1913 History of Stratford, Marathon Co., Wisconsin

Surnames: Goetz, Maxson, Chrouser, Bannach, Bory, Mahoney, Klemme, Weber, Klumb, Pruell, Butke, Haase,Leiteritz, Reichert, Groff, Kaiser, Rifleman, Wahl, Fuller, Connor, Franzen, Oby, Wahl, Mortinsin, Curtin, Clellintine, Waterman, Bory, Kiefer, Fulmer, Burkhard, Gara, Casper, Foster, Kiefer, Fulmer, Burkhard, Gara, Casper, Foster, Haase

----Source: 1913 HISTORY OF MARATHON COUNTY WISCONSIN AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS BY LOUIS MARCHETTI, WAUSAU, WIS.

was incorporated in the year 1910, and its first supervisor in the county board of Marathon county was W. F. Goetz. When it became a certainty that the extension of the railroad from Wausau to Marshfield was to be built and a station would be established at that place, which was platted by Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railway, the R. Connor Company erected a large saw and planing mill at that place, which has been operated every year since 1892, and at a very conservative estimate has manufactured from twelve to fifteen million feet of lumber annually. The company owns timber lands enough within a radius of twenty-five miles to keep the mill stocked for at least ten years more, without going further for logs. It operates a railroad which runs fifteen miles south and east, to the town of Emmett, which, originally built as a logging railroad, is now operated as a public carrier. This company also manufactures barrel headings and operates a general store, with a large stock of merchandise of all kinds. It employs a large number of men and is one of the biggest business concerns in Marathon county.

Other business houses conducted at Stratford are: The Maxson Lumber Company, which deals in lumber, hardware, farm machinery, automobiles and has an auto repair shop. Chrouser Brothers, who operate a lath and tie mill, and John S. Bannach, a blacksmith and wagon shop. Dan Mahoney & Co. keep a general store and. deal in flour and feed, etc. The Stratford Equity Company deals in flour, feed, hay, grain, live stock, and all farm products. H. L. Klemme operates a cheese factory; L. B. Weber a livery and sale stable and dray line. Louis Klumb conducts a meat market, C. A. Hahn a harness shop and Ignatz Pruell a shoemaker's shop. Mrs. Anna Butke keeps a confectionery and restaurant, and Mrs. R. Haase a restaurant. The Northern Milling Company of Wausau has a warehouse for all farm products, such as grains and hay, etc. Hotels are kept by E. C. Leiteritz, Hemian Reichert and R. A. Groff ; barber shops by John J. Kaiser and E. P. Rifleman.

Stratford also has an opera house, where traveling troups frequently appear in theatricals and which is a very fine hall for all social entertainments, which is owned and managed by John S. Bannach. The village has a large town hall for the conduct of its public business.

The Stratford Reporter is a six-column, full sheet newspaper, in its fourth year, which appears every Friday. It enjoys the patronage not only of the people of the village but of many outside parties, and accurately publishes the minutes of the village board. A good job printing office is connected with the newspaper office. Its owners and editors are F. J. Curtin & Son.

Stratford can boast of a military band which practices every Monday and Saturday evening at the High School Building. The medical profession is represented by Dr. N. S. Wahl and Dr. C. O. Fuller, physicians and surgeons. W. F. Goetz is the postmaster.

Stratford State Bank, located at Stratford, State of Wisconsin, at the close of business on the 4th day of February, 1913:

Resources

Loans and discounts $ 72,109.48

Overdrafts $13.10

Bonds $17,712.50

Banking house $3,500.00

Furniture and fixtures $2,000.00

Due from approved reserve banks $37,830.53

Cash on hand $3,577.07

Total $136,742.68

Liabilities.

Capital stock paid in. . . .$ 10,000.00

Surplus fund $6,000.00

Undivided profits $732.52

Dividends unpaid $40.00

Individual deposits subject to check $37,934.09

Time certificates of deposit $56,568.82

Saving deposits $21,661.27

Cashier's checks outstanding $3,805.98

Total $136,742.68

Officers: President, R. Connor: vice president, Chr. Franzen ; cashier, Walter Oby; directors, H. L. Klemme, William F. Goetz, and H. S. Wahl, M. D.

The village of Stratford and the towns of Eau Pleine and Cleveland maintain together a union high school. The school building is a modern fine brick structure, one of the finest in the county. The principal of the high school is Miss Emma Mortinsin, with Miss Margaret Clellintine as her assistant.

There is a state graded school with three departments with the following staff of teachers: Principal, B. A. Waterman; intermediary department, Lillie Rifleman; primary. Miss Rosalie Bory. There are 25 pupils attending high school and no in the graded school.

St. Joseph Catholic Church — On the last Sunday of November, 1897, this congregation held a meeting and decided to build a church. The foundation for the present edifice was laid in September, 1898, and it was completed in 1899. The first trustees of the congregation were J. C. Kiefer, Edward Fulmer, and Ph. Burkhard. Rev. J. Gara from Rozellville attended to the religious needs of the congregation until in 1902 the parish received a resident pastor in the person of Rev. M. Casper. In the beginning the parish consisted only of 40 families, but at the present time it counts more than 140. There is a substantial solid brick parochial school, with four departments, conducted by the school sisters. The present resident pastor is Rev. Fredrick Foster.