A Standard History of Waupaca County, Wisconsin. An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era in the Commercial, Industrial, Educational, Civic and Social Development.

              HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY 565
William Furbish was born on a farm in Freeman Township, Frank¬ lin County, Aiaine, August 28, 1847, being a son of Abraham and Nancy (Petersen) Furbish. His father, who was born near the City of Bath, Maine, was a lifelong farmer of Franklin County, a man of quiet in¬ dustry who gave his whole attention to the tilling of the soil. His death occurred in 1901. His first wife, who was a native of Maine, was the mother of seven children: Abraham and Charles, twins; Anna, Viola, William, AVarren and Frank. Air, Furbish was again married, his, sec¬ ond wife being a Mrs, Kelly, and they had two children.
Seated on a bench in a log schoolhouse in Franklin County, Maine, William Furbish acquired the rudiments of an education and mastered the mysteries of the 'Hhree R's." In the years that have followed he has added to his knowledge through reading, observation and coming into contact with men, so that today he possesses a good education and is accounted a well-informed man generally. As a lad he worked with his father on the home farm, where the hard work gave him a splendid physique, and when he was only eighteen years old he signified his self- reliance by leaving the parental roof and striking out for himself, his choice of locations being the lumber woods of Waupaca County. Arriv¬ ing here in the fall of 1865, he took up his residence at Northport and soon found employment with one of the numerous lumber camps. His employers found him strong, willing and faithful, and as he acquired a reputation along these lines he was advanced to better 'positions, until he was finally made general manager for the great Conley Lumber Company of Oshkosh, and at one time had the management of four camps, with as many as from 150 to 200 men under his control. Air. Furbish remained with the Conley Lumber Compan^^ for nearly twenty- two years, but in 1886 returned to the occupation of his youth, farming, securing a tract of sixty acres of good and productive land in section 4, Mukwa Township, where he has continued to be engaged successfully in general farming and dairying. From the time when he assisted in the building of the Lower Post Lake Dam, and put the first logs through, he has witnessed a great development in the county, and has shared largely in the work that made this development possible. He has done his share, also, of public service, having been for two years a member of the county board as chairman of his township and acted four or Rye years in the capacity of supervisor. His political tendencies make him a democrat, and his fraternal connection is with the Alasons.
Mr. Furbish married Miss Electa Edmonds, a daughter of James Edmonds, and they have five children, namely: Frank, Charlotta, Burt, Clair and Isla.
Theo Knapstein. One of the old established enterprises of Wau¬ paca County, which has been in existence for more than forty years, although not under the same name, is the Knapstein Brewing Company, of New London. Throughout the period of its life, Theo Knapstein has been connected with it, and for the greater part of this time has been its directing head.    He has watched it grow from a modest venture,