Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2025 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Buffalo & Pepin Counties, Wisconsin - Vol. 1 pub. H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., Winona, MN - 1919 [page 162-163] JOHN FLORIN, president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with office at Fountain City, Buffalo county, was born in Switzerland, March 5, 1859, son of JOSIAS and ELSBETH (HOUSE- WIRTH) FLORIN. The parents left for the United States in 1865, with their three children, HENRY, JOHN and CHRISTIAN, and eleven days later landed in this country from a steamship. They came West at once and for a few days stopped at the house of a brother of MR. FLORIN, in Wabasha, Minn. They came to Pine Creek, Buffalo county, and located in Alma town- ship on 120 acres of land, which they bought of MATIAS HAMMER, the original settler. MR. FLORIN continued his residence on the place till 1869, when he traded his farm for one in Wau- mandee township, which was later owned by the subject of this sketch, and is now the property of the latter's son, HENRY. The farm is now one of 440 acres, with good improvements. In 1891 MR. FLORIN, the father of our subject, moved to La Crosse and remained there until 1913, when he returned to Buffalo county and took up his residence in Fountain City, where he died in the following year at the age of 85 years. He was a member of the Reformed church.He had been married three times. His first wife, mother of the subject of this sketch, died in Waumandee township, in 1876, at the age of 50 years. JOHN FLORIN grew to manhood on his parents' farm. He attended school during the winter season. In 1875-76 he was a student at a school in Dubuque, Iowa. After that he taught school for two winters in District 5, Alma township. He then purchased his father's farm in that township, and engaged in operating it, also taking an active part in the work of the creamery. For one year he served as assossor of the township and for eight years was chairman of the town board. In 1904 MR. FLORIN helped to organize the Buffalo County Mutural Storm and Cy- clone Insurance Co., and became its secretary. In 1909 he came to Fountain City in order to better attend to his duties in connection with the company, and has since remained here, having also been elected president of the Fountain City Mutual Farmers' Fire Insurance Co., of this county. As an insurance man he has done good work and helpe materially to build up the business of the companies with which he is connected. In 1916 he sold his farm to is son, HENRY. MR. FLORIN be- longs to the council of Woodmen in Fountain City, having served as clerk of the lodge, and is also a member of the local Masonic lodge and the lodge of Redmen, having joined the last mentioned in Waumandee township. He was first mar- ried in 1885, to FREDERICKA ROESCH, a native of Glencoe township, Buffalo county, and daughter of CHRIST. ROESCH, a pioneer settler there. She died at the early age of 28 years, in 1896, leaving two children HENRY and LILLIE, of whom the former, as already mentioned, is now on the farm, while the latter, LILLIE, is the wife of HARRY HECK, of La Crosse, a brakeman on the C., B. & Q. Railway. On May 4, 1904, MR. FLORIN married LOUISE WAELTY, of Waumandee township, daughter of JOHN and BABETTA (GROEBLI) WAELTY. Of this second union there is one child, ERWIN. ===========================================================================