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Albert was born on the farm (on which he would live the majority of
his life) in Freedom, Wisconsin on May 21, 1859, the second child to
Joseph Jerome and Catharine (Herb) Steffens. Joseph and
Catharine were born in Hachy, Belgium and Baden, Germany respectively,
and had 5
children (Pauline, Albert, Amelia, Alexander, Mary).
Albert received a limited education in the schools, but he later added to
it with much reading and study. He lived at home with his parents until his
marriage on October 28, 1888 to Miss Mathilda (Mechtilda) Huven, the daughter of Peter and Johannah
(Nabbefeld) Huven who had come to the United States and settled in Washington
County, Wisconsin around 1860, moving to Outagamie County 5 years
later, settling in Freedom. Mathilda's mother died in Freedom in
1879 at the age of 49. Mathilda's father came to live with Albert
and Matilda shortly after their marriage and he lived there 20 years
until his death on January 11, 1899 at the age of 72. Mathilda was
born on April 12, 1863, the fourth of 12 children to Peter and Johannah.
Albert engaged in general
farming (mostly grain), raising stock (hogs and cattle), and market dairy
products. He bred full-blooded Holstein cattle and
Poland-China hogs, and had a team of Percheron horses. His 100
acre farm was in section 25 of Black Creek township. It was
fenced with barbed and woven wire, 90 acres of it was cultivated, and
it was always a meticulously maintained, fertile and highly productive
tract of land. Albert was a member of the Catholic Knights Lodge No.
6 (of Appleton) and was openly Democrat in his political views.
He served as
clerk of the school board for 4 years. His family was always connected with the Roman Catholic Church, and
they regularly attended the Catholic church in Freedom township.
Albert was known as a highly respected citizen of Black Creek
township in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, who belonged to one of the older,
honored families of that part of Wisconsin. Most of the
information in this biography came from a very comprehensive article
about Albert which appeared to be written from an interview with him
while he was still alive published and maintained by the Outagamie
County Historical Society. Albert
and Mathilda had 7 children (Joseph, Johannah (Hannah), Henry, Lawrence, Leo, Fred, and
Paul). Albert died in Freedom on April 25, 1931 at age
71. Mathilda survived him by over 20 years, until her death on
February 27, 1953 at the age of 89.
From top left to right: Leo, Joseph, Lawrence, Henry, Paul and Fred
Bottom left to right: Albert, Hannah and Matilda
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