Christian & Fredericka (Huckstadt) Vates

Greenwood, Clark County, Wisconsin
 

Christian Vates, for many years a resident of Greenwood, was born at Hollenstein, Germany, Nov. 26, 1847 and . He immigrated to America in 1867, and was married Oct. 22, 1871 to Fredericka "Rica" Dorothy Huckstadt at Danville, Ill.  She was the daughter of John Huckstadt. 

Chris and Rica had three children, two who died in infancy and their daughter, Louise Mariam who was born September 3, 1873.

At the time of his death, Chris Vates was 81 years, 7 months, and 21 days of age, July 17, 1929 and his death body was laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.  After being widowed for three years, Rica was buried beside him in the spring of 1932, at the age of eighty-three.  Louise was buried August 2, 1951.  She never married.

Chris Vates' Barnyard.

Warner Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin

Census Records

News Clips & Photos

Christian Vates’ team of horses, while turning the corner on Stove Pipe Alley, in Greenwood Sunday afternoon, upset the cutter sleigh, thus putting Vates on his head in the snow bank.  The team kept running and totally demolished Steve Andrews’ cutter. Clark Co. Press, Jan. 1884.

Vates' "Icicle Saloon"

Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin.

The fire causing the most inconvenience and greatest loss was the fire of May 4, 1885, when eleven buildings were burned in the heart of the town, including the home of Lew Larson, where the fire started from an overheated chimney. Ole Johnson, Sam Greene, Sam Greene's Gun-shop, Frank Pfeiffer's Butcher Shop, Elias Peterson's Shoe Shop, Chris Vates' "Icicle Saloon", which had been purchased from Bob Robinson and moved to about where the little shoe shop of Mikottis’ stands, the barns of Thompson and Root, Elias Peterson, S. M. Andrews, and Christ Vates which he had just filled with hay at $25.00 per ton, and other small buildings were destroyed. There was no fire protection, not even ladders. More buildings might have been burned, but the Black River Improvement Company's crew happened to get to town about the time the fire started and helped fight it with wet blankets, buckets, etc. The, next night, May 5, 1885 it started to snow a heavy wet snow, which by morning was six inches deep, and Kate Miller, who taught school two, miles northeast of Greenwood, waded out to her school. The baby clothes of Ella Larson Crum, who was born two weeks later, were all burned in this fire, as were the clothes and household goods of many others. The Hub of Clark County (1934).

May 1885

At about 10 a.m. last Monday, a fire was discovered on the roof of Lars W. Larson’s residence, in Greenwood.  It was learned afterwards, the fire resulted from a defective chimney.  The blaze spread very rapidly to all parts of the house. There was a very strong wind blowing at the time, soon spreading the fire to other houses in the vicinity.  In less than half an hour, three residences were completely destroyed and several other buildings were burning furiously.  By half-past two, the flames were brought under control, but not before ten buildings had been destroyed with nearly all their contents.

Following are a list of the residences and stores destroyed:

L. W. Larson’s residence; L. Johnson’s residence; Frank Brown’s residence; Pfeifer’s Meat Market & Grocery; Elias Peterson’s Shoe Shop and Grocery; Christ Vates’ Saloon, hall & barn; S. M. Andrews’ barn, & Thompson-Root’s barn.  Clark Co. Press, May 1885.

The Home of Chris & Rica Vates

Hendren Ave., Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin

Contributor

Greenwood Public Library & Janet Schwarze.