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History: Emmett Twp., Marathon Co., Wis. (1913)
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----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913, pg. 572 - 573.
----Township of Emmett, Marathon Co., Wisconsin 1913 History
THE TOWN OF EMMETT.
The name indicates the nationality of its population. When it was created, there was a wish on the part of the inhabitants to commemorate the name of the pure Irish patriot and martyr by giving the town his name. It was organized in the spring of 1889 with the election of officers, and Felix Maguire was elected chairman and representative in the county board.
Its territory consists of township 27, range 5, and a large part, about nine sections in the south part of township 27, range 6 east. This town was settled from the village of Mosinee in early days and is included in what was then generally known as the "Irish Settlement." which stretched over the present towns of Mosinee, Emmett, and Cleveland. The whole of this town is splendid farm land, and there are some of the very finest farms that can be found in this county. The descendents of the first Irish settlers are mostly all living on their fathers' farms; but few have emigrated, but it is no longer a pure Irish settlement. The population is a mixed one, there being Austrians, Gemians, and Bohemians, and a few of Polish nationality, but all getting along in the best of harmony, vieing with each other in displaying the genuine American spirit of enterprise and loyalty to American institutions.
A saw mill owned and operated by Fred. W'unsch saws logs for farmers so that they can get their building material without much cost, and he also buys logs for manufacturing purposes.
There is a busy little country village named "Haider," from the name of an old settler, which is the name of the postofifice at the place, and there are the following business enterprises carried on : A general merchandise store by Mich. Strefter, a tavern by John Kennedy, a blacksmith business by William Dalski, and a cheese factory and a feed mill. Another store building owned by John Schirkpe is occupied by William Ress in the absence of the owner, who is the present treasurer of Marathon county. Another cheese factory, owned by farmers and conducted on the cooperative plan, exists in this town.
The town has five school districts, each with a good schoolhouse. The school at Haider is a state graded school with two departments, giving instructions up to the eighth grade. The principal in that school is Miss Anna Hoard ; assistant, Miss Edna Wachtel. The enrollment is sixty-five. The population with few exceptions adheres to the teachings of the Catholic church. A church building was erected soon after settlement began, but in 1906 to 1907 the old church was replaced by a new edifice, a solid brick building, at a cost of over $12,000, named St. Patrick's Church. It is still a mission of the parish of Mosinee, but a parsonage is being built now, and there will not doubt be a resident priest at Haider within a short time. The congregation is large, including about two-thirds of the population. The prominent members of the church with respect of length of residence are the families of Robert Freem.an, the O'Connors, the Maguires. and the Fitzgeralds.