RAHN, Martin

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 167

Martin RAHN, cigar manufactory, Fountain City [Buffalo County, Wisconsin], 
was born 16 May 1837 in Switzerland. He came with his parents to America in 
1854, and lived with them on a farm in Buffalo County until 1871, when he 
went to Milwaukee and learned the cigar making trade, remaining there two 
years. He then returned to Buffalo County and started a cigar manufactory 
for himself in Fountain City, and has since followed that business.

In Milwaukee [Milwaukee County, Wisconsin], he [Martin RAHN] was married to 
[Miss?] Mary FRANCE [name not verified by submitter], who was born in 
Wisconsin, and by whom he has four children: Annie M., Louisa B., Olka M., 
and George A. [This family is enumerated (surname appears as RAHNE) in the 
1880 census of Fountain City, Buffalo County, Wisconsin: Martin RAHN, age 
thirty-two, cigar manufacturer, born in Switzerland (about 1848 by his census 
age) to parents also born there; his wife Maria F. RAHN, age twenty-eight, 
born in Wisconsin (about 1852) to parents who were born in Prussia; and 
Martin's three daughters, all born in Wisconsin to a father born in 
Switzerland and a mother born in Prussia: (1) Anna L. RAHN, age six, born 
about 1874; (2) Louisa RAHN, age four, born about 1876; and (3) Olka 
(Olga?) M. RAHN, age two, born about 1878. The son, George A. RAHN, who is 
not in the census but is named in the biography, could have been born in the 
interim between the 1880 census and the publishing of the text in 1881. The 
same order of the children's names in the biography and the census, however, 
only suggests George A. was the youngest child, since the sequence in which 
children are named in biographies (with no accompanying birthdates) is quite 
often not identical to birth order. If Martin RAHN had a prior marriage, 
George A. could be issue from that union and living elsewhere in 1880.]

[Also enumerated in the 1880 Census of Fountain City, Buffalo County, 
Wisconsin, is the Conrad RAHN family, which may be related. (census 
handwriting is such that the surname could be read RAHM): Conrad RAHN 
(RAHM?], age thirty-two, harness maker, born in Switzerland, about 1848 by 
his census age, to parents also born in Switzerland; his wife Mary, age 
twenty-four, born in Prussia (about 1856) to parents also born there; 
daughter Lilly, age one, born in Wisconsin; stepsister (of Conrad) Paulina 
REGLI, servant, age twenty-two, born in Wisconsin to parents born in 
Switzerland; and Peter von WALD, eighteen, harness maker apprentice, born in 
Wisconsin to parents born in Switzerland.]

[Enumerated in 1880 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (where Martin 
RAHN learned his trade of cigar making, worked for two years, and was 
married) is the family of Charles and Lena RAHN: Charles, age thirty-eight, 
butcher, born in Mecklenburg (by his census age about 1842) to parent also 
born there; his wife Lena, age thirty-seven, born in Wisconsin (about 1843) 
to parents born in Bavaria; and his five children, all born in Wisconsin to a 
father born in Mecklenburg and a mother born in Wisconsin: (1) Frederick, 
age twelve, born about 1868; (2) John, age ten, born about 1870; (3) Emma, 
age eight, born about 1872; (4) Charles, age six, born about 1874; and (5) 
George, age four, born about 1876. There are also two other persons in the 
Charles RAHN household, but neither of them is the George A. RAHN missing 
from Martin RAHN's household. The two, both eighteen and unrelated to 
Charles RAHN, are: Michael SCHULZ, single, butcher and servant, born in 
Wisconsin, his father born in Bavaria and his mother in Wurttemberg; and Rosa 
MOLDENHAUER, single, servant, born in Wisconsin, her father born in Prussia 
and mother born in Baden. Is Charles RAHN related to Martin RAHN of the 
biography?]

[Lastly, another Martin RAHN (not born in Switzerland and eight years older 
than the Martin RAHN of the biography, assuming the information given for 
both is correct) was enumerated in the 1860 census of the 1st Ward of Two 
Rivers, Two Rivers Township, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin: Martin RAHN, age 
thirty-one, single, teamster, born in Prussia, from his census age about 
1829. Bracketed material added by submitter (who is not researching these 
surnames) to support and clarify information given in the biography and to 
raise questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly