From the Wausau Herald, 15 Mar 1915:

Early Pioneer Closes His Life

Robert Plisch, Ex-Assemblyman, Succumbs Suddenly While Reading Newspaper Held Several Offices

Was One of First to See Dairying Possibility in Marathon County

Robert Plisch, former Assemblyman of the First District of Marathon County and one of the early pioneers of the county, died Saturday forenoon while reading a newspaper. His sudden death was due to rheumatism of the heart. He was alone in the home as his wife had gone out and on returning found her husband's body lying on the floor beside the table which was being set for dinner.

The life of Mr. Plisch was a very interesting one. He was born in Silesia, Austria April 7, 1845. He came to the United States with his parents, Gottlieb and Caroline (Gross) Plisch. In 1856, his parents, having taken up a government homestead of eighty acres in section 32 Town of Berlin, Marathon County. The roads were only available as far as Fond du Lac, Wis. And it required six weeks for the family to make their journey from Fond du Lac to their homestead in this county. A vehicle carried their baggage while the parents and children walked a large portion of the distance. As flour gave out the family was obliged to live for two days on basswood leaves and wild berries. Reaching their homestead, a hut was erected out of poles and boughs with leaves as shelter from the rain. Thus they lived for an entire winter.

Gottlieb Plisch, father of Robert Plisch almost immediately exerted his effort for a school system in the Town of Berlin. He was chairman of the Town of Berlin when the territory of that precinct extended as far north as Lake Superior. The son, who received his early education in Europe, took advantage of every opportunity for further education which the town of Berlin afforded and before his twenty-first year, passed a teachers' examination. He taught school during the winter months, during the summer months worked on his father's farm and attended lectures and read books whenever occasion permitted.

He purchased a farm in the Town of Stettin, which, in 1880 he traded for his father's 160-acre farm in the Town of Berlin. He gave up teaching and devoted he entire attention to the farm. He was one of the first farmers to realize the importance of dairying in Marathon County and was instrumental in having a cheese factory located on the farm, which has been a success ever since its erection. His own farm he stocked with purebred Holsteins, and today it is one of the choicest farms in that part of the county.

Ever since he had been able to vote, he had been active in politics, and was a staunch Democrat. For eight years he was chairman of the town board of Berlin. He was deputy sheriff of the county in 1893 and 1894, previous to which time he was employed in the state legislature. In the fall of 1894 he was elected to the state assembly from the First district of Marathon County, and during his term of office was a member of several important committees.

For eight years he was a member of the executive board of the Marathon County Agricultural Society and served as president. He had also been an active Odd Fellow, having joined Marathon Lodge No. 169 in 1869, and since the dissolution of that subordinate body had been a member of the Wausau lodge No. 216. He was married April 14, 1872 to Augusta Mathwig, whose parents' farm adjoined the Plisch homestead. Twelve children were born to the union, Albert Plisch of the town of Hamburg, Mrs. Adolf Zielsdorf of Swift County, Minn., Mrs. Henry Kufahl of the Town of Pine River, Mrs. William Rollenhagen of Sunset, Marathon County, Mrs. Edward Zastrow of the town of Stettin, Mrs. Edward Newman of the town of Hamburg, Mrs. Edward Brandt of the town of Hamburg, Mrs. Paul Reiche of the town of Wausau, Mrs. William Radloff of the town of Hamburg, and Lydia, Ernest and Walter who reside at home.

The deceased leaves one brother, Oswald Plisch of this city and four sisters, Mrs. Bertha Crochiere of Wausau, Mrs. Paulina Loysen of Merrill, Mrs. Ida Spiegelberg of Tacoma, Washington, and Mrs. Erma Marchetti of Wausau.

The funeral of Mr. Plisch will be held Wednesday afternoon. The Odd Fellows will attend in a body. Definite arrangements will be made at a special meeting of Wausau lodge No. 215 I.O.O.F., this evening.