SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Henry Dassow, Page 375

HENRY DASSOW is one of those who have materially assisted in the upbuilding of Sheboygan County.  He is a native of Germany, born August 22, 1847, and is the second of eight children, five of whom survive.  His brother John resides in Sheboygan Falls Township, and is one of its representative men.  the ancestral history of the family is related in his sketch, which may be found elsewhere in this work.

    When Henry Dassow came to America with his parents in 1861, he was a lad of fourteen years, and was greatly interested in everything he witnessed in the new country.  After landing in New York, he proceeded overland to Wisconsin.  Being straitened in circumstances, the whole family went industriously to work on arriving in Sheboygan.  Our subject obtained employment with a Mr. Weeks at $2 per month, and took his pay in flour.  After remaining with him for about six months, he returned home and attended school during the winter.  he was next employed by a Mr. Paine at $7 a month, and afterwards worked for $9 or $10 per month for several years.  Thus from boyhood he was used to hard work for small wages, but he learned habits of industry and economy, which have been of untold benefit to him in the acquirement of his sturdy character and fortunes.

    In January, 1865, Mr. Dassow enlisted in the Fourteenth Wisconsin Returned Volunteers, joining Company K.  He went to Camp Randall, Madison, from there to Nashville, and thence down the Mississippi to New Orleans.  Here he was stationed for three weeks in camp, and then sent to Mobile.  With his regiment he entered the city about 8 o'clock at night in a hard rainstorm, and had to stay out in the mud and rain over night.  Many died as the result of the exposure, and Mr. Dassow was sent to the hospital at Baton Rouge, where he staid for five or six weeks.  he returned to Madison, where, at the end of two weeks, on the 19th of July, 1865, he was honorably discharged from the service.  Returning home, he could do no work for several months, as he was still in very poor health.  The following winter he worked for Charles Christian, now of Sheboygan, and then went to Michigan, where he engaged in lumbering in the pine regions near Manistee, and there continued to stay for six years.

    The marriage of our subject occurred March 14, 1875, when Miss Sophia Froh became his wife.  They have had a family of nine children, all but one of whom are living, and in order of birth they are as follows:  Gusta, Berta, Matilda, Freda, Alma, Ernst, Hettie and Ella.  Their ages range from three to seventeen years.  The children are all at home, and have always been of great assistance to their parents in many ways.  Mrs. Dassow is a loving wife and mother and ably assists her husband in bearing life's burdens.

    After his marriage, Mr. Dassow took up a farm of eighty acres, the place which he still operates, and to which he has since added ninety acres, making a most desirable farm of one hundred and seventy acres.  The farm is located six miles distant from Sheboygan Falls, seven miles from Plymouth, and nine miles from Sheboygan.  It is fertile and improved, and the owner is recognized as a practical and representative agriculturist.

    In politics, our subject is a Republican and cast his first vote for Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.  He is a member in high standing of the Grand Army, belonging to Richardson Post No. 12, and he likes to meet the old soldiers and recall the times when they fought together, shoulder to shoulder.  He is not an office-seeker in any sense of the term, but is public-spirited and a good citizen.