From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1407-1409
 
OTTO R. ZASPEL.  Agriculture has been the true source of man's dominion on 
earth ever since the primal existence of labor and has been the pivotal 
industry that has controlled for the most part all the fields of action to 
which his intelligence and energy have been devoted.  In a civilized community 
no calling is so certain of yielding a compensatory return as that which is 
culled from a kindly soil, albeit the husbandman at times is sorely taxes in 
coaxing from mother earth all the desires or even expects; yet she is a kind 
mother and seldom chastens with disappointment the child whose diligence and 
frugality she deems it but just should be rewarded.  One of those who have 
found a benefactress in Mother Earth is Otto R. ZASPEL, one of the successful 
farmers in the vicinity of Honey Creek.  He has never found allurements for 
any kind of work outside of the realm of nature, and having been a close 
student of the soils, the climate, the crops and all the phases that 
contribute to husbandry he has profited by his observation and is today well 
abreast of the times as an agriculturist.
 
Mr. ZASPEL was born in Burlington, Racine county, Wisconsin, on July 25, 
1852.  He is the son of Theodore and Palina ZASPEL, both born in Germany, 
where they grew up and where the father learned the trade of rope maker, which 
he followed.  It was as early as 1839 that he crossed the great ocean in an 
old-fashioned sailing vessel which required many days, and he settled in 
Racine county, Wisconsin, where he followed farming.  The country was new and 
not very thickly settled, and it was only a few miles father west to an almost 
unbroken wilderness.  He brought his family to Spring Prairie township, 
Walworth county, in 1863 and bought one hundred and twenty acres of land where 
the subject of this sketch now resides.  He was a hard worker and became well 
established, and here he spent the balance of his life, reaching an advanced 
age, dying on February 6, 1909, when ninety-two years old; his wife had 
preceded him to the grave on June 3, 1891, when seventy-four years old.  They 
were a fine old couple and had a host of good friends whoever they lived, 
being thrifty, honest and neighborly.  They were the parents of seven 
children, of whom five are living.  Politically, the father was a Democrat, 
but was not especially active in public affairs.
 
Otto R. ZASPEL was reared on the farm where, when but a boy, he assisted with 
the general work during the crop seasons, and attended the public schools in 
his neighborhood during the winter months, in the schools of Racine county and 
of Spring Prairie township, Walworth county.  He took up farming for a 
livelihood when a young man and he is now the owner of one hundred and sixty 
acres of fine land, fertile, well improved and well cultivated, and he has 
been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, making a specialty 
of dairying, being well equipped for this business.  He keeps a good grade of 
live stock, especially cattle.  He has a pleasant home and good outbuildings, 
everything about his place being in "ship-shape."  Politically, Mr. ZASPEL is 
a Democrat, but has never been especially active in party affairs.
 
On September 13, 1882, Mr. ZASPEL was united in marriage with Anna GRIFFITH, 
who was born in Rochester, Wisconsin, on January 14, 1859.  She is the 
daughter of John and Mary (LAIRD) GRIFFITH, the father a native of Wales and 
the mother of Ireland.  They spent their childhood in their respective 
countries, emigrating to the United States when young and unmarried, each 
locating in Racine county, Wisconsin, where they met and married, and there 
began life on the farm, becoming very comfortably established.  The death of 
Mr. GRIFFITH occurred there in 1901, at the advanced age of ninety years his 
widow surviving until 1909, having reached a good ripe age also, eighty-five 
years.  They were a grand old couple, highly esteemed by a wide circle of 
friends.  Politically, he was a Republican.  There were six children in the 
Griffith family, four of whom are living.
 
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. ZASPEL, namely: William, Alex, 
Nora, Clara and Ernest, all living.  The above named children are being given 
every chance to secure a good common school education in the schools of their 
home community, their parents being advocates of education, in fact, all that 
makes for progress in any phase of life.
 
Submitted by Carol