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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of Buffalo & Pepin Counties, Wisconsin - Vol. 1
pub. H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., Winona, MN - 1919

         [page 182-183]

         JOHN MEILI, one of the leading citizens of Alma township,
       Buffalo county, now serving in the office of county clerk,
       was born in the little town of Bonstetten, Zurich, Switzer-
       land, Nov. 8, 1865, son of RUDOLPH and ELIZABETH (TOGGWEILER)
       MEILI. In the following year his parents came to Buffalo county,
       Wisconsin, settling first at Fountain City, where, as he grew
       older, he attended school. Later for one year he attended the
       Valparaiso Normal School. At the age of 18 he began teaching,
       in which occupation he was engaged during the winter, working
       on farms in the summer. In 1894 he was married to LORENA HOFER,
       of Cochrane, daughter of JOHN B. HOFER, a native of Switzer-
       land, who had located at Cochrane in Belvidere township. There
       he and his wife also located, he working for the Lane Lumber
       Company, a branch concern, and teaching school at intervals.
       In 1904 MR. MEILI went into the newspaper business at Cochrane,
       in company with ALBERT GUETTINGER conducting the Landsman, a
       German paper, which was afterwards bought by the Leicht Press,
       MR. MEILI selling out his interest in September, 1913. In the
       years 1911 and 1913 he served as journal clerk in the Wisconsin
       senate. Then on the death of J. S. McCABE he was appointed to
       fill the vacancy as county clerk of Buffalo county, a position
       he has since held by successive elections. Formerly for nine
       years he was clerk of Belvidere township before Cochrane was
       set off and was later clerk of Cochrane village, resigning
       that position on coming to Alma in July, 1913. Of the latter
       place, his present residence, he is now alderman. MR. MEILI'S
       activities have not by any means been confined to political
       affairs, as he has taken a prominent part in promoting busi-
       ness enterprises. He was assistant cashier and director of
       the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Cochrane, and helped to
       organize the Cochrane Co-operative Creamery, of which he was
       the first secretary. His fraternal society affiliations are
       with the Modern Woodmen, the American Yeomen, the Redmen, of
       Cochrane, and the A. F. and A. M. of Alma. Of the Improved
       Order of Redmen he was state secretary for ten years. As a
       member of the German Lutheran Church, he served on the build-
       ing committee of the church in Cochrane. His life has thus
       been a busy one and has been full of useful work of one kind
       or another, as he has always proved himself efficient in what-
       ever enterprise he took a hand in, while his honesty and general
       trustworthiness are universally recognized by his fellow townsmen.
       He and his wife are the parents of two children, JOHN R. and
       EMMETt A., the former now employed in the German American Bank
       at Alma, and the latter attending high school and residing at
       home.

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