Source: "History of Manitowoc County Wisconsin", by Dr. L. Falge, 1911-1912, v.2, p.435-436.

Edward John Spettel is the owner of a fine farm in Schleswig township, Manitowoc county, which he is successfully operating. He was born in Franklin, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, on the 19th of October, 1864, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Aulbach) Spettel. The father was born and reared in Bavaria, Germany, and there he learned the shoemaker's trade. In his early manhood he emigrated to the United States, first locating at Herman, Sheboygan county, where he established a shop and followed his trade for nineteen years. During that period he accumulated sufficient capital to enable him to buy a farm so he came to Manitowoc county and purchased some land in Schleswig township, and thereafter devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. Upon this place he passed away in 1887 at the age of sixty-three years. He was survived by the mother, who was sixty at the time of her death, which occurred in 1901. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Spettel numbered twelve, the living members of the family beside Edward John Spettel being as follows: Emma, the wife of Adam Kerr, of Sheboygan Falls; Anna, the wife of Rich Hartman, a farmer of Schleswig township; Henry, who is living in Kiel; Jacob, a farmer of Eaton township; Margaretha, the widow of John Hartman, of Schleswig township; John, who is living on the farm of our subject; and Mary, a resident of Milwaukee.

Edward John Spettel was reared on his father's farm, in the cultivation of which he began to assist while only a school boy. When old enough to begin working for himself he left the parental roof and obtained employment as a farm hand, following this occupation until he was twenty-seven years of age. He was then married and following this event he purchased his father's old homestead, that he operated for three years. At the expiration of that time he removed to Sheboygan and took a position in one of the factories, but he subsequently withdrew from this and located on his father-in-law's farm. He cultivated this for seven years, but at the end of that period he once more withdrew from agricultural pursuits and located in Sheboygan. Later he again took up farming but gave this up to enter the employ of J. B. Laun of Kiel. Subsequently he worked at the stone mason's trade.

For his wife Mr. Spettel chose Miss Mina Reimers, a native of Schleswig township and a daughter of Hans and Henrietta (Voss) Reimers, both of whom are now deceased. The parents came here in pioneer days, locating on a farm which the father cultivated during the remainder of his life. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Spettel, as follows: Harry, who is twenty years of age, now living in Kiel, this state; Lilly, who is ten years of age; and Harvey, who has celebrated the eighth anniversary of his birth.

Fraternally Mr. Spettel is a member of the Equitable Fraternal Union. He is one of the well known residents of Schleswig township, where his family has resided since pioneer days.

Return to the Sheboygan Page

Return to Bios page