- JOSEPH LEMPKE, who is a thrifty and prosperous farmer of Greenville township, owning and operating forty acres of good farming land, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, December 8, 1860, and is a son of John and Caroline (Peters) Lempke. The family came to the United States in 1868, John Lempke purchasing a farm in Greenville township after four years spent in working for farmers in this community. He became the owner of forty acres of land, and here he continued to carry on agricultural pursuits until his death in 1898, his wife having passed away in about 1891. Joseph Lempke was the sixth in order of birth of the nine children born to his parents, and he received a limited education in the public schools of his district, beginning to work on his father's farm as soon as he was old enough to do his share. He then went to work by the month for John Culbertson, with whom he continued seven summers, after which he was employed by different farmers in Greenville township until 1892, at which time he located on his present forty-acre farm, which he had purchased during the previous year. He has made many improvements on this property, and now has a well-cultivated and finely equipped farm, on which stand good, substantial buildings. He devotes his entire time to his farming operations and operates along general lines, breeding some stock for his own use. His religious connection is with the Reformed Church at Dale, Wisconsin, and in political matters he is a Republican, but has never aspired to office. On March 16, 1892, Mr. Lempke was married to Louisa Weesenberg, who was born in Greenville township, April 28, 1858, daughter of Christ and Sophia (Alms) Weesenberg, natives of Mecklenburg, Germany, both of whom died in Greenville township, where Mr. Weesenberg was the owner of a farm, the former January 18, 1897, and the latter March 4, 1873. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lempke, namely: LeRoy, born January 15, 1893, residing at home; and Ray, born February 10, 1896; and Ralph, born April 7, 1898, both of whom are deceased .
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1859 - 1941 (81 years)
1905 State Census
