Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-07-02
JACOB GENSMANN
One of Wausau's Oldest and Best
Known Citizens, Passed Away
Sunday, June 30. 1918

Another one of Wausau's pioneer
citizens has laid aside the cares and
burdens of this life and passed into
the life eternal Jacob Gensmann S
name has been a household one in
Wausau for over fifty years. rms
good man, after an illness dating
back several years; died on Sunday
evening, June 30, 1918, the immediate
cause of his death was a stroke OF
apoplexy with which he was stricken
week previous. The sad news
caused universal sorrow in our city,
for his life from the time when be
landed in Wausau, a poor boy OF elgh-
teen, until advanced age and sickness
enfeebled his condition, was one OF
activity in working at his trade and
then branching into numbering and
real estate he rose to prominence and
wealth, all through his own efforts.
He was a man of unusual ability in
that he was able to judge human
character as very few men can; his
Judgment on real estate values; on
future conditions and disposition to
be satisfied with reasonable and sure
gains, and not to be carried away with
the glittering bubbles of "get rich
quick schemes, carried him on to
financial success. He was always
ready to give advice and assistance to
others, and was ever enlisted in the
great work of creating a larger and
better Wausau. These qualities had
made Jacob Gensmann, through all the
years, one of Wausaus very promin-
ent men, beloved and respected and
one who will be deeply mourned by
those who knew him.
Jacob GenSmann was born on the
oath day of February, 1874, in Kreiss
Bachrich, Province of Rhine, Germany.
He came to America in 1851, with his
parents, who settled in Washington
County, Wis. He remained at home
until fifteen years of age, when he
went to Schleisingerville, Wis, where
he remained for three years learning
the trade of shoemaker. He then
came to Wausau, which was then a
small village and perhaps, not over
inviting to the young man looking for
permanent home. 1t is said of Mr..
Gensmann that he felt the pangs of
inconsistencies and would have re-
turned to his old haunts, if he had
had the means with which to do so.
Characteristic of him he went to work
at his trade in the shop of George
Halder and later entered into bust
ness with Ernest Schulze and Peter
Zimmerman, starting shoe shop at
the corner of Second ana Washington
streets. Later he purchased the in
terests of his partners and built a
store on Third street, where his large
store building now stands. Being sue
cessful in this venture, he began in
vesting in timber and farm lands and
in the early 70's began his very sue
ceSSful career as a lumberman He
took many fleets of his lumber to the
Mississippi markets. In 1S74-5 he
was in partnership with Herman Mil
Ter and they erected a mill on Sandy
Creek, above Trappe, which they OPP
Grated for several years, saving out
much lumber. Mr.. Miller retired from
the business after two years, but Mr.
Gensmann continued in the purchase
and sale of timber and other lands
up to the time of his recent illness. One
of the large deals which he success
fully conducted was the purchase and
sale of 60,000,000 feet of pine timber
in st. Louis county, Mimi. with John
Oelhafen, a former citizen of Wausau
AS this was at the outset of his large
deals in timber lands, he was Justly
proud of it, but many larger deals
followed, He held many responsible
positions during his life. Among them
being president of the Ruder Brewing
company, and for many years on the
board of directors of the First Nation
al bank, both of which he resigned
about year ago on account of his
health. While he took an interest in
politics, he never sought office, but at
times served as trustee when Wausau
was a village and as an alderman
and supervisor when Wausau became
city. Mr.. Gensmani's word, as the
old saying is, was as good as gold;"
it was never known to have been
broken. His whole life was one of
honor and to be emulated.
Mr.. Gensmann was united in mar
riage with Miss Amelia Wilde, on the
oath day of February, 1867. To this
union was born seventeen children,
seven OF whom died in infancy and one
son, Jacob, was killed eight years
ago in lOg-slide on Rib Hill. The
death OF this young man was a great
sorrow and affiiction to his parents.
Those who survive are his wife and
seven children, viz: Matilda and lydia
OF Wausau; Mrs. Paul Gebert and Leo
| OF Merrill; Edward and William of the
town of Maine and Henry of Wausau
Also two brothers, Nicholas Gensmann
of Garden Plain, Kan, and Michael
Gensmann of Schleisingerville. Wis.
and one sister, Mrs. Julius Scheu of
Hartford, Wis
The funeral services will take place
from the home, 211 Grand Ave., at
2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, Rev
E. c. Grauer of st. Paul's church offici-
ating. Interment will be in Pine
Grove cemetery.
The pail bearers will be C. S. Gil
pert, Frank Synnott, Louis Marchetti
John Ringle, Henry Ruder and M. J.
Cawley.