My father was born 1909 in Waukesha, Wis. and his parents moved up to Tn. Beaver in 1910, where his younger sister and brother were born. The family moved back to Waukesha in 1920. So his memories are really from about 1914 to 1920. The Kleins originally came to Clark Co. in 1874, from Sheboygan Co., where they had come in 1871. They probably followed Phillip Rossman, whose family they knew in Hesse Darmstadt. They were later connected to Adolph Rossmann by marriage, also the Brussows, Shochs, Yench, Condon, Schelhamer, Shultz, Lenling and Schmidt (Smith) of the Loyal and Greenwood area. Jacob Klein livied in the Loyal and Tn. Beaver area from 1874 until his death in 1935. He married Amelia Brussow in 1881. His Sons Emil and Richard were born there. Emil spent all but the last year of his life there. Richard went to Waukesha in 1900 and returned for ten years in 1910, before returning to Waukesha, where he spent the rest of his life. Jacob's elder sister, Justine, married Jacob Shoch and died in 1891 in Tn. Loyal, leaving several children. Her eldest daughter, Lillie, married William Schultz in 1892. They lived in Tn. Beaver and had many children. Her brother, George Schoch, had a butcher shop in Loyal for many years. There rest of the Schoch children scattered around central Wisconsin.

Jacob's brother Peter, had a farm in Tn. Eaton, which he sold in 1899 and moved to Michigan. Brothers Valentine and John spent little of their lives in Clark Co. Brother Joseph lived and died in Sheboygan Co.

By Robert C. Klein

I was born in Waukesha, Wis. in 1909 and my parents moved to Town of Beaver in 1910. We lived with my grandparents and uncle until my father got a farm next door. The location is on Park Ln., about 3 miles north of Loyal, in southern Tn. Beaver, where Rock Creek crosses. Park Lane is west of and parallel to County road "K". My grandfather, Jacob Klein, had worked for Phillip Rossmann at his sawmill at the dam he built on Rock Creek. In my time there, that mill was gone and only remnants of the dam remained. There was still a small pond there and a bigger one west of there, where gravel had been dug out, leaving a swimming pond we called the "hell hole". At the corner of Park Lane and Maple Center Rd. had been the old school that my father went to. The one we went to, was on Maple Center, but a half mile west.

Just north of the school lived the Wehrmanns. I didn't know them, but heard much of them as a child, especially Mrs. Wehrmann, who seemed to like the latest gadgets.

She was the first to have "Licorice" lights. She drove a Model T with pedals to change gears. She evidently had trouble with that and got a new Buick with hand shift. They parked it in the barn. One day she drove in one side and out the other. There was quite a drop going out. Miraculously, the car landed on it's wheels and she was unhurt, but badly frightened. She later confided to someone that her fright had caused a physical reaction at both ends. Stories of that were passed around the neighborhood with probable embellishments and delight.

World War One had a great impact on life. I was just reaching the age of memory when it started. To that point I knew little English. Suddenly English started to be used at home and of course, at school. Sauerkraut became pickled cabbage. There was a family that did our threshing. Evidently they were pro-German and refused to submit to the draft. The government moved in to get them. It was a big operation and everyone in the area was nervous. Evidently the family had prepared for a shoot out. It seems the barn was burned down, but the boys got away.

One day my uncle Emil was having trouble with the bull and was cussing it out in English. Grandpa arrived and advised him with a twinkle in his eye, that the bull doesn't understand English yet, so it's O.K. to use German.

Uncle Adoph Rossmann, had daughters. There was a shivery when one got married. Some un-named person jacked up the rear tires of the minister's car during the festivities. Many gathered later to see the minister off. The desired effect of getting the minister to cuss, was accomplished before all present.

There were ways to create entertainment as kids, and adults, but life wasn't easy for the adults.