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 171-172] AUGUST HELWIG, SR., one of the pioneer settlers of Montana township, now deceased, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1829, and came to the United States in the fifties, lo- cating first in Milwaukee. He was married to EVA BITTNER, who was born in 1821, and in 1856, with four children - ELIZABETH, CAROLINE, CHARLES and AUGUST - he and his wife came by ox team to Buffalo county, bringing with them a few cattle. They place they chose for settlement was the land now constituting in part the farm of his son GEORGE, in sections 25 and 26, Montana township, at which he at first secured 160 acres. It was then just a little piece of the wilderness, re- mote from any road and without buildings. There were plenty of trees, however, and under one of these, growing in what is now the farm yard, he and his family camped out until he could erect a log house. The next thing was to build a barn, also of logs, and then he began the arduous task of clearing the land. This took time, but he made gradual progress, being assisted by his sons as soon as they were old enough, and before his death at the age of 65 years, Sept. 1, 1886, he had the satis- faction of finding himself the owner of 320 acres of land, with a good brick residence and a substantial barn. During the early years of his pioneer farming career he used to haul his grain to La Crosse or Winona by ox team, in either case a long journey. His log house was also for a number of years a favorite stopping-place for travelers. His wife, who sur- vived him, died on the farm at the age of 86 years, May 3, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. AUGUST HELWIG were worthy and respected people and members of the Evangelical church. In addition to the children already mentioned they had six others, who were born in Montana township - SARAH, GEORGE, JOHN, WILLIAM, AARON and EMMA. Of these, GEORGE is now proprietor of the homestead. The daughter CAROLINE died in 1867 and the son CHARLES in 1889. ===========================================================================