SPIEHR, Christopher
Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 386-387

Christopher SPIEHR is one of the oldest settlers of Sauk City, Sauk County, 
WI, now living; he came here from Milwaukee 25 Aug 1850. For many years he 
was actively identified with the business interests of the place, but is now 
practically living retired. Mr. SPIEHR was born 07 Sep 1818 in Rehna, 
Germany, ten miles from Hamburg, and was educated in his native land, but his 
opportunities along that line were limited. In early life he commenced 
learning the tinsmith's trade, but before completing his apprenticeship found 
that the business was injurious to his health, and on the advice of a 
physician abandoned it. Later he learned the shoemaker's trade, but it 
seemed difficult if not impossible under the existing circumstances to 
accumulate anything, as only by the strictest economy and careful management 
was he able to meet his daily expenses. So a change was determined upon, and 
this country selected as offering the best inducements for a poor man. At 
the age of 29 he took passage on a sailing vessel at Hamburg, and after a 
rough and stormy passage of 42 days finally reached the harbor of NY. At 
first the skies seemed bright, and amid the regrets of parting from friends 
and native land, came hope for a better future in this land of liberty, of 
which he had heard so much.

From NY Mr. SPIEHR went to Buffalo [Erie County, NY], and later to Milwaukee 
[Milwaukee County, WI], where he worked at his trade and made many friends, 
among whom were leather dealers, who willingly assisted him in subsequent 
years. As previously stated, he came to Sauk City on 25 Aug 1850, and as he 
was without money and could not afford to hire a conveyance, he made the 
journey on foot. This [p 387] section at that time was all wild and 
unimproved. He opened a shop in Sauk City [Sauk County, WI], and in order to 
secure a start worked day and night, sometimes until two o'clock in the 
morning. He thus proved to the leather dealers in Milwaukee that he was 
honest, industrious and persevering, and he had no trouble in securing 
supplies on credit. He continued to work at his trade for many years with 
good success, but is now living retired, peacefully passing his declining 
years in caring for his garden and taking life easy. He has platform scales 
upon his place and weighs hay, etc.

Mr. SPIEHR married Conradina BIERSCHWALE, also a native of Germany, by whom 
he has had four children, three now living: (1) Charles, a druggist of 
Chicago [Cook County, IL]; (2) Mrs. Louisa WEISENBORN, of Milwaukee 
[Milwaukee County, WI]; and (3) Mrs. Bertha HOUSEN, of Chippewa Falls 
[Chippewa County], WI, whose husband is a college professor). Mr. SPIEHR is 
a free thinker and a member of the Free Congregation of Sauk City [Sauk 
County, WI], to which he sold the land on which their chapel is built. He 
was one of the organizers of the society and one of its first officers. He 
has witnessed almost the entire growth of Sauk City, and in early days took 
an active part in every enterprise calculated to prove of public benefit, 
securing the ground for the cemetery, orgainizing the fire company, and using 
his influence for the establishment of a post office here. He is widely 
known and highly respected, and on the rolls of Sauk County's honored 
pioneers his name should be among the foremost. He and his wife visited the 
World's Fair in Chicago in 1893 and had a very enjoyable time.

Contributed by Cathy Kubly