Oct 092014
I’ve been researching the original owners of the Luke Gehl farm in the Brillion township just Northeast of Hilbert, Wisconsin. It is believed to have been built in the 1880s.
- 1874 Owned by P. Culling, possibly be P. Colling
- 1880 US Census shows no family living there with the last name Culling or Tiedjens.
- 1885 Wisconsin Census shows Henry Tiedjens living there with 3 males, 2 females. 3 born in US, 2 born in Germany.
- 1893 plat map shows owner to be Henry Tiedjens.
- Henry was born in Germany in 1851 and came to America in 1852.
- Henry is listed in the 1870 US Census as living in New Holstein with his parents Claus and Margaretha Tiedjens. Many of Henry’s siblings lived in the New Holstein area.
- Henry married W. Catherine Severin on 11 Oct 1872 in New Holstein.
- Henry has yet to be found in the 1880 US Census but there is a Catherine Tiedjens in the Rantoul Township. This is not the Luke Gehl farm. She is listed as being born in 1852 in Wisconsin (Henry’s wife Catherine was born in Germany). She is listed as a widow and has two children; John and Dora. This may or may not be Henry’s family, but it looks promising. Henry did have three children – John, Dora and Herman.
- 1895 Wisconsin Census shows the owner is Gustave Plate
- 1900, 1910 US Census shows the owner is Gustave Plate
- 1920 Plat Map shows owner to be Gustave Plate
- 1920, 1930, and 1940 US Census shows the owner is Gustave Plate, the son
- 1959 Sold by the Lester Plate family to Cyril Gehl