History: Thorp, Wis. Creamery

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Jacques

Sources: Federal Census Records, News Clips

Art Jacues Apartments on South Washington St., Thorp, Wis. was once the site of the Thorp Creamery which was managed by A. Albert and backed by 2//3 of the farmers within a radius of ten miles.  Every day, winter and summer, the creamery teams were on the road, calling at farm houses to secure the product from the cows, saving the farmers much labor and doing away with the old way of accepting "store pay" and making unnecessary trips to town.  By 1900, the creamery was manufacturing over 1,000 pounds of butter, each day.  This big creamery paid out $125,000 a year to the farmers.  The shipments of cheese during 1914 aggregated 1,238,319 pounds of butter, 384,281 pounds of eggs.

----Source: Taken from The Thorp Courier files of 1897-1922-1947-1972-1987

Old Items 

100 Years Ago (1897)

The "Thorp Creamery" owned and managed by Mr. Albert Albert is one of the solid institutions of the village and is backed by two thirds of the farmers within a radius of ten miles.  Every day, winter and summer, the creamery teams are on the road, calling at farm houses to secure the product from the cows, thereby saving the farmer much labor and do away entirely with the old way of accepting "store pay" and making unnecessary trips to town.

June 1900 

The Thorp Creamery is manufacturing over 1,000 pounds of butter, each day.  The cheese factories of Frank Pritzl, in the Town of Worden and J. B. Daughhestee in the Town of Reseburg are each receiving over 3,000 pounds of milk daily.  These institutions are a success.  Their product commands the highest market price and they are of much benefit to the surrounding country.

----Source: Thorp Courier, Jan. 10, 2001

100 YEARS AGO... A. Albert reported that the Thorp Creamery manufactured the following amount of butter: 1900 - 106,818 lbs.; 1899 - 108,792 lbs.

----Source: 1915 History of Clark Co., Wis.

But the big creamery of Thorp which pays out $125,000 a year to the farmers is the industry of which the citizens are proud. The shipments of cheese during 1914 aggregated 1,238,310 pounds of butter 384,281 pounds, of eggs 83,682 pds., and this year there will be an average of two car loads of cheese and one car load of butter weekly. Fifty silos were erected around Thorp this year.

----Source: from The Thorp Courier files of 1896-1921-1946-1971-1986, May 9, 1996

Old Items,100 Years Ago (1896)

The creamery was forced to suspend operations a few days ago on account of impure cream gathered from patrons who as yet have not learned that looks are entirely foreign in the making of good butter, and consequently makes the product unsaleable at any price. The creamery will be started again in a few days and it is hoped that none but the June article in the cream line will be delivered to the drivers.

----Source: "The Book of The Years", Clark County Centennial 1853-1953, Thorp Village and City History

The Creamery was established in 1892.

Thorp Creamery Photos

 Thorp, Clark County, Wisconsin

		Original Thorp Creamery, managed by A. Albert
		Jacques Apartments, So. Washington St., Thorp, Wis.

1920 Federal Census, Clark Co., Wisconsin

Name: Arthur Jacques
Estimated Birth Year: 1907
Age: 13
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Household
Parent Henry Jacques M 48y
Parent Emma Jacques F 41y
Rose Jacques F 21y
Joe Jacques M 19y
Arthur Jacques M 13y
Mary Jacques F 11y
Ella Jacques F 8y
Ester Jacques F 6y
Alvin Jacques M 3y10m
George Jacques M 2y2m

U. S. Social Security Death Index

First Name: Arthur
Middle Name: C
Last Name: Jacques
Name Suffix:
Birth Date: 10 December 1906
Social Security Number: 393-09-4544
Place of Issuance: Wisconsin
Last Residence: Thorp, Clark, Wisconsin
Zip Code of Last Residence: 54771
Death Date: 1 June 1995
Estimated Age at Death: 89