website watertownhistory.org

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Fredrick Herrmann

1819 - 1896

Reminiscences of early days

in Watertown

The old colony of forty-eighters is dying out fast. Again it has lost one of its old members, Fred Herrmann. But few are left of these old settlers who brought sociability and made a happy community in times of yore when our village was almost a wilderness.

Mr. Herrmann was one of the prominent 1848 settlers. Born in Adelsheim, Baden in 1819, reared in a well to do patrician family in which the tanning business had been established for generations. Everybody was his friend here and he first engaged in the distilling business, then had a lime kiln and for many years a well patronized summer garden. He had held different offices. He was city treasurer several times, supervisor of the sixth ward for many years and held other offices of trust.

Simon Melzer was the speaker at his grave and members of the Concordia society sang one of their heart stirring funeral songs:

Unter allen Wipfel ist Ruh!

In allen Zweigen hoerst du keinen laut,

Die Voegelein schweigen im Wolde,

Warte nur, balde, balde,

Schlaeft auch Du!

Beneath all treetops is rest!

In all twigs no sound is heard,

The birds are silent in the woods,

Only wait, soon, soon

You likewise will sleep!

The circle of dear old friends is growing smaller. And we, who knows “how soon,” as the Concordia singers just have been singing.

Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.