SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Fred Pape, Page 625

FRED PAPE, of Sheboygan, is one of the pioneers of that city, the date of his arrival being August, 1848.  Mr. Pape was born at Benningsen, in Hanover, Germany, April 21, 1833.  His parents were Conrad and Caroline (Brinkman) Pape, both natives of Hanover.  In 1848 the parents and their six children emigrated to America, landing in New York in August of that year.  The family came direct to Sheboygan.  The father died March 23, 1891.  He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, which occupation he followed nearly all of his life.  He reached the advanced age of nearly eighty-nine years.  The wife and mother died November 26, 1887.  Her birth occurred April 3, 1799.  Of the six children that they brought with them to this country, five are living.  Christina is the wife of Henry Kalk, of Sheboygan Falls.  Louis is a resident of Sheboygan.  On the 4th of July, 1867, he met with a most unfortunate accident by the premature explosion of a cannon, by which he lost his eyes and both arms.  He served in the War of the Rebellion, in the Second Wisconsin Battery, three years, and was one year in another Wisconsin regiment.  He was a gallant soldier, and this dreadful accident was a sad affair.  Fred is the next in order of birth.  Rosa is the wife of Charles Nack, of Sheboygan.  Conrad Henry also resides in this city; and Dora is deceased, her demise occurring in childhood.

    Fred Pape whose name heads this sketch was a boy of about fourteen years when he came with his parents to Sheboygan, and well remembers the condition of the country forty-five years ago.  He had become quite well educated, for a lad of fourteen, before he left his native country.  For a short time he attended school in Sheboygan.  he was engaged for several months in carrying the mail between Sheboygan and Port Washington, on horseback, through the woods.  He was later employed by the proprietor of the Sheboygan Hotel for some time, and would solicit custom for the house on the arrival of boats.  He then went to Erie, Pa., where he was employed as head waiter at Brown's Hotel.  A few months later he engaged at work in a shop of the Cleveland, Painesville & Ashtabula Railway Co., now called the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern.  After being thus employed for about a year, he engaged in "firing" on the railroad.  He was employed by that road about five years, when he returned to Sheboygan, and engaged as engineer on what was then the Sheboygan & Mississippi Railroad.  The pay not being very large, Mr. Pape decided to make another change, and in August, 1860, went to New Orleans to work for the Great Northern Railroad.  But owing to the approaching rebellion, he decided to return, and soon after took a position with the A. E. Goodrich Transportation Company as agent.  In 1869 he engaged in the hotel business, as proprietor of the Kossuth House.  He purchased the property and re-christened it the Pape House.  It became a very popular hotel and was kept by Mr. Pape for eighteen years, when he sold out and has since been retired.

    Mr. Pape married Miss Matilda Veit, September 15, 1854.  The bride was born at Neupott or Newport, on the Rhine, August 30, 1835, and came to this country with her parents when about two years old.  Her parents were George Adam and Margaret (Antony) Veit.  Her father died in Erie, Pa., and later the mother went to reside with her daughter at Cottonwood Falls, Mo., where she died.  Mrs. Pape is one of a family of ten children, who are scattered in various States of the Union.

    Mr. and Mrs. Pape have three children, one son and two daughters:  Mary, at home; Henry, at Genoa, Neb.; and Edith, the wife of John Bessinger, of Sheboygan.  They lost a like number of children:  Fred, in infancy; Anna, who died at the age of thirteen years; and William, at eighteen months.

    Mr. Pape is one of the well-known representative men of the Chair City.  In politics, he is a Republican, and a warm advocate of the principles of that party.  Mr. and Mrs. Pape have a beautiful home, erected in 1887, and Mr. Pape also owns valuable property adjoining.