WI BIO - Juneau Co - RUNKEL, Philip

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, vol I, p 381

Philip RUNKEL, merchant, New Lisbon [Lisbon Township, Juneau County, 
Wisconsin, was born 13 October 1832 in Germany, and emigrated to the United 
States in 1849. He came direct to Wisconsin, settling first at Milwaukee 
[Milwaukee County], where he learned the carriage trade, and followed the 
same in Milwaukee until March 1855, with the exception of about eighteen 
months when he was at Mineral Point [Iowa County, Wisconsin], and about the 
same length of time at Rochester [Racine County, Wisconsin. Philip RUNKEL 
would have most likely worked for Mitchell, Lewis & Company, which 
manufactured carriages and wagons in Racine at that time. The Bain Wagon 
Company in adjacent Kenosha County is a less likely possibility, since that 
company did not employ large numbers of men until a few years later.]

In March 1855 Philip RUNKEL came to Juneau County and spent the summer at 
Necedah, where he helped build a warehouse. The following year [1867] he 
engaged in mercantile business at Germantown [probably the Germantown 
adjacent to and west of the Wisconsin River, in Germantown Township, Juneau 
County; a less likely possibility being Germantown, Germantown Township, 
Washington County] and continued the same until 1866, during which time, in 
1864, he was elected County Treasurer, which office he held until 1868. In 
1866 he moved to Mauston [Lindina Township, Juneau County]. From 1868 to 
1873 he was engaged in farming. He them came to New Lisbon [Lisbon Township, 
Juneau County], and has since been engaged in the grocery business.

In 1857 Mr. Philip RUNKEL was married to [Miss?] Charlotte GUNDLACK, who was 
born in Illinois. They [Philip and Charlotte RUNKEL] have seven children: 
Anna E., Julius P., Harman E., Charlotte A., Henry P., George W., and Albert 
W. Besides his grocery business, Mr. RUNKEL also deals extensively in 
cranberries, shipping about 1,000 barrels per year, he being the principal 
shipper of New Lisbon.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly