Charles F. Zarnke (July 19, 1868 - May 16, 1931) was a farmer, janitor and Socialist state legislator from

Marathon County Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,013. Marathon County's seat is Wausau. It was founded in 1850, created from a portion of Portage County. At that time the coun ...

, Wisconsin.

Background

Zarnke was born in Germany on July 19, 1868. He immigrated to America at age fourteen and farmed in the town of Flieth (later Rib Mountain) for 28 years. He served as Town Chairman from 1904 to 1909 and as town treasurer from 1914 to 1917.

Elected office

Zarnke was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1918 to represent the first district of

for the 1919–1920 session, defeating incumbent Republican Herman Hedrich by 1763 (56.2%) votes to 1374 (43.8%). He served on the standing committees on fish and

game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

and on enrolled bills. In 1920, he was defeated for re-election by Republican

Joseph Weix Joseph Weix (February 13, 1874 – March 30, 1925) was an American businessman and politician. Born in Leroy, Wisconsin, Weix owned a store and was in the lumber business. He served on the Colby, Wisconsin village board and on the Marathon Co ...

, who received 3717 votes, to 2296 for Zarnke and 915 for Democrat Jerry Bradley.

Personal life

On June 27, 1891, he was married (at Colby, Wisconsin) to Nora Smart. They had twelve children. When he retired from farming in 1923, they moved to Wausau. He had worked as a janitor at the Wausau School District Central School Building for about three years before a year-long illness which led to his death on May 16, 1931 at their home in Wausau. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau."C. F. Zarnke, Former Assemblyman, Dies at His Home Here: Represented First District Marathon County; Recently School Janitor"
'' Wausau Daily Herald'' May 16, 1931; p. 4, col. 1

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zarnke, Charles 1868 births 1931 deaths Farmers from Wisconsin Emigrants from the German Empire to the United States Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Politicians from Wausau, Wisconsin Socialist Party of America politicians from Wisconsin Janitors