----Source: Stories told by Pearl Rose Axelsen

Stories of CLARK COUNTY, WI Collected In The Bicentennial Year:

One of my most treasured memories of childhood was going to the O'Neil Creek on Sunday morning with my father to wash the buggies and fringed suries/ There I could watch the beautiful colors on the water made by the grease from the axles.

Trains were the means of transportation for the many drummers or salesmen. After working the Granton stores, loading their many trunks on the dray wagon and providing them with extra wraps against the cold or dust, they would go to the neighboring towns-Lynn, Lindsey, Pray, Christie, Loyal and even as far out as Greenwood.

Always the old soapstone footwarmers were kept on the side of the potbellied stove, ready for use on short notice.

Eggs were sold by the farmers to the stores. They were shipped in crates holding thirty dozen each. He would go to the stores and dray these to the depot. With fifteen of these crates on his wagon, the team suddenly became frightened and ran away, a sight not to unusual in those days. Crates and eggs were thrown about. My father took his remains home where mother, much to her surprise, found many whole eggs among the cracked and shell-less.

My father operated his dray and livery business during the horse and buggy days. He owned one of the first cars in Granton, purchased from Knorr and Rausch Garage. I often heard his many tales of the dislikes people had for the early car owners, as they frightened the horses, so they would strew tacks on the road to remind you not to come their way again. In making an early trip to Merrillan, he had two blowouts, so with no more spares and no place that sold any such thing, he walked into the then busy town of Columbia and telephoned the Knorr and Rausch Garage at Granton to send a tire to him on the 5 o'clock train. He waited for the train, picked up his tire, walked back to his car here he repaired his tire and went on his journey.

George James Rose was born April 15, 1873, about 2 miles from what is now the famous Wade House. After his marriage to Ina May Grove on June 27, 1900, he moved to Plymouth, WI where he worked as a teamster for a brick company.

He had a love for horses and would from time to time, go into the Dakota's to buy a carload of horses which he'd bring back to Plymouth and break to drive on buggies.

In 1907, this love of working with horses sent him on his venture into what was considered the "far north" where he purchased the dray and Livery Stable at Granton from a Mr. Lapp.

Loading his household belongings and one pet horse into a boxcar, he, his wife, and two daughters, Elva and Pearl, moved to Granton.
Being a stranger in that area, he felt very fortunate to be able to purchase at public auction the Rand and McNally 1907 Atlas of Clark County which has been presented to the Clark County Historical Society.