By Julie Huebel, Pierce County Historical Association

ELMWOOD, WI – Sometimes you get so incredibly lucky when researching a family. Ever since I started this series, I had my mind set on a particular ‘P’ family and then in the last moment I just swerved to another family. I’m so glad I did, because how often do you encounter a professional genealogist that’s literally written the book on the family you are researching? Again, I have WAY too much information and have to condense it down for this article. So, a big THANK YOU to Brian Podoll for all his help. Yes, that means…P is for Podoll.

I know I’ve commented before on families that have used the same names over and over, but I’m pretty sure the Podolls have them all beat! The whole male part of the tree is pretty much just a bunch of Gustaf/Gustavs, Friedrichs, and John/Johann/Jons!! The first Podoll to settle in the Elmwood area was Gustaf Julius Podoll, Sr. (1847-1934). He was born in 1847 to Johann (1821-1899) and Anna “Karoline” (1824-1908) in Radwonke (now Radwanki) and baptized in county of Kolmar in “Posen, Germany” in an area that was given to Poland in 1920 after WWI as part of the Treaty of Versailles. The Polish name for the town is now Chodzież. Multiple families from this area settled in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

History lesson over, now back to the Podolls…Gustaf, Sr. as a teen, came to the U.S. with his parents and siblings. They sailed on the ship “Stella” in 1865 from the port at Bremen, Germany to New York, where they would have been processed as immigrants at Castle Garden when they arrived on November 10 of that year. With “Wisconsin” listed as their intended destination on their arriving passenger list, they settled in Marquette County, Wisconsin.

He married Justine Krause in 1872, they had four daughters (Hulda, Emma, Ida, and a daughter that died in 1895) and three sons (Carl/Charles, Gustaf Julius Jr., and Richard). Justine died the same year as her young daughter in 1895. Not long after losing his wife, Gustaf Sr. purchased a farm near Hatchville in Spring Lake Township in 1899, he retired from farming in the 1900’s. He died from heart issues at age 86 in 1934 and per his wishes was buried next to his brother, Julius Ferdinand Podoll, in the Hatchville Cemetery.

We will follow the line of Gustaf, Jr. (1883-1956), he was born in Marquette County and moved to this area as a teen. In 1908 Gustaf, Jr. and Emily Wiesenseel (1879-1966) were married in Dodge County, her home county. They had three children: Ervin, Verna, and Levern “Pete” and raised their family in the Elmwood area. Gustaf, Jr. passed away at age 73 in 1956 and Emily ten years later at around age 86-87.

From here, we’ll follow their son, Levern “Pete” Podoll. Pete married Betty Britton in 1950 and they had three children: Kathryn, Beverly, and Bruce. Pete had begun working as an electrician in Elmwood in 1946, his son Bruce still keeps the tradition going, with his own son Jon joining the business for a time.

That was all the generations I was able to find on my own, but luckily, I found that Podoll genealogist I mentioned earlier. He graciously sent me a TON of information going back further with a digital copy of his book on the way in the mail. He had confirmed for me that Johann and Karoline were indeed Gustaf, Sr.’s parents. Johann is buried in Mecan Township, Marquette County, Wisconsin and Karoline is buried in Deerfield, Wisconsin. They had 12 children, of which seven reached adulthood, and six have descendants in Wisconsin.

Johann’s parents were Christian Friedrich (1788-1860) and Hannah “Loisa” Milling (1791-1860), they had married in 1815 in her home village of Neuteich. This Podoll family was residing in the area of Kaza by 1793 per land records that still exist. Prior to that, the ancestral home of the Podolls going back at least 300 years is Alt-Beelitz in Kreis Friedeberg. Brian Podoll shared that Christian’s parents appeared to have been Johann “Friedrich” (b. possibly 1758) and Anna Elizabeth Pickrohr (1755-1842). The family moved from Kaza to Radwonke about 1825. This is where they both died in the same year (Radwonke, the same place his grandson, Gustaf, Sr. was born).

The many branches of this tree that settled in various parts of Wisconsin, all tend to use these same family names that have been handed down from the “old country.” There is a distant relative, Friedrich “Gustav” Podoll, that was a very successful photographer and businessman in Cedarburg, WI (his obituary refers to his “mansion”).  Keeping family tradition alive is fantastic, but severely complicating ancestry research is unfortunately a byproduct.

Submitted by Lisa Doerr, and Kim Dupre, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network

OCONTO COUNTY, WI – It may be impossible to figure out how mega-dairy owner Robert Zahn got the tiny Town of Gillett, Wisconsin to finance a factory farm gas deal with an Australian finance giant for $41,585,000. But according to a June 2 securities filing first reported by Bloomberg Law, the deal’s now in default and investors are looking for a $1.7 million principal payment.

Gillett sponsored a tax-exempt bond sale in 2022 to build WI RNG Hub North, a facility that is supposed to produce gas from the millions of gallons of waste produced by Zahn’s 7,200 cows. An international cast of financiers were in on the deal including Australian-based MacQuarie Capital, Louisiana-based Progressive Energy LLC and Milwaukee-based attorney Lynda Templin. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation served as underwriting manager for a $41,585 fee.

“Zahn’s deal is one of many popping up around Wisconsin in which privately-owned dairies get counties and towns to float millions in public bonds,” said Lisa Doerr a Polk County farmer active with Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network (SRWN). “High income investors buy the bonds and pay no taxes on interest earned.”

Pierce County Chair Jon Aubart approved a similar $18 million bond deal in January as part of a controversial $35 million mega-dairy expansion by Breeze Dairy Group. According to Breeze Dairy’s application to the Public Finance Authority, $360,000 would go to cover the “Cost of Issuance.” Elected officials and citizens are now circulating a petition asking that the deal be stopped.

In addition to dairy waste, factory farm gas facilities often take waste from sewage plants, slaughter houses, and food processors. They produce a by-product called digestate containing highly concentrated nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen. On June 5, the Waupaca County Zoning Commission tabled an industry effort to stop any local regulations of factory farm gas facilities or digestate within the County.  They will revisit this issue in December 2025.

This industry wants the public to finance their giant factory farms but they fight any and all regulation. Bob Zahn is a perfect example. He founded Venture Dairy which is legally challenging the Wisconsin DNR’s authority to regulate factory farms to protect health and property. Boondoogles like Zahn’s are a bad deal for rural communites and investors.

Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network is a statewide coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving the health and economic vitality of rural communities. Visit sustainruralwisconsin.org.

Submitted by Tracy Steeno, Pillar Bank

BALDWIN, WI – Pillar Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Leanne Kimball to its Board of Directors. Leanne brings valuable agricultural experience and deep community roots to the board, helping to strengthen Pillar’s connection to the region’s farming community.

Leanne and her husband, Peter, operate a successful dairy farm south of Baldwin and are well-known in the local agricultural community. In addition to her work on the farm, Leanne serves as a milk tester and dairy consultant to 15-30 local farms, offering insight, support, and technical guidance that helps other producers improve herd health and productivity.

She holds a degree in Agriculture from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and brings more than a decade of hands-on and advisory experience in dairy farming to the board. Her appointment fills an important need on the board for agricultural expertise and ensures that the voices of area farmers continue to be represented in Pillar Bank’s strategic direction.

“We are thrilled to welcome Leanne to our Board of Directors,” said Shane Bauer, CEO of Pillar Bank. “Her background in dairy farming and her strong relationships within the agricultural community make her an ideal addition. As we continue to serve the needs of our rural and agricultural customers, which has been an important part of our legacy for over 140 years, Leanne’s insights will be invaluable.”

Leanne’s appointment reflects Pillar Bank’s ongoing commitment to supporting local agriculture and ensuring that the bank’s leadership includes voices that understand the unique opportunities and challenges facing the farming community.

Pillar Bank is a local community bank with seven western Wisconsin. locations in Amery, Baldwin, Balsam Lake, Chippewa Falls, Clear Lake, Plum City and Spring Valley. As a trusted and caring local partner, we are committed to proving the guidance and resources for people in our communities to thrive. Offering personal, business, and Agriculture banking services. Local banking. Done right. Visit: pillar.bank.