Gustave Kopplin                 August Semerau

jtettin's Oldest
Old-(7imers
Believed to be the oldest natives still living in the
Town of Stettin as this is written are Gustave E.
Kopplin, 91, who was born March 16, 1869, in
the township, and August Semerau, 89, whose birth
date was May 10, 1871.
Mr. Kopplin was born in the log cabin home-
stead of his father, Frederick, which was about a
half mile south of the present Kopplin home, while
Mr. Semerau was born in a log hut in an area
immediately adjacent to the present Semerau home.
The Kopplin home now is on County Trunk 0,
about a mile and a half north of County Trunk U,
while the Semerau residence is one mile east of
Marathon Corners on Highway 29 and then a
half-mile north on a town road.
The two old-timers, surprisingly clear-minded
for their age and considering the hard lives they
must have lived in Stettin's early days, have some
interesting stories- to tell.
Trees "Blacked Out" Sun
Mr. Kopplin can remember walking to Big Bull
Falls with his father as a boy under virgin pines that

were so large and closely spaced that they "blacked
out the sun."
Mr. Semerau remembers when his father walked
all the way to Stevens Point to buy some flour for
the family. The railroad went only as far as
Stevens Point in those days, so the pioneer settler
hiked down by way of a trail between Marathon
and Mosinee and then down the Wisconsin River.
He carried the flour back on his shoulder.
Mr. Kopplin's father was one of the very earliest
settlers in Stettin. The first German settlers ar-
rived in 1856 and he purchased his land in 1858.
The only three settlers in the immediate area when
the elder Kopplin arried were three bachelors,
Ottmar Sauter, John Ernst and George Lodholz.
With the arrival of more immigrants, the three
soon were married, however, Mr. Kopplin recalls.
Ottmar Sauter was the father of Mrs. Mary
Schilling, 21212 Prospect Ave., Wausau, whose
story is told elsewhere in this book. Mr. Kopplin
and Mrs. Schilling were schoolmates, he recalled.
All Have Bear Stories
Nearly all the old-timers have a favorite bear
story. Mr. Semerau recalled how bears ate out of
their garden once in a while and also stole a pig.
Mr. Kopplin remembers well one time when his
father tangled with Mr. Bruin. The father had a
muzzle loading shotgun, but unfortunately did
not keep it loaded. When he heard a pig squealing,
he grabbed an axe and aimed a blow at the bear,
who flicked the axe aside with a paw. Standing
on his haunches, the bear clawed the pioneer settler
on the arm and chest and the younger Mr. Kopplin
says that his father carried those scars to his grave.
Luckily, a dog put Mr. Bruin to flight before he
could do more damage.
Mr. Kopplin Sr. learned the cabinetmaking trade
in Germany before coming to the Town of Stettin.
His wife was sickly, so he supplemented the fam-
ily income by hand-working window sash and mak-
ing coffins. Mr. Kopplin recalled that his father
received only $6 or $7 for a handmade coffin in
those days.
"My father only paid 50 cents an acre for land
and people often ask why he didn't buy more,"
Mr. Kopplin said. "Well, where was he going to
get the $60?" he asked, indicating how hard money
was to come by in those days.
Oxen Were Popular
Mr. Semerau can recall when his father came
home with a pair of oxen. They were used on farms

I~ iHI                                            I     II  I            III   II II  ili  III           Ill lll  II     i-A