Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-08-16
Funeral Address-GOttIieb wehrle.

Aug. 2, 1886:
FRIENDS: The lessons of the lodge
room and everyday experience admon-
ish us that ''in the midst of life we are
in DEATH" We are assembled here to-
day in the performance of solemn
duty, that of paying a last tribute of re-
spect to the memory of, and consigning
to their last resting place the mortal
remains of Hon. Gottlieb Wehrle, a de-
voted husband, true friend and broth
er. and a respected citizen in public
and private life. Earth to earth, ashes
to ashes, dust to dust
From data placed in my hands by the
committee of arrangements. | learn
that the deceased was born at Firtwar-
gen, Freiberg, Baden, March IA, 1922,
being GA years of age last March. He
came to America in 1856 and settled in
the town of Fennimore, where he has
ever since resided. He has filled many
important offices of public trust, being
chairman of the town and member of
the County Board of Supervisors. In
1874 he was elected member of the
Legislature of the state of Wisconsin
and served with distinction in that ca
pacity. He was the first president of
the Village of Fennimore, and reelected
for second term at the time of his
death. He leaves surviving him his
widow, brother, and some nephews
residing in the town of Mt Ida in this
county. 1t was my privilege to become
acquainted with the deceased many
years ago. That acquaintance ripened
into friendship, which continued up to
his death. This was one of the peculiar
traits of the deceased, that his best
friends were his oldest acquaintance.
During his. public life as a legislator
business took me frequently to Madison
and had many opportunities OF seeing
the character he there displayed. He
never aspired to brilliancy in oratory
or debate on the floor of the Assembly,
but he brought to the discharge OF his
duties that which was far more valuable
to his constituents, untiring industry.
Not measure was introduced nor act
passed which did not pass the ordeal of
his close scrutiny, and if right in his
Judgment it received his approval; if
wrong, his condemnation, without re-
gard to party lines or political associa-
ton. As member of the county board
mis- services were recognized as valuable
for the public good. AS president of
the Village of Fennimore he brought Il
ripe experience to aid in the formation
of its public regulations, and in its nee
essary work his voice and hand We're
ever present. HIS public life may be
summed up in these words: honesty,
industry, fidelity and integrity, fitting
epitaph for public man in this state.
In his private life the deceased was
kind and atfable. and especially so to
those surrounding him and his hired
hands upon his farm.
As to death and future existence, his
opinions were the result Of his settled
convictions. He adopted no mans con-
illusions as rules of being or creed OF
existence, but in the light of patient in
vestigation and scientific research
worked out his own conclusions in
which he lived and by which he died.
Modern thought has done mach to DIS
pei the idea of horror, fear and tremb-
ling associated with death and to dissi-
pate the gloom SO usually attendant
upon it. From an early age, back al
most to the cradle of the human race,
superstition seized upon death as its
minister in all that could be horrible,
dreadful and revolving, so that from in
fancy to mature age people were and
are appalled, at the thought of death as
the realization of some dreadful punish
ment, and death was to them in com
mon parlence the King of Terrors. The
deceased, unswayed by such super
stitions, and in the light of calm
thought, reasoning from established
facts to their proper deductions, regard
ed death only as a change of being. a
cessation of the functions or organic
life, and the commencement of new
or inorganic form of existence as i'm
mortal q nd undNinn as ete-nitE q lar-