Wilhelm was married 05 Mar 1882 in Fremont, Waupaca, WI to:


Children of Wilhelm and Hermine Tornow:

In September 1872, he accompanied his parents to America, landing at the port of New York.  They stopped at Dale, Wisconsin for a few months before coming north to the township of Bear Creek, where they settled on a farm.  This was then a dense wilderness.  Several years later, after working out and saving money, he purchased land that was entirely covered with woods.  He erected a log house and farmed alone until 1882, when he was married to Hermine Kopiske at East Bloomfield, Wisconsin.  He brought his bride to his pioneer home and here together they raised their family and developed a splendid farm, on which they lived until 1923 when they sold the farm to Max Hein and moved to Clintonville, Wisconsin, to spend their declining years in comfort.

Wilhelm filed an intent for citizenship (naturalization) in Waupaca County on October 8, 1924 but it was not granted.  The record indicates it was "void for the reason it was issued within 30 days of a general election".

In the spring of 1872, the daughter of Michael and Eva Kopiske, accompanied her family to America and settled on a farm in the town of Wolf River, Winnebago County, near Fremont, Wisconsin.  They were married by Rev. Sauer in East Bloomfield.  After their marriage, the couple settled on a farm near Bear Creek, Wisconsin. Until moving to Clintonville, the couple were members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicholson, Wisconsin.  After moving to Clintonville, they joined St. Martin’s Lutheran Church.

One of Hermine’s chores as a girl in Germany was tending the geese.