History of Barron County
(page 608)Martin Kurschner
Martin Kurschner, now deceased was one of the early settlers of Prairie farm Township, and saw its development from a wilderness. He was born in gumpelstadt, Saxe Meinungen, Germany, November 5, 1839, the son of Casper and Marie Fredericka Kurschner. He was reared in his native land and in 1860 was married to Anna Kallenbach, who was born Aug 28, 1839. There, three children were born, Oswald, Chris, and Valentine. In 1866 the whole family, Martin and his wife, his father and mother, and the three children, came to America, the voyage taking three weeks and aboard a sailing boat. In due time they reached Chicago, and from there found their way to Black Earth, in Dane County, this state (Wisconsin). For three years he was employed on the railroad as a section hand. In 1869 they came to Barron County. From Black Earth they made the trip overland to the Mississippi, and thence in a boat up the Mississippi to Reed's Landing, Wabasha County, Mn, on the Wisconsin point, opposite which they were met by Christopher Kiser, a friend, who already had taken a homestead in Sheridan Township, Dunn County. He drove them here with an ox team, and took them into his home until they could get a cabin built.
When they built their cabin there was little but woods and cut-over land in any direction. Mr Kurschner borrowed money and bought a cow and a yoke of oxen, with which he started farming. To earn his money he went to the woods and worked in the lumber camps for three years. While away he left the family in the little cabin, in a region traversed by Indians, and roamed by the animals of the wild. In later years Mr Kurchner enjoyed relating stories of the early days. He told with relish of one triphe took with a team of oxen to the "Eighteen Mile Mill", so called , on the Menomonie River. Arriving at the river, he and his companion determined to camp for the night before fording the stream. That night there came a heavy rain, and by morning the quiet stream was a raging flood. The miller cam out with a boat, fastened a rope to the oxens horns, and piloted them across to the mill, the wagon floating behind them, with the wagon box securely lashed to the body.
In the early days it was difficult to haul goods in through the woods, and furniture, especially, was scarce, so much f the furniture which Mr Kurschner had in his cabin he made himself. As time passed, Mr Kurschner built up a good farm. He put up a suitable set of buildings, and added to his holdings until he owned 320 acres. After a long life of useful work, he died Jan 2, 1919.
In addition to the three children who came with the parents from Germany, four more, Nicholas, August, Mary and Anna, were born on the farm in Barron County.
Mrs Anna Kallenbach Kurschner died May 29, 1880. In 1881 he married Anna Specht, who was born Nove 20, 1848 and died May 9, 1908. By this marriage two children were born. John and Louisa.
History of Barron County
(page 621)Valentin Kurschner
Valentin Kurschner, an early settler of Section 22, Prairie Farm township, was born in Germany March 13, 1852, and there attended school. Feb 18, 1873 he was married to Wilhelmina Moline, who was born Nov 6, 1854. Soon after (1866 according to Martin's biography) they came to the United States, and took a homestead on Section 22, Prairie Farm township, Dunn County Wis. He built a log cabin, established his home therein, and started to develop a farm. For several winters, in order to help out the family funds, he worked in the lumber woods. In time, he got a good start in life, and built up a good farm. He was especially prominent in the affairs of the Evangelical Church in Prairie Farm township, and for years was superintendant of the Sunday School. He was also a pioneer dairyman and helped to start the Prairie Farm Co-operative Creamery. He died Jan 3, 1908.
Pvt Bakers and Cooks Sch QMC