The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-03-19
Married Fifty Years

Winona Republican Herald: Mr..
and Mrs. F. j. Riser, pioneer settlers
OF Buffalo township, Buffalo county,
Wisconsin, will be united in marriage
"a years March Is.
Frederick J. Riser was born in
Freiberg. Baden. Germany, August
q. 1S41. In the spring of 1916 he
emigrated to America with his par
ents. The voyage. which took 26
days. was made in two masted sail.
! ing vessel. The family landed in New
York and soon took passage on a
barge on the Erie canal landing in
Erie county where they lived until
1850. From Erie county they went
to st. Claire county. Illinois The
country was new and unhealthful SO
! they left for more northern climate.
, They took passage on the Ben Holt,
| a Mississippi sidewheel steamboat.
They. landed in Winona in June. 1856,
and rented a house on what is now
the corner of Franklin and Second
streets. residing there for month.
Then they moved to Piper's valley,
! Wisconsin, where at that time there
were only four farmers.
/ Hardships now began as the win
ter of 1856 1857 was very severe.
There were no roads except the
trails through the woods. One of the
| trails led to Holiness landing. now
the present site of Fountain City.
from where provisions had to be car
ried a distance of ten miles. One
hundred pounds of flour made. three
loads. AS Mr.. Riser was only fif;ee
nj l., ~, n. :..I-
pounds, while his father and older
brother each carried about thirty five
pounds. The corn that was used for
meal was ground in the coffee mill at
home
Slowly conditions began to improve
Land was cleared and the wood sold
for cord wood at SIPS cord. The
first wheat that was planted was cut
by cradle, bound by hand and
threshed out by oxen.
March 10, 1866, F. J. Riser was
united in marriage to Miss Catherine
Rittcher of Cross township. Wiscon
sin. She was born in Hesse- Darn
stadt, Germany. May II. 1856. In
1S47 when she was but two years
old her parents emigrated to Amer
lea. The family settled in Galena.
ILL.,, where Mr.. Rittcher became per-
sonally acquainted with General
U. 6. Grant. the commander Of the
Union army in the Civil war.
At that time General Grant operated
a store in Galena. In 1856 Catherine
Riser moved with her parents to
Cross township, Buffalo county,
Wisconsin. Here Miss Rittcher re-
sided on her. parents farm until her
marriage in 1866 She then moved to
her new home in Piper's valley.
where Mr.. and Mrs. F. j. lRisser still
make their home.
The union has been blessed with
eight children, four boys. F A. Ris-
ser residing on the home farm, r.
r. and c. A. Riser, both of Winona,
and H. j. Riser of Mankato; four
girls, Mrs Mary Sonnemann OF
Winona, Mrs. A. j. Splitter of Marsh
land. Wis, and Mrs. William Tackle
and Mrs. A. Johnson. both of Buff
falo township. Wisconsin. There are
also twenty five grandchildren and
two great grandchildren.
F. J. Riser has held many promin-
ent town offices-assessor, treasurer
and supervisor. He has been justice
Of the peace Since 1883 and has seIv-
ed as school treasurer from 1S79-l9l9
MI. Riser had been until recently
enjoying good health. when he con
tracted a severe cold from which he
is now recovering. Mrs. Riser is III
very good health