From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, Vol. II, by Albert Clayton 
Beckwith, Publ. 1912 - Page 1111-1112

 
WILLIAM SCHULZ.  Whenever we find, in passing through a country new to us, a 
German settlement, we at once know that here is thrift, here are clean, quiet 
homes, good farms and, in every respect, an admirable neighborhood.  The 
Germans have certainly done a great work in the development of Walworth county 
for they began casting their lots within its borders soon after the government 
placed its lands on sale here, and, having increased with succeeding years, 
there is now quite a large portion of the county's residents of German 
origin.  Of this number, the SCHULZ family of Geneva township is deserving of 
mention and the career of William SCHULZ is especially noted.
 
Mr. SCHULZ was born in Brandenburg, Germany, September 29, 1858.  He is the 
son of Fred and Lizzie (HAHN) SCHULZ, an old family of the fatherland.  
William SCHULZ grew to manhood in his native country and there received his 
education in the common schools, spending his boyhood on a farm.  He was 
married when twenty-two years old to Minnie STEFFEN, of Brandenburg, daughter 
of Fred STEFFEN and wife.  Her mother was named SCHULZ before her marriage, 
but she was no relation of William SCHULZ.
 
In March, 1882, Mr. and Mrs. SCHULZ emigrated to America, coming first to Twin 
Lakes, Wisconsin, but after remaining there six months, moved to Burlington, 
this state, where he rented a farm on which he remained three years, thereby 
getting a good start.  Then he moved to Geneva township, Walworth county, and 
rented a farm in sections 23 and 24.  Six years later he bought the place and 
there established the family home, and here he has been very successful as a 
general farmer, making many important improvements on the place and keeping it 
well tilled and the soil up to its original fertility.
 
Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. SCHULZ, one of whom, Herman, owns 
one hundred acres immediately west of his father's farm, and on this the 
subject now lives, renting out his home place; Annie is the wife of Emil 
PAPENFUS, a farmer of Geneva township, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in 
this work; Emma is the wife of Charles WEED and lives on the SEYMOUR farm in 
section 24, Geneva township; Minnie is the wife of H. J. GRIEF and lives on 
his farm in section 11; they have three children, Allen, Earl and Mildred; 
William married Katie SCHWANZ and lives on Mr. SCHULZ's farm, and they have 
one son, Alvin; Thelma now lives in Lake Geneva; Otto is working on the farm 
of his brother-in-law, Charles WEED; Augusta and Martha are at home.
 
The subject is a quiet, industrious and well liked gentleman, who has been 
raised to work and save his money and he is, in turn, teaching his children to 
be frugal and economical, and as a result they give promise of successful 
futures.
 
Submitted by Carol