Emil A. Grabbert, a farmer, residing at Fitchburg, was born at Middleton, Dane county, May 20, 1879. His parents, Frederick and Minnie W. (Lubcke) Grabbert, were both born in Mecklenburg, Germany, the former in 1845 and the latter in 1853. The father came to America as a young man and located at Middleton, where he bought eighty acres of land, partly improved, and began the life of a farmer. Sometime later he sold this place and bought one hundred and sixty-seven acres of unimproved land, upon which he erected buildings and made his home. He married in 1870 and his death occurred in 1885. In 1887 his widow was married to William Schmedeman, who was for nine years a member of the county board of supervisors. Emil A. Grabbert is the youngest of three children born to his parents. Emma is the wife of Louis Messersmith, of Fitchburg, and Randolph is a farmer in that locality. Emil was educated in the home schools and has always lived with his mother, managing, the farm left by his father. He pays considerable attention to stock raising, though he carries on a general farming business. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Middleton, and all the family are members of the Lutheran church. Few young men in the community are better known or more highly esteemed than Emil A. Grabbert, as he possesses in a marked degree all those qualities that go to make a good citizen, honesty and industry being his distinguishing traits of character.

History of Dane County, Madison, Western Historical Association, 1906, Page 327