Colby Township Memories

Clark County, Wisconsin

1918

MRS. AUGUST HOMSTED, in narrating her early experiences, says: "I was born in Ohio, in 1860, and came to Wisconsin with my sister to Steven's Point. The railroad at that time was six miles from that place. We drove from Steven's Point to G. W. Holtan's farm. I stayed with him--my brother-in-law--and took care of the children. I spent a good deal of my time at Neillsville and used to walk from the farm to Loyal in one day. There was no wagon road and I used to follow the cow trail through the woods. The trail was blazed and a part of the way cut. I stayed on the farm and at Neillsville until 1879, when I was married at Colby. I ran the Colby Hotel for a short time, then went to Unity and ran the old Forest House for a couple of years, then came to Dorchester. My husband was a druggist, and after coming to Dorchester opened a drug store in a small building which we rented. We built the building where our store now is. The first postoffice was located in Miltimore's store, Bradley G. Miltimore being the first postmaster, serving for, awhile under Cleveland's first administration. Henry La Bossier was appointed and served until Harrison was elected president. My husband, August Homsted, was appointed and served four years under Cleveland's second administration. Peter Shafer was appointed and served until his death in 1910. During the early seventies all supplies were brought in by team, except that some men carried them on their backs. When we first came to Dorchester the buildings were small frame structures. In 1888 fire visited the town and burned all the places of business, except one store and a building which stood where the Block Hotel now stands. In 1897 a second fire occurred. It started just beyond where the Smith Hotel now stands, and burned the entire block to the corner."  1918 History of Clark Co., WI