Index card states that both of these brothers were born in Wisconsin, John in 1856 and Frank in 1858. Their parents emigrated from Germany. John's wife was named Tressy and they had one son, born in 1879. Frank's wife was Mary, and they had three children, Amelia, George and Edward. The brothers ran a threshing business in addition to farming. In October the thresher accidentally set fire to the barn of William Mercer. The barn, granary, several hundred bushels of wheat, and machinery were destroyed, and several hogs were killed. There was no insurance to cover the loss.