SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

William A. Erdman, Page 443

WILLIAM A. ERDMAN is a proprietor and owner of a good saloon on the Calumet Road, two miles from Sheboygan, and is a gentleman who is well known in this county, and a man of recognized business ability.  A native of Sheboygan County, his birth occurred February 16, 1867.  He is the second in order of birth in a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, born to Albert and Fannie (Zschetzsche) Erdman, who are all living.  The father is a native of Germany, and his life history may be found in another portion of this work.  His children are as follows:  Reika, William A., August, Charles, Laura and Selma (twins), and Herman.

    The early years of our subject were passed on his father's farm in this county, and when young he learned the trade of making cheese, which occupation he followed until May, 1892.  He is largely self-educated, not having had very good advantages in that direction in his youth.  He started in the battle of life on reaching his majority, with a capital of $660, which he invested in a cheese factory.  He was remarkably successful from the start, and by his attention to business has become well-to-do.

    On the 15th of February, 1890, Mr. Erdman was united in marriage with Miss Emma Toepel, a resident of this county, born October 25, 1866.  She is a daughter of Charles and Theresa (Theilig) Toepel, and was given a good education.  Her parents are still living in Mosel Township.  Mr. and Mrs. Erdman have a little daughter, Emily, aged five months.  They are members of the German Lutheran Church of Mosel Township.

    In politics, our subject is a Democrat, having cast his first Presidential vote for Grover Cleveland.  He is not an active politician, but believes in using his right of franchise for the best man, regardless of party lines.  In May, 1893, he was honored by being appointed by President Cleveland as Postmaster of Erdman.  He has a paying business, and his six and a-half acres of land is a valuable tract, its price on the market constantly increasing.  He is a friend to education, and by those who know him well is accounted a most worthy gentleman.