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Note: ounty. He began working on his own at age 16. He was the eighth child born of Frank Albert KOEPP of Klein Silber Reetz, in Arnswalde County near Stargard in Brandenburg, Prussia (Germany) and Maria Elizabeth NEECK of Luptow bei Pyritz, Pommern, Prussia. Alfred was baptized 26 Feb 1905 in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Sylvester, Green County, Wisconsin. He was confirmed 18 Apr 1920, St. Peters Lutheran Church, Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin. Godparents were Herman Neeck, William Sommerfeld and Augusta Siedschlag.
1920 - 16 years old, Alfred farmed by the month north of Davis, Illinois. From July to October he did road work. From October to March 1921 he stripped tobacco and helped his brother farm. 1922 - 18 years old, he hauled milk with a team of mules bringing the milk cans to the factory. 1923 - 19 years old, he did farm work for Art Pale and worked for $45/month. He also did road work for $3.50/day which were very long days.
1924 - 20 years old, he did farming for Adolph Walters in Jordan Township until the end of June. In July he began working for Otto VERCH in Marion, Wisconsin.
1925 - 21 years old, He worked in a saw mill, then in a tire and paint shop in Marion, Wisconsin. He then installed sewer pipe 22' down in the ground. He took any job at the time that was available.
1926 - 22 years old, He moved to Oshkosh and worked in a casket factory making casket lids and working in the shipping department.
1927 - 23 years old, He worked the summer in Ted Potter's Bakery in Marion. In the fall, he worked for a truck line hauling any and everything. They went bankrupt in 1932.
1928 - 24 years old, Alfred married Minnie Martha PANKOW October 2 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church, in Marion, Wisconsin. Members of the bridal party were Irene WEIMER, niece of the groom, Ben POPPENDORF, cousin of the bride, Rose OSTERTAG, flower girl and Elmer VERCH, ringbearer. A reception was held at the home of Otto VERCH. They were married during the depression that lasted several years.
1932 - 28 years old, Alfred worked from August 1932 until March 1, 1933 earning a total of $40 in seven months doing odd jobs. He worked by the day, hour, or whatever he could get. In this year their first son, Dean was born in Marion, Waupaca, Wisconsin. Dean lived 39 years, dying of a heart attack in October 1972. He left a wife and eight children. Alfred and Minnie's early years were very difficult with back-breaking work, long hours and chores. Minnie helped Alfred with milking and chores as well as cooking and tending children. They endured ferocious winters in drafty farmhouses that were not as warm as the barns many times. They toiled and labored through many hardships physically and emotionally. During World War II they struggled through the rationing of many commodities. There was a shortage of sugar, chocolate, coffee, butter, shoes, silk stockings, gas and car tires. On December 9, 1941 Germany declared war against America after bombing Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The U.S. invaded Germany June 6, 1944. Many of our ancestors and forefathers were killed in Germany.
1934 - 30 years old, Their first and only daughter, Phyllis was born at home in Spring Grove Township, Juda, Green County, Wisconsin.
1936 - 32 years old, Their second son Reid was born at home in Spring Grove Township, Juda, Green County, Wisconsin.
1937 - 33 years old, They moved to Evansville, Wisconsin in March and cash rented a farm northwest of town for $400/year. This was the only farm that he cash rented.
1938 - 34 years old, In March they moved southwest of Evansville to a 120 acre farm owned by John Klitzman and was there seven years. The farm buildings were on one side of the road and the huge white two-story house was on the other side. The rent on this farm and all other farms was the 50/50 system which means owner and renter each pay half of all animals, supplies, etc. and each got half of the profit.
1944 - 40 years old, Their third son, Dennis was born in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. He was their first child born in a hospital.
1945 - 41 years old, They moved March 1, west of Evansville to Finn's farm.
1946 - 42 years old, Their fourth son and last child, Dale was born in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. Dale died in October 1950 of an accidental death. 1947 - 43 years old, They moved northeast of Evansville to the Jorgenson farm. The farm was 100 acres and they worked it for two years but it had heavy clay soil and was hard to work.
1949 - 45 years old, They moved to Davis, Illinois on the farm his brother had rented from a lawyer in Freeport. Alfred was there for ten years.
1959 - 55 years old, They moved to Evansville, Rock County, Wisconsin and bought the house on Madison Street and paid cash for it, $10,400. Usually there were 20-25 cows on the farm. His income was from hogs and milk. He bought cows for $35/each during the depression, March 1933. Alfred's dad bought him a team of Belgian horses for $185 when he and Minnie married. The horses were three and four years old. Their names were Shorty and Princess. He paid $60 for a harness and $12/each for collars. He bought a third horse, Don, but he would never back up the team. He sold Don and bought Duke. When he lived norhwest of Evansville he sold Duke and bought Belgians from Iowa named Dolly and Nelle. They both had colts but were sold.
In 1945 Alfred bought his first Oliver tractor and plow paying $1125. In 1948 he bought a second Oliver and paid $1800 cash. It was an industrial type tractor that went 22 mph and had 5 gears. In 1956 he bought a third Oliver, four wheel, with a wide front end. He traded the second tractor toward a third tractor and also paid an additional $1300.
On February 19, 1959 he sold all the farm equipment: Tractor sold for $1495, cows sold from $275 to $385 each. 5% of all sales went to the auctioneer. After expenses he cleared $15,000. In March 1959 they moved back to Evansville, Wisconsin where he began working for Bakers Mfg. He worked there five years. In 1963 he bought a new Studebaker and in December 1964 he began working for the Union COOP driving truck and delivered cow feed to the area farmers. He was there 8 years, retiring on December 15, 1972.
His marriage to Minnie lasted 56 years until Minnie died of a heart attack on January 27, 1985.
June 1, 1900 U.S. Census - Alfred's family was renting a farm in Spring Grove Twp., Green County, Wisconsin. His parents ages were 40 and 35. His seven brothers and sisters Ella, Charles, Dora, Otto, Albert, Agnes and August were all there and in school except Agnes and August. 1910 Thirteenth Census of U.S. Rock Grove Twp., Stephenson County, Illinois - Alfred was age 5. His siblings, Agnes, Albert, and August were still at home and attending school. His parents were age 45 and 50 were buying a farm on Spring Brook Road in Davis, Illinois.
14th U.S. Census Jan 7, 1920 -Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin showed Alfred's father, Frank had retired from farming and they bought a house in Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin. One child was at home, Alfred, age 15. He has attended school since Sept 1, 1919. He reads, writes and speaks English.
Alfred and Minnie had 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchilren. Their children lived in Illinois, Minnesota and Texas. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Evansville in 1978 with a sitdown dinner at the Grainery hosted by their children. Dora, Alfred's only remaining sister was there and her daughter, Irene Zmmerman who was matron of honor for their wedding. Other members of the wedding party were deceased.
Alfred and Minnie planned a trip to Germany with Alfred's nephew but Minnie's health was failing. She passed away January 27, 1985 of a heart attack at age 80. She was buried January 31 in Greenwood Cemetery, Brodhead, Rock County, Wisconsin.
Alfred's physical health was still good but after Minnie's death his mental state gradually deteriorated. In August 1988 the house on Madison Street in Evansville was sold and he moved to Apple Valley, MN with his son and his wife, Sally. Sally died of lung cancer in March 1989. Alfred was moved to a retirement home after Sally's death. In October 1990 he was moved to a nursing home in Northfield, MN about 20 miles from Apple Valley. His memory steadily declined and no longer remembered family members. Alfred was a victim of Alzheimer's and lived in the past. He passed away 6:30a.m., Monday, November 29, 1999 at age 95 years, 1 month and 9 days. He was transported back to Evansville, Wisconsin and buried 3 Dec 1999 in Greenwood Cemetery, Brodhead, Rock County, Wisconsin. He was survived by his 2 remaining sons and one daughter, 14 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and seven great great granchildren.
Note: Alfred was raised on his father's farm north of Davis, Illinois in Stephenson C
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