Bernard Henrich “Anton” Micke was born in Hiddingsel, Westphalia,
Germany December 20, 1839. Hiddingsel is a part of Ludinghausen, Germany. Somehow, Anton
came to be in the area of St. Mary’s Ridge around the time that Herman Wilpolt died, as
he married Herman’s widow, Gertrude Hemsing in St. Mary’s Ridge Church on May 27, 1873
less than 4 months after Herman Wilpolt’s death. Anton and Gertrude stuck around St.
Mary’s Ridge just long enough to settle the probate, unfortunately, selling Herman’s 160
acre Homestead at auction in lieu of their debts.
If you would like to read the story of the descendants of Gertrude and
Herman Wilpolt, a narrative is listed on the
Wilpolt Family web pages.
Anton and Gertrude picked up and moved the family to Buchanan, Outagamie County, most
likely to be near Anton’s family, who had already settled in the Fox River Valley area.
In the 1875 Census, Anton and Gertrude are found living in Buchanan, the census taker
listed Anton Micke as head of household of 5 males and 1 female. Most probably the males
were Anton Micke, his three stepsons, Louis Wilpolt, Bernard Wilpolt and Henry Wilpolt
and his first son with Gertrude, Henry Anton Micke Jr., the 1 female being Gertrude.
By 1880 they are listed with 7 children, which includes the three new
children, Anna Mary, Bernard Herman and William Joseph. In the 1885 Census Buchanan,
Anton Micke listed as head of household of 7 males and 4 females, 9 born in the United
States, 2 born Germany. This count now includes three more children; Theodore, Grace
Elisabeth and Anna.
Next door is listed a Henry Micke 1 male 1 female both born US., not
exactly sure who this is, as none of the Micke children (Anton’s or any of his cousins)
born in the United States would be old enough to own land in 1885. Since ages are not
listed on this state census, most likely this is actually Henry Micke born 1827 in
Germany and the census taker mistakenly listed they were born in the US. Henry is
Anton's 1st cousin, who immigrated a few years before he did around 1857.
By 1886 Anton and Gertrude’s family would be complete with the birth of their last child
Gertrude in March of that year. The house would be full with 11 children ranging from 22
to newborn for only a few months, as in June 1886 Louis Wilpolt, Gertrude’s eldest son
from her first marriage with Herman Wilpolt, would leave the house to set up
housekeeping in Buchanan with his new wife Sarah Powers. In 1890 Bernard Wilpolt would
leave the home to marry Albardeen Vandenberg on June 3 rd. The house would be full with
the 9 remaining children until 1897 when the last Wilpolt son, Henry, would marry Anna
Katherine Geldernich on July 27, 1897.
Tragedy struck the Micke family as they entered into a new century. In March, Louis
Wilpolt, was stricken with appendicitis and died, leaving his wife with 5 children to
raise and no income. So, The second youngest son, 4 year old Louis Elmer Wilpolt, was
sent to live with Anton and Gertrude Micke. A few months later Anton himself took sick.
He was taken to a hospital in Green Bay where he died on July 20th. He was brought back
to Holland town and buried at St. Francis Church Cemetery.
The next 7 years Gertrude would see her 8 children from second marriage, all grow to
adulthood, leave the home and marry to start families of their own.
Henry Anton Micke Jr. was born March 26, 1874 and at the time of his fathers death in
1900 he was listed as a resident of St. Cloud, Minnesota. No records of marriage or
death have yet been located.
Anna Mary Micke was born January 6, 1876 and would marry Jacob “Jake” Jansen on October
6, 1900 in Holland town. Unfortunately, Jake would died in September of the following
year, leaving Mary with a newborn infant who also died at 7 months of age in March 1902.
Mary would stay in the area until 1909 when she took a trip west to visit some of her
siblings.
As quoted in the Kaukauna Times on April 30, 1909 “Mrs. J. Jansen of
Wrightstown has been a guest during this past week of Mrs. Andrew Keating and family.
Mrs. Jansen has disposed of her millinery store and will soon leave for the west. She
will go from here to Dakota for the latter part of May to visit two brothers
(William and Theodore Micke) Thence to Nebraska to visit a sister (Grace
Elisabeth married to Peters) , and from there to Oregon where she has another sister
(Gertrude married to Peters) and where she will locate permanently.”
No records of her death have yet been located.
Bernard Herman Micke was born 9/16/1877 and moved to St. Cloud Minnesota in 1896. About
1905 he married Mary A. Poeppy in Minnesota.
At some time Herman changed the spelling of his last name to MICK.
They had 7 children; Norbert Mick born Aug 1, 1906, Hildegard Mick born about 1909,
Raymond Mick born August 10, 1910, John J. Mick born December 7, 1912, Joseph Mick born
November 12, 1914, Mary Mick born about 1918, and Cecelia Mick born June 15, 1920.
Bernard Micke died in St. Cloud, Stearns county, Minnesota on November
16, 1955. Mary (Poeppy) Micke death record has not been found, but it is known she died
before her husband.
William Joseph Micke was born December 29, 1878 and sometime between 1900 and 1905 moved
to Freedom to take up farming. In 1906 he moved to Roscoe, South Dakota. Around 1906 he
married Grace Hammergren and they would have two children, Beatrice Genevieve Micke born
December 19, 1907 and William Joseph Micke Jr. born on August 12, 1912.
William Micke Sr. died in St Paul Minnesota on June 2, 1935. His death
certificate listed that he had been a resident there for 23 years, which would have been
about 1912. It also listed that he had worked as a foreman at an Ice Manufacturing plant
for the last 14 years. Grace (Hemmergren) Micke died October 29, 1965 in St. Paul,
Minnesota.
Theodore Micke was born on June 23, 1881. He would marry Adrianna Genevieve “Jenny”
Verbeten on May 28, 1907 in Wrightstown, Wisconsin. He moved to Roscoe South Dakota in
1906 with his brother William, but returned in 1907 to marry Jenny. Theodore and Jenny
farmed in Roscoe for many years, relocating to St. Croix Falls, Polk county, Wisconsin
sometime before June 1911. For many years they raised Louis Elmer Wilpolt, whose father
was Theodore’s half brother that had died in 1900. Louis can be found living with them
in the 1910 Census of Roscoe. Ted and Jenny had 6 children; Theodore William John Micke
born November 21, 1907, Gertrude Ardena Marie Micke born July 12, 1909, Germaine Frances
Micke born June 11, 1911, Anthony Bernard Micke born on May 28, 1913, Gregory Martin
Micke born on November 23, 1915, and Mary Roseann Micke born on June 11, 1918.
Theodore died in Cloquet, Minnesota on September 17, 1965. Jenney
(Verbaten) Micke died in Cloquet on June 14, 1976.
Grace Elisabeth “Lizzie” Micke was born December 22, 1882. She would marry Joseph Edward
Peters in Holland town on June 20, 1904. They lived in Dundas a few years then in 1907
moved to Nebraska.
An extensive review of their life can be found in Roger Crotteau’s Family History Book
about the Peters family entitled “No Bull”
Joe and Lizzie had 9 children; Anthony Joseph Peters born July 19, 1905,
Minerva Viola Peters born August 25, 1906, Harold Arnold Peters born July 12, 1908,
Olive Marie Peters born March 20, 1910, Lorraine Rosalie Peters born April 12, 1913,
Joseph Clarence Peters born March 28, 1916 and died as an infant a few days later, Cyril
Peter Peters born April 10, 1917, Melvin William Peters born November 25, 1918 and Leon
Albert Peters born September 20, 1922.
]
Joe Peters died in Stevens Point, Portage county, Wisconsin on July 27, 1959. Lizzie
(Micke) Peters died the following year on November 14, 1960 also in Stevens Point.
Anna Micke was born May 31, 1884. She would marry Peter Rademacher on May 31, 1905 in
Freedom, Wisconsin.
Peter and Anna had 6 children;
Leo P. Rademacher born June 2,
1906,
Elmer H. Rademacher born August
8, 1908,
Lillian G. Rademacher born
August 2, 1912,
Lauretta C. Rademacher born
October 23, 1913,
Clifford W. Rademacher born
October 18, 1918 and his twin sister
Cleta A. Rademacher also born
October 18, 1918.
Peter Rademacher died in
Appleton, Wisconsin June 20, 1954. Anna (Micke) Rademacher died in Green Bay on January
4, 1955.
Gertrude Micke was born in March 1886, She would marry Martin Albert Peters, a cousin of
Joe Peters that her sister Elisabeth had married. Martin and Gertrude were married on
August 29, 1905 in Freedom. They quickly relocated to Portland Oregon where their three
children were all born; Lester J. Peters born March 9, 1908, Raymond Sylvester Peters
born September 16, 1909 an Florence Peters born July 4, 1912.
Gertrude (Micke) Peters died in Portland Oregon on August 7, 1962,
Martin Peters had died 2 years earlier on August 2, 1960 also in Portland.
Gertrude (Hemsing) (Wilpolt) Micke lived with her son Theodore Micke, Sr., in Roscoe,
North Dakota for many years, then moved to St. Paul to live with her son William Micke,
where she died on April 9, 1918. She was brought back to Holland town and buried at the
St. Francis Catholic Church Cemetery next to her second husband.
