HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



time, however, the crops have been all that could have been expected, considering
the amount of land under cultivation. Their business has now grown to large
proportions, Joseph 0. Bissig being the active manager. On some five or six
occa-
sions since they first started, they have purchased other land until now
they own
1,500 acres, 600 of which are in Remington Township, Wood County, and 900
in
City Point Township, Jackson County. At the present time they have 40 acres
in cranberries, all in Remington Township, most of the remaining land being
used-
for reservoir and outlet purposes. They have produced as high as 2,100 barrels
in a season and find ready markets for all their products, disposing of it
mostly in
the West. Their place is well provided with all the necessary buildings,
including
a spacious warehouse, and shanties for the pickers, of whom they hire from
50 to
75 in a season, according to the size of the crop. The berries grown on the
Bissig
marsh are the Favorites, Daisy, and Badger brands. Mr. Bissig's experience
in
the cranberry industry covers a period of 38 years, during which time he
has never
missed a season, as in the early years he was employed every year in one
capacity
or another, if but for a few days, though usually for several weeks, and
since he
began for himself he has devoted his chief attention to this important industry,
in
which he has made a fine record. In connection with it, however, he is interested
in the gathering of spagnum moss, which is widely used by florists and nursery
men for covering plants and wrapping about roots, and also as a packing material
by upholsterers. - This moss grows freely on some parts of his land, and
he has
granted a contract for gathering it, covering 160 acres, to the A. L. Randall
Co. of
Chicago, for whom he acts as manager. The moss is raked and pulled from its
marshy bed, spread out to dry on what is known as the drying-bed, then stored
in
sheds, and subsequently pressed and baled, when it is ready for shipment,
the process
being interesting and picturesque. The usual size of the bales is 48 by 16
by 14
inches, and they are wrapped mostly in burlap. From 10,000 to 15,000 bales
are
gathered on the Bissig Bros.' land each season, the market price at the present
time being about 75 cents a bale, though if formerly brought as high as $1.50.
Mr. Bissig's activities in the cranberry and moss industries have made him
a well
to do man and he owns and occupies a fine residence on Oak Street, on the
East
Side, Wisconsin Rapids. He was married March 11, 1896, to Annie Mary Reinert,
who was born in Stetlin, Germany, daughter of Amandus and Mary (Erdman)
Reinert. Her parents came to Wisconsin Rapids (then known as Grand Rapids)
30 years ago, the father entering the employ of the Oberbeck Furniture Co.,
for
which concern he worked for a number of years, but is now retired. His wife
died
two years ago, in 1920. Of the children in the Reinert family, Annie Mary,
now
Mrs. Bissig, was the first born. The others are: Emil, of Wisconsin Rapids;
Bertha, wife of Frank Hagendorfer, of Racine, Wis.; Olga, now Mrs. Walter
Blish
of Racine, Wis.; and Amandus, who lives in Wisconsin Rapids. Mr. and Mrs.
Joseph 0. Bissig are the parents of four children: Alma, born Dec. 4, 1896;
Elsie,
born June 14, 1898; Olga, born May 28, 1900; and Evelyn, born June 27, 1906.
Alma, who was a reserve nurse during war time in the Riverview Hospital,
this
city, married Erwin Gleue, who is the active manager of the Gleue Bros.'
shoe
store in Madison. Elsie is the wife of Hugh Edward Alford, who is in the
Federal
post office department at Washington, D. C., and she herself was also in
govern-
ment service during the recent war. She has one son, Earl Vernon. Olga is
now
bookkeeper in the Wood County Bank, Wisconsin Rapids. Evelyn is attending
high school. Mr. Bissig's fraternal affiliations are with the Elks, Modern
Wood-
men of America, and Travelers' Protective Association. He was reared a Catholic
and his wife a Lutheran. He may well be called a self-made man, and though
he
has always been too busy to mix actively in politics he has always shown
himself
ready to help promote any practical enterprise for the benefit of his city
and county.
   James D. Gibson, a soldier of the Civil War, and a few years ago chief
of police
of Wisconsin Rapids, was born in Belfast, Ireland, June 23, 1848, son of
William
J. and Martha Gibson. The parents were natives of Ireland who came to America
in 1859 and settled on a farm north of Ripon, Wis., where they spent the
remainder
of their lives. James D. Gibson attended school both in Ireland and in Wisconsin.



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