The Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 23, number 3, March 1940

              emil baensch ralph g plumb emil baensch was born in manitowoc on june 12 1857 and died in that city on august 17 1939 the interven ing span of eighty-two years identified him with nearly every activity that marked the growth of the community and his interests spread out far beyond the confines of his birthplace and influenced the development of the entire state judge baensch's father a refugee from germany upon his arrival in wisconsin in 1848 engaged in the mercantile business here august baensch and his good wife gesine lived together among the hardships of a transplanted home until their little son had reached the age of five at which time the father died as a lad the fatherless boy worked for his cousins and uncles as a clerk spurred on by his mother he gradually accumulated enough to make it possible to attend the university of wisconsin for three years 1877-80 . on march 4 1887 judge baensch was admitted to practice law in this state returning to his birthplace he read law for a time in the office of estabrook and walker the former once an attorney general of the state he was chosen justice of the peace and then acted as city clerk for three years it is from this early date that his many activities manifest themselves and in each field a brief resume may be permitted as a lawyer it should be noted he never was distin guished as an advocate placed on the bench by governor rusk as county judge to fill a vacancy occurring in 1888 he was reelected as a republican in a strongly democratic county the following year that office he held until 1894 during which time he built up a system that was a model for