Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-02-26
ALANCASTER PIONEER
WILLIAM ROTHSCHILD WAS HERE
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
COMMUNITY.

When William Rothschild was laid
at rest, a week ago last Sunday, one
of the really pioneers of this section
was lost to mortal sight. He came
to this vicinity when all was new,
when living conditions were entirely
different from those that now obtain,
and in his long and honorable career
witnessed all these changes And he
was not unconscious of the changes
that were being wrought by time, be-
ing a student of events and gifted
with remarkable power for close
observation.
William Rothschild was born in the
principally of e-Darmstadt, I'M
til recently one of the states of the
late German empire, in the year 1881.
He came to America in the year 1851
and soon had cast his lot in southern
Wisconsin. In the year 1855 he set
tied on a farm 21a miles southwest of
Lancaster, or rather tract of wild
land, and proceeded to make of the
wilderness q farm. He was a hard
worker, and in the year 1857 he took
on partner, Miss Mary Tobler, who
became his faithful wife and co-lab-
orer.
Soon after his marriage, he sold
the beginnings he had made for a
farm, and with his wife again became
a pioneer, this time on land two miles
west of Lancaster He subdued this
farm from virgin forest and made of
it a fine farm home.
When the Civil war broke out Mr..
Rothschild volunteered, enlisting in
Co. F, 10th Wisconsin Infantry, and
4. -
and after the rebellion was crushed
came back to civil life. In the mean
time a family of children was born
to them, and with a view to better
school facilities they sold the farm
and moved to the old Rothschild
homestead, south of the high school
building, where the subject of this
sketch lived the balance of his long
life, happy in the beautiful surround
ings. He moved to this home, amid
the pine trees, in the year 1867.
To Mr.. and Mrs. Rothschild eight
children were born, seven of whom
survived the father. Mrs. Rothschild
died in the year 1909. One daughter,
Blanche. who was married to Otto
Failing, Cassville, died in the year
1911. The sons, Henry and Valentine,
cdtleu VAL, i've III OJ. duly WnSl Z
they are successful and respected
business men: Charles E., lives in
Berkeley, Calf. Ella, now Mrs.
Earl Groetzinger, lives at Chiffon;
Frank W.. lie Mars. Ia; DR.. Walter,
at Madison, S. D. The family is well
scattered. Miss Flora, formerly a
teacher in st. Paul has been at the
old home for several years to take
oE 60 IN h Sc
There are IL grandchildren and IL
great-grandchildren
In this connection it is we'll to
state that every grandchild of Mr..
Rothschild, who was eligible to ser
vice volunteered, as did their grand
father a half a century before them,
to serve their country when war
clouds gathered Donald A. was a
member of hospital corps; Ryland
j., was in the u. S. L., and Ensign
Harold l.. is a member of the U. S.
r. F.. These are sons of Val. DR..
Walter and Frank w Rothschild. Val.
j.. was a member of the draft board
of his home city. ST. Paul
William Rothschild was man OF
unusual reserve. but one of good ed
ucation and unusual intellectual
parts. He was deeply interested in
education and saw that all his chill
dren were given every opportunity
for schooling. He was lover OF ma
ture and spent much time and ener-
gy until stricken of age, in the Guilt
walton of rare overs. He was one OF
the first members of Mississippi Val
ley lodge, I. o. o. F., and of the local
post. G. A. r.
Mr. Rothschild early renowned al
legiance to the country of his birth
and took out citizenship papers in the
good II. S. A. He was a man of ster-
ling patriotism and knew no other
country than this.