September 6, 1905 The Waterloo Republican Wenkel, William William Wenkel, Sr. one of our most prominent and best known farmers of this part of the country died on Friday Sept 1, 1905 at his home near Fish Lake at the age of 73 years and 8 months. Mr. Wenkel was born at Ebelhem, Schwarzburg, Sonderhausen, German, Jan 1, 1832. At the age f 14 years in 1846 he emigrated to America with his parents and located in the vicinity of Columbia where he resided to the time of his death. He married Miss Katherine Stumpf who died after a period of a few years. In 1863 he married Miss Augusta Zweig who also preceded him in death. In 1879 he was married the third time to Mrs. Christina Kuni who with 9 children, 7 sons and 2 daughters survive him. Besides he leaves 26 grandchildren and 8 great grand-children. The deceased was well known throughout the Bottom from East St. Louis to the end of the county. He lived to see the Bottom grow from a wilderness to one of the garden spots of the world. As a business man he was successful and he became the owner of a dozen of the finest and best farms in the Bottom. He was a man of enterprise and undertaking. For years he conducted his farming operations on the largest scale in the vicinity. He was the first to introduce alfalfa in this part of the country. One of the kindest of men, he was most fearless in defending his right. He was one of the organizers of the Wenkel-Wilson Levee District and for many years he was one of the Commissioners. In politics he was a stalwart Republican. In his death the community has lost a good citizen and his family a kind and loving father. He was laid to rest at St. Paul’s cemetery on Sunday afternoon Sept 3. A large number of friends followed his remains to their final resting place.