Second Generation

2. Louis P. STORKEL I was born on 23 January 1860 in Weilburg, Hessen (Hesse) Province, Preussen (Prussia).^1,2,3,4

Biographical Notes: "Louis Storkel was born in Weilburg, Germany, Jan. 23, 1860. He received his education in his native land and there learned the florist trade. He immigrated to New York, where he worked at his trade for a time and then started West in search of a location in which to do business.

He arrived in Tomah with 17 cents in his pocket. Through thrift and hard work, he built up a large business. In 1912, Randolph Richards said in his history of Monroe county, 'His place is called the Tomah Greenhouse and Fruit Farm and is the largest of its kind in the state.'

The above was extracted from: HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY WISCONSIN, PAST AND PRESENT, Including an account of the Cities, Towns and Villages of the County, Published in 1912 by C. F. COOPER & CO., CHICAGO, Editory-in-Chief - Randolph A. Richards. It was reprinted in "Tomah's 25 Years of Progress," page 76, which was published in 1952.

From family sources: "He felt that success was before him and he was equal to the task of carving out for himself more than a bare livelihood. He secured employment as a laborer, which occupation he followed for eight years. Determined to succeed in the country of his adoption, he brought to bear that indomitable power of will common to his German ancestors, and with the desire uppermost in his mind to become a landed proprietor in this country, he succeeded by thrift, economy and industry in saving his earnings with which he purchased thirty-five acres of land adjoining the city of Tomah, and erecting thereon a small green house, started in business at his trade.

He prospered from the beginning, and soon enlarged his first building to a large green-house containing 8,000 square feet of glass. His business continued to prosper and he began to increase his land holdings and expand his facilities until he owned 120 acres of choice land on which he raised large quantities of small fruits and vegetables, his annual sales amounting to thousands of dollars. In 1910 he realized $4,000 from the sale of strawberries and other small fruits; in addition, he raised large quantities of tomatoes, cabbage and celery. He supplied the home market besides shipping in carload lots to other markets. His nursery stock was of the finest in the county and his place is called 'the Tomah green house and fruit farm,' and was the largest of its kind in the state of Wisconsin at that time.

He was a member of the park board of Tomah, and the flowers, evergreens and shrubbery growing along the boulevards were planted, managed and superintended , at that time, solely by him. He took an active interest in public affairs, and was always ready to lend his moral influence and financial aid to any worthy enterprise tending to the betterment of his community, and withal he was a high-minded, public spirited citizen."

Weilburg is located in Hessen Province, near Frankfurt. It is located on a high plateau above the Lahn River. The town lies between the towns of Wetzlar, to the northeast and Limburg, to the southwest. The town has many buildings that have survived since the 1600s and 1700s, including the castle, built in 1535-75, and the nearby Evangelical Lutheran "Schlosskirche," built in 1707-13 by the architect Julius Ludwig Rothweil. The church features what is perhaps the most beautiful and well-preserved high altars, or "kanzels" in Hessen.

The same architect built the "Rathaus," or town hall, which is adjacent to the church, in 1700-09. Other historical highlights include the "Landtor," a gate on the south end of the old city that dates to 1759, the "Church of the Holy Sepulchre" from 1505 near the old cemetery, and an arrangement of Jesus and the two criminals as they were crucified. The statues date from 1492. A stone bridge from 1769 spans the Lahn River and leads into the lower part of the old town.

The current town hall (which is pictured here) was built in 1764.

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He emigrated in 1883 from Germany.^2,5,6,7 After 1887 he was a truck gardener and greenhouse owner in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,4,5

The following was extracted from the Tomah Journal, dated 11 February 1910: "Louis Stoerkel, proprietor of the Tomah Greenhouse, is preparing for an important addition to his business this season. He will build two additional sections on the south side of the present greenhouse, one 18x65 ft. and the other 18x125 ft. The buildings will all be connected and another boiler will be added to the heating plant., The capacity of the greenhouse will be about doubled. Mr. Stoerkel has nearly all the materials on hand and expects to put up the buildings as soon as the building season opens. He is to be congratulated on the growth of his business which warrants such an increase of his plant."

. Louis appeared in the census in 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ He lived in the Second Ward and his occupation was listed as "Gardener and Florist." He appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^7,8 His household was on Hollister Avenue and his occupation was listed as "Florist and Farmer, Greenhouse."

(It is not known where he lived during the 1920 Census. His daughter Anna and sons Louis and Otto were living in his home at 701 Hollister Avenue.)

. He appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁹ He and his wife Julia were living in his household at 701 Hollister Avenue. His and her occupations were listed as "Florist, Greenhouse." Louis died edema of the lungs and chronic Myocarditis on 24 September 1943 at the age of 83 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^1,2,3,10

Obituary Notes: "Louis P. Storkel, Sr., well known resident of Tomah for many years, passed away at his home here last Friday, Sept. 24, 1943, after being in ill health for some time. He was confined to his bed only a few days prior to his death and had been able to attend to his business during the summer. He was born at Essen Germany, on Jan. 23, 1860, and was well past 83 years of age.

When he was 23 years old, in 1883, Louis Storkel came to the United States, locating in New York state where he remained two years, when he came to Tomah. He had worked as a gardener and florist in Germany and in New York and, with this experience, he entered the florist and gardening business in Tomah, which he conducted successfully until the time of his death.

In the early days, when lumbering was booming in the north country, Mr. Storkel made regular shipments of fruits, berries and vegetables to the lumbering towns and built a thriving and profitable business through this source.

Louie was also a devout hunter and fisherman, as well as an ardent conservationist, and devoted many happy hours to this outdoor sport. He loved nature and liked nothing better than to roam through the woods or along streams, enjoying the results of natures own gardening. And he was friendly, always ready to join a party on trips to some lake hunting lodge or stream. Louie will be missed by his many friends in this community.

Mr. Storkel was united in marriage with Tillie Kindt at Wilton on Jan. 31, 1921.

He is survived by his widow and five children by a former marriage, Herman Storkel and Mrs Anna Hyland of Tomah, Louis Storke, Jr., Kenosha, Otto Storkel, Milwaukee and Mrs. Louise Brown, LaCrosse; 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and a host of warm friends.

Funeral services were conducted at the Ninneman Funeral Home here on Sunday afternoon, the Rev. M. F. Nehrbass officiating. Interment was in Oak Grove cemetery.

Those from out of town attending the funeral were: Henry Kienahs, Miss Long, Mr. and Mrs. B. Jehlen, Hans Zorband, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bernhoef, all of LaCrosse; Glenn Hopkins, Sparta; Mr. and Mrs. W. Ostberg and Mrs. Earl Pfau, Milwaukee; Emil Kindt, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Kindt and Mr. and Mrs. Leo Zellmer, Wilton; Mr. and Mrs. Aug. Yahnke, Cataract."

. He was buried on 26 September 1943 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,3,11 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Louis P. STORKEL I and Wilhelmine "Minnie" MAU were married on 9 March 1884.^3,5,6,7,9 The 1910 Census indicated that they had 7 children, of whom 6 were living at the time. The 1900 Census indicated that they had 5 children, of whom 5 were living. So, the deceased child supposedly had been born and died between 1900 and 1910. They had 7 children who lived beyond 1910, so the Census information must have been in error.

. They^3,5,6,7,9 were divorced after 1910.¹ Wilhelmine "Minnie" MAU, daughter of Carl MAU and Mina MAILS, was born on 8 December 1863 in Stieten, Germany.^3,6 She emigrated on 3 January 1884 from Germany.^2,6 She emigrated on the ship "Rugia" from Hamburg. She appeared in the census in 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ Minnie appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,7

On 19 July 1911 she made a trip back to Hamburg, Germany to visit relatives and returned toTomah on the 15th of October 1911.

. She died on 12 February 1952 at the age of 88 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^2,3

According to her obituary, Mina died at the home of Mrs. W. Henry (Louise) Brown, her daughter. She was buried on 15 February 1952 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,12 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Louis P. STORKEL I and Wilhelmine "Minnie" MAU had the following children:

Louis P. STORKEL I and Julia UNKNOWN (STORKEL) were married before 1930.⁹ Julia UNKNOWN (STORKEL) was born about 1898 in Wisconsin.⁹ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁹

Louis P. STORKEL I and Ottilie Albertine Louise "Tillie" KINDT were married on 31 January 1921 in Wilton, Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^1,2,3,13 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Ottilie Albertine Louise "Tillie" KINDT, daughter of Gustav L. KINDT and Emilie SCHENDEL, was born on 11 May 1897 in Wellington Township, Monroe County, WI.^1,6,13 She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wellington Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Wellington Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴ Tillie died on 23 August 1988 at the age of 91 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^1,2

Obituary Notes: "Services for Ottille 'Tillie' A. Fredrick, 91, of 703 Pearl St., were at 1:00 p,m, Fri., Aug. 26, 1988 in the Ninneman-Steele Funeral Home. The Rev. Dale Raether officiated. Burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Fredrick died Tues., Aug. 23, 1988, in Tomah Memorial Hospital. She was born May 11, 1897, in the Town of Wellington, Monroe county, to Gustave and Emilie (Schendel) Kindt.

On Jan. 31, 1921, she married Louie Storkel in Wilton. They owned and operated the Green House in tomah until his death Sept. 24, 1943. She then married Otto Fredrick Nov. 4, 1949, in Tomah. He died March 11, 1955.

She was a member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church. Survivors include a sister, Pauline Reynolds of Tomah; and three nieces. She was preceded in death by a sister and two half-brothers."

. She was buried on 26 August 1988 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.² in the Oak Grove Cemetery.