Untitled
From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 569-570
GUSTAV CANDLER, an honored pioneer settler of Cassville, Grant county, and one of the brave defenders of the Union during the Civil war, was born in Brandenburg, Germany, in 1822, a son of John and Catharine (SCHON) CANDLER, lifelong residents of that country, where the father died in 1865. He served as a soldier in the German army in 1813. His wife long survived him, dying in 1885, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. Only two of their family came to America, these being Gustav and Adolph. The latter located in Chicago in 1851, but is now a resident of Colorado.
The boyhood and youth of Gustav CANDLER were passed in his native land, and he served in the German army from 1842 to 1844, and again during part of the years 1849, 1850 and 1851. Bidding good-by to home and friends in 1852, he sailed from Hamburg, and after a long and wearisome voyage of sixty-three days landed in New York. After stopping for a short time in Chicago, he went to Minnesota, and in 1855 took up his residence in Cassville, Wis., where he still makes his home. He is now interested in bee culture, and has an apiary of seventy stands. For many years, however, he followed the carpenter's trade, but has now retired from that business.
His loyalty to his adopted country was manifested during the Civil war by his enlistment, in 1862, in Company C, 25th Wis. V.I. for three years or during the war. Mr. CANDLER was mustered into service at Cassville as fourth corporal,and was promoted to sergeant in July, 1864. His regiment became a part of the 16th and later the 17th Army Corps, of the Western Army, under command of Gen. Sherman, and was in the battles of Buzzards Roost, Atlanta and Dalton. Mr. CANDLER was on picket duty at Dalton for a time, later was in the Carolina campaign, and participated in the Grant Review at Washington, D.C. Before being sent to the actual seat of war the 25th Wisconsin was sent to Minnesota, against the Indians at New Ulm. From there they went to Vicksburg, where the whole regiment, with the exception of sixty men, became sick. They then proceeded to Chattanooga and Atlanta. Being laid up with a bad foot, Mr. CANDLER was away from his regiment some time, but returned in the spring of 1865. This regiment lost 365 men from sickness alone, and fifty-six in battle. He received his discharge in Washington, D.C., in June, 1865, and was paid off and mustered out of service at Madison.
In 1866, at Galena, Ill., Mr. CANDLER was united in marriage with Miss Johanna BAENSCH, also a native of Germany, and to them were born two children: Matilda and Adolph, both residents of Chicago. Socially Mr. CANDLER affiliates with Joseph MUELLER Post, No. 218, G.A.R., of Cassville, and politically is identified with the Republican party. He was a member of the town council of Cassville for two years, and is one of its most highly respected and honored citizens.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck