School: Moody, Longwood Twp. Elementary, Clark County, Wisconsin History & Genealogy

School: Moody, Longwood Twp. Elementary, Clark Co., Wis.

Transcriber: Cheryl Reupert

Surnames: Adams, Ammentorp, Burmeister, Calhoun, Eide, Finnila Fun, Gibson, Haas, Hautamaki, Havelins, Hendersen, Jensen, Jessen, Kahi, Karyes, Kippalas, Kolpanem, Krueger, Leth, Matson, Moody, Moore, Mortimer, Olson, P. W. Jacobsen, Peterson, Phillips, Powers, Quist, Snortum, Stienart, Tibbets, Vater-Petke, Winanaki

----Source: Family Album, Historical excerpt taken from "Memory Trails" by Henry Wollum

Moody School History

Longwood Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin

Recollections by an early settler, age 82--A little red brick school south of Withee on Highway 73 was built in 1897 to replace the small school that stood on Martin Ammentorp's land. This school had been used for the northern part of the Longwood district before its division. Old records show N. F. Christianson was the builder of the school. The brick for the was made by brick maker P. K. Peterson. He lived on the present Jens Miller farm on 29 between Owen and Withee. He was the father of the Peterson sisters of the Owen Millinery Store.

James C. Moody was a veteran of the Civil War. He came to Clark County, Wis. in 1881 from La Crosse. He first built up the present Vater-Petke farm and later the brick home which is directly north of the new highway 29 going west of 73. This home was built between 1903-1905. Old bricks from the coal kilns at the site of the Riverside Cemetery were used between the studs. Mr. Moody was the first clerk of the new Moody School. He died about 1913 and is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery. J. C. Moody had one son who died early. The son's widow ran the hotel across from the depot in early days. J. C. Moody was a veteran of the Civil War. He came to Clark County, Wis. in 1881 from La Crosse. He first built up the present Vater-Petke farm and later the brick home which is directly north of the new highway 29 going west of 73. This home was built between 1903-1905. Old bricks from the coal kilns at the site of the Riverside Cemetery were used between the studs. Mr. Moody was the first clerk of the new Moody School. He died about 1913 and is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery. J. C. Moody had one son who died early. The son's widow ran the hotel across from the depot in early days.

Inga Sorenson was teacher for two years at a salary of $28.00 per month. She was the daughter of Nels Sorenson who lived in Withee and later in Longwood.

The first treasurer was Joe Gibson. He was a native of Quebec Province, Canada. He ran away from home at the age of 10 (according to “Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties”). He joined the Union Forces at the age of 15 with Co. G, 12th Wis. Volunteer Division. He fought in the siege of Savannah and was with Sherman on his march to the sea.

For many years Mr. Gibson was a noted log rider for Bright and Withee. He settled (perhaps as a homesteader) on the present Jim Boylan farm. He had a saw mill and thousands of acres of timber in the Perkinstown area. He used to cut hay on the farm and bale it. He shipped the hay and his horses to Medford to be used in the logging camps. In the spring, the horses were shipped to Withee. They were turned loose and knew their way back home. One evening in April 1906 he brought the horses home following them in a horse and buggy.

Neighbors helped tie the horses in the harm. He ordered his breakfast from a neighbor, Louis Johnson, and went into his house alone. He was found dead the next morning, his dog lying beside the bed. He is buried in Medford.

G. H. Eide, the first director, cane here from Norway. He was a log contractor for Owen Lumber Co. They lived on the corner of 73 and 0 on the Pierce Owens Jr. farm. He and his wife are buried in the Longwood Cemetery.

Andrew Smith and Fred Ammentorp were brick layers at the Moody School. Jens Smith lives on his father’s farm. F. Ammentorp lived cm the Pete Mertens farm where Kimpel is now. N. F. Christiansen lived on Officer Bertz’s location.

Peter Quist and P. W. Jacobsen are other old settlers. Other original families were Ole Snortum, Louis Krueger, H. Tibbets, K. J. Ammentorp, Martin Ammentorp, Carl and Ed. Jessen, Nels Hendersen, Henry Burmeister, Jens Leth, Julius Stienart, Otto and Charley Fun, Pat Kahi, Mortimers, Jens Jensen and Hans Olson.

Finnish families who moved in the district about 1909 were: Matt Hautamaki, Jake Wiinanaki, Andrew Finnila, John Kolpanem, Karyes, Kippalas, Havelins and Philips. Some belonged in the Owen district but attended Moody for a few years.

Chester Stowe from the Town of Beaver was teacher in 1905 and 06. He went to school the next year. He cane home in the spring and drowned one hot June day while swimming with a party in the old mill pond in Riplinger.

Local girls who have taught at Moody are: Saima Peterson, Mary Matson, Mrs. Mathilda Haas, Mrs Beuiah Haas, Iva Moore, La Moine Powers, Marian Adams, Phyllis Calhoun, and our last teacher Mrs. Wm. Warns.

Twenty five cords of green body maple from $1.25 to $1.50 per cord were bought for a years supply of fuel. This was bought a year ahead and piled in the wood shed to dry. Later, part coal was used. Then an oil stove supplied heat.

Eight months of school were changed to nine months in 1903. The building was wired for electricity by Martin Haas and his son. At one tine Lo pupils attended Moody School but dwindled to less than ten by 1957 when the district consolidated with Owen-Withee. The building was sold to Mary Ammentorp in 1959. The bricks have been removed from the outside and the interior is wrecked, only the frame remains standing. The little red school house will long be remembered by the former pupils who attended during those good happy years. The Christmas programs and picnics on the last day of school will live in memory. Excerpt taken from "Memory Trails" by Henry Wollum.

Moody School

Longwood Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin

Moody School Elementary, Longwood, Wisconsin

Contributed by Cheryl Reupert

kayak.car@gmail.com

Numbered Close-ups and Identifications, [Front Row] [Back Row] [Full Photo, this page]

Please contact us if you can identify any of the people in the photo above.

The picture above was taken at Moody School, Longwood Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin. I am hoping someone else has this same picture and can recall which child is my father and possibly the other children. I believe he would of attended Moody School between the years 1934 to 1942. My father passed away in November of 2012 at the age of 83. My father's name: LeRoy Parve, no dates on the photo, he had written "Moody" on the front. His grandmother Mary Havelin raised him and his Uncle Ellerd on their farm

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Longwood Township Pioneers