He was born in the grand duchy of Baden, Germany, June 24, 1842, and in the same locality were born his parents, Frank Joseph and Ann Mary (Ditter) Adelman, the father having been a wagonmaker by trade and having also followed farming in his native land.
In 1849, when the subject of this sketch was a lad of seven years, the family immigrated to America, the voyage comprising forty-nine days and being made on a sailing vessel of the kind common to that period. The voyage was a rough and protracted one and the passengers finally suffered greatly on account of lack of sufficient food, the supply having run short.
After remaining a short time in New York city the father and family made a short visit in Troy, New York state, after which they removed to Northhampton, Mass., where he was employed in a woolen factory one year, later being similarly employed for two years at Worcester, that state.
In 1852 they came to Wisconsin and located on a tract of wild land seven miles distant from the present city of Fond du Lac. There the father secured forty acres, which he retained until 1855, when he sold the same and bough another farm, of eighty acres, in the same county, where he developed a valuable place, there remaining until his death, June 14, 1888, at the venerable age of eighty-eight years. His wife passed away March 2, 1872, both having been members of the Catholic church. She had been previously married, and the three children of her first union are all deceased, -Francis, Lawrence and Carl. Of the six children of the second marriage only two attained to maturity, -Mary, who resides in Fond du Lac county, being the widow of Henry Kraus, who died June 23, 1891, and Benedict who is the immediate subject of this sketch.
The limited education which benedict Adelman was enabled to secure in the primitive schools of the pioneer days in Wisconsin has been effectively supplemented by personal application and by active association with men and affairs in later years. He studied at night when a youth and made good use of his time.
He was reared to maturity in Fond du Lac county, where he aided in the development of the home farm, upon which he remained until he was nineteen years of age, when he tendered his services in defense of the Union. Oct. 14, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Eighteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, of which James S. Alban was made colonel, James P. Millard having been captain of Company A. The regiment remained in camp at Milwaukee until Mar. 30, 1862, when it was called into active service, being sent to the front and arriving in season to take part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, on April 6. The regiment took part in the siege of Corinth and later took an active part in the battles of Iuka, Moscow, Memphis and Vicksburg, doing much marching. It participated in the battle at Jackson, Miss., that of Champion Hills, and the siege and capture of Vicksburg, after which it was in service at various points in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and finally joined Sherman's forces at Atlanta, and thence proceeding on the ever memorable march to the sea, taking part in various engagements in the Carolinas and remained with his command until the expiration of his second term of enlistment, shortly before the final surrender.
After the close of the war Mr. Adelman went with other members of his regiment from Hilton Head, S. C., to New York city, on a government transport, and from the metropolis he returned to Madison, Wis., where he received his honorable discharge March 14, 1865. He received a wound from a musket ball in the battle of Shiloh, the missile having penetrated his right shoulder, but he was not long incapacitated from service.
After the war Mr. Adelman returned to Fond du Lac county and located on a farm of forty acres which his father had given him, the father remaining with him three years. Nov. 29, 1869, Mr. Adelman married Miss Ann Gertrude Johann, who was born in Prussia, being a daughter of Matthias and Anna Maria (Steffes) Johann, who immigrated to America in 1856, becoming pioneers of Fond du Lac county, Wis., where the father engaged in farming. He died Nov. 1, 1880, and his wife passed away Feb. 14, 1895. They had five children: Peter and Nicholas still reside in Fond du Lac county; Hubert is an attendant in the state hospital at Oshkosh; Margaret is the wife of Henry Kraus, of Fond du Lac county; and Ann Gertrude is the wife of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. And Mrs. Adelman became the parents of ten children: Annie M., who was born Dec. 26, 1870, is the wife of Herbert Keimkuehler, of Westford township, and they have six children; Jacob W., who was born Oct. 26, 1872, and who is now town clerk of Westford, married Miss Christina Bauer and they have three children; Frank J., who was born Oct. 2, 1874, and who is engaged in farming in Sauk county, married Miss Mary Wirth and they have three children; Mary E. and Clara C., twins, were born Sept. 12, 1877, the former dying March 5, 1883, and the latter April 21, 1882; John, who was born Oct. 18, 1879, is a farmer in Wells county, N.D., and the maiden name of his wife was Mary White; Albert J., born July 18, 1882, resides in Parkston, S. D.; William H., born April 23, 1884, is a farmer in Wells county, N. D.; and Joseph B., born Sept. 21, 1885, and Mary A., born Feb. 15, 1888, remain at the parental home.
In April, 1874, Mr. Adelman came with his family to Richland county, having sold his property in Fond du Lac county. He bought 160 acres of wild land in section 9, town of Westford, later adding to his landed possessions in this and other counties and now retaining in his home place 120 acres, well improved and under effective cultivation. He has reclaimed a great deal of land and has been energetic and successful business man. He erected his present residence in 1888 and his large and substantial barn in 1890, these and all other buildings on the farm being of superior type.
For three years Mr. Adelman conducted a general store at Germantown, Richland county. He was the clerk of his township in Fond du Lac county, serving five years, and for two years he was chairman of the town board of Westford, Richland county, also having been clerk and treasurer of his school district. He has various capitalistic interests aside from his farming properties, being a stockholder in the local telephone company, in a chair factory at Cazenovia, and in the Franklin Farmers' Insurance Company. He is a broad-minded and public-spirited citizen, honored by all who know him. His political support is given to the Democratic party and he is a valued and appreciative member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
He was born in the grand duchy of Baden, Germany, June 24, 1842, and in the same locality were born his parents, Frank Joseph and Ann Mary (Ditter) Adelman, the father having been a wagonmaker by trade and having also followed farming in his native land.
In 1849, when the subject of this sketch was a lad of seven years, the family immigrated to America, the voyage comprising forty-nine days and being made on a sailing vessel of the kind common to that period. The voyage was a rough and protracted one and the passengers finally suffered greatly on account of lack of sufficient food, the supply having run short.
After remaining a short time in New York city the father and family made a short visit in Troy, New York state, after which they removed to Northhampton, Mass., where he was employed in a woolen factory one year, later being similarly employed for two years at Worcester, that state.
In 1852 they came to Wisconsin and located on a tract of wild land seven miles distant from the present city of Fond du Lac. There the father secured forty acres, which he retained until 1855, when he sold the same and bough another farm, of eighty acres, in the same county, where he developed a valuable place, there remaining until his death, June 14, 1888, at the venerable age of eighty-eight years. His wife passed away March 2, 1872, both having been members of the Catholic church. She had been previously married, and the three children of her first union are all deceased, -Francis, Lawrence and Carl. Of the six children of the second marriage only two attained to maturity, -Mary, who resides in Fond du Lac county, being the widow of Henry Kraus, who died June 23, 1891, and Benedict who is the immediate subject of this sketch.
The limited education which benedict Adelman was enabled to secure in the primitive schools of the pioneer days in Wisconsin has been effectively supplemented by personal application and by active association with men and affairs in later years. He studied at night when a youth and made good use of his time.
He was reared to maturity in Fond du Lac county, where he aided in the development of the home farm, upon which he remained until he was nineteen years of age, when he tendered his services in defense of the Union. Oct. 14, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Eighteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, of which James S. Alban was made colonel, James P. Millard having been captain of Company A. The regiment remained in camp at Milwaukee until Mar. 30, 1862, when it was called into active service, being sent to the front and arriving in season to take part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, on April 6. The regiment took part in the siege of Corinth and later took an active part in the battles of Iuka, Moscow, Memphis and Vicksburg, doing much marching. It participated in the battle at Jackson, Miss., that of Champion Hills, and the siege and capture of Vicksburg, after which it was in service at various points in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and finally joined Sherman's forces at Atlanta, and thence proceeding on the ever memorable march to the sea, taking part in various engagements in the Carolinas and remained with his command until the expiration of his second term of enlistment, shortly before the final surrender.
After the close of the war Mr. Adelman went with other members of his regiment from Hilton Head, S. C., to New York city, on a government transport, and from the metropolis he returned to Madison, Wis., where he received his honorable discharge March 14, 1865. He received a wound from a musket ball in the battle of Shiloh, the missile having penetrated his right shoulder, but he was not long incapacitated from service.
After the war Mr. Adelman returned to Fond du Lac county and located on a farm of forty acres which his father had given him, the father remaining with him three years. Nov. 29, 1869, Mr. Adelman married Miss Ann Gertrude Johann, who was born in Prussia, being a daughter of Matthias and Anna Maria (Steffes) Johann, who immigrated to America in 1856, becoming pioneers of Fond du Lac county, Wis., where the father engaged in farming. He died Nov. 1, 1880, and his wife passed away Feb. 14, 1895. They had five children: Peter and Nicholas still reside in Fond du Lac county; Hubert is an attendant in the state hospital at Oshkosh; Margaret is the wife of Henry Kraus, of Fond du Lac county; and Ann Gertrude is the wife of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. And Mrs. Adelman became the parents of ten children: Annie M., who was born Dec. 26, 1870, is the wife of Herbert Keimkuehler, of Westford township, and they have six children; Jacob W., who was born Oct. 26, 1872, and who is now town clerk of Westford, married Miss Christina Bauer and they have three children; Frank J., who was born Oct. 2, 1874, and who is engaged in farming in Sauk county, married Miss Mary Wirth and they have three children; Mary E. and Clara C., twins, were born Sept. 12, 1877, the former dying March 5, 1883, and the latter April 21, 1882; John, who was born Oct. 18, 1879, is a farmer in Wells county, N.D., and the maiden name of his wife was Mary White; Albert J., born July 18, 1882, resides in Parkston, S. D.; William H., born April 23, 1884, is a farmer in Wells county, N. D.; and Joseph B., born Sept. 21, 1885, and Mary A., born Feb. 15, 1888, remain at the parental home.
In April, 1874, Mr. Adelman came with his family to Richland county, having sold his property in Fond du Lac county. He bought 160 acres of wild land in section 9, town of Westford, later adding to his landed possessions in this and other counties and now retaining in his home place 120 acres, well improved and under effective cultivation. He has reclaimed a great deal of land and has been energetic and successful business man. He erected his present residence in 1888 and his large and substantial barn in 1890, these and all other buildings on the farm being of superior type.
For three years Mr. Adelman conducted a general store at Germantown, Richland county. He was the clerk of his township in Fond du Lac county, serving five years, and for two years he was chairman of the town board of Westford, Richland county, also having been clerk and treasurer of his school district. He has various capitalistic interests aside from his farming properties, being a stockholder in the local telephone company, in a chair factory at Cazenovia, and in the Franklin Farmers' Insurance Company. He is a broad-minded and public-spirited citizen, honored by all who know him. His political support is given to the Democratic party and he is a valued and appreciative member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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