William Schnell
1916 –
William was born in the Schnell brick house above State Road in 1916, the last child of John and Julia Schnell.
Only nine years old, Bill started working in the Schnell brick yard. “that’s how I got my crooked fingers!” he said. His school days came to an end at age 15 when he was sent to run the Boma farm of 380 acres for his father Bill farmed the land from his parents home for nine years until his marriage to Idel Miller.
Bill and Idel were married on April 26, 1941 and moved on the farm to live in the Boma brick house. At this time Bill purchased the farm from his father, John. Here, their only son, David was born on February 21, 1947. They lived on the Boma place until ca. 1965. Bill said, “A guy from Milwaukee wanted it worse than I did so I sold it to him.” The farm had been in Boma family for 100 years.
The family moved to 1718 Losey Blvd. in La Crosse where Bill and Idel still live. Bill worked for 10-15 years as ground man for the University.
- David Schnell is the only son born on February 21,
1947. He taught high school English in Menominee Falls,
WI. He presently owns a catering business in Milwaukee
and also conducts cooking classes for the college. He is
living in West Bend, WI.