Funeral services will be held at the Gallagher funeral home Friday afternoon at two o'clock for Captain Ferdinand Topel, 78, Pensaukee, who died in Oconto Tuesday morning.
The deceased was born Oct. 15, 1867 in Germany, and came to the United States at the age of 12. He operated a steam fishing tug on the Great Lakes, and before coming to Pensaukee several years ago to engage in commercial fishing was harbor master at the Green Bay port. He was a member of the Tugman's association.
Rev. C. E. Lease, pastor of the Union of Christian Friends, will officiate at the funeral service. Burial will be in the Brookside cemetery. Mr. Topel is survived by wife, Nell; two daughters, Mrs. Ed. Mercier, Green Bay, and Mrs. George Windross, Pensaukee; three sons, Fred and Howard, Pensaukee, and Elmer of Menomonee Falls; one brother, Otto of Pensaukee; two sisters, Mrs. Henry Swiedarke, Oconto, and Mrs. Mary Mealy, Pensaukee, and 13 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
.DIED TUESDAY 9:30 A.M. NOV. 6, 1945 FUNERAL FRIDAY 2 P.M. NOV. 9, 1945 (this was handwritten on top of following article, and was provided by Ellis Mercier) .
Although he retired here in 1933, when he was succeeded as harbor captain by Capt. Glen Bergerson, Topel still was regarded as one of the most capable as well as colorfiil and popular harbor officials among his former associates. Since retiring here he had been doing some commercial fishing out of Pensaukee.
Born in Germany Oct. 15, 1867, Topel came to this country when he was 12 years old. Among the tugs he piloted were the L. T. Brogan, the Saugatuck, the L. D. Smitg and the Peter Reiss, all noted vessels.
Capt. Bergerson, Topel's successor, recalled how in the "old days a tug captain usually worked 36 hours out of every 48." Capt. Topel, besides piloting vessels into the harbor, had occasion to bring a considerable amount of pulpwood into the port, the logs being made up into rafts and towed by tugs.
Besides his wife, Nell, Capt. Topel is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ed. Mercier, Green Bay, and Mrs. G. Winters (Windross), Pensaukee; three sons, Fred and Howard, of Pensaukee; and Elmer, Menominee Falls; a brother, Otto, Pensaukee; two sisters, Mrs. Henry Swiedarke and Mrs. Mary Mealy, 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The body is at the Gallagher Funeral home, Oconto, where the Rev. C. E. Lease will conduct final rites at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon. Burial will be in Brookside cemetery.
Note: Ferdinand E. KRISCHEFSKI (AKA Topel) was born in Germany 15 Oct. 1867. Known as Cap. Ferdinand died 06 Nov. 1945 Pensaukee, Oconto County, WI., at 78 years of age. Oconto VR, Vol. 15, pg. 660. His parents are shown as Albert Topel and Wilhelmina Topel. Cause of death heart disease. Occupation listed as fisherman.
He married Nell E. LIVERMORE Pensaukee, Wisconsin, 10 Apr. 1893. Oconto VR Vol. 4, pg. 137. Married at Evangelical Lutheran Church by Rev. Eisenbach. Witnesses were, Christian Krischefski and Eva Livermore. Ferdinand's surname spelled Krischefski on marriage record. Ferdinand recorded as born in Windikow, Pomerania, Germany.
Nell was born in
Oak Orchard, Oconto Co., WI., 29 Nov. 1872. Twin of Delbert. Nell was the
daughter of Randall G. LIVERMORE and Marjorie A CORDES. Nell died 15 Mar.
1956 in Oconto, WI., at 83 years of age. Oconto VR., Vol 20, pg. 379. Informant
Mrs. George Windross. Cause of death cerebral thrombosis. .