Kohler family of Wisconsin

Kohler
John Michael Kohler Walter Jodok Kohler Sr. Walter Jodok Kohler Jr.
Etymology	German: occupational name for a charcoal burner, from Middle High German kol ‘(char)coal’ + the agent suffix -er. The form Kohler is South German; elsewhere it is usually written Köhler
Place of origin	Schnepfau, Austria
Members	Herbert Kohler Jr. John Michael Kohler Terry Kohler Walter J. Kohler Jr. Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Estate(s)	Kohler Estate

The Kohler family of Wisconsin is a family notable for its prominence in business, society, and politics in the U.S. state of Wisconsin during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Its members include two Governors of Wisconsin, and the founder and executives of Kohler Co., a Wisconsin-based manufacturing and hospitality company.

Background

The Kohler family traces their origin to the village of Schnepfau in Vorarlberg, Austria. The American branch is descended from Johann Michael Kohler Sr. (1805–1874), a dairy farmer, who emigrated to Minnesota in 1864 with his second wife and eight children. ^[4] John Michael Kohler formed the industrial branch of the family as he moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1871. ^[5]

Family tree

The following chart uses a modified d'Aboville numbering. The redundant leading 1 has been omitted. The generation is shown by the number of digits in the descendant's index number.

1. Child
2. Grandchild
3. Great-grandchild
4. Great-great-grandchild

In the chart, direct descendants of John M. Kohler II are indicated with a blue or yellow background. Persons with Wikipedia biographies are indicated with a heavy border with a blue border for a deceased person and a green border for a living person.

Family tree

John Michael Kohler II 1844–1900 m1. 1871 Elizabeth Lillie Vollrath dau. of Jacob Vollrath 1848–1883 1 Evangelina Kohler 1872–1954 2 Robert John Kohler 1873–1905 3 Walter Jodok Kohler Sr. 1875–1940 m.1900 Charlotte Schroeder 1869–1947 3.1 John Michael Kohler III 1902–1968 m.1933 Julilly House 1908–1976 3.1.1 John Michael Kohler IV 1934– 3.1.2 William Collin Kohler 1937– 3.1.3 Julilly Waller Kohler 1942– m.1972 Charles Joseph Hausmann 1945– 3.1.3.1 Julilly Kohler-Hausmann 1975– 3.1.3.2 Issa Brooke Kohler-Hausmann 1978– 3.1.4 Marie House Kohler 1951– 3.2 Walter Jodok Kohler Jr. 1904–1976 m1.1932–1946 Marie Celeste McVoy 1900–1974 3.2.1 Terry Jodok Kohler 1934–2016 3.2.2 Charlotte Nicolette Kohler 1936–2012 m2.1948 Charlotte McAleer 1912–1995 3.3 Carl James Kohler 1905–1960 m.1925 Dorothy L. Dings 1905–1989 3.3.1 Carl James Kohler Jr 1926–1981 3.3.2 Conrad D Kohler 1929–1980 3.3.3 Walter J Kohler III 1932–1998 m1.1954 Susan Nall 1934–1988 m2.1963 Mary Riddell 1937– 3.3.4 Peter Galt Kohler 1934–2007 m2.1954 Nancy B Bahler 1935–2014 3.4 Robert Eugene Kohler Sr 1908–1990 m1.1933 Margaret Brewster Taylor 1908–1987 m2.1989 Martha Seymour Thorkelson 1909–1992 4 Marie Christine Kohler 1876–1943 5 Lillie Babette Kohler 1877–1965 6 Carl Jakob Kohler 1880–1904 m2. 1887 Wilhelmina Minnie Vollrath dau. of Jacob Vollrath sister of Lillie Vollrath 1852–1929 7 Herbert Vollrath Kohler Sr 1891–1968 m. 1937 Ruth Miriam DeYoung 1906–1953 7.1 Herbert Vollrath Kohler Jr. 1939–2022 m1.1961 Linda Karger 1939–2005 7.1.1 Laura Elizabeth Kohler 1962– 7.1.2 Rachel DeYoung Kohler 1963– 7.1.3 David Karger Kohler 1966– m2.1988 Natalie Ann Black 1950–2024 7.2 Ruth DeYoung Kohler II 1941–2020 7.3 Frederick Cornell Kohler 1943–1998

List of notable members

Chronological by birth:

• John Michael Kohler II (1844–1900), patriarch
• Walter Jodok Kohler Sr. (1875–1940), son
• Marie Christine Kohler (1876–1943), daughter
• Walter Jodok Kohler Jr. (1904–1976), grandson
• Julilly House (1908–1976), granddaughter-in-law
• Terry Jodok Kohler (1934–2016), great-grandson
• Herbert Vollrath Kohler Jr. (1939–2022), grandson
• Marie House Kohler (born 1951), great-granddaughter
• David Karger Kohler (born 1966), great-grandson

See also

• List of United States political families - The Kohlers

References

1. "The World's Billionaires". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
2. "The 10 Most Generous Families". Town and Country Magazine. April 7, 2013. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
3. Fossedal, Gregory A. (2003). Kohler: A Political Biography of Walter J. Kohler, Jr . Transaction Publishers. ISBN   0-7658-0192-2.
4. "Johann Michael Kohler". Austria in USA. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
5. "Kohler, John Michael 1844 - 1900". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 8, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2025.