Peter Zimmerman, son of Gerard Zimmerman and Elizabeth Krug, was born August 13 1839 in Prussia. He declared his intent to become a citizen of the United States October 22 1869.1 Renouncing his allegiance to Wilhelm I, Emperor of Prussia, Peter became a citizen of the United States May 18 1885.2 He died June 21 1905 after 65 years, 10 months and 8 days of life. The cause of death was accidental. An article in the Saturday, June 24 1905 edition of the Stanley Republican (page 5) reported he was struck by a train and instantly killed. Ma remembered her dad talking of his death, saying "they had to pick him up in a bushel basket". His obituary appeared on page 8 of the Saturday, July 1 1905 edition of the Stanley Republican (Prosperous Ridge Correspondence column). Peter was laid to rest in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
Peter married Magdalena Ollig April 30 1865. They had seven children: Fredrick (b.1866), Elizabeth (b.1870), Margaret (b.1872), Mary (b.1875), Charles (b.1878), Stephen (b.1880) and Wilhelmina (b.1886).
The following biography was transcribed from "The Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin, 1891-2", page 648:
"Peter Zimmerman, farmer, P. O. Edson, Chippewa County, was born in Germany, August 13, 1839, and is a son of Girard and Elizabeth (Krug) Zimmerman, of Germany. Girard Zimmerman was born in 1804 and died in 1874. He was a carpenter by trade. His parents were Frederick and Gertrude (Rector) Zimmerman, the former of whom died at the age of sixty, and the latter at the age of ninety-four years. Peter Zimmerman immigrated to this country in 1867 and located at Harrisburg, Pa., where he remained one year and then came to Edson Township, Chippewa county, the following year. He located on a farm and did some building at that date, being a carpenter and bridge builder by trade. April 30, 1865, he married Magdalena Ollig, who was born April 22, 1839, a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Kurth) Ollig, the former of whom died at the age of thirty-four, and the latter at the age of eighty-six years. This union was blessed with seven children: Fred, born in 1866; Lizzie, born in 1870; Maggie, born in 1872; Mary, born in 1875; Charles, born in 1878, and died in 1886; Stephen, born in 1880, and Mena, born in 1886. Mr. Zimmerman served as assessor from 1872 to 1875. He was elected town treasurer in 1879, and has been re-elected every year since to the present time (1891). In religion he is a Roman Catholic; in politics he believes in the principles of the republican party."
Magdalena Ollig, daughter of Peter Ollig and Elizabeth Kurth, was born April 22 1839 in Prussia. She died April 24 1910, at the home of her son Fred in the Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, after 71 years and 2 days of life. Magdalena's death notice appeared in the Saturday, April 30 1910 edition of the Stanley Republican (Prosperous Ridge Correspondence column). She was laid to rest in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
Peter and his wife Magdalena immigrated to the United States from Prussia. They arrived in the United States at the Port of New York in July of 1867. Peter and Magdalena moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where they remained one year and then came to the Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Peter farmed, but by trade he was a carpenter and bridge builder. His brother Stephan was also a carpenter. It is said that they built the Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. They also traveled to Chicago to do construction work. Peter served as assessor from 1872-1875 and as town treasurer from 1879-1899.
In 1880, Peter and Magdalena, with their children Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, Fredrick, Charles and Stephen, were farming in the Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin. John Hoffman, brother to Mary (Hoffman) Zimmerman, was living with them and working as a servant.3
In 1900, Peter and Magdalena, with their son Stephen, were farming in the Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.4
In 1910, Magdalena was living with her son Fred in the Town of Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.5