WI BIO - Winnebago Co - WILLE, Franz

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, vol II, pp 
1166-1167

Franz WILLE was born 23 September 1825 in Germany, in the Kingdom of Prussia. 
He emigrated to America in 1843, and located in Milwaukee [Milwaukee 
County], Wisconsin. [When Mr. WILLE emigrated to America in 1843, the future 
State of Wisconsin was still contained within the Territory of Wisconsin. 
Statehood was achieved 29 May 1848.]

Mr. WILLE followed different kinds of business. He also clerked for the once 
hardware king, Mr. John NAZRO, for a number of years. He then came to 
Oshkosh [Winnebago County, Wisconsin] in 1867, his goods arriving before he 
himself did. Franz WILLE is deals in a general line of hardware, stoves, and 
tinware at 25 Main Street, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, having 
established his store in 1867. His trade amounts to $23,000 per annum in 
good business times, and he employs two men. 

In 1854 he [Franz WILLE] was married in Milwaukee [Milwaukee County, 
Wisconsin], to Miss Emily BUESTRIN, born in Milwaukee. They [Franz and Emily 
(BUESTRIN) WILLE] have five children living: John, the oldest son, now 
married, living in Oshkosh; Edward, Ida, Richard, and Ada.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly