William Wachter Portrait and Biographical Record, Pages 537, 538 WILLIAM WACHTER, the owner of a valuable and finely-improved farm, locatedthree miles southeast of Spring Lake, and a progressive citizen of CrockeryTownship, Ottawa County, is one of Germany’s sons. His birth occurred inHanover, September 19, 1851, and there he resided until about thirteen years ofage, meanwhile receiving an excellent practical education in the Germanlanguage. In 1864, he accompanied his parents, John and Dora (Ronne) Wachter,from the Fatherland to the United States, and with them settled in the villageof Spring Lake, Mich., where he resided about four years. For a number of years Mr. Wachter was employed on the railroad, and as hereceived good wages he was enabled to support his parents in comfort until theirdeath. His father, who had been a blacksmith in the Old Country, lived retiredfrom active labors until his death in Spring Lake, about 1868. Afterward hiswidow married again, becoming the wife of Thomas Bell. She continued to residein Spring Lake until her death in 1892. She was the mother of three children,William being the youngest. The others are: Eliza the wife of Henry Sims; andWilliam, who died at the age of twelve years. Reared in Germany until thirteen years of age, our subject can speak andwrite German fluently; he is also familiar with the Dutch and English languages,speaking and writing in both with ease. After coming to the United States, helearned the trade of a blacksmith in the railroad shops at Spring Lake, butnever actively engaged in the occupation. The first purchase of land by Mr.Wachter consisted of an eighty-acre tract six miles north of Nunica, which hesold about 1880. In December, 1882, he discontinued farming and located on thefarm where he now resides. He is the owner of eighty acres, of which sixty werecleared at the time of the purchase, and the remaining acres have been clearedby the present owner. September 24, 1874, Mr. Wachter was united in marriage with Miss ClaraFeitler, the daughter of John and Margaret (Ehrhardt) Feitler, and a native ofGermany. She accompanied her parents from Bavaria to America and settled withthem at Port Washington, Wis., removing thence to Spring Lake. Afterward herparents purchased forty acres of land, and upon that place they still reside.Mr. and Mrs. Wachter are the parents of four living children, and have beencalled upon to mourn the loss of five by death. Those deceased were: Lewis,Johnnie, Eliza, Clara and Willie. The surviving children are: Maggie, Anna,Augusta and George. The first Presidential ballot of Mr. Wachter was cast forGen. U. S. Grant, and he has since then maintained his allegiance to theprinciples for which that famous soldier fought. He is a man of prominence inhis community, and has served as School Director for two terms, besides fillinga number of minor offices.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & OttawaCounties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company 

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 12 May 2003
URL: Biographies