Jewish Settlers of La Crosse Prior To 1880
                        H. J. HIRSHHEIMER

     In attempting to compile a brief review of the pioneer Jewish set-
tlers of La Crosse, I am confronted with a dearth of material from
which to draw facts. Just two of these people are living here today who
came in the 1860's Judge Herman Langstad1 and Mrs. Sara Fox Hirsh-
heimer. The La Crosse County History of 1881, like all subscription
volumes, printed biographies of subscribers only. Our only other sources
are the record book of the Congregation Anche Chesed and the city
directories starting in 1866. The Congregation records are, for a large
part, written in an almost illegible German script, but from the above
sources I have endeavored to assemble a statement that will at least
furnish an historical background for the records of the society.2
1845  John M. Levy (St. Louis, Prairie du Chien) Trader, Merchant, Ag-
                                                  ent, Hotel Keeper,
                                                  Banker
1854   A. Patz (Pennsylvania)                   Jeweler
1855  Isaac Tuteur (Pennsylvania)               Wholesale liquors,
       Louis Hirshheimer (Pennsylvania)      SawMill, Store, Foundry
1857   N. Steinam                               Tailor
       S. Steinam                               Merchant
       Jos. Gutman and IS. Gutman               Merchants
1858   Leopold Wachenheimer (Milwaukee)        P.O. Clerk, Real Estate,
                                                Register of Deeds


1862
1863
1864
1865
1864


M. Gutman
Simon Neuman
I. Cantrovitz (New York)
S. Cantrovitz
B. L. Strouse (McGregor, Iowa)
N. Langstad
Henry Fox (Brooklyn, N. Y.)
Herman Langstad
Gottfried Langstad (4 years in Union Army)
or '65 I. G. May


Merchant
Tailor
Merchant
Merchant
Shoemaker
Tailor
Milliner


     From 1856 on, the influx of settlers to La Crosse was due to the
building of what is now the C. M. St. P. & P, R. R. which reached La
Crosse in 1858.
     At this point it might be interesting to note how the pre-railroad
settler reached La Crosse. The Tuteur and Hirshheimer families moved
from  Blairsville, Pa. in 18.56; travelling by canal from  Blairsville to
Pittsburg, by railroad from Pittsburg to Cincinnati; and from there
by rail via Chicago to Prairie du Chien. Part of their hand luggage was
stolen in the depot at Cincinnati while one of the party sat by, suppos-
edly watching it. From Prairie du Chien to La Crosse they travelled by
    1 Died August, 1933.
    2 Mr. Hirshheimer's notes contain many details concerning the residence,
business, family and movements of each person mentioned below and other Jew-
ish people who came later. (Ed.)
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