John J. Tiller
Klabo, Trondhjem, Norway

John J. Tiller, now living retired in the city of Menomonie after a busy industrial career, was born at Klabo, Trondhjem, Norway, Dec. 21, 1859, son of John Ralston and Martha Knutson.  The parents were natives of Norway, in which country they both died.

John J. Tiller was educated in the public schools in his native land. In 1881, soon after attaining his majority, he came to the United States, locating at Concordia, Kansas, where he remained six months. In October the same year he came to Menomonie and entered the employ of the Knapp, Stout & Co. Company, with whom he remained as long as they continued in business here, working at different times in all the different departments, in the woods, on the drives and in the mills, according to the season. After the company closed out its business, Mr. Tiller became a brick burner for the Wisconsin Red Pressed Brick Co. of Menomonie and was thus occupied until the fall of 1923, when he retired from hard labor. He is a stockholder in the Waterman-Ehrhard Co. of Menomonie and is one of the trustees of the Lutheran church of which he and his family are members, while fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. For five or six years he was supervisor of the first ward, which made him also a member of the county board.

Mr. Tiller was married Oct. 20, 1888, to Anna Guldook, who was born in Trondhjem, Norway, Feb.  27, 1854, and who came to this country in 1886, locating in Menomonie. Mr. and Mrs. Tiller have three children, Amanda, Edwin and Jennie. Amanda is now Mrs. Andrew Knutson of North Menomonie and has two children, Jean and Luella J.  Edwin, residing at home, is an electrician at the Stout Institute. After the declaration of war with Germany he was inducted into the United States service, becoming a member of the 86th Division, and after training at Camp grant, went overseas in July 1918.  An attack of influenza, however, kept him from active service on the battle front, and in 1919, he returned to the United States and was discharged at Camp Grant. The other child, Jennie, is now a clerk in the employ of the Waterman-Ehrhard Co.

Extracted from the History of Dunn County, Wisconsin (1925), p. 900-901.