the foremost citizens of Kiel, where he has been engaged in the livery business for about six years. He is a native of Wisconsin, his birth having occurred at New Holstein, Calumet county, on the 28th of November, 1870, and he is a son of Frederick and Maria (Edens) Engel. The father was born in Meldorf, Germany, in 1842, and the mother near that place in 1848. They were married in the fatherland and soon after decided to emigrate to America, so in 1869 they took passage for the United States, with Wisconsin as their destination. They located in Calumet county, in the vicinity of Kiel, where the father was employed for a time on the railroad then in course of construction in that vicinity. Later he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, acquiring a farm in the further cultivation and improvement of which he engaged for twenty-six years. As he was thrifty and industrious he met with a gratifying measure of success, acquiring a competence during that period that enabled him to withdraw from active work and he and the mother are now living retired in the vicinity of New Holstein, enjoying the ease and comfort earned through the self-denial and toil of their youthful years. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Engel numbers seven of whom our subject is the eldest, the others being as follows: Mary, the wife of Edward Henning, of New Holstein; Minnie, who married Conrad Fleishman; Frederick, who is a resident of New Holstein; Lena, the widow of Herman Stecker, of New Holstein; Rudolph, who is living at home; and William, a tinsmith of Sauk City, Wisconsin.

The early years of John D. Engel were passed on the farm where he was born,his education being pursued in the district schools of the vicinity. In common with the majority of farmer lads while still in his early childhood he began assisting with the work of the farm. After mastering the common branches he laid aside his schoolbooks and gave his entire time and attention to the work of the fields and care of the stock. Upon attaining the age of twenty years he left home and started out for himself, having decided upon a commercial career. He first went to Milwaukee, where he engaged in business for five years. At the end of that time he returned home and for two years thereafter engaged in farming. He was subsequently married and following this event removed to Kiel, where for eight years he was employed in the plant of the Kiel Milling Company. Being an ambitious young man, however, he was not satisfied to remain in the employ of others,so he resigned his position and bought an interest in the livery business of H. J. Goeres. This establishment has ever since been successfully conducted under the firm name of Goeres & Engel, and is one of the thriving and substantial business concerns of the town. Both members of the company are enterprising and progressive in their methods and as they are capable business men of high commercial integrity enjoy the confidence and good will of the entire community and are accorded an excellent patronage.

For his wife and helpmate Mr. Engel chose Miss Dora Arnold, their marriage being celebrated in 1898. She was born at Schleswig, Wisconsin, on December 5, 1875, and is a daughter of Christoph and Lotta (Stark) Arnold, retired farming people of Schleswig. Mr. and Mrs. Engel are the parents of two children: Ruby, who was born on the 9th of October, 1900; and Edgar, whose birth occurred on September 3, 1909.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Engel are members of the Lutheran church, and fraternally he is affiliated with Equitable Fraternal Union of Kiel, and he is also a member of Kiel Camp, No. 2838, M.W.A. He is a stanch republican in his political views, and he takes an active and helpful interest in all municipal affairs. For five years he served as treasurer of Kiel and he is now a member of the village board of trustees, to which office he was elected in 1911. Mr. Engel is one of the representative men of the town, and although he is much absorbed in his business he never permits his personal affairs to engross his attention to the exclusion of his recognition of his public duties in assisting in promoting the development of the village and its various activities.

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