Pioneer History, Clark County, Wisconsin

No doubt there are laid away in many homes a copy of this old paper of January 28,1904, because it contains the record of the Old Settlers party and the still older record read that night by Judge O’Neill. The record read by him that night from which has been quoted opens from which has been quoted, opens with a quotation from Prof. Adams, the historian: “The trash of today, becomes the treasure of tomorrow.” This is indeed often true.

Source: Neillsville Press March 15,1923

Some Old Clark County History

As Told by Her Pioneers

Transcribed by Lani Bartelt.

Mrs. Jane Gates Experience

It was a gloomy, cloudy afternoon that the Republican and Press man called on Mrs. Jane Gates. This with the fact that Mrs. Gates has been confined to her room and almost to her bed for several years past might lead one not to expect a very cheerful visit. We were happily disappointed. Mrs. Gates still notes with keen interest the events of the day, and goes back with still keener pleasure to the old time gone.” Yes, we came here at a early day” she said, “It was in 1856 Major Wedge was then logging on the creek that is named after him. Mr. Gates and I went to work for him. I was to do the cooking in camp and my husband went to work outside. I was taken sick and had to quit work. When I got better we took charge of the tavern or stopping place at the mouth of Wedge’s Creek where we staid five years. It was pretty new here then, lots of deer all around. Major Wedge killed a great many and we had venison most of the time. Between our place and Neillsville the only houses I remember were Dr. French’s, Mr. Clark’s (where Geo. Bandelow now lives) and Bob Ross at Ross Eddy till we go to Cawley’s. We had the first team brought to Clark County. All sorts of people stopped at our place, settlers coming into the country or going bac, and forth for supplies, lumbermen tote teamsters and now and then a bridal party. Judge Dewhurst and his bride ate dinner with us as they came in from Madison where they were married. She was Miss Maria Curtis, niece of the wife of Gov. Taylor. Chauncey Blakesles, then a prominent business man of Neillsville and his bride Miss Boardman stopped for dinner with us on their way to Sparta to be married.

There were some great romances in those days too”. At this juncture Mrs. Gates daughter, Mrs. R. J. McBride came to call on her mother and together they recalled many an incident of early times. There was a school house in the vicinity of the Lowery farm where Mrs. McBride and her brother Jas. L Gates first attended school. Their father took them on horseback. Geo. Richardson was the first teacher and was followed by Miss Pope and Robert Sturdevant, afterwards a District Judge in Washington. Blakslee ran a store and hotel where the Neillsville Bank now stands. He built a large barn where the First National Bank is now located. When the barn was finished Mr. Blakeslee gave a big dance in the barn which was attended by nearly every person in Clark County. They all got supper at the hotel and were well fed. Between the hotel and the barn there were no buildings but was all a big vegetable and flower garden. When the Blakeslee’s moved out of the hotel Mr. and Mrs. Gates moved in and ran it a year before moving to the farm home where Mrs. Gates still lives. MacBride says she remembers well her first Christmas experience. “We didn’t hear anything about Christmas when we lived down at Wedge’s Creek” she said “ but I remember well when my brother, Jimmie told me that he had heard that if one would hang up his stocking on Christmas Eve there would be something it it in the morning. We resolved to try it, and each got a chunk of loaf sugar and a silver quarter:

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Mrs. C. W. Stern Tells of Weston Rapids

Another woman who came as a pioneer and lived through those active and stirring times but who now watches beside the passing tide of life in a quiet way is Mrs. Charlotte Sterns. The writer spent four very pleasant years in her home and an interview meant merely a calling to mind many of the things he had often talked over before. Mr. and Mrs. Sterns came to Weston's Rapids in 1856. The Coburns owned the saw mill and grist mill there and carried on big lumbering operations up the river. Sam Weston known locally as
Old Sock” was the head man. A man named Searls who later moved to Augusta ran a boarding house. There were only a few women there and many rough looking men, but Mrs. Sterns says they all treated her with greatest respect. Many of the LaCrosse men who later became wealthy were familiar figures up and down the river. One night a flood carried away the bridge leaving Mr. Sterns’ cow on the other side of the river. N.H. Withee who was conducting the log drive told him to wait till the logs got past and he would get the cow over. He crossed the river in a canoe, caught the cow and paddling the canoe back he led the cow which swam after him. “I remember” said Mrs. Sterns “what was probably the first funeral in the County. A young man from Maine named Chas. Locke was drowned just below the dam. My husband made the coffin. There was no minister here. Someone read a chapter from the Bible, a prayer was offered and there were some who could sing a hymn. The coffin was carried by six men, on poles (there being no handles) to a place east of where Sol Johnson’s old cabin stood and he was buried there. Shortly after another man named Hall, also from Maine died and was buried close by.”

Christmas did not count for much then.” I think I remember their having dances at the holidays.”

“Political excitement ran high the first fall we were here was the Fremont-Buchanan election, and later the Civil War came on.” A school was established in a log house left by a family that moved out. Maria Dore taught there and later a young lady from the South of much refinement and education was the teacher.” Under the excitement of the times she was suspected of being a Rebel spy.” I knew Pattengill the Indian trader very well; always disliked him and never let him come into my house.”

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Old Christmas Times as Told by Mrs. King

Mrs. R. W. King when asked about the pioneer Xmas in Neillsville said “In those days “Xmas seemed much different from what it does just at present. Boys and girls believed in the old yarn stocking then and when morning came after Xmas eve it usually found the stocking full. Not so much of toys and useless articles as with boots for the boys and slates and pencils for the girls. These were received with the same joy in now a days. And our Xmas dinner was never complete without raised buns with raisins in them. Mr. King and myself were then living with D. W. King in a house where Emery Bruley’s house now stands. I am thinking of the Xmas of 1860. This was the first Xmas I spent in Clark County. Judge Dewhurst was a next door neighbor of ours and as I remember came in and ate dinner with us. He spent a part of the day with us during which time we swapped a few presents of a simple kind, told stories and otherwise amused ourselves. Of course there little but woods all around and as it comes to me now there was enough snow for sleighing. Only one house now stands which is in part at least built in that time.

That is the one in which Mr. Wolff lives on Grand Ave. One of our neighbors and at the same time our County Supt of schools was James Lynch of the north side. I received my first Clark Co. certificate from him which I used when teaching at Lynn. We did not have many entertainments in school then. The old spelling school took its place then and people came for miles around to take part. In these.”

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Oscar Fricke Remembers Things

The reporter found Oscar Fricke and his good wife sorting over old relics and packing some for removal to the new home on Court St. Evidently Oscar was in just the right mood to think of other days after the momentum was gained. “Gosh, I don’t know when a fellow is interviewed he cant think of anything.” Oscar leaned back in the rocker and covered his eyes with his hand in his characteristic way. But he went on “Our folks settled on the 26 road in the fall of “76. I was a youngster of thirteen then. You know I always believed in a Xmas tree and my folks had one every year without exception and we keep it up even to now. I believe thoroughly in Xmas trees for children and looked forward with great joy to each coming festival. My father was a shoemaker and the best present I ever got was a pair of red -topped boots and a pair of skates to go with them. It is very fresh in my mind today” At this moment Oscar paused for a moment and a lady on the other side of the room interrupted “Yes, and the happiest Xmas present you ever had was the year before we were married when you made me a present of a beautiful white fascinator which was all the go then.” Fearful that other things might leak out our friend rambled on “ I had some Christmases that were not so happy. One Xmas I worked all day in Miller Bros. camp. This was back of Harry Mead’s old farm. We did not have any fat goose for dinner either. One time we went into camp on New Year’s day. There was a whole crew of us. We went up for Jake Huntzicker and started from his farm. We had our dinner at Withee and started on. We got within four miles of camp and to a place where the road left off and the swamp began. It was a big tamarack swamp and we took a couple of yokes of oxen and ten or twelve men for leaders and broke the road. We finally reached a set of old logging shanties which had been abandoned. They were without doors and windows and this is where we camped for the night. I remember the New Year’s supper which consisted of boiled frozen potatoes and some fried pork. The next morning it was reported to us that it had been 46 degrees below zero. You might well imagine that we did not have a very comfortable night of it. George! We were cold that night” and Oscar leaned back and twisted the stray locks and sighed.

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Expressly Told by Geo. J. Hart

The buckskin dog was cozily snuggled under the counter so the newsman dared to speak, “Say Mr. Hart were not you one of the early clerks of Neillsville?” “Clerks? Why yes I used to clerk for J.H. Marshall in his hardware store where Dennis Torigny’s old store stands. I am no good at remembering dates and such things and we were to busy to think of Xmas in those days. It kept us busy loading stuff upon logging tote sleighs. Once we went over to a dance in O’Neill house hall. You are too young to remember that but it used to be a great place in those days. I remember Samuel Boardman and others of the town were there. It was a great affair and all were dressed in dress suits. Whitcomb’s Orchestra from Humbird played for us. There were four in the Orchestra, two or three of whom could play the first violin with ease. Joe Hall of Augusta was a member of that band. I never was any good at remembering years. Don’t know just when this was but is somewhere around ’72 on. When I first came here I thought that Neillsville was a whale of a town. What! You going to publish this?” The reporter disappeared out of the door with a “Thank you, George.”

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Fred Whitcomb Tells of Old Time Transportation

Fred Whitcomb was giving the last puff to a stump of a cigar when approached.

“When did you come up into this country Fred?” There was a twinkle in his eye as he spoke “O, I did not come direct to Neillsville but I came up to Humbird with E.D. Carter in 1869. There was only a house or so there at that time and seems the first thing we did was to build a home. After the road got into Humbird most all the goods for Neillsville were hauled from this point. There were two stage coaches a day. As it comes to me Capt. Tolford ran one of these. The extra Xmas freight did not bother us any you can bet on that.”

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Robert McCalvy on Old Times

The Press man took a seat and removed his note book from his pocket. “Now what you got?” exclaimed Uncle McCalvy. “My earliest recollection of the holidays did you say?” We used to have a deer once in a while then. Didn’t have any turkeys. I spent a number of years in the woods. There were not as many dances then as there are now. We had spelling schools instead, between the schools. New Year’s Day of 1864 was the coldest New Years we ever had. In Greenwood they had to take the mercury up into a cupola in order to give it a chance to drop. My memory has to be jogged now and then. I have seen 83 Christmases up to date and I cannot tell how many more I shall see. Did they hand up stockings when I was a kid? Why yes, of course they did and they were all hung around the old fire place and it would be a scramble in the morning to see who would get to the stockings first. The old Christmases were a great deal better than they are now. The inhabitants were all on the same plane. They could all be bundled into a wagon on a little straw and with a yoke of oxen could go about to a party. They were more sociable. Now, you know it is all select society. The most pleased I ever was at Xmas was when I got a good pair of shoes and stockings. The presents we used to get were useful. There were no toys about them. The venerable man of over four score years stroked his beard with one hand and finally stammered “But what in the world are you going to do with that stuff?”

But Uncle McCalvy was once more alone.

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A Thrilling Experience by A.M. Harriman

Mr. Harriman of Grand Ave. when asked whether he knew of anything of interest which occurred during the holiday seasons of bygone years went on to say, “I came to Neillsville at least 40 years ago and can remember lots of things of interest at other times of the year. “You know we did not think so much about Xmas those days. Somehow we were too busy. I had a sister living in a little white house where the Gates Block now stands and I made my home there. Two brother-in-laws of mine were in a store which stood where Dennis Toriginy’s store now stands. The Post Office was in a little bit of a building where Danger’s store is. Shortly after the holidays I remember sitting there one afternoon when all at once a man rushed into the store with a loaded revolver all cocked and flourished it all around. He was a big French Canadian by the name of Belle. My brothers in law, St. John and Summerside jumped at him and succeeded in getting the revolver away from him. He stood around the place for awhile and at last persuaded them to return the revolver to him. But a few moments elapsed when he dashed over to the O’Neill House barn. He was out of our door before we could say Jack Rabbit. A man was standing near the barn and Belle rushed at him and fired three shots, one tearing away his clothing. Well, would you believe it, they never arrested Belle. Did not seem to care those days. Things were pretty wild then.”

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Before Chas. Cornelius Ran An Auto

Nobody in Clark County has ever tickled more kids with sticks of candy than has our genial banker, Charles Cornelius. You know Charlie used to be the Maple Works grocer. Like all men of this clan Charles began using fair and favorable means to develop a good trade. At that time he and Frank Eyerly were chums for he said “Xmas of 1878 there was a great masquerade over at Heathville. Frank was teaching school at Granton, then in what was known as the Windfall School and I being strange and bashful Frank agree to masquerade as a girl and go with me to the dance. The road over as far as Kinzeles’ was a holy terror, full of stumps and between us we managed to steer the old horse over them all. I am sure that we did not miss one. Jos. Marsh had a saw mill up there then and employed a couple hundred men in the woods. We had a gay old time. You see that I went up to get acquainted with the folks and sorter work up a little trade.”

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Neillsville Postmaster

Neillsville was first established as Clark Post Office. May 31^st 1855 with Samuel C. Boardman as postmaster. The name Clark was changed to Neillsville Oct 6,1856 and Mr. Boardman appointed a second year. Then followed George W King in 1857; Chauncy Blakeslee 1858; C. W. Carpenter 1863; A. J. Manley 1865; Wm. C. Hutchinson 1867; J. W. Ferguson 1871; Wm. Campbell 1882; Issac Carr in 1886; Fred Reitz 1890, 1903; William Huntley 1894; L. B. Ring 1899; A. E. Dudley 1906. When this post office was first established 1855 mail was brought here from Black River Falls by Edward Markey.

Shortville

About thirty-eight years ago five of the Short brothers went into what is now town of Washburn. Three of these brothers, James, Andrew, and John still live there. Stephen went west and has since died and George Short died in 1908. In and about the vicinity are many families connected with the older Short brothers.

About thirty years ago the Shortville post office was established with Andrew Short as post master. After the rural routes were established the old stage line from Neillsville was taken off and the post office was discontinued. It is a prosperous locality, possessing a fine store, (Winter Bros.), school, creamery, blacksmith shop, church and town hall. The rural route and telephone line bring it in close touch with the surrounding country. Peter Cramer, the present chairman of the town of Washburn helped to organize the town. The first town meeting was held in a log house on what is now Mr. Beebe’s farm, then owned by Orlando Babcock. The place had been homesteaded by John Winters who sold his rights to Mr. Babcock who since died. Mrs. Babcock now lives in Neillsville and John Winters who was badly hurt two weeks ago in a runaway accident lives in Grant. Cannou Bros. had settled in Washburn before the town was organized.

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Provisions and nails were packed from Black River Falls to this point for a number of years. It takes courage to shoulder a sack of flour at Black River Falls and carry it clear up into the town of Eaton. But that is what the Huntzickers and many others did 60 some years ago. More that this, hardware and nails were carried from this same point to build the first houses here.

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Old Clark County Live Stock History

Scientific farming has become such a common topic of discussion that nowadays it seems quite common place. It has many advocates and is being practiced in every neighborhood. One of the pioneers of farm science was Uncle George A. Austin, now comfortably spending his last year in rest upon West Fifth Street. Mr. Austin mentally is as active as ever and from him we glean some facts which will be of interest to the present generation of stock farmers in Clark county. While Mr. Austin makes no pretense of being the pioneer woodsman he was here to begin farming with most of the older generation. From him we learn that the first Shorthorn or Durham cattle introduced into this county were bought by Mr. Robert Ross who had a farm up north of Christie somewhere near the present Weast farm. Mr. Ross bought a red Durham bull called “Marius” from John Wentworth then editor of the Chicago Democrat. “Marius” was sired by the 15^th Duek of Avia which bull Mr. Wentworth bought at the famous New York Mills sale at a purchase price of $15,000. It was a great joke on Wentworth that he gave the bull which Ross bought a feminine name. Ross’s Shorthorns were mostly the mellow roans and good milers. At one time he had a bull nearly all white and which attracted much attention. This early herd of Shorthorns forms the basis of the present native stock disseminated around Christie.

The first Ayrshire cattle in this county were introduced by Sol. Nason early in the 70’s. He had an excellent bull and he became the sire of many excellent cows for Mr. Nason. John Dore bought some of this stock and gradually Ayrshire blood was scattered throughout the Town of Grant where to-day one may see in some of the native stock the color and the symmetry of the Ayrshire.

The Jersey cattle were first brought here by John S. Dore on the present Youman’s farm. He bought an excellent sire from Judge. B Bryant of Madison. This bull was known as “President Hayes.” Other families of Jersey were brought here by James O’Neill.

Holstein Fresians came thru the efforts of Levi Archer and Alonzo Brooks twenty-five years ago. Later Ed Carter of Humbird went down to Syracuse, New York and purchased of Smiths, Powell and Lamb eleven head. There were ten heifers at $300. each and a bull at a cost of $500. This was twenty years ago.

The Dutch Belted were brought in her from Osseo by J. W. Short of the Town of Levis. They were known then as Laken Felders and to-day wherever there is a small fraction of this original blood the white belt still appears on the native stock.

The Herefords came thru the efforts of Rual Weston, son of Sam Weston and were kept on the Weston farm for a time. This was in the 70’s. They were finally shipped to La Crosse as they did not seem to take here. It is also said that the white faced cattle were a part of the foundation stock of the Town of Washburn and traces of the white face may yet be seen there.

A few polled Angus came but there were so few that they are not worth mentioning. The Guernseys have come to us in the last few years and have their history to make in this county.

Mr. Austin bought the first Poland China Hogs into this county and paid the sum of $45. for three animals.

At one time Mr. Austin had 85 head of cows on his farm all of Jersey and Ayrshire breeding. This is the biggest milking herd ever owned in the county and the milk from them filled a two thousand pound vat every day.

Mr. Austin built the first creamery and operated the first cream separator in the county. The writer well remembers how hard Mr. Austin worked in these first few years trying to make Clark county farmers think that creameries really were a paying proposition. He built the first silo in the county and people said that he was crazy when he told them that he would as soon summer his cows without grass as to winter them without silage.

As the years pass the old foundation stock derived from all of the above sources and others will gradually give way to pure beef stock of some of the improved breeds. The old brindled and speckled cows had merit for they served the people real well when they could ill afford better. But “Speck” and “Dappie” must pass out.

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Reminiscences by Mrs. Emma F. Robinson

The following paper was originally written for a reminiscence party given at the home of Mrs. S. M. Marsh in Neillsville, and was later read at an old settlers reunion at Loyal. It contains so much of historical value that it is published in full:

I came to Clark County, Wis. in Jan., 1859, my husband, myself, and little twenty-months old baby girl, now Mrs. James O’Neill.

We drove through from La Crosse with a team to what was then known as Weston’s Rapids. We were four days making the trip. There were but few settlers then in Clark county. Among them was the late James O’Neill, founder of Neillsville, Judge Dewhurst, Robt. Ross, Chauncey Blakeslee, B. F. Chase, James Hewett and S. C. Boardman.

Neillsville was then a mere hamlet although the county seat. It was there that I attended my first Fourth of July celebration in Clark Co. Dr. B. F. French was the orator of the day. I met Mrs. French, Mrs. A. W. Clark, and Mrs. John King for the first time, at that small gathering of patriotic settlers.

There was a dam and bridge across Black river at Weston’s Rapids. A saw mill and grist mill were in operation there.

A large hotel or “tavern” as it was then called for the accommodation of the lumbermen, and several tenement houses. We lived in one of those houses nearly two years and kept the first post office there. We only got our mail once a week and had no county paper at that time; in fact all literature was very scarce in those days. The books and periodicals which we had brought from our eastern homes were gladly exchanged with our neighbors. They were read and reread, passed about from one home to another till when returned they were often in a somewhat dilapidated condition. After a time we were favored by having a very good little district library, which was greatly appreciated. Mrs. Melvin Mason, Mrs. Chandler and myself composed the committee to select the books for this small library of 100 volumes.

A Methodist church soon sprang up. It was built in Neillsville, all contributing most willingly. Its good influence was soon felt and it was a means of bringing the old settlers together oftener in a social way. Many is the church sociable we attended when our only convey was a big wagon or sleigh drawn by oxen or a span of mules. Before we had our little church our only pleasure socially were the meeting in our homes to read and discuss our well worn books and papers, and dancing. It was not considered a hardship by any means to have the big sleigh brought around right after supper and drive six or eight or even ten miles to a dance, gathering up or friends on the way. Mrs. Stafford, Mrs. Blakeslee, Mrs. Clark, Judge and Mrs. Dewhust were usually along and always ready for a good time. By the way, it did not take as much to give us a good them then as at the present day. We were young and full of health and hope and enjoyed every thing to its fullest extent – our books, our dances, our drives, and last but not least our church meant much to us in the wilds of Northern Wisconsin.

The woods abounded with wild game which was the means of bringing a great many Indians to our county. But they were friendly-too friendly we thought, when several would walk into our houses and demand food, without even stopping to rap. We soon learned to keep our doors locked day and night and not to be frightened when we saw their dusky painted faces looking in the window at us.

There was a log shanty near what is now known as Schofield’s corners which was then used for a trading post for the Indians, by quite a notorious character in the early history of Clark county, by the name of Geo. Pettengill. He was a tall, muscular fellow and affected Indian style by dressing in buckskin and wearing his hair long, reaching to his waist, and spent his time hunting trading with the Indians. He at one time openly shot and killed a half-breed which so enraged the Indians that the settlers were obliged to have him (Pettengill) arrested and lodged in jail at La Crosse. But he was afterwards acquitted. He was not generally disliked by the white settlers and was allowed to trade with the Indians in the shanty on the corner, without being interfered with, although all they got in exchange for their furs and game was a few gaudy trinket and lots of poor whisky, and the nights were often made hideous by the weird cries of those poor children of the forest as they went reeling by to their wigwams after indulging too freely in “fire-water.” I think there was quite as much need of a Mrs. Nation and her hatchet in those early days as now.

Neillsville, Wis. Nov 25,1901 EMMA F. ROBINSON

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Oldest Christian Missionary In Black River Valley

Rene Menard was fellow associate of the Jesuits, Claude Allouez and James Marquette. He came to Wisconsin in the year of 1660, and was then an old man. The aim of Father Menard was the conversion of the migratory Hurons to Christianity and it is said that he lost his life while seeking these Indians. There seems to be little doubt that the aged missionary lost his life somewhere close to the headwaters of Black River and must have traversed this region 250 years ago. Some of the written communications of the Jesuit still exist and one may gain some idea from them of the nature of this county at that time and at the same time something of the sufferings of this old missionary.

As he started into the wilds he wrote: “I write you probably the last word, and I desire it to be the seal of our friendship until eternity. In three or four months you may put me in the memento of the dead, considering the manner of living of these people and my age and weak constitution.” He took with him a party of Indians and a Frenchman. Evidently they treated him badly for he wrote: “ They required me to carry on my back very heavy packs and although my paddle wielded by such weak hands as mine, did but little service towards hastening the journey they would not allow me to be idle.” We have all of us kept fast and that a rigorous one” he wrote. “Happy are those who find a certain kind of moss which grows on rocks and of which they make a black broth. As for moose skins, those who had some left ate them steadily. Everything seems palatable when one is hungry.” It seems that for six days they were reduced to living upon soup from ground bone and earth saturated with the blood of animals that had been killed there. Finally a band of kindly Indians took the old man to a watering station on Keweenaw Bay on the south shore of Lake Superior. From her Father Menard undertook the journey to the headwaters of Black River. The country to be traveled was described as “an almost continual series of swamps in which soundings had to be taken lest one might get himself inextricably engulfed” and where the traveler “winding his way thru dense swarms of mosquitoes, would not find anywhere in those dismal regions a means of living.” It was at the beginning of this part of the journey that Rene Menard wrote: “ It is my hopeto die on the way.” This was in July 1661. Before the party had gone a great distance the Indians abandoned Menard and his companion. They pushed on as best they could till at length Father Menard became lost. His companion called and fired his gun as a signal and mad the search for the old missionary but all in vain. The old man undoubtedly languished suffering in the forest until the tomahawk of a predatory Sioux ended the misery. His cassock and kettle were later found in the lodge of an Indian.

Authority, Henry Legler.

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Dr. Baxter Our Earliest Surgeon

Dr. Baxter invaded Clark County at a very early date. Information gotten seems to point to the fact that he came here from Monroe county in the early fiftys. He was somewhat of a migratory disposition and was familiar to all the early and later pioneers of the county. He seemed quite ready to meet emergencies as it is told that at one time a gentleman by the name of Ike Williams suffered from frozen feet which necessitated amputation. Dr. Baxter lacked the necessary instruments for the work and at last resorted to an old case knife from which he made a saw by the means of a file. This was the chief instrument used to carry out the operation on Williams.

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Martin Moran ran a general store where the Times office now is and in 1863 disposed of wheat flour at $10 per barrel.

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Old Boys in Blue From Clark County Soil

“Rufe” Sturdevant, John King, Ferd. Wage, George King, Wm. Hutchinson, James Ferguson, E. P. Houghton, A. J. Manley, Chas. Bacon, Chas. Foot, Thos. Coulan, Thos. Vine, Chauncey Blakeslee, Alexander Green, Washington Short, Fred Yankee, Edward Markey, Nelson Marsh, George Brooks.

This list may not include all but it is as complete as could be gotten.

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When Neillsville First Whistle Blew

Neillsville was once more destitute of factory whistles than it is today. It was Thanksgiving night 1868 that the monotony was broken. A story of the occasion is told as follows. Rev. Hendren was a new minister in town at that time. The old grist mill which stool on the banks of O’Neill creek was owned by Chauncy Blakeslee. Joe Biter was an engineer there and Joel Head was chief miller. Mr. Blakeslee had bought a new steam whistle on the sly and was planning on giving the little village a great surprise. It was while Rev. Hendren was closing his service at 10 o’clock Thanksgiving evening at the court house that his congregation and the whole town were astounded by a shrill screech from the neighborhood of the old mill. It was the first steam whistle that many had ever heard and certainly the first in this city. Mr. Blakeslee was at home and said to be in bed. He aroused himself, dressed quickly and ran down to his mill only to find the doors barricaded. The engineer and the miller had played a joke on Blakeslee and had fitted on the whistle to give the town the surprise. Mr. Blakeslee had been anxious to do this himself.

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Derivation of Clark County Names

Clark Co. from Moses Clark who lived at the moth of the Cunningham.

Black River from the color of water.

Cunningham from Thos. Cunningham, an early Mormon settler.

Wedges Creek from Major Wedge an early settler.

O’Neill Creek from James O’Neill Sr.

Neillsville from James O’Neill Sr.

“Jack” Creek from “Jack” Murphy a man educated as a priest who lived on the farm where Mrs. Matt Noel lives.

Bruce Mound from Franklin Bruce an early settler near there.

Greenwood from timber.

Longwood from timber.

Hemlock from timber.

Abbotsford after Mr. Abbot an officer of the Wis. Central R.R.

Sherman after General Sherman.

Mentor after Mr. Mentor an early settler.

York from the fact that many of the settlers were from the state of New York or that the Yorkstan families were early settlers.

Fremont after General Fremont.

Hewett after James Hewett.

Pine Valley, the original name of the whole region from the amount of pine growing here.

Grant from Gen. Grant.

Lynn from the basswood or “Linn” wood which grew in abundance there.

Levis from Wm. Levis an early logger and mill man there.

Washburn after Governor Washburn governor of this state in 1872-74. He once owned much pine in this township. Thos. LaFlesh was a foreman of his.

Sherwood from “Sherwood Forest” of England, named by Mrs. Thos. LaFlesh.

Hendren, after Rev. Hendren the well known pioneer Presbyterian minister of Greenwood.

Withee after N.H. Withee Ex County treasurer, Ex member of Assembly. He held these offices while living in the city of La Crosse.

Hixon after Gideon C. Hixon, a partner of N.H. Withee

Mayville –

Worden after Zeph. Worden an old settler

Reseberg after Aug. Reseberg an old settler there.

Green Grove from the forests.

Mead from Harry Mead an old settler of the County.

Beaver after Beaver.

Eaton after Lige Eaton an early settler on the town site of Greenwood.

Dorchester

Thorp from J.G. Thorp president of the Eau Claire Lumber Co.

Humbird after Mr. Humbird an old officer of the Northwestern Road.

Veekind after Mr. Veekind who owned a heading mill there.

Loyal from the fact that the early settlers were “loyal” soldiers of the Civil War.

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Presbyterian services were first held in Neillsville in 1854 by Rev. Sherman from the city of La Crosse. The meeting were held at different house as the O’Neills and Sturdevant’s.

A few years later an old Congregational minister came here and lived just east of Hutching’s corners. He however moved away again soon.

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Some Recollections of Homer M. Root

“ I came to Clark County in 1869” said H.M. Root, Cashier of the Commercial State Bank, in response to the inquiry. “ I came west from New York state, stopped a few weeks in Chicago, came on to LaCrosse and then came up Black River to where Greenwood now stands. Greenwood was not thought of then. There were only five houses there; the only person left of their original occupants is Mrs. Hattie Andrews. She lives nearly on the same spot that she did then. Bob Schofield then lived at Schofield’s Corners opposite Weston’s Rapids. I went to work in camp that winter and I scaled and tended landing, but I have worked at every job there is to do in and about a logging camp, even cooking. Up to 1880 all the timber was felled with an ax and I did a great deal of chopping. In 1874 I went into partnership with B.F. Thompson and we logged together eleven long winters. We did most of the toting from Hatfield and Wrightsville. The big winter for logging on Black River was 1871-2; that year 350,000,000 feet of pine was put in; the next winter about 250,000,000. The “Al Brown winter” 1877-8 practically no logs were put in. Farmers plowed every month during the winter and at New Year’s the road between Greenwood and Neillsville was impassable because of mud, and a log drive was on in Black River. Hemlock Dam was built in 1878 and the old Dells Dam in 1879 I think. We had some dry seasons in years past but never enough to hurt crops till last year.

In 1874 and 1875 we had a plague of grasshoppers that hurt crops considerably around Greenwood. They ate everything except tomatoes.

There were lively times “when logging was in flower” on Black River. Among the prominent loggers of those years were the Withees, Hixon, Bright, the Colemans, D.J. Spalding, Price, C.C. Washburn, Sawyer and Austin, Gile and Holway, and Hi Goddard."

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A History of Clark County

Hon. R. J. MacBride is the author of a very complete history of Clark County, which was published as a serial in the Thorp Courier. It is Mr. MacBride’s intention to revise this matter and republish it sometime in a volume. Mr. MacBride’s person recollections run back a good many years, he being of our oldest practicing lawyers. He also served as County Judge, represented this district as State Senator and was appointed by President Cleveland as Consul to Leith, Scotland.

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Neillsville’s Grand Old Xmas Tree.

Near the corner of Court and Fifth Streets in front of the old John Stannard residence stands an old pine tree. This tree was planted in 1862 by Wm. Berry. At the old settlers party held in this city, some years ago, measurements were made and recorded. The tree has shown rather a remarkable growth and bids fair to live to be a venerable old monarch of that part of town. It showers the continual gift of shade on all who pass. In itself it is the constant reminder of that great wealth which nature bestowed upon this country and which has fallen before the woodsman’s ax. May it stand and grow on as one of Neillsville’s permanent landmarks.

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General Items

Robert Meecham was mail carrier to Lynn in 1863.

The first Old Settler’s meeting in Clark County was held in 1870.

Mrs. George Jacques Sr. is among the few oldest women born and still living in the state. She was born at Ft. Howard, Wis., Jan. 1^st 1837.

The first hotel in Neillsville was Hotel Royz and stood where the present Merchants Hotel now stands. It was run by Rueben Royx and was a prominent stopping place in the fiftys.

Gilbert Johnson deserves a place among the pioneers. Gilbert used to make the anvil ring at Hewettville thirty some odd years ago. There was really a little village of Hewetville then situated on Wedge’s Creek where James Hewett had a mill, camps, blacksmith shop and a store.

Linus Frank of West Weston pioneerd his part of the town. He has the reputation of having hauled the biggest loads of cordwood ever brought in to Neillsville –Just so with all his other operations, he is a hustler and has made one of the best farms in his town out of an erstwhile forest.

George Jacques was principal of the Greenwood schools in 1883. Among his pupils might be mentioned McKenzie Andrews, Cashier of the Colby State Bank, Ben Andrews a store keeper in Longwood, also Bert Bailey. He characterized the school middling rough in those days. Mr. Jacques cooked in a stave camp when sixteen years of age, thirty-one years ago out in the town of Fremont. Fremonts was almost a wilderness then. Supplies were packed from Marshfield, which was but little more than the name those days.

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Reminiscences by Judge O’Neill

I am asked by the editor to write for his special edition, something of my recollections of Neillsville and Clark County as I remember the conditions existing when I came here thirty-seven years ago. So, here goes.

On a rainy day, the 18^th of September 1873 I came from Humbird with my uncle James O’Neill in the stage. I had met him in Cleveland Ohio at the home of another uncle, for the first time. My uncle James seemed anxious that I should come to live with him and practice law here. When we reached the top of the hill this side of David Wood’s my uncle said: “There James is Neillsville.” And there it was a little village of, say 600 people. When we reached town, my uncle took me to his home, the same residence now owned by H.J. Brooks. I was shown and told that the front room was to be mine. My uncle had lost his wife in the spring of the same year and a Mr. and Mrs. Donovan kept the house. We went to board with my cousin Belle Covill who was the wife of Wilson S. Covill and lived in a house which stood where the residence of Decator Dickinson now is.

My uncle found me an office in a room in the old court house, which is the building now occupied by George Hart for an express office. It stood where the present court house is located. I had a client in a few days, and then another and another so I have been here, (is it possible?) thirty-seven years.

Neillsville was a little village, beautifully located among these hills. It was a busy place for it was a base of operations for lumbermen. In those days from one to two hundred millions of logs floated down Black River every year. One the great centers of activity was the “Oasis”, a saloon kept by Alex Cross on the corner where Kappell and building now stands. Hans Johnson and Henry Meyer kept the O’Neill House. Hotel business was booming in those days. Daniel Gates and Joe Head kept a meat market where the Neillsville Bank is located. Dr. W. C. Crandell kept a drug store about where Weffer’s is now. The only brick building in town was the store of Hewett and Wood, the now the dry goods store of W.J. Marsh. There was only one church, the Methodist, the same now owned by W. R. C. Everybody supported the church and was a center of religious interest. Wouldn’t it seem good again to have only one church in a town this size! There never was but one religion. There never will be but one. There is only one God in this universe and a common destiny for all mankind. Well the years have passed and our town has now nine churches. Who can tell may be in this city a hundred years hence? There may be a coming together and once again, a single church.

The county officers when I came were as follows: S.C. Boardman, County Treasurer; Ira Pope, County Clerk; R.J. MacBride, County Judge; F.D. Lindsay, Sheriff; Robert Sturdevant, District Attorney; E. H. Markey, Clerk of Court; S.S. Smith, County Supt.; W. T. Hutchinson, Reg. of Deeds; and Jones Tompkins, Ch. County Board.

Rev. W. T. Hendren was here engaged in building the Presbyterian Church. Long and faithfully he labored and no man in Clark County is more beloved.

Dr. B. F. French was both doctor and lawyer. Many people would have no one attend them but him. He was a strong jury lawyer and a man of great influence in the community.

I remember my uncle taking me up to introduce me to Judge R. J. MacBride. He had the front office in the second story of the Hewett store. I recall just how he looked. Her wore a sailor hat and was young and handsome. I had reason to learn in a legal practice of twenty four years during which I was frequently pitted against him, how much of power and energy and keenness was stored in the brain below that sailor hat.

Robert Sturdevant went west soon after I came and his brother, J.R. Sturdevant succeeded him as district attorney.

There are only three men in business in Neillsville now who were also in business in 1873. Decatur Dickinson, O. P. Wells and William Heaslett.

There was no railroad, the nearest station being Humbird 17 miles distant. Of course there no water works, no sewers, no telegraph or telephone and no electric light. The cows ran in the streets and the jingle of the cow bells disturbed sleepers. Some people stole out at night and cut the cow bells off. There were good schools but none of the present fine buildings were then built. Ed Merritt edited the leading newspaper. There was no bank but one was later started by MacBride & Allen and one by Telling & Wood.

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Pages From An Old Volume of Life, by Mrs. F. Cawley

Evening was gently falling as a quiet rap, upon the door of a tiny and neat little cottage stirred footsteps within. In the fading light a bright kindly face shone and it mad a fellow wish he had seen it in the youthful days. “Good evening” and
”Come in” were all one needed to assure a hearty welcome. “Come right this way” and the little lady led one in to a cozy room where a bright coal fire shed its glow all about everything seemed to speak comfort and contentment. Not lonely either, for a sociable little kitten trotted hither and thither about the room. “Mrs. Cawley how long have you been up in this country?” “ I came her in 1851. Mr. George Frantz Sr. came her a year before I did but I do not know as there were many more. I have no recollection of the first Xmas in Clark County. I remember one just before we got here that we spent at Prairie du Chien. Let me see, yes, the first Xmas my husband worked for Jim French, a brother of Doctor French on Conlan Creek near Robert French’s. I did the cooking for 18 men, I do not know as we knew Xmas was, aside from the usual work. No indeed we did not give any presents. Tom La Flesh and George Frantz were both single then and worked for this same man. I cooked twenty one deer that winter and Doctor French killed every one of them. Well I do not know a hard beginning is a good ending. It looks that way. We looked for better things. Mrs. Cawley paused a moment as if her mind dwelt again on those days sixty years ago. “There were not (can’t read) out east then” she continued

(can’t read next two words) many when I came. The Counsells, Wages, Williams, (can’t read) and Popes all came at the same time. I think the county seat was established before they came. You know I helped to get the dinner for the voters when they gained the victory for the county seat at Neillsville. They voted in a little house which stood where Herb Brooks now lives. Sam Weston wanted to get the county seat at Weston’s Rapids. Everything on the North Side was a body of white poplar clear to Hawks’ hill and no one ever expected a town to grow up there. Of course the South Side was a body of hard wood timber. My first home was where Mr. Crothers now lives. Four families I have mentioned as having come here together cleared the road as they went along. The cattle were fed on boughs and twigs for there was nothing else to feed them. Sometimes this had to be gathered in sacks and carried to them and they were kept all winter on it. We had no churches to have Xmas Trees in them. “I have seen 83 Xmases if I see this one. Folks won’t believe me,” and Mrs. Cawley broke into a hearty laugh. “I have never been poisoned by doctor’s medicine. I am surprised at the way some folks grow old. I have always worked hard but I have never had a doctor for eight years.” When asked what she thought of the modern Xmas, Mrs. Cawley replied, “It is all right, it is all right. I don’t forget that I was once young and I used to like to dance as well as anyone . I think that a great many do not make the home pleasant for the children. I believe in a pleasant home and I believe in order. And even now I like to talk to the young folks as well as ever.” The visitor bade her “good night” impressed again with the fact that sometimes such tiny souls have great philosophy.

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Peter McGinnis’ Story of Sherwood.

To some of our readers no name will be more familiar that that of Peter McGinnis. If not among the first comers, he was one who blazoned the trail out thru Sherwood and helped make that the fertile and productive region that it now is. Mr. MrGinnis is a home lover and we found our friend settled in a comfortable chair enjoying his pipe. In response to our inquiries Mr. McGinnis went on to tell, “There were some settlers in the town of Sherwood a few years before me. One of these was Mr. Benedict who was a near neighbor when I first got there. Also a Mr. Coudrey. I can’t really say that it was thirty-nine or forty years ago that we got in there. It was on Xmas day. Yes – Well I might go on and tell the story, how it happened. I got a man to load up our stuff when we started up here and in getting the stove he lost the back of it and we did not miss it until we got out to Benedict’s and we had to remain there a whole week until I got back to La Crosse to get it. I was toting so I brought it back when I brought up a load. At that time my wife was suffering with a bad felon on her hand, piled up as you might say with ten children. Then I got into my own house. Well, then I started to go to work and worked a week with my team and the man had a friend whom he thought more of than he did of me and he discharged me. So I left my team and went to work with my hands. I worked a week and was taken sick.” Mr. McGinnis paused for a breath and continued, “Let’s see, then I went back to work in a camp and stayed there until the camp broke up after which I went on a drive, a job that I had never done before. All this time I did not like this place but I had no money to get out. This was my first winter in Clark. Co. Xmas was not a festival with us, no not at all. I always had to work. I never could get home at Xmas time. The folks always tried to keep it at home. The place where we lived was seven miles from any road. We had to chop the trees down for room to build the house and when I got my family all into the house with ten children, myself and wife I had two dollars in my pocket. I stayed there two years all the time trying to get out. I could not raise the money and I made up my mind to go to work. I raised all the family by labor until I got room to raise a little crop. Sometimes we used to live pretty slim but none of us ever starved tho some sat up pretty late at night for fear they might starve. Well, I don’t know I could keep stringing this story out. I was going to tell you that we lived happier then that we do now. Friends were happier and there was more sociability. I think Xmas day should be honored. I honor it. I believe in young folks having a good time but I do not believe in them throwing their lives away with no thought of the here-after. I have seen 77 Xmases."

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Early Days on the Globe Road by Mrs. Gus Smith

The old Globe road, that too has changed in 40 years. One of the pioneers Mrs. Gus Smith now lives on the north side and to her was put the questions as to when she first settled on that road. “Why we came onto that Globe road along with the Huntleys. It was all woods then and the road only ran as far as the old Frank farm where Linster’s mill is now is. It was surveyed up farther but it was not cut out. Let me see, that was in the spring of 1869 we went there. Xmas and other holidays were not thought of for a year or so after we got there. Then our school house was built and we began to have entertainments there. The first teachers I do not remember but they included Miss Harding and Miss Robinson, who is now Mrs. James O’Neill. Charles Fuller came later on and will be remembered as having taught many years. I think we had the first general Xmas tree in the schoolhouse with an entertainment. One of the earliest recollections I have is when my husband Gus, used to hitch up on an old two wheel cart and take all the ladies of the neighborhood for a ride to one of the lumber camps. We took our dinner and we always had a good time. Our general gatherings always included the Huntleys, the Blacks, the Ritchies. The Rev. Hendren was often at these and when the roads were so bad that he could not drive, he came on horseback. Yes, we had pretty good times then.”

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W.J. Marsh Recalls Early Christmas Trade

Coming upon W.J. March busily writing an order for more Xmas goods the reporter was truck with the idea that Will had something good to tell. A word started him telling in an interesting way. “Why my first Xmas in Neillsville was spent in clerking for Cole and Pashelles. That was in 1879. I got $10. per month and my board as one of the firm. They were an excellent firm and I stayed with them for two years. I remember that people got excited at Xmas just as they do now but we did not have the stock to select from that we have now. Things were not as elaborate. A year or so later I was clerking for Emery Bruley in a store where Cowles saloon is now. I remember one Xmas we had a grand display of silk handkerchiefs and they were all colors. They were in great demand and every one thought that they had to have one. I was quite a kid then. Why I remember when the first train came up into Black River Falls. A lot of us kids went down to the track and an empty detached caboose came rolling down the track. Well we kids took to the woods half scared to death.” And Will dodged up the counter to sell another bunch of rantan dress trimming.

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“Rufe” Sturdevant Talks About the Mormons With Other Things.

If you turn back to your old American history you will find that the Mormon Sect were once the inhabitants of Illinois, building there the “Holy City” of Nauvoo upon the banks of the Mississippi. This was during the presidency of Van Buren in the early forties. Mr. Sturdevant saw this city in its infancy and a few years later saw slashings from which the pine had been removed to float down the Black and the Mississippi to be used in the building of this city of Nauvoo. The Mormons had several distinct settlements along this part of Black river such as “Mormon’s Riffle”, a second one near the Herrian farm on the west bank of the river, a third one at Black River Falls, one near Weston’s Rapids and another just this side of Greenwood in the Town of Eaton where shallow excavations bring out remnants of the crockery that these people used. This was probably seventy years ago that the Mormons were Black river lumbermen. To be sure some remained until later years. Mr. Sturdevant relates as follows: “ The clearings were all grown up to trees again when I first came, plum patches had come up big enough to bear fruit were growing all over the spots where they had settled. Parts of the cabins had been partially burned and the whole thing looked as if it had been deserted for many years. This was in 1854. These people seemed to cut the pine only, the reason being that this was the only timber growing that would float. The cabins were made of the unhewed logs and were chinked up with mud. We even saw indications of root cellars which they had dug. We saw no indications of their ever having brought live stock on the river with them. The river was not hardly as wide as it is now and there was more water in it so they could float the logs down the river.

Packing was a common thing in those days. It was nothing to pack a sack of flour or a bundle of nails from Black River Falls. Saw-mills were established here quite early. There was one old mill at Ross Eddy and the sight-seer may as yet see the remnant of the old foundation projecting out of the north bank of the river. There was an old dam near it.

There were many oxen here at that time and when they were out of the woods in the spring farmers could get the use of them for “springing them out.” By this I mean for feeding them until the grass came.

People were probably led into this country by the presence of the magnificent timber which grew along these creeks. The State of Mainers were led here on that account. They had been used to the timber in their own state and they were naturally attracted to it as it grew here. The first thing that they built was a saw mill. Here also were wild meadows with plenty of hay. Wild berries grew in abundance and there was plenty of maple to make sugar from. The woods was full of game and clothes were ready made out of the dressed deer skins. Some places where there are fine farms today, there were once fields of cranberries. The rivers and the creeks were full of fish and the woods full of partridge. Fishing was better than it is to day. One could take a torch and go down to the creek with a spear in the evening and in a very short time could have a sackful of fish.

I knew about every man in the county at one time. That story they tell about the placing of the whiskey across the creek to purposely trap the Weston Rapids people as they came to vote on the change of the county seat. I do not think it was quite true. The way of it was like this. A barrel of whiskey had been stowed away in the cellar of one our prominent citizens at that time and as folks were getting drunk about the house the lady of the house objected to its being there. It was then taken out and carried across the creek to the old mill. When the Westonnes came along they found it there and filled it up. Of course after this they could not walk the boom which was the only way there was for crossing the creek as a consequence their votes were lost and the county seat was gained for Neillsville."

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Fred W. Draper Was a Pioneer.

Fred Draper is no late comer for he goes on to say: “ I saw the first stump dug out of a highway in the town of Loyal. This was in the spring of ’73. It was the stump of a red oak tree and Jake Tynan and Jay Pierce were the men who dug it out. No, I was not born in Clark County but in Fond du Lac county. We came here in the month of November 1872. We settled near Loyal. My father held the first First Grade Certificate issued to any Clark Co. teacher. The Supt. Was E.J. Sawyer."

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Recollections of Mrs. L.B.Reed

Mrs. L.B. Reed deserves well the name of pioneer. With her husband Thos. Reed she came onto the Ridge road during the Civil war. She spoke as follows of those early days: “We lived at Hatfield and also at Arnold’s Creek before we moved up here. Bruce Mound is named after my father, Franklin Bruce. In those early days he killed many bears on that mound. He made the first trail there was between Black River Falls and Hatfield. It was here that he built a saw-mill. Later he moved up to Arnold’s creek where he built a second mill. Here Mr. Reed and myself were married and here we built a little home. Mr. Reed worked in the mill. In 1863 we came up here. Mr. Reed was quite a hunter. He killed the only cinnamon bear ever killed around this country, near our present home.

Most of the older settlers will remember Elder Wheeler. He was a Methodist minister. Mr. Reed was always a great hand to make maple sugar and with the help of Dr. French planned a joke on Elder Wheeler who was stationed at Black River Falls at that time. They fixed up a jug of syrup and Dr. French labeled it “Bourbon” and took it down to Elder Wheeler. The name spelled beware for the old parson and no amount of persuastion could induce him to take a sniff of the contents of the jug. It was not until Dr. French knocked out the cork that the Elder took a peek and discovered the mistake. The story was afterwards written up and published in “Peck’s Sun (rest cut off)"

Source: Neillsville (Wis.) Republican and Press, December 15,1910

A BIT OF PIONEER HISTORY