Otto Puhlman

Otto Puhlman
1st, 3rd, & 5th Mayor of Plymouth, Wisconsin
In office April 1883 – April 1886
Preceded by	Joseph W. Dow
Succeeded by	C. F. Albrecht
In office April 1879 – April 1882
Preceded by	Henry H. Huson
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Dow
In office May 1877 – April 1878
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Henry H. Huson
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Sheboygan 2nd district
In office January 6, 1873 – January 5, 1874
Preceded by	Patrick H. O'Rourk
Succeeded by	Samuel Decius Hubbard
Personal details
Born	(1837-06-12)June 12, 1837 Görzke, Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia
Died	April 26, 1924(1924-04-26) (aged 86) Sawtelle, California, U.S.
Resting place	Union Cemetery, Plymouth, Wisconsin
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anna T. Moore ​ (died 1910)​
Children	Rudolph Puhlmann (b. 1867; died 1870) Grace Anna (Seymour) (b. 1870; died 1961) Alice Puhlmann (b. 1872; died 1894) Jessie Puhlmann (b. 1875; died 1876) Robert Newton Puhlman (b. 1877; died 1957) Clarence M. Puhlman (b. 1878; died 1928)
Education	Heidelberg University
Occupation	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Volunteers Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Captain, USV
Unit	4th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry 19th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Otto Puhlman (June 12, 1837 – April 26, 1924) was a German American businessman and Democratic politician. He was the first mayor of Plymouth, Wisconsin, and served six additional terms as mayor. He represented much of western Sheboygan County in the Wisconsin State Assembly during the 1873 session. Earlier, he served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War.

Biography

Otto Pulman was born in Görzke, in what is now eastern Germany. At the time of his birth, it was the Province of Brandenburg in the Kingdom of Prussia. He was raised and educated there, and attended Heidelberg University. In 1859, Puhlman emigrated to the United States and settled in Plymouth, Wisconsin, where he started a flour mill.

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Puhlman was among the first volunteers for the Union Army from Wisconsin. He was enrolled as a sergeant in Co. C of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and served with that regiment through the first year of the war, on garrison duty in Maryland. In February 1862, he was commissioned second lieutenant of Co. G in the 19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and returned to Wisconsin for the organization of that regiment.

The 19th Wisconsin Infantry was assigned to guard Confederate prisoners at Camp Randall until May 1862, and then headed to Washington, D.C., in June for service in the eastern theater of the war. They were assigned to the Union garrison at Norfolk, Virginia, and participated in several of the sieges and battles along Virginia's Atlantic coast. In the Spring of 1864, they were assigned to XVIII Corps and proceeded up the James River to join the Siege of Petersburg. After nine months entrenched around Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia, they took the cities in April 1865, and were then assigned to garrison duty in northern Virginia until the end of the war. Puhlman was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1863, and captain in April 1864.

During the American Civil War, Puhlman served in the 19th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Puhlman served as mayor of Plymouth, Wisconsin. In 1873, Puhlman served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and was a Democrat. In 1885, Puhlman sold his business and moved to Sanborn, Iowa, where he started a new mill. In 1887, Puhlman moved to Chicago, Illinois, and worked for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company until 1912. Puhlman died at a soldiers sanitarium in Sawtelle, California. He was buried in Plymouth, Wisconsin.