Bio: Prehn, Fred (1860 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Prehn, Langenhahn, Erdman, Clemens

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Prehn, Fred (5 May 1860 - 19??)

Fred Prehn & Son, One of the leading business firms of Marathon City is that of Fred Prehn & Son, (Fred Prehn and Edwin R. Prehn), dealers in hardware, furniture and harness, also undertakers, both members of which are widely known and the senior member, Fred Prehn, served in the Wisconsin General Assembly in 1905-07. He was born at Manitowoc, Wis., May 5, 1860, and is a son of Theodore and Fredrika Prehn. About 1879 the parents moved to Marathon County and settled in the town of Texas. The father died at Wausau, Wis. in 1907, the mother passing away at an earlier date at Marathon City.

Fred Prehn passed his school period at Newton, and Manitowoc High School, Manitowoc, Wis., and afterward started to learn the harness making trade, working first at Marinette, then at Green Bay and afterward at Milwaukee. In 1880 he came to Marathon City and started into business for himself, soon afterward adding the sale of implements for farm use to his harness line and still later going into hardware, furniture and undertaking. The entire stock of household goods and double front two story brick building was destroyed in 1905, by fire. At present the harness business is mainly in the repair department but a first class stock of ready made harness is still carried. In addition, the firm operates a stock farm of 240 acres situated in the vicinity of Alma Center, in Jackson County.

Mr. Prehn was married first to Miss Bentenia Langenhahn, who was born in Germany and died at Marathon City when aged twenty-six years. She was the mother of four children: Helen, who is deceased; A. W., who is a resident of Wausau; E. R. who is in the undertaking business at Marathon City; and Ella, who is deceased. Mr. Prehn's second marriage was to Miss Emma Erdman, of the town of Stettin, Marathon County, and they have had the following children: Benjamin, who is deceased; Delos, who is a student in the High School at Hixton, Wis.; and Fred, Douglass, Gerlinda and Aurora. They have also an adopted daughter, Levina Clemens, a young lady of eighteen years, who has been with the family since she was three years old. The family now temporarily resides at Alma Center, Wis., on the farm. Mr. Prehn and family belong to the Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican of the independent type and has frequently served in local offices, such as supervisor, village president, and member of the school board and during his term of public service at Madison was faithful to the trust reposed in him. He is identified with Camp No. 1464 M. W. of A. at Wausau.