Surnames: Christofferson, Schemmer, Lehmer

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) July 28, 1949

Christofferson, Dr. and Mrs. H. H. (Golden Anniversary 26 July 1899 - 1949)

Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Christofferson of Colby celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Tuesday, July 26, 1949. The celebration was given the form of an open house, held at the gymnasium of the Colby High School. Dr. and Mrs. Christofferson there received their friends from 2 to 4 in the afternoon and from 7 to 9 in the evening.

Dr. and Mrs. Christofferson were married July 26, 1899, at Waupaca, where Dr. Christofferson was born March 27, 1875. Mrs. Christofferson’s home had been Racine, where she was born July 5, 1876. Their wedding took place three years prior to the Doctor’s graduation in medicine from St. Louis University.

Their marriage at this time was a real adventure, for the young husband was quite a way from being a doctor, and the problem was how to keep him in school and two people in food and lodging. The solution to this problem was furnished by the young bride, who was a skilled masseuse, and who applied this skill until the young man was a full-fledged doctor and was ready to take over the financial responsibilities. Upon their golden wedding Dr. Christofferson recalled this contribution made by his wife, and gave her credit for educating him as a doctor and thus laying the foundation for whatever success has come to them.

Immediately upon the Doctor’s graduation the young people made their home in Loyal, where the Doctor practiced from 1902 to 1910. In 1910 they moved to Colby, where the Doctor continued to practice until 1948. In that year Dr. Christofferson discontinued his local practice, but he has continued in many other activities, professional, civic and business.

In his practice at Colby the Doctor had as associate for three years Dr. A. M. Christofferson, who in 1917 joined the army medical corps and served through World War One, thereafter practicing in Waupaca. Associated with H. H. Christofferson also was Dr. A.L. Schemmer, the two operating the Colby Clinic until Dr. Christofferson transferred his interest to Dr. Lehmer.

Serves County Hospital - For many years Dr, Christofferson has been the physician at the Clark County Hospital at Owen, and he is continuing that relation.

Throughout his professional life Dr. Christofferson has played an important part in advancing the professional status of medicine and surgery. He has served many years as president of the Clark County Medical Society and has also served as councilor of the state medical society. He is now a member of the executive committee of the state society. He originated the Wisconsin plan of prepaid medical care, a plan which is intended to be the profession’s answer to state medicine.

Dr. Christofferson is, and has long been a member of the state board of medical examiners, and in that relation has been charged with responsibility for maintaining the standard of medical and surgical service in the state. This activity has in recent years posed the problem of the proper policy to be followed toward refugees, displaced persons and other of foreign birth and education. Years ago graduates from certain of the medical schools of Europe were considered to have had exceptional opportunities of training, but that situation changed as the dictators came into control. It then became necessary to exercise caution, in order that the profession in this country might not be diluted by persons of inferior qualifications.

Maintains Standards - Dr. Christofferson encounters this problem also in his service on a committee set up by the American Medical Association, the duty of which is to evaluate schools and to reach a decision with reference to the acceptability in this country of graduates from each of them. In the state organization the Doctor is also chairman of the committee on mental hygiene and institutional care, a committee which sets up standards for the care of inmates of mental hospitals.

Though exceedingly busy in his profession Dr. Christofferson has also found outlet for his energy in business and civic enterprises. He has long served as director of the board of the Colby High School. When the telephone was relatively new and untried, he invested money and management in exchanges at Loyal, Spencer, Unity, Colby, Abbotsford, Curtiss, Owen and Withee. In association with W. J. Rush of Neillsville and C. H. Brown of Loyal he developed the telephone enterprise and finally sold to the Commonwealth.

A Leading Banker - He took a leading part in the organization and management of the Central Canning Company of Colby, with the view of developing an enterprise of value to the community. This concern continued for several years. In 1929 he bought the Ford Garage in Colby, remodeled it and built a new addition to it. In 1939 he purchased a filling station in Colby, and he continues in ownership, both of the filling station and the garage.

Dr. Christofferson has also built up substantial banking interests in this county, being president of the Citizens State Bank of Loyal and Granton; of the Curtiss State Bank of Curtiss and Owen, and of the Colby State Bank of Colby and Unity.