Biographical Insights about
William Frederick PAGEL
(10 Nov 1873 - 26 Sep 1936)

William PAGEL was born 10 Nov 1873 in Rantoul, Calumet Co., WI, the eldest of Frederick and Dorothea (HARBRECHT) PAGEL's 5 children. As the eldest, he was successor to the PAGEL family homestead just north of Chilton, directly across the road from Hillside Cemetery.

William Frederick and his brother, Frederick William, born less than 2 years apart, were quite competitive. The family story is that Frederick , the younger brother, was very close to a lovely young Chilton woman named Ella SCHAFF. Then William took an interest in her, soon thereafter she became pregnant, and it was William who married Ella SCHAFF on 19 Aug 1898 in Chilton, Calumet Co., WI. The two brothers thereafter did not speak for a great many years. Given that William and Ella's first child was born six months after the wedding, this story is very credible.

William PAGEL was a livestock dealer and truck farmer, regularly traveling to Milwaukee and elsewhere to sell his products. The family raised and sold cattle, horses, chickens and other livestock, had an apple orchard adjacent to the house, and had a large apiary for producing honey. As with most farm families of their time, they regularly grew and canned their vegetables and fruits, preserves and jams. William was fortunate in his choice of Ella as his partner, as she no doubt tempered his forceful character. Unfortunately for him and his family, Ella d. in 1921 at the relatively young at age 41, making it difficult for the two younger children, especially son Harvey, who reportedly ran away from home.

William PAGEL died while delivering a shipment of honey to Milwaukee, colliding with an interurban train on 26 Sep 1936 at a poorly marked crossing in Grafton, Ozaukee Co., WI. The accident was described as follows :

Second Crossing Death in Short Time Chilton Farmer Killed at Interurban Crossing near Grafton. William Pagel, 64, a farmer residing north of Chilton, was instantly killed Friday morning when the car he was driving collided with a southbound interurban at a crossing on Highway 57, one mile north of Grafton. The crash occurred at.7:45 a. m. William Lemkuhl of Sheboygan was the conductor and Louis Kattrek the motorman on the interurban. Pagel's car struck the train ten feet from the front, and then swerved so that the rear of the car also crashed against the train. The collision put the air brakes out of commission and also broke panes of glass in the streetcar. The machine was carried about fifty feet. The body of Pagel was removed to the undertaking parlors of Ernst F. Mueller at Grafton. Pagel apparently had not seen the interurban until he was directly upon it. His car struck the interurban broadside, about 10 feet from the front. He was traveling south at the time. Pagel was killed instantly as the result of a skull fracture. His automobile was wrecked almost beyond recognition. He was alone in the car, driving to Milwaukee to deliver honey. Coroner P. B. Blanchard of this city said there would be no inquest. This is the second fatal accident that has occurred at this crossing this year. There is an electric wigwag at the crossing, but one approaches it on a curve coming from either direction reducing the visibility. Trees and shrubs also obscure the crossing somewhat. Mr. Pagel resided near Chilton all his life. He is survived by one son and two daughters. Funeral services were held Sunday. from : Cedarburg News; September 30, 1936; Front page, Column 1

William PAGEL's obituary notes that his younger brother Frederick and two sisters survived him :

William Pagel Killed In Crossing Accident Chilton-William Pagel, 74, a life long resident of Calumet County, was killed instantly at 8 o'clock on Friday morning at a railroad crossing in Grafton. He was driving to Milwaukee at the time the accident occurred, and was alone in the car. The body was brought to this city to the Erbe-Hoffmann Funeral Home, from where it was taken to the Pagel home on N. Madison street. Funeral services were conducted from the home, and at 2 o'clock from the Presbyterian church by the Rev. J.M. Ayres. Burial was in Hillside cemetery. Mr. Pagel, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred Pagel, was born in the town of Rantoul Nov. 10, 1863. Forty years ago he was married to Ella Schaff, and they moved to Chilton, where he has since resided. Mrs. Pagel died 15 years ago. Surviving are one son Harvey, Menomonie Falls, two daughters, Mrs. Arthur Lintner, Manitowoc; and Miss Laverne, Appleton; three grandchildren; one brother, Fred, Brillion, and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Harder, town of Chilton, and Mrs. Martha Fox [Fochs] of Evansville [Evanston], Ill. from : Hilbert Favorite; October 1 1936; Front page, Column 5

The below portrait of William and Ella PAGEL's family with their three children probably dates to about about 1912. Son Harvey and older daughter Mabel are in the back, youngest child LaVerne is in the front.

William and Ella PAGEL family about 1912

Information on William PAGEL's wife, Ella, is found HERE.

William PAGEL and his wife are buried in the family plot at the top of the hill in Hillside Cemetery (also known as Breeds Cemetery) in Chilton, Calumet Co., WI. The family homestead is located directly across the road from the cemetery, and remained in the family after William's death when oldest daughter Mabel and her husband Arthur LINTNER took it over, operating it as a dairy farm until Art's death in 1971. Both the home and barn were still in use as of August, 2008, but were directly in the path of Chilton's expansion.