ZELLER, Philipp

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 164

Philip ZELLER, harnessmaker, Alma [Buffalo County, Wisconsin], was born 20 
May 1850 in Louisville [Jefferson County], Kentucky. In 1864 he removed with 
his parents to this county [Buffalo] and settled on a farm in the town of 
Waumandee. In 1871 he went to Fountain City [on the east bank of the 
Mississippi River in southern Buffalo County] to learn the trade of 
harnessmaking, which he completed in the following three years. In 1875 he 
established business in Alma.

In 1874 he [Philipp ZELLER] married [Miss?] Mary WEIWERS [WEINVERS?], a 
native of Sauk County [Wisconsin]. They have two children, Rosetta and 
Amanda. [Philipp ZELLER's marriage not verified by submitter.] This ZELLER 
family was enumerated in the 1880 census of Alma, Buffalo County, Wisconsin: 
Philipp ZELLER, thirty, harnessmaker, born in Kentucky, about 1850 from his 
census age, which supports the year of birth given in the biography, to 
parents who were both born in Germany; his wife Mary, twenty-four, born in 
Wisconsin, about 1856, to parents born in Germany; and his two daughters, 
both born in Wisconsin: (1) Rosetta, three, born about 1877; and (2) 
Amanda, one, born about 1879. Also in the household are two persons 
unrelated to Philipp: Nettie SCHLOSLINN, seventeen, single, servant, born in 
Missouri to parents also born there; and Peter IBACK, eighteen, single, 
apprentice, born in Germany to parents also born there.]

[Several other ZELLER resided in Buffalo County in 1880, also enumerated in 
the census, who because of their geographical proximity may have been related 
to Philipp, especially since some, like Philipp, were born in Kentucky. 
Residing in Alma in 1880 was August ZELLER, thirty-two, born in Missouri to 
parents also born there. Henry ZELLER was living in Waumandee with his 
family: Henry, age twenty-seven, blacksmith, born in Kentucky, about 1853, 
to a father born in Baden and a mother born in Bavaria; his wife, Catharine, 
twenty-one, born in Iowa to a father born in Switzerland and a mother born in 
Bavaria; and daughter Louisa, nine months, born in Wisconsin. Also in 
Waumandee was Reinhard ZELLER, fifty-two, shoemaker, born in Baden, about 
1828, to parents born in Baden; his wife, Elizabeth, forty-eight, born in 
Bavaria to parents also born there; and two person unrelated to Reinhard. 
Residing in Waumandee by Reinhard was the family of Frederick ZELLER, 
fifty-five, farmer, born in Baden, about 1825, to parents born in Baden; his 
wife, Catharina, fifty-six, born in Bavaria to parents also born there; son 
Joseph, sixteen, born in Kentucky, about 1864; son Ludwig, fourteen, born in 
Wisconsin, about 1866; daughter Catharina, ten, born in Wisconsin; and one 
boarder unrelated to Frederick. Enumerated in 1880 in Montana, Buffalo 
County, was the family of John ZELLER, thirty-one, farmer, born in Kentucky, 
about 1849, to a father born in Baden and a mother born in Byron; his wife 
Mary, twenty-eight, born in Kentucky; his six children, ages eight to one 
year: Fritz, Lizzie, William, Cathrine, Rosena, and Carline; and his 
brother, Marten ZELLER, twenty-two, laborer, born in Wisconsin to a father 
born in Baden and mother born in Byron. Philipp ZELLER may have been related 
to Frank J. and F. Carl ZELLER, brothers, who were among the first settlers 
of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, adjacent to Buffalo County. A strip from 
the eastern part of Buffalo County was given to Trempeauleau County was it 
was created in 1854. Biographies of Frank J. ZELLER and Adam ZELLER (son of 
F. Carl) can be found in the Trempealeau County biographies. 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