Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

February 7, 2018 Page 9 

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

February 1868

 

Myers & Lloyd, who are logging on Popple River, had just one million feet of lumber on the bank last Saturday evening, and all this has been drawn a distance of over two miles.

•••••••••

From what we have now leaned there will be over twenty-five acres of hops set out in this vicinity in the spring.  This will be the first attempt at raising hops in this county.        

•••••••••

Mr. J. A. Harvey, of Sparta, who sells more oysters than any other person in Northwestern Wisconsin, was in town last week on business.  He supplies this county with nearly all the bivalves consumed, and his promptness and fair dealing controls a large patronage.                                           

•••••••••

The large amount of rich prairie land lying west of us must be supplied with lumber for building and other purposes, and most available market for the people in that direction lies in the pine woods of this county, if we may judge from the number of teams with sleighs that arrive at King’s mill every day for lumber, from as far west as beyond the Mississippi River.  A gentleman, traveling on the road, stopped at “Kingston” the other day, and in speaking of what was going on there, remarked to a friend here, “Why, Sir, I saw teams there after lumber, from Rochester, Minn.”                                                                                    

•••••••••

The first of a series of cotillion parties are to be given by Mr. Oliver Graham and will take place at O’Neill’s hall next Monday evening.  A general invitation is extended.

 

(The cotillion is a square dance, quadrille dance, which was very popular in the late 1800’s. DZ) 

•••••••••

By a document  received from General C. C. Washburn, our able representative in Congress, we are informed that an act to establish a post road from Neillsville, via Huntzicker’s, to John Graves, has passed the House and in the Senate has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Post Roads and Post Offices.  The people in the northern part of the county have felt the need of this route for some time, and they will be pleased to learn that there is some probability of its establishment.  As it is, now mail is received at the office here for persons residing twenty and thirty miles away.

 

(H. Huntzicker lived two and one-half miles south of Greenwood, and G. Huntzicker had a farm three miles south of Greenwood.

 

The following year, a crew of men started blazing a trail through the wooded area from Neillsville northward toward Greenwood, which later became known as State Hwy 73. DZ)  

•••••••••

Mr. G. Schutte and Mr. B. Kunze, two enterprising young men from Dodge County, have made arrangements to locate in Neillsville.  The gentlemen have purchased the lot of ground on the corner of Hewett, Woods & Co.’s store, and will erect there in the spring a two-story building 30x60 feet, which will be occupied by Schutte in the front as a clothing and tailoring store.  Mr. Kunze will open a boot and shoe shop in the rear of the building, which will face towards the east, with entrance to his shop on the south side.

•••••••••

At its last meeting, the County Board of Supervisors made a new town of twenty-four range one west, with the exception of a piece across the north side a half-mile wide.  It is to be called Grant and will hold its first election of town officers next spring.  We have no doubt that at the coming Presidential election it will prove itself worthy of the illustrious name it bears.                                                     

•••••••••

A German, brought up before Judge Flint during the last session of the circuit court in this county, was asked, “guilty, or not guilty?” “Vell” he says, “how much you going to scharge?” The judge informed him that it depended upon his guilt, where upon he pled not guilty.  He was found guilty of the charge replied, “Vell, I guess I takes him guilty dis time.”  He was not a little dismayed to find the fine and costs the same.  “Mein Cot, vot a peoples!”                                                                                      

•••••••••

There are preparations going on here for building next summer, and it is plainly evident the amount done will more than double that of any previous year.  Mr. Dewhurst will erect a large dwelling house; Mr. C. Blakeslee, a fine residence; Mr. Daniel Gates, the same, and a large barn; Mr. George Frantz, a dwelling house; Mr. L. Sontag, a store building, and the building we have mentioned, that of Mr. G. Schutte.

•••••••••

The Plover Times says the hop mania has broken out there and adjoining counties of Waushara and Waupaca.  Tamarack swamps, which have heretofore been deemed of little value on account of their inaccessibility, are being rapidly bought up, and much of the available labor and capital of these counties are being invested in making preparations for growing hops.

 

February 1938

 

Paul Hemp, a former Neillsville boy, stopped off here to visit relatives last week on a trip to Racine, where the Hamilton-Beach Co. signed a contract to take over the manufacture of the Hemp Massagers. The new machines, coming out in February and manufactured at Racine, will be operated by electric motors, instead of by hand as heretofore.  This is only one of seven patents Mr. Hemp has perfected, those of which are paying him good returns. They include humidifiers and devices for airplanes and cars.

 

Mr. Hemp was accompanied by his wife.  Mrs. Hemp’s mother is Mrs. Alvin Eisentraut, also of this area.

•••••••••

L. A. Allen of Neillsville, who had charge of veterans’ grave registration work when that was a project, is still following up the work on his own accord.  Last week he was in the west end of the county, seeking information about Capt. Joseph H. Finley, a veteran of the War of 1812 reported to have been buried in Levis.

•••••••••

Prochaska Bros., Props.

Quality Market

 

Clover Farm Coffee Special – 2 lbs. 60’ & 1 lb. FREE w/each 2 lb. purchase!

 

Armour’s Star Peanut Butter, Bring your own pail, 5 lbs. 49’;

 

Self-Rising Buckwheat Pancake Flour, 5 lbs. 18’;

 

Raw Leaf Lard 5 lbs. 10’

 

FREE Coffee and Bakerite Do-Nuts served All Day!

•••••••••

The B&F Machine Shop completed and delivered to Herman Hediger, Tuesday, a fine new 12x8 ft. steel refrigerator-type truck body for hauling cream and butter.  It is a well-insulated, streamlined style, built for long trips, and outstanding feature of this truck body being its light weight and strong construction.

 

 

In 1938, B&F Machine Shop, 154 East Sixth Street, started manufacturing 12’ x 8’ street refrigerated units that could be mounted on truck bodies, built to haul cans of cream and milk from farms to cheese or butter factories.  This convenience kept the milk or cream from souring, or the butter from melting enroute to market, especially during the hot weather.  Herman Hediger, who had a milk plant in Christie, was the first owner of one of these units.

                             

•••••••••

The Moen Radio and Appliance Co. furnished an RCA Victor radio, which broadcasted Pres. Roosevelt’s speech Saturday evening and was heard by those who were attending the president’s birthday ball at the Neillsville Armory that evening.                                                         

•••••••••

Wesley Vanderhoof, who died at his home in the Town of Sherman January 7, was one of the four surviving Civil War veterans of Clark County, the other three being; Thomas Goodell, Spokeville, Albert Darton, Loyal, and Sylvanus Warner, Thorp, all who are past 90 years of age.

 

Wesley Vanderhoof was born on a farm in Pequanic, Morris County, N.J., October 18, 1843, a son of Jacob and Jane (Miller) Vanderhoof.  He grew to manhood there, receiving only a limited education.  In 1861, he answered the call of his country and enlisted in Company E, 8th New Jersey Regiment, and was mustered in at Trenton, that regiment being sent to Washington.

 

He took part in battles at Williamsburg, Yorktown, Harrison Landing, Fair Oakes, Deep Bottom and the fighting in front of Petersburg.  At the close of the war, he came west and after spending a few months at Plymouth, Wis., he came to Neillsville in 1869.  He helped build the first turnpike road in Clark County, leading north out of Neillsville.  He spent his winters in the woods and worked at log-driving in the spring.

 

In 1884 Mr. Vanderhoof bought a farm in the Town of Sherman and that year his parents and other members of the family came to Clark County to join him. There were no roads at that time, the land being covered with hardwood timber and only 17 houses between his farm and Neillsville.  He was a member of the county board for six years and often walked in for its meetings in Neillsville.  Most of the family provisions were carried from Spencer, 4 miles away.  He built a log house and barn, acquired a yoke of oxen, and a few chickens, but it was two years before he added a cow to his livestock.

 

On Sept. 6, 1882, he was married to Ellen Clark. Six children were born to this union – Pearl and Alfred, living on the home place in the Town of Sherman and with whom deceased made his home; Guy, of Chippewa Falls, Maude, Mrs. Robert Sleyster, Cochrane, Wis.; Hazel, Mrs. Martin Hein, Chippewa Falls,; and Frank, who passed away on Dec. 18, 1937.

 

He leaves three sisters and a brother: Mrs. Ed Kayhart, Town of Sherman; Mrs. Sarah De Graw, Loyal; Mrs. Martha Nell, Seattle, Wash., and Lige Vanderhoof, Priest, Idaho.  His wife passed away in May 1929.

 

Being a good farmer, the deceased gradually increased his acreage until he owned several hundred acres.  He became a breeder of Holstein cattle, good horses, Poland China hogs and Shropshire sheep.  He took a keen interest in his town and the affairs of the county in large.  He served as Justice of Peace and school clerk for 37 years.

 

Military rites were conducted at the M. E. Church, Spencer, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m.  Burial took place in the Cole Cemetery.

 

(Cole Cemetery is located east of the intersection of Hwy 98 and County Road Y, in the community that was known as “Cole’s Corners,” and near the Vanderhoof farm. DZ)

•••••••••

Tavern Keeper’s Ball at Club 10, east of Neillsville Thursday, Feb. 3.  Featuring 3 Big Floor Shows!  All Electric Band.  Pretty Girls!  Pretty Costumes! The Public is Invited.  Dance Band Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 5 & 6!

 

(At that time Club 10 has a smooth, wooden dance floor that adjoined the bar and dining area, providing dancing on the weekends, the era when dancing was popular. DZ)                

•••••••••

Corn-King Mineral Feed, Guaranteed, $3.25,

Corn Special, $24 a ton.

Kleckner Elevator Co.

•••••••••           

One of the largest crowds that ever attended a winter event in Neillsville was in Saturday to witness the wood chopping and sawing contests, and the dog sled derby.  So large was the crowd that many in order to obtain a better view of the lumberjack contests climbed to the tops of several buildings and Hewett Street was jammed for several blocks while the contests sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce were on.  Included among the hundreds of visitors were many old-time lumberjacks who used to swing hefty axes, some of whom were prevented only by age from taking part.

 

The wood-chopping contest was won by Julius Martens of the Town of Pine Valley, who said he never worked in the woods.  He out-distanced others by chopping through a 12-inch white oak log in 53 seconds to win the $5.  The other prize winners were: George Elmer, of the city $3; Ed Struensee, Rt. 1, $2.50; August Stremikis, Tioga and Harvey Krause were given consolation prizes.  

 

Donald and Leonard Drescher, brothers from the Town of Grant, won the $5 prize by sawing through an 11-inch red oak lot in 36½ seconds.  Second prize of $2.50 went to August Stremikis and Ed Struensee.

 

The dog sled derby race held on East Sixth Street attracted a large number of spectators.  In the free for all race Arthur Halle of the Town of Eaton won first and $2.50 in cash and Louis Aumann second and $1.50.

 

In the boys’ junior class: Sonny Shaw won first.  He wore a real jockey outfit and the dog and sled were in attractive form. 

 

In the boys’ senior class: Arthur Halle won first and $1.50 in cash and Norman Poppe second and $1.

 

In the girls’ class, there was only one entrant, Annabelle Garbisch, Neillsville, who won the $1.50 cash prize.                                                                                                                           

•••••••••                         

Otto Lewerenz informed us this week that he will start to remodel the former Lewerenz garage and convert it into an up-to-date restaurant and ice cream store.  He also stated that this former super-service station will be operated hereafter as the Neillsville Standard Service, and that he will look after things until a new manager takes charge.  The corner building and station, he says, have been taken over by the Commercial Acceptance Company.                                                                                                      

•••••••••

Marriage Licenses:

Orville Turner, Town of York, and Jean Sellers, Neillsville,

Gerhardt Scheel, Loyal, and Ora Stowe, Town of Beaver,

Bert Henk, Town of Unity, and Genevieve Weister, Marshfield.

•••••••••

A giant wolf, which eluded hunters for years in Bayfield County until recently shot by Dave Palm, reminds Neillsville nimrods of a large 3-legged wolf, which prowled over a wide territory in Clark County several years ago, having been tracked around Pray and as far north as Tioga, and many places in between.  This wolf seemed to possess uncanny intelligence, and having probably lost a leg in a trap, was finally shot by Walter Dangers of Neillsville.

€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE