There seemed to be nationality groups which came to Columbia. In the 1890’s there was a colony of Swiss people-sixteen families, as I recall:

John Sollberger, Fred Moser, Captain Bryner, John Ryner, Fred Christian, John Greub, Sam Bruine, Jake Laager, Mr. Eggiman, Mrs. Emilie Frye, John Immberstag and five bachelors. They were Andrew Schaer, Alfred Yordi, Jack Bachee, Fred Guetzow and S. Smoky.

Most of them were born in Switzerland and were cheese makers. They had come to Green County, for a few years and then to Columbia. The Sollbergers, Mosers, Laagers and Schaer stayed on in Columbia. Four bought farms in Humbird and the others moved away to other parts of the states.

Because of two fires in 1885 and 1896 and another in 1893, the country was denuded of tress. One could look for miles and see homes.

In the early 90’s the first general store and post office was built, owned, and operated by George Heynderichx who was a Frenchman from Brazil, South America. Their four children were Lelia, George, Jr., Cecil and Helen. About 1900 they sold and moved to the state of Washington. Charles Graves bought the store.

In time Columbia had two general stores, a school, a church, post office, blacksmith shop, taylor shop, a dentist, tow boarding houses, a saloon, candy store, millinary shop, dry good store, a depot with a full time agent, a cheese

Fancy, dance hall, pickle factory, newspaper and veterinary. Houses were dotted all over in the woods.

Many changes were taking places: roads were being surveyed and built in all directions; bridges were built over the stream; schools were built; and a telephone line went through. For many years the wall type crank telephone in our store was the only one which everyone used. All these projects brought in many outside workers.

Many Columbia folks worked in the gravel pit in summer and in the north woods in the winter to get ready cash for improving their farms. This left the wives and children to care for the home front. Emma Moser once remarked that the early settlers’ wives had to be brave. Her mother was alone with four children when her dad worked in the woods, when on moonlight nights the wolves would come right to the door and howl. Other women had the same experience.

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