Dorchester Cemeteries History--Mayville Township, Clark Co., WI

Beaulah Jensen Fischer and her great granddaughter, Zoe

Beaulah is the author of "God's Acres", a History of the Cemeteries of Dorchester, Wisconsin, as well as
Some Historical Sketches of Dorchester (also referenced with a surname list on this county website without credits), The Midnight Riders history (snowmobile club in Dorchester), the Bicentennial History of St. Peter's Lutheran Church of Dorchester and many others.

Dedicated to the past and present members of the board of Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association who gave of their time and energy to provide a dignified, consecrated resting place for our loved ones.

*Fire in 1920’s destroyed all cemetery records. First recordings we have are 1/4/1927.*

Dorchester’s pioneer settlers at the turn of the century were predominately of German descent, thus referring, in German, to their final resting place as “Gottes Acker” or God’s Acres.

There are three cemeteries located in the Village of Dorchester, and they were all originally started by a church.

The “south” cemetery located on South Fourth Street, was started by the Catholic, Baptist and Lutheran Churches.

This drawing, believed to have been drawn at the time the cemetery association was organized; was found in a box with other old documents. It shows the location of the original plots as laid out years earlier by the various Dorchester churches in the South Memorial cemetery.

To the north of the cemetery, or going to the right of the road: the map denotes the land as belonging to the following families: Schneider, Bunke, Sauder, and Mead.

The “south” cemetery, largest of the three cemeteries, has been known by several names over the years. It was called the Union Cemetery in 1921, according to information found in the obituary of a local resident, Augusta Wilde Ulrich. She was buried in the St. Peter Lutheran Church section.

It was later renamed Dorchester Memorial Park in 1927, by members of the newly formed corporation, Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association. Today, it is known as the South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

The “north” cemetery, located on North Fourth Street, was started by the German Evangelical Church and is the former Peace Cemetery. In 1964, it was renamed the North Dorchester Memorial Cemetery, following a merger with the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association, Inc.

North and South Memorial Cemeteries are located within the boundaries of Dorchester, with the exception of two parcels of land in the “south” cemetery. Those two acres, in Section 14, are located in the Township of Mayville, according to Assessor Dorothy Becker of Curtiss, Wisconsin.

One acre is deeded to the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association (Parcel 321), and the other acre (Parcel 319), is titled to the “Trustees of Catholic Association”.

the third cemetery was started by the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, which disbanded many years ago; and is situated on the east edge of the Wisconsin Central, Limited railroad tracks, about one block north of County Hwy A.

It has been many years since there was a burial in the Norwegian cemetery, and it is unlikely there will ever be another one; since there are no remaining funds and/or perpetual care money from its sponsoring church.

The cemetery did not have a name board on its grounds for over 100 years; therefore, many people weren’t aware it existed, and if they did, it was usually referred to as the “old” cemetery.

In 1989, a wrought iron sign, with scrolls and Norwegian style letters was built and erected; finally identifying the memorial grounds.

The Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery is care for by the Village of Dorchester, and the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association maintains both the North and South Memorial Cemeteries.

The Central Wisconsin area was ranged by the Winnebago, Chippewa, Dakota, and Menomonie Indians, according to Dorchester’s 1973 centennial booklet.

Many were still living in what is now Dorchester, when the white settlers arrived. Old timers say they often saw Indians passing through the area, or knew were they were living; however, they never felt threatened by their presence.

Once such area where Indians camped and also buried their dead is on the southwest outskirts of Dorchester. Located on an idle piece of land near the Sands Creek; the water no doubt was the reason for their choice of location.

The stream was much wider years ago, than it is today in 1989, according to Otto Genrich. Otto, who has lived in Dorchester since 1893 says, “The old timers often talked about the big campground near Dorchester where the Indians would congregate. As a child, I played along the river and remember very well the Indian burial grounds in the woods. There were about six mounds or knolls…all in a row and about a foot high.”

In talking with Otto, who was 95 years old at the time of the interview, and still very alert; he said the location was “about 100 yards south of the (present) disposal plant property, on the south side of the creek.”

Upon his return to the burial mounds some years later, he was unable to locate them. A line fence had been removed and the once forested area had been cleared for farm land.

His closing remark was “I’m probably the only person alive today that knows about it!”.

Pondering this exciting news and remembering Elsie Bremer, of Abbotsford, saying her parents often talked about an Indian burial ground “somewhere in the woods near Koehn’s farm”, the writer and husband, Mel, went on a “hunting excursion”, a few weeks later.

Following a rusty, fallen down wire fence south of the Sands Creek, we soon find ourselves in shoulder high marsh hay.

Remembering Otto’s words “south of the disposal plant”, we continue pushing our way through the thicket of tall grass, thorn apple trees, and raspberry brush. Crossing over a higher piece of land, we find a small clearing with a lazy, old willow tree sleeping by the edge of the stream. WE get no message from him! “Wait for me!” I call out, trying to find the tramped down trail left by Mel.

Ahead, we see yet another ridge of land, which looks more open and is speckled with young Popple trees. Constantly on the outlook for some kind of clue, we proceed further.

Arriving at the clearing, Mel carefully feels around with his foot and discovers he has stepped down to a lower elevation. Why? With great anticipation, he exclaims “I think I’ve found something!”

Searching the area, gingerly feeling our way through the grasses and weeds, our excitement grows by the seconds. Using our feet and hands, we outline the low humps of ground piled up. We eventually find several elongated mounds of earth piled up about eight inches high.

We leave, chatting away about our discovery…and feeling like great explorers. We wonder if we really had found the century old Indian burial grounds!

For more than 100 years, a sad story has been told and re-told locally, about a family that contracted the dreaded disease, Diphtheria.

Ernest Johnson of the Village of Dorchester tells about his grandparents, Ernst and Fredricka Lindeman, who bought a farm in 1872, in the Township of Mayville; west of Dorchester.

In the summer of 1877, all their children; namely Helene, Bertha, Arthur, Marie, Ernst, George, and Amelia, ages 12 through one year old, became ill with Diphtheria.

One day, one of the children became seriously sick. The mother walked to Colby, a distance of nearly 10 miles, to get the closest doctor living in the area. However, upon their return to her home, they found they were too late…the child had died in the meantime. Between August 4^th, and August 10^th, every one of the living children of Ernst Lindeman family died…all seven!!

According to Johnson, there were no cemeteries at that time. Father Lindeman built all the wooden caskets and neighbors helped with the digging of the graves. The children were buried in the back yard of their country home.

The Lindemans left requests to be buried near them. Mother Fredricka died in 1910, and father, Ernst, passed away in 1920. Their wishes were granted.

In pre-cemetery days, persons who died were usually buried on the family property. Even after cemeteries were started, the tradition continued for many years, until laws and regulations were initiated.

Such ordinances were adopted around 1927 by the Village of Dorchester. Quoting one of the stipulations, it read: “It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to bury the corpse of remains of any dead person in lot, ground, garden, yard, field, or by place within the Village of Dorchester…such place not being a public or private cemetery.” Violators would be fined no less than $1.00 and no more than $25.00, and if in default they had to spend 30 days in jail.

In 1873, homesteaders were arriving…in 1875, the first church was founded…and in 1882, the first church cemetery was started.

Interestingly, even though six churches were represented in the community within a few years after the arrival of the settlers; it took many years before parishioners and/or non-church members provided a special, or consecrated, place for their burials.

The Baptist church bought land one day for their house of worship, and the following day, bought land for their cemetery.

The Norwegian Lutheran Church took 13 years from the time they established their church, until they started a cemetery.

The other churches in Dorchester took from three to nine years to establish their own cemeteries; once they were founded.

Another “gem” was found: The writer believes at least two Dorchester cemeteries became burial places long before the church cemeteries were established.

St. Peter Lutheran Church bought land for a cemetery in 1889. The marker of Friedrich Schmidt in the Lutheran section of South Memorial Cemetery, dates his death at 1887; two years earlier.

Also, why was the one acre of the Dechaine farm (now a part of South Memorial Cemetery) deeded to St. Louis Catholic Church on the very same day Mr. Dechaine bought it from Mr. Hugoboom? Could it be, because that area of the farm already contained burial sites??

The Norwegian Lutheran Church bought land for a cemetery in 1888 and the marker with the oldest date in their cemetery, is that of a Mary Brandes, who died in 1882…six years earlier.

some of the customs practiced in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, relating to burials and funerals; one might consider a bit unusual today, such as:

**Placing of a black ribboned, large wreath on the door of the home of the deceased person; informing the community of a death in the family.

**Family members and mourners wearing black clothing and men putting on black arm bands, out of respect to the loved one who recently passed away.

**Very complimentary, and often quite personal, obituaries written about the person who died; such as referring to a child as a “young flower”…(The 1921 obituary of the writer’s grandmother said “She is gone, the mother voice is stilled and her hands are folded. No more will she do those many little kindnesses that she performed every day, and the hearts are saddened, but never from the memory of her loved ones can be erased those recollections. Tho’ she is gone, she will not be forgotten.”

**Neighbors showing their concern and support at the time of a death by helping with the digging of the grave on the family property.

**Body viewing, or the “wake”, being held in the home of the deceased, and the placing of mosquito netting over the casket, if it was summer time.

**Mourners going first to the cemetery for graveside blessings and prayers, to be followed by the funeral service at the church. (Found in the minutes of an 1892 meeting of St. Peter Lutheran Church)

**Mourners forming a caravan, walking behind a horse-drawn hearse from the church, proceeding down the streets of Dorchester and out to the dirt road leading to the burial site at least a half mile away.

**Flower girls, carrying the flowers in, and then back out of the church for the funeral.

**Burials made in wooden “rough boxes” until the required transition to metal coffins.

**Only church members to be buried in certain church cemeteries…non-members and also Lodge members not accepted.

the first issue of the local newspaper named “The Reporter” dated September 14, 1900, mentions many firsts for the community of Dorchester. The first death is listed as William, son of the Lewis Robbins’ who died February 9, 1875. “There being no cemetery at this time, he was interred on their farm”.

The oldest monuments found in the Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery are those of a Mary Brandes, deceased December 26, 1882, and H.A. Jensen, who died December 29, 1884.

According to Elsie Bremer, her grandfather, John Henry Bremer, of Dorchester, who died in 1888, was the first body to be buried in the Lutheran section of South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

The oldest tombstone found in the former Peace Cemetery, is that of Cora E. Bitter, who was born Jun21, 1897, and died November 5, 1900. According to her niece, Rosemary Bitter Beyerl of Colby; “The Bitter descendants grew up being told that our aunts Cora and Dora (babies) were the very first people buried in that cemetery, and that it was all woods around there, at that time.”

The October, 1960 issue of the Dorchester Highlights (Vol. 1, No. 9)—a small publication printed by the Dorchester Clarion—lists the first parishioner from St. Louis Catholic Church to be buried in the Catholic section of South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery, as Valentine Laurich, who died in 1902.

Locating the Laurich family headstone in the front row near the southeast corner of the Cathoic burial grounds, one also finds two more very old headstones nearby. One gravestone states that William Laurich passed away in 1887. The other, a gray, pillar-like monument, depicts the Matte family name near the bottom, and the inscription above it bears the name Alma, wife of Z. Bazinait, who was laid to rest in 1884, the same year the Catholic Cemetery was started.

Early cemetery and church histories are closely intertwined; since the first cemeteries were started by the local churches…most of them burying their members in their own parish cemeteries. Therefore, a cemetery history would not be complete without a brief history of the six churches that were founded in the late 1800’s, in Dorchester.

Churches and their “soon to follow” cemeteries began within a few years after the arrival of the Wisconsin Central Railway to the wilderness location of Dorchester in 873. The God-fearing pioneers were quick to establish their churches in the New Land of many freedoms; including religious freedom.

Found among the old cemetery records, was a small hand drawn map which indicates the location of the first church burial grounds in the “south” cemetery. Comparing this drawing (see map pg. 1) with the location of present gravestones, one finds these church cemeteries fronting on the north/south road, which passes by the property on the east boundary.

Starting at the southeast corner, next to the road, and going north; would be the location of the Catholic cemetery. Still proceeding north, the next one was the Baptist cemetery, and the last one was the Lutheran cemetery, which ends up by the present north driveway.

This map indicates there were three sections in the cemetery at the time…one for each of three churches. Also, five pages of old church cemetery maps, note there were three sections in the cemetery.

Four sections are mentioned in the newspaper account at the time of the organization of the cemetery association. (See Organization segment)

It has been said there was a neutral area somewhere in the “south” cemetery, which ws set aside for non-church members. “A distinct fence was put up between the church cemeteries. If the person who died had no church affiliation, they would be buried in the neutral territory. It was located somewhere in the center of the cemetery”, according to Elsie Bremer, former St. Peter Church member.

A walk through the old part of South Memorial Cemetery today indicates this to be true. One finds a few graves here and there that are not on the old church cemetery maps. However, there are rows and rows of headstones between the Baptist and Lutheran sections, which do not appear on any of the old maps. This could the fourth, or neutral, section.

The first church to be founded in Dorchester was the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. To help open up northern Wisconsin for settlement, and to encourage homesteaders to settle in the new frontier, the government gave the Wisconsin Central Railway every other section of land, at no cost. They then “had authority to bargain, sell, contract, grant, release, and convey unto any person…any lands…including lots in the towns, farming lands, and timber lands…”

On August 5, 1874 a plat was recorded (Vol. 13, No. 6, P. 126 at the Clark County Register of Deeds office, between the railroad and the Town of Dorchester to include Blocks 1 to 6.

According to the abstract presently held by Clifford and Mildred Herman, the Norwegian Church purchased Lot 6 in Block 1 on December 1, 1875, from the Wisconsin Central Railway.

The warranty deed as noted on the abstract states “Building to be placed…within a reasonable time. To be used for school or religious purposes”. Upon violation, the deed became void; with the premises reverting back to the railroad company. The location today is 143 South 2^nd Street.

The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized August 17, 1875, according to a document found at St. Peter Lutheran Church. The document and other records were found prior to 1980, when the congregation was preparing to write their 100 year history. Former Norwegian Church member, Maude (Mrs. Maurice) Sorenson, remembers taking some papers to St. Peter Church at the time “her church” was discontinued.

The following names are noted on the organizational document: B.M. Benson, Arne Olson, Rollof Amundson, Svend Johnson, Hans O. Berg, Knud Lindboe, Ole E. Berge, Ole Lalge, Berg Larson, Ole Johnson, and Brustuen. These names were hand written, so the spelling could be incorrect.

Other historical memorabilia found, including an insurance policy which refers to a Scandinavian Lutheran Church, and minute books, dating from 1878 to 1919, which were written in the Norwegian language up to the year 1913.

Also among the old papers, was what appears to be a constitution of the church, and 1893-1901 baptism, confirmation, marriage, and death records, written in Norwegian. The last page of this 28 page collection lists 14 names, which could be a membership list. The following English written names are noted: F. Gauverud, H. Froland, E. Hauge, O. Selge, H. Pederson, Fredrickson, O. Froland, O. Brustuen, O. Manas, Thore Olson, E. Brakke, O. Lindebo, J. Anderson, and K. Olson, from Stationsville (could this be Stetsonville?).

Among the conglomeration was a letter dated February, 1923, from Pine Creek congregation, Town of Holway, stating they would pay their share of the “forthcoming new pastor’s salary”.

The last “recorded” minutes found in the assortment of “St. Peter historical papers”, were dated September 24, 1919. The pastor at the time was the Rev. H.P. Nordby; trustees were Ed Johnson, George Empey, and Gilbert Garvue, and the clerk was G.A. Bobbe.

All material relating to the Norwegian Church was later turned over, by this writer, to a sister church at Curtiss. Since that time, the papers were apparently misplaced. The church was contacted several times; however, no further information has been received, as to their whereabouts.

The congregation was on the decline in 1919, and apparently, dissolved around 1923. A letter dated December 27, 1922 tells of a new pastor, the Rev. Ivar C. Dahl of Bucyrus, ND, who would arrive soon to serve the Dorchester, Curtiss, and Holway congregations. The Dorchester records end at that point.

According to the 1988 centennial history booklet of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Holway, Pastor I.C. Dahl served the Town of Holway church from 1922 to 1923. The 1985 centennial booklet of St. Paul’s American Lutheran Church of Curtiss, also a former sister church, has no mention of the Rev. Dahl serving their parish.

The demise of the Norwegian Church could have resulted from a lack of membership and their financial support. In its nearly 50 year tenure, many changes had occurred; not only in the church, but also within the growing community.

The once prosperous logging industry was on the decline and being replaced by agriculture. Moving into the area to clear land for farms were people of varied nationalities; many of whom were not interested in a Norwegian worship service.

Even German speaking congregations experienced similar problems. To survive, they eventually had to change to an English service. (It took St. Peter Lutheran Church 70 years to eliminate the German language entirely from their worship services!)

Maude Sorenson said the few remaining members started going to other churches in the area, after the Norwegian Church folded. One Sunday, she attended religious services at another local church. As she sat there and listened, she wondered why she came. The entire service was in the German language; which she couldn’t understand at the time.

Following the closing of the Norwegian Church, the building was used for meetings, and for a period of time, the Catholic congregation used it for worship services. (According to the history of Peace Church, they also used it for religious services…in 1898)

The building was dismantled sometime in the 1920’s. According to William Jantsch, the lumber was salvaged, and used to build a dance hall called the Midway Hall. Its rural location on a corner was three miles north of Dorchester.

For the sum of $30.00, the Trustees of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dorchester purchased land to be used for a cemetery on October 13, 1888. According to the deed at the Clark County courthouse, the sellers were Huldah and A.F.F. Jensen, great-grandparents of the writer. It’s legal description is E1/2 of SW1/4 of Sec 12, Township 29, Range 1 East, recorded in Deeds Volume 44, Page 100.

The graveyard located on the east side of Dorchester is serenely nestled among many old trees on an obscure site next to the railroad tracks.

Attempts to find an owner of the property today have been unsuccessful. The only document found (in addition to the deed previously mentioned) indicating there was a Norwegian Cemetery in Dorchester, was an old plat map, found at the courthouse, at Neillsville, WI.

Assessor Dorothy Becker said, “I do not find a separate description on the assessment roll.” (Cemeteries are exempt from paying real estate taxes.)

Judy (Mrs. Ronald) Robida, Clerk for the Village of Dorchester did not have it on the village tax roll either. She said the village receives a small annual payment from Clark County, for maintenance (veterans’ graves only).

Checking at the local and county levels, no transfer of title was found; it’s not listed on the tax roll; and no papers were found among the cemetery association records, relating to the ownership of the Norwegian Cemetery.

One thing we know for sure…It was a “forgotten cemetery” for many years; following the closing of the Norwegian Church. Over the years several cemetery “clean up campaigns” were accomplished with the help of left over members and volunteers. With no sponsoring church, the grounds would again and again grow up with weeds and brush, until someone would take notice.

In the late 1920’s, Rudolph Ortlieb and Frank Tipelt used a horse and plow to do the landscaping. According to Ortlieb’s son, Donald, “deteriorated wooden crosses and picket fences once marking the locations of graves, were then replaced with a flat, square cement slab.”

Many of these small 5” x 5” blank markers are still visible today; however, they are starting to disappear into the ground. One can see that approximately the south 1/3 of the cemetery has unmarked graves.

One such grave, marked with a flat, cement square is that of Ingaborg Anderson Johnson (wife of Ole). She was born in 1843 and died in 1888, the year the cemetery was started. According to grandson Ernest Johnson, of Dorchester, his mother showed him the approximate location of the grave of his grandmother; in relation to another Johnson tombstone.

One would guess the reason for using wooden crosses and picket fences to identify graves, in the late 1800’s, was not only due to finances, but also the unavailability of tombstones.

Avenelle Empey, of Dorchester, relates how her father-in-law, George Empey, Sr., and her three sons, George, Allen, and Larry, also refurbished the cemetery…grooming the grounds and straightening tombstones. She said Mr. Empey was the last treasurer of the Norwegian Church and it was at that time the treasury was depleted.

Otto Genrich also tells about the time he and Leslie Staab reset monuments, cut brush, and restored the Norwegian Cemetery to a beautiful setting again. He remembers working there “around the year 1969…as the Dorchester Park was just getting started…and shortly after that, the Village of Dorchester took over the care of the cemetery.”

According to the remaining tombstones, the last burial made in the cemetery was in 1942, which is that of Andria Paulson. There are approximately 53 identifiable markers/monuments depicting 21 family names, in the one acre cemetery, of which four are Civil War veterans.

Thus, the last page of history is written for the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dorchester and its cemetery.

Today, entering the secluded resting place for many souls, one is impressed by its simplicity. Few decorations, no roads criss-crossing here and there, stately aged trees standing like guards over the timeworn tombstones; one can almost feel God’s blanket of peace and protection.

“A Catholic church was erected in 1876 and Fr. Shettelhaufer of Medord held services in the church every Sunday.” This was found in the October 9, 1952 issue of the Dorchester Clarion, under the column entitled “Retrospect…Fifty Years Ago”.

“The Catholic pioneers of the locality were lumbermen, and later, homesteaders who cleared off about 100 acres each to build their small farms. By 1879, they had built their own church from rough hewn timbers. It was also referred to as St. Ludwigs. This modest frame building was called the oldest parish between Stevens Point and Ashland.” The article in the Dorchester Highlights, Vol. 1, No. 9, dated October, 1960, further stated that at one time, it was called All Saints Parish.

The Catholic church was also called the St. James Catholic Church, according to an interesting 1918 touring book of “road maps”. A Tour Book gives the written directions from Dorchester to Curtiss; a distance of 8.0 miles. The directions begin by saying: “.0 mile, leave St. James Catholic Church, corner of Center Ave., and Fourth St., go west on Center Ave.” (See more in Historical Tidbits article).

St. Louis Catholic Church is located today on Center Avenue, east of the corner of 4^th Street West, having built the church in 1930.

The congregation built a new rectory in 1988, tearing down the old one this year (1989) which has served them since 1909.

The parishioners support the only parochial school in the community, having done so since 1913. the present school, built in 1957, serves grades one through six.

St. Louis Catholic Church acquired their own cemetery grounds when one of their members, donated some of his farm land to them. According to the October, 1960 issue of the Dorchester Highlights, Vol. 1, No. 9; printed by the Dorchester Clarion; the land was given by “the Duchaine family, who lived south of the village.”

According to the abstract held by Douglas and Catherine Meyer, whose farm presently borders on the south boundary line of South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery; the Catholic Church was deeded once acre of land for cemetery purposes on August 4, 1884. The warranty deed describes the transaction between Eugene Dechaine and his wife, Josephine, when they deeded land to Peter Liberty, Leon Cardinal, and A. Patrick, Trustees of the Catholic Association of Dorchester, Wisconsin.

According to a deed (Vol. 33 P. 67) recorded at the courthouse in Neillsville, WI for the same transaction, two items disagree. An exchange of money in the amount of $50.00 was noted, and one different trustee was named. In addition to Peter Liberty and Leon Cardinal, a Mr. Bartnik is listed.

The legal description for the cemetery, Parcel 319, is the N 10 rods of E 16 rods of NE SE, Section 14 in the Town of Mayville.

Interestingly, the previous entry on the Meyer abstract with the same date (08-04-84) indicated Mr. Dechaine had just purchased this farm from Sullivan Hugoboom and his wife, Melia.

Why would both these transactions bear the same date? Perhaps a part of the farm was already being used as a burial ground? Since there was a change in ownership, undoubtedly an agreement had to be reached to retain the area for a Catholic cemetery.

The only mention in the cemetery association minutes concerning ownership of the Catholic cemetery are dated August 20, 1937. It states “a 10 year contract with St. Louis Church was read and accepted”.

Among the cemetery records, was a 25 year lease between St. Louis Catholic congregation and the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association, dated March 18, 1975; which will expire June 10, 2000. The lease gave the cemetery association authority to maintain and sell lots “but to members of the Catholic Church only”. It was signed by Rev. J.J. Burggraf, Vice-President, and William Jantsch, Secretary, of St. Louis Congregation. C.M. Vircks, President, and Mike Geiger, Secretary, signed for the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association.

The Rev. Michael J. Gorman, Director of Catholic Cemeteries, wrote in a recent letter, “In 1958, various corporations existing in the diocese were dissolved and were subsumed into the Diocese of La Crosse, Inc. All of the holdings of these former…associations then became the property of the Diocese of La Crosse.” He ended the letter with a request for the legal description of the Catholic cemetery lot; stating he would look in his records to see if he could find anything pertaining to St. Louis cemetery.

After sending Rev. Gorman the description, he responded: “I have examined the property files for Dorchester and none of the property matched the description of the parcel in question.” He also sent a copy of a 10 year lease agreement between St. Louis Congregation and the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association, dated June 4, 1963. “This is all I have been able to find…there is no deed on file here for this property, but this agreement implies that it was owned by St. Louis Congregation in 1963. Presumably, it still is.”

St. Petri Stift Gemeinde (St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church) traces its roots to Germany when in the early 1800’s German Lutherans were immigrating to the United States for religious freedom and hopeful of better living conditions. The first German Lutherans arrived in the Territory of Wisconsin in 1830.

St. Peter congregation was founded under the leadership of Missouri Synod Missionary W.C. Schilling around 1877. Services for the small mission were held in the public school house, with barely a dozen families attending.

On September 19, 1880, the congregation became organized into Saint Petri Stift Gemeinde of Unaltered Augsburg Confession of Dorchester, WI, and was incorporated under that German name in 1882.

Members built their first house of worship out of logs in 1883, on a corner of South Third Street and West Second Avenue, and in 1903, built built the present brick, Gothic style church; just to the north of their first church.

St. Peter church supported a Christian Day School for more than 30 years, closing in 1956.

The parsonage that was built in 1910 just south of the present church, was torn down a few years ago. The area was made into a large parking lot. Across the street from the church, a new parsonage was built in 1984.

The theme chosen for their 100^th year celebration in 1980 was “Remembering, Rejoicing, Renewing”.

St. Peter Lutheran congregation established their own cemetery in South Memorial Cemetery upon purchase of land from John J. Lansworth on August 13, 1889. Apparently, the grounds were already being used for this purpose, as was noted in a previous article entitled “Beginnings”.

Minutes written in the German language, showed that rulese were set up in 1889 for the new cemetery noting “Every good standing member should have a cemetery lot.”

Free burial was available for paid-up members and their families and non-paid members of the congregation were to pay $2.00 for an adult and $1.00 for a child’s burial. It was also noted that only Lutherans could be buried on Lutheran lots and “No Lodge Members”!

St. Peter’s centennial history noted an interesting tidbit, “David Seidler is to plant grass on the cemetery so it could be used for the pastor’s house.” (1907)

The land was surveyed and platted as the First Addition to their cemetery, and is recorded at the courthouse in Neillsville, Plat Book vol. 3, page 16, and is dated May 25, 1925. It further states the north line to be 270 feet and west line at 289 feet. The document was signed by St. Peter trustees Ed Nixdorf, Max Vircks and John Habeck.

Trustees of the Village of Dorchester signing the plat were G.F. Schmidt, F.V. Hiebsch, Edgar Paulson, J.E. Allar, J.H. Kronschnabl and F. A. Distlehorst.

The only cemetery plat map found at the courthouse for the Village of Dorchester, was that of St. Peter Church.

On June 13, 1927, St. Peter congregation sold their cemetery land for $2500.00 to the newly formed cemetery corporation, Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association.

Salem Evangelical congregation was organized in 1882 at a meeting held in a log school house.

According to the Sept. 15, 1982 issue of the Tribune Phonograph, their first minister was Rev. Kolander. Worship services continued in the public school building until they were able to build their own church in 1883.

The first church, built on the corner of South 3^rd Street and First Avenue, is the same building the congregation has worshipped in for nearly 107 years!

The original building has been improved several times. A new entry-way addition with a beautiful ceramic mosaic in the vestibule was built in 1974 and dedicated in 1975.

According to the April 3, 1975 issue of the Tribune Phonograph, Abbotsford; the 8 ft. x 4 ft. mosaic was hand made by Professor R.C. Schneider; then a professor of Arts, at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, WI. The design, containing 10,000 pieces of ceramic tile is based on the biblical text contained in Psalm 104.

Salem Church never had a cemetery of its own, according to the members interviewed by the writer. Mrs. Ethel (Rueben) Vieth said, “I never heard anyone ever talk about having our own cemetery.” Mrs. Grace Wigstadt said years ago, “some of our people were buried at the Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery.”

Various name changes occurred over the years; and presently, the congregation is known as Salem United Methodist Church. However, to many of us, it is fondly called “The Little White Church”.

The First Scandinavian Baptist Church bought land from John J. Lansworth on December 26, 1882, apparently for the purpose of constructing a church on the property. The location is noted as Lot 1, Block 1 of the Lansworth Addition ot the Village of Dorchester. The present address of this property is 307 South 4^th Street and is owned by Leona Beisner.

Researching the Beisner abstract, one finds Mr. Lansworth ws a member and also a trustee of the Baptist Church at the time. Other names noted as Trustees are H. Halvorsen and J. Rasmuspen. (Could be an error on abstract for the name Rasmussen)

Also, the Beisner abstract indicates the Baptist Church took out a mortgage with The American Baptist Home Mission Society of the City of New York on February 14, 1883. “This money was gotten for the purpose of building a place of worship,”…on previously mentioned location.

The Baptist Church was nearing its end in 1915. A quit claim deed, also found recorded on the Beisner abstract, dated September 18, 1915 “conveys Lot 1 and N/12/ Lot 2 to the Norwegian Baptist Conference of America.” Trustees noted at the time were John P. Berry, Knute Iverson Quarme, and Jens Hanson.

Little is known or heard about the Baptist Church. Most townspeople today never knew there once was a church on south 4^th Street near the corner of West 2^nd Avenue.

Mrs. Loretta (William) Jantsch and Otto Genrich of Dorchester, and Mrs. Emma (George) Schultz of Abbotsford, told the writer they remember seeing a small white church on the west edge of town.

In 1920, the Norwegian Baptist Conference sold the former church property to Ida J. Sorenson; thus closing the book of life for the First Scandinavian Baptist Church of Dorchester.

The First Scandinavian Baptist Church was the first church in Dorchester to purchase land for a cemetery! They bought land one day for a “meeting house” and the next day, purchased land for burial purposes. No other church in Dorchester has that distinction; most taking many years before they acquired land for their cemetery.

A deed held by Dorchster Memorial Cemetery Association, notes the first entry of John J. Lansworth buying land from the United States of America in March, 1876.

On December 27, 1882, Mr. Lansworth and his wefe, S.M. Lansworth, sold one acre of land for burial grounds to the Turstees of the First Scandinavian Baptist Church of Dorchester, WI, for $20.00 (See map, pg. 1, for location)

On September 18, 1915, the same day, they sold their church property, the Baptist church also released their cemetery.

A quit claim deed held by Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association shows the transfer of real property to The Norwegian Baptist Conference of America, an Illiniois corporation (the same corporation that acquired their church property). Trustees of the Baptist church are listed as John P. Berry, Knute Iverson Quarme, and Jens Hanson.

It notes that one acre of land in the SE corner of NE1/4 of Section 14, Township 29, North of Range 1 East in South Memorial Cemetery, “shall be used and maintained as a cemetery forever”.

The 1915 document also stated they had the right to the use of the premises “so long as the Baptist Church shall exist and maintain an organization for worship” (This could mean the Baptist Church in Dorchester was still alive yet, in 1915).

The story for the Baptist Cemetery ends in 1927 at the time the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association was being organized.

The deed again says that one acre of land in the SE corner of NE1//4 of Sec 14, Twnshp 29, Range 1E of said premises “shall be used and maintained as a cemetery forever. This deed is given to CORRECT the name of the grantee in a previous deed.”

The name of Max Vircks, president of the cemetery association appears on the outside cover of the deed; indicating he paid the filing charges.

On June 20^th, 1927, (recorded in Deeds Vol. 134, P. 33) the former Baptist Cemetery became a part of the entire South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

The explanation as to how St. Peter Church became involved in the transaction, is anyone’s guess. Possibly the Norwegian Baptist Conference had to deed the cemetery to another church in order to meet the legal requirement “premises shall be used…as a cemetery forever”.

Peace Church was founded in 1898 when German Evangelical Synod of North America sent Rev. Paul Keinath to serve a small group of German immigrants who settled in the Dorchester area.

Meeting first in their homes, they then held services across the street from their present church; in the Norwegian Lutheran Church and continued for nearly four years.

Church members built their first house of worship of frame construction, with lumber cut from native trees. When completed in 1902, membership was listed as “about 40 souls” according to a 1955 cookbook/history compiled by Peace Church Guild of The Evangelical & Reformed Church.

The official language of the church for over 30 years was German. In the early 1930s was dropped and only used for special services and eventually completely discontinued.

For almost fifty years, Peace Church had their own parsonage. According to the date on the outside of the building, it was built in 1903. Located on the south side of the present church, the parsonage was eventually sold in 1952.

A parish hall with kitchen facilities was built just to the north of the church in 1952; and is being used for meetings, dinners, and other social functions.

Parishioners still worship in the original church building, which is located on the east side of South Second Street. It has since been covered with brick and also renovated several times over the years.

The congregation celebrated their 90^th anniversary, after completing an extensive remodeling project to the interior of the church building in 1989.

Bernhart Wolf, Carl Bitters, Carl Fessler, and William Rau, Trustees of Der Evangelische Friedens Gemeinde zu Dorchester, Wisconsin (The Evangelical Peace Church) purchased land for a cemetery from Ellen M. Robbins, widow of Lewis N. Robbins; of the Town of Mayville. On August 28, 1900, they paid a sum of $50.00 for the property located on North Fourth Street, within the village limits; about ½ mile north of Dorchester.

Some forty years later, Peace Cemetery Association was organized. The following persons met at the Peace Evangelical & Reformed Church to organize the association: Henry W. Rau, William Tauchen, John Rau, Paul Hundt, William Malchow, Fred A. Distelhorst, Charles Schoenfeld, and Ed Wolf.

Officers elected were William Tauchen, President; Henry W. Rau, Vice-President, and John Mueller, Secretary-Treasurer. The Certificate of Association was signed on June 4, 1940.

State law does not allow churches to collect for perpetual care. Once Peace Church formed a cemetery association, they had the right to start a perpetual care fund; which generated income for maintenance of the grounds.

Eventually, the time came when the association was having various problems. In 1962, they began discussing the possibility of merging with the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association.

Interviewing several parishioners of Peace Church, including George Rau, Mrs. Ruth (Lloyd) Carlson, and Clarence Rankl, it seemed the care of the grounds and handling of the perpetual care funds were the main reasons for relinquishing their cemetery to another cemetery association.

According to George Rau, “perpetual care, collecting money from estates, and the plain economics of the upkeep and care of the cemetery by the church members”; created many problems.

In 1963, Peace Cemetery Association deeded Peace Cemetery to Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association, Inc.

Pecords at the Register of Deeds office in Neillsville, show the transfer of title on August 22, 1963 and is signed by H. William Rau, President and John Mueller, Secretary of Peace Cemetery Association. It is recorded in Volume 209, Page 476, No. 312268.

A name change followed in June, 1964, according to the minutes of the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association. It was voted to call the former Peace Cemetery, the North Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

Among some of the earliest burials at the former Peace Cemetery one fins the following names and dates: Cora E. Bitter, who died November 5, 1900; Gustave F. Braun, died June 27, 1901; Friedrich W. Tessmer, died September 24, 1901, and Harvey F. G Rau, died December 17, 1901.

Stored at the Art Geiger home for many years, were several boxes of cemetery association paraphernalia from the past. Other important documents were kept in a safety deposit box.

Searching through the boxes in 1987, with the help of several board members; the following items were found: Banking records; minute books starting with the year 1927 as kept by Frank Kiebsch, and later by Mike Geiger; list of ordinances from the Village of Dorchester relating to the burying of a body; papers pertaining to the merger of Peace Church with the cemetery association; and various other letters, documents and burial maps. Nothing was dated prior to 1927!

Why were there no papers with earlier dates? What happened to any records that might have been kept prior to that time? Were there no records kept by the three churches…Catholic, Baptist, and Lutheran…who owned and maintained their own segregated burial grounds at South Memorial Cemetery? Was a fire responsible for the loss of earlier records?

Fires were one of the most devastating experiences our founding fathers had to endure. With no fire proof shingles on their roof and inadequate fire fighting equipment or none at all, many a dwelling and all its contents were lost; including church and cemetery records.

According to their centennial histories; both St. Peter Lutheran and St. Louis Catholic churches suffered fires and losses of valuable historical records.

The writer was told by several people that a fire had consumed “cemetery records”, apparently referring to South Memorial Cemetery.

According to Elizabeth Geiger, present Secretary-Treasurer of the cemetery association “A fire in the 1920s was responsible for the loss of all cemetery records. The south cemetery was later “walked” and all visible markers were noted and recorded.” New plat maps were drawn and record books started, which are the same ones being used today. She also said her and husband, Mike, were told about “a fire” time and time again, during the years they served as officers of the association.

The financial book used by Secretary Geiger notes the earliest date recorded as January 4, 1927, which is found on the John Reamer page. That date is also found on many other pages; however, no death date is recorded. The book is organized according to divisions and block numbers for the location of graves and the related payments made to each account.

In the writer’s opinion, the books are quite incomplete, since there are tombstones in South Memorial Cemetery that have dates prior to to 1927; and are not listed in the present records.

Lastly, why was a cemetery association started? Was it started because the individual churches were unable to carry the financial burden and/or with the lack of volunteer help, it was difficult to keep the cemeteries in a neat appearance? If indeed a fire was responsible for the loss of records and the local churches were also having maintenance problems, then the need for a change was timely. One can only speculate; however, according to the minutes, discussions to form a cemetery association had begun in 1926.

A thin, yellowed, piece of paper with tattered edges, contain the concise, pencil written minutes of the first meeting to form the Dorchester memorial Cemetery Assoiciation.

Max Vircks presided as chairman of the organizational meeting held March 23, 1927; with election of directors being the first order of business.

Directors and the office they were chosen to serve, were as follows: Max Vircks, President; Herman Holtz, Treasurer; Frank Hiebsch, Secretary; John Habeck, William Jantsch and Henry Ramminger, Trustees; and Joseph Pueschner was selected to be the first “manager” of the cemetery grounds.

The only living, original board member in 1989, is William Jantsch, who is nearly 94 years old.

At the same March meeting, they also voted to name the “south” cemetery Dorchester Memorial Park.

A legal document verifying all the previous information, indicates a meeting was held a few days later on March 29, at the Dorchester State Bank, and is signed by Vircks, Hiebsch, and Frank Nagel, Notary Public of Clark County, Wisconsin. According to the “Certificate of Organization” it was recorded at the Register’s office on March 31, 1927 in the Incorporations Volume 3, page 315 by Registrar J. Knitzele, at the Clark County Courthouse.

Three pages of rules and regulations were adopted stating the various duties of the officers, care of the grounds and, in general, how to operate the new association in accordance with the Wisconsin Statutes. It was noted each owner of a lot would be entitled to one vote, who, in turn would elect the trustees at annual meetings.

One can’t help but admire our forefathers; for their perseverance and dedication in pursuing a life of many freedoms. In addition to the many hardships and lack of conveniences they faced in their daily lives, they also had the language problem. Most of the early settlers came to America speaking and understanding only one language, which was of course, their own native tongue. The transition to read, write, and speak a new language was not only a challenging necessity, but also had to be quite frustrating.

An interesting letter from a R.F. Kountz of Neillsville, dated March 23, 1927, was found among the old association papers. Addressed to Pres. Max Vircks, it gave instructions on how to proceed with the incorporation. Quoting one sentence, the writer wrote, “After you have recorded the Articles of Corporation and you wish that I could come to Dorchester before the trustees meet I will.” This is all in one sentence!

The local newspaper at the time, The Weekly Clarion, published by R.W. Hugoboom, did not notice the formation of the organizing of a cemetery association until early in June, 1927. Quoting from the microfilm of the Friday, June 3 issue, it read as follows: “The newly organized Dorchester Memorial Cemetery Association is all set and ready to go. The taking over of the four parts of the cemetery in the southwest part of the village is about completed…clean-up and regarding of the plots will start in earnest next Monday.

The remodeling of the cemetery is a big job in itself, too big for the association to completely finance without the help of voluntary donated labor…all who are interested in the making over of the “City of Our Dead” into a beautiful spot, with graves, drives, etc…are requested to give of their time.”

In the spring of 1927, association started to acquire the various parcels of church memorial grounds.

On May 25^th, they voted to purchase the “old Lutheran Cemetery” and the “old Baptist Cemetery” for $1.00 each. Also, it was agreed to buy the additional land owned by St. Petrie Stift Gemeinde, (St. Peter Lutheran Church), pay them $2500.00 for approximately 25 acres and would call it the New Addition. St. Peter’s 1980 centennial booklet agrees with this information; noting the sale of their cemetery land to the association.

In addition, attention was given to an article in the “Parish Paper” dated June, 1927 Written by the Rev. V.M. Keiper, pastor of St. Peter Church, it read as follows: “The cemetery association is now an established organization. A clean-up campaign will soon be fostered, and we soon hope to see the cemetery in such a condition that Dorchester and community will not have to be ashamed of.”

Not all cemetery land in the “south” cemetery was deeded to the association at that time. There was no mention in the minute books indicating a change in ownership of the Catholic Cemetery land and no transfer of title was found among the records.

Recent information received by the writer, indicates the Catholic Cemetery land apparently is still under the jurisdiction of the St. Louis congregation of Dorchester. (For more information, see Catholic Cemetery segment)

In 1962, one acre of land was accepted from W.C. Pinter and his wife, Marie, “in exchange for the use of cemetery land”. The new addition was then surveyed; lots and roads laid out, and the grounds leveled and seeded. By 1965, new burial maps of the area were completed.

A 60’ x 330’ strip of land was added on the north boundary of the cemetery in 1980, which was purchased from Jerome Ludwig and Clarence Carpenter. Also, a one-half acre piece of land was donated by the W.C. Pinter’s in 1982.

According to a Tax Exemption report to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in 1972, the total acreage in the “south” cemetery was noted at 27 acres, with 5 acres being used for burial purposes. An explanation notes that the other 22 acres were rented to a neighbor “in exchange for keeping up the fences and cutting weeds”.

In 1989, Cemetery Association President, George Rau, said the South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery consisted of approximately 28 ½ acres.

Over the years, property changes occurred as land was bought and sometimes sold. Landscaping, fencing, and roads are mentioned frequently in the minutes, as cemetery boundaries changed.

Trees were planted shortly after the cemetery association was organized. The minute books tell of the planting of arbor vitas in 1933; and in 1975, elm trees died from a disease and were removed and replaced with other trees.

In 1984, the Mary Baehr family donated a flag pole and granite marker depicting the name of the South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery; as a memorial to the Baehr family.

The North Dorchester Memorial Cemetery presently consists of one acre of oland, according to George Rau, President of the Cemetery Association. In 1982-83, James and Barbara Maurina donated trees and a strip of their land to the cemetery association. (For more information, see Peace Cemetery article)

Boundary lines are not clear today, however, it appears the Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery was one acre in size, when it was purchased. (It was quite common in those days to buy one acre of land, not only for cemeteries, but also for schools.)

In 1968, a road on the east boundary of the cemetery was extended further to the north leading to Liberty Homes, a mobile home manufacturer. It has been said “some of the Norwegian cemetery land was used in making the road go further north”.

The Dorchester cemeteries are not listed on the tax roll, according to Judy Robida, Clerk of the Village of Dorchester. Checking further with assessor, Dorothy Becker of Curtiss, Wisconsin, she says “cemeteries are exempt from paying real estate taxes, under Wisconsin Statute No 70.011(13)”.

To secure an exemption from paying federal income tax as an organization as describe ed in Section 501(c)(13) of the Internal Revenue Code, the association began the paper work early in 1972. Many letters and months later and with the help of an attorney and Senator William Proxmire, a Determination Letter was eventually received from the Internal Revenue Service, dated November 2, 1972 granting them the exempt status.

The only evidence found relating to the association being exempt from paying state income tax was a Tax Exemption Report from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, dated May 4, 1972. The form, indicates an exemption under Section No. 70.337 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

According to James Maurina, of Maurina Funeral Service, “People may be buried in a cemetery only if it is registered with the County Register of Deeds and burials in any other place would be against the law.” He said he knows of a religious sect in the area, that buries their dead on their own property.

The 1987-88 Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 157, Subchapter II, deals primarily with cemetery associations, giving the rules and restrictions governing the disposition of human remains. The writer found this segment quite interesting, so bear with me, as a few quotes are given.

1) When a cemetery association or religious cemetery association abandons or neglects a cemetery “the town board…shall take charge of the cemetery and manage and care for it”.

3) Land can be taken from a land owner in order to enlarge a cemetery; if proper procedures are followed.

4) Bodies must not be reinterred elsewhere, if any cemetery property is condemned.

5) Land is to be surveyed and platted and map is to be recorded with the register of deeds. The board of trustees may sell the platted lots, restricting the use to burials and the conveyances may be recorded with the register of deeds.

In an interview with Eugene Oberle, Clark County Register of Deeds, he said they would like to have all lots recorded after they are sold; then there would be a permanent record of all burials, at the courthouse. Unfortunately, very few cemetery associations in the county have the deeds recorded.

Cremation has become more popular in the last decade. According to a Marshfield News-Herald article of August 18, 1989, “Approximately 13 percent of the deceased persons are cremated in the United States. In other countries, including England and Japan, cremation is the most widely used form of disposition.”

According to Mr. Maurina, there are no laws on where the cremains should be placed. Families may bury or dispose of the ashes where they wish. Cemetery associations are more recently making new regulations on how to handle this type of burial.

The concise, formally written minutes of the cemetery meetings were often quite brief in the early years of the association. Attendance at the meetings was often small, and at times cancelled because of it; including annual meetings when there was no quorum. Some of the years, there were no recorded minutes. Meetings were held in the board members’ homes and in more recent years, at Municipal Hall and in the community room at Highland Apartments.

Quite a few board members held more than one office over the years and also served for a great length of time. Many served 15, 20, and 24 years and they are to be commended for their perseverance. Frank V. Hiebsch was Secretary and/or Treasurer for a total of 36 years.

Listed herewith are those found in the records as having held an office since 1927: Carl Braun, Ben Ellenbecker, Henry Feldbruegge, *Elizabeth Geiger, Mike Geiger, John Habeck, William Hennlich, Herman Holtz, Louis Holtz, William Jantsch, Ben Malchow, William Malchow, *James Maurina, *Harold Oehler, Henry Ramminger, *George Rau, Fred Reynolds, *Robert Schumacher, William Sedlack, *Edward Staab, Clarence Vircks, Max Vircks, Ben Wigstadt, and Louis Wigstadt. (Those names marked with an asterisk are the present board members)

The first caretaker, who was called the manager, was Josephe Pueschner. Other caretakers often referred to as a sexton, include: Herman Holtz, Ben Wigstadt, Louis Wigstadt, John Habeck, William Malchow, Carl H. Braun, George Rau, and Mike Geiger. The present caretaker is Art Geiger.

Al Braun of rural Dorchester said “Even I helped dig some graves, and that is when the graves were dug by hand!” His father, Carl, was caretaker at the time.

The cost to have a grave opened in 1930 depended on its size and whether it was winter or summer; with prices ranging from $8.00 to $14.00.

The first mention of placing flags on the veterans’ graves for Memorial Day, were found in the 1964 minutes. At the June 3, 1964 meeting, a motion was made by Mrs. Carl Braun and seconded by Mrs. Dake to buy 50 new American Flags…for Memorial Day.

In 1989, a total of 104 small flags were placed on the graves of servicemen, in the three local cemeteries…the Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery, the North Dorchester Memorial Cemetery, and the South Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

Well…maybe not. Maybe a stagecoach really was seen in the sleepy, mid-western town of Dorchester at one time.

Don Ortlieb, former Dorchester resident said he “remembers his dad, Rudolph, talking about a stagecoach route going through town”. Rudy Ortlieb, born in 1896, lived in the Dorchester area for 91 years.

During pre-automobile days, train connections were no doubt scarce or non-existent. With no means of transportation, other than taking a train or walking; horses and possibly a stagecoach provided the next best way of getting somewhere.

While reminiscing one day with Lester Bowen of Curtiss, the same subject came up. Les remembers very well the days when a stagecoach route went through Curtiss. In recalling the days of his youth, he said the “Yellowstone Trail” went right past his house in Curtiss. “The trail went past the school on County Highway E and when you got to the north edge of town, it went west. In those days, that was the main road to get to Owen and the western states. I can still see the signs…”Yellowstone Trail”…which were hanging from the telephone poles.”

Did you know the first railroad train arriving at Dorchester in 1873 was called the Wisconsin Central Railway and today it is called the Wisconsin Central Ltd.?

In between those years, the Soo Line Railroad owned it and sold out a portion in 1987. It was renamed Wisconsin Central Limited, whose field office is at Stevens Point; the same headquarters as the original Wisconsin Central Railway had back in the late 1800s, when it came north to Dorchester.

Apparently, the personnel of the (1873) Wisconsin Central Railway were prohibitionists. The following was found on more than one abstract, upon sale of their land in Dorchester: “Grantee agrees…that he will not manufacture or sell, or allow others to manufacture or sell, any spirituous liquors on said premises.”

Some bicycle riders complain that the teams on the road would not let them pass. We would think that if those riders had bell and lamps, so that driver could hear or see them, they surely would leave them pass…In cities, there is a law which compels each rider to have a bell and lamp. (August 30, 19901, The Reporter, Dorchester newspaper)

By 12902, “Dorchester is well represented religiously, there being six denominations, each possessing a fine church edifice. They are: Catholic, German Lutheran, German Peace Lutheran, Norwegian Baptist, and Methodist”. (October, 1902, The Reporter, Dorchester)

An interesting road touring guide was found by Lawrence Stelzel, a former Dorchester resident. It was written in 1938, in the days when there were no maps as we know them today.

“A Tour Book” was published by Sidney J. Kin, Chicago, Illinois. The cover sheet tells you that Mr. King and his wife toured and inspected every route that is in this Official Route Guide. They traveled nearly 25,000 miles inspecting automobile routes in Wisconsin and other states in order to write the book.

When we think of a road map, we expect to see a picture of all the roads in the state drawn on one large sheet of paper. But, no, all you find are written directions to get from one place to another. Following were the directions for Route 213A from Dorchester to Curtiss, Wisconsin.

0.0 Leave ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH, corner of Center Ave. and Fourth St., go west on Center Ave. (dirt road)

4.4 Cross one span iron bridge, go up grade to 4 corners, brick schoolhouse on near right

6.7 Pass cemetery on left; through crossroads (road on right goes to Withee and Eau Claire)

At various times, the writer has been told that many years ago the main road or “highway” went through Dorchester, and was on what is now West Fourth Street.

To substantiate this information, the following is submitted: In the 1918 touring guide mentioned previously, it gives directions from Medford to Abbotsford, stating “Mostly dirt road, will be state road…Total mileage…16.1 miles.” Directions tell drivers to go south from Medford depot, proceed through Little Black, Stetsonville, Midway, and on through Dorchester on 4^th Street, then “cross one span iron bridge, passing cemetery on right, etc.”

Secondly, on two occasions, the 1927 minutes of the Dorchester Cemetery Assoc. refer to the road running past the cemetery (4^th St) as a highway. “Remove fence along highway.”

Found among the aged records belonging to the cemetery association, were minutes of a special meeting held on Dec. 5, 1935. The meeting was called to order by A.P. Muller, County Health Officer, by order of Dr. Foley. It went on to say that due to an epidemic of scarlet fever, all schools, including public, Catholic, and Lutheran, and the local library were to be closed and fumigated.

All school age children on the sick list were to be inoculated. Also, “before school started on Monday, the children would be inspected.” Present at the meeting were S.C. Sorenson, Muller, and Frank Hiebsch.

This is not a cemetery meeting! How come minutes of a school meeting would be in this book? Apparently, Mr. Hiebsch was also secretary of a school organization and he inadvertently recorded the minutes in the wrong record book.

When consolidation of the schools began back in the early 1960s, the rural schools were phased out. Children living in the country were then bussed to the town schools, and were told they would receive a better education.

No more one room schools; no more pot-bellied stoves to huddle around on a cold winter day. No more cold--and sometimes frozen--sandwiches for the noon lunch. And, no more laying over the teacher’s lap to be “paddled” for a wrong-doing. Changes indeed!

How many rural schools can you remember, by name, that have since disappeared? Listed here are the ones the writer remembers as being in the Town of Mayville: Hilltop, Pleasant Hill, Cleveland, and Brady schools.

Since we are talking about Town of Mayville, did you know it was named after the May family, who lived in the Town of Mayville back in the early 1900s? One May family lived on the present Douglas Meyer farm, which is on the south side of the South Memorial Cemetery.

For information on Dorchester’s history, contact the Dorchester library or State Historical Society, Madison. Both have the microfilm copies of Dorchester’s newspapers. Especially check the microfilm for the period of October 2 through October 23, 1952 issues of the Dorchester Clarion. Under the heading “Retrospect…of 50 Years Ago” which gives a brief account of Dorchester’s early history. The library should also have copies of other histories, written by this writer.

“History affords us the luxury of living in the past without ever having been there”

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