Christian & Fredericka (Huckstadt) Vates

Greenwood, Clark County, Wisconsin
 


Christian Vates, for many years a resident of Greenwood, was born at Hollenstein, Germany, Nov. 26, 1847 and . He immigrated to America in 1867, and was married Oct. 22, 1871 to Fredericka "Rica" Dorothy Huckstadt at Danville, Ill.  She was the daughter of John Huckstadt. 

 

Chris and Rica had three children, two who died in infancy and their daughter, Louise Mariam who was born September 3, 1873.


At the time of his death, Chris Vates was 81 years, 7 months, and 21 days of age, July 17, 1929 and his death body was laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.  After being widowed for three years, Rica was buried beside him in the spring of 1932, at the age of eighty-three.  Louise was buried August 2, 1951.  She never married.

 

Chris Vates' Barnyard.

Warner Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin

 

Census Records

 

1880 Federal Census, Warner Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin
 Name  Relation Marital Status Sex Race Age Nativity Occupation Father's Nativity Mother's Nativity
 Christ Vates  Head   M   Male   W   32  Bavaria  Saloon Keeper  Bavaria Bavaria
 Fredericka Vates   Wife   M   Female   W   31  Prussia  Keeping House  Prussia Prussia

 Louisa Vates 

 Daughter

 S 

 Female 

 W 

 6 

 WI 

  

Bavaria

Prussia

Previous Household: Henry & Katherine Fravert; Next Household: Carl & Christina Richelieu

 

1920 Federal Census-District #17, Greenwood, Wisconsin, by E. L. Dyre

Family-Home

 Name 

Relation

Marital Status

Sex

Race

Age

Immigration

Nativity

Education

Occupation

Father's Nativity

Mother's Nativity

Ownership

135-148

Vates , Christian

 Head

 M 

 Male 

 W 

1868-72yrs

1868-1872

Bavaria-Ger. Naturalized1872

Eng-Read, Write

Farmer

Bavaria-German

Bavaria-German

Owner, mortgage free, Sm. Farm

 

~ Fredericka D.

 Wife 

 M 

 Female 

 W 

 1870-70 yrs.

1870-1872

Prussia-German

Eng-Read, Write

 Keeping House 

Prussia-German

Prussia-German

 

 

~ Louisa M.

 Dau 

 S 

 Female 

 W 

 46yrs

 

Illinois

Eng-Read, Write

  

Bavaria-German

Prussia-German

 

Previous Household: George & Hattie Shanks; Next Household: Paul & Helen Rossman.

 

 

News Clips & Photos

 

 

The Pioneer Circle celebrated their thirtieth anniversary at the home of Mrs. Celia Jackson, of Greenwood, Wednesday afternoon.  An out of town guest was Mrs. Charles Pickruhn, a charter member at whose home the first meeting was held in March 1923.  Mrs. Pickruhn now resides in Loyal.  Other guests were her daughter, Mrs. Peder Lydiksen of Loyal and Mrs. Alvin Thorson of Owen.

 

Members present were Mrs. Albert Shanks, the only other charter member; also Mrs. Christ Keiner, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Jack Syth, Mrs. Mathilda Fahey, Mrs. Dave Thwing, Mrs. John Brandt and Mrs. Alvina Wehrman.  Mrs. Victor Krokson was not able to attend. Others present were Mrs. Don Warner and Miss Louise Keiner. 

 

A program was given with highlights of history by Mrs. Shanks, followed by reminiscences.  A Chicken dinner was served at 4:30 o’clock.

 

Charter members when the club was organized were Mrs. George Bishop, Mrs. C. H. Clute, Mrs. John Huntzicker, Mrs. Edgar Opdycke, Mrs. Charles Pickruhn, Mrs. E. N. Paul, Mrs. Henry Stabnow, Mrs. Albert Shanks, Mrs. A. Speich, Mrs. Mary Warner, Miss Louisa Vates and Mrs. Arthur White.  Clark Co. Press, Apr. 1883.

 

**********

 

Christian Vates’ team of horses, while turning the corner on Stove Pipe Alley, in Greenwood Sunday afternoon, upset the cutter sleigh, thus putting Vates on his head in the snow bank.  The team kept running and totally demolished Steve Andrews’ cutter. Clark Co. Press, Jan. 1884.

 

Vates' "Icicle Saloon"

Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin.

 

The fire causing the most inconvenience and greatest loss was the fire of May 4, 1885, when eleven buildings were burned in the heart of the town, including the home of Lew Larson, where the fire started from an overheated chimney. Ole Johnson, Sam Greene, Sam Greene's Gun-shop, Frank Pfeiffer's Butcher Shop, Elias Peterson's Shoe Shop, Chris Vates' "Icicle Saloon", which had been purchased from Bob Robinson and moved to about where the little shoe shop of Mikottis’ stands, the barns of Thompson and Root, Elias Peterson, S. M. Andrews, and Christ Vates which he had just filled with hay at $25.00 per ton, and other small buildings were destroyed. There was no fire protection, not even ladders. More buildings might have been burned, but the Black River Improvement Company's crew happened to get to town about the time the fire started and helped fight it with wet blankets, buckets, etc. The, next night, May 5, 1885 it started to snow a heavy wet snow, which by morning was six inches deep, and Kate Miller, who taught school two, miles northeast of Greenwood, waded out to her school. The baby clothes of Ella Larson Crum, who was born two weeks later, were all burned in this fire, as were the clothes and household goods of many others. The Hub of Clark County (1934).

 

May 1885

 

At about 10 a.m. last Monday, a fire was discovered on the roof of Lars W. Larson’s residence, in Greenwood.  It was learned afterwards, the fire resulted from a defective chimney.  The blaze spread very rapidly to all parts of the house. There was a very strong wind blowing at the time, soon spreading the fire to other houses in the vicinity.  In less than half an hour, three residences were completely destroyed and several other buildings were burning furiously.  By half-past two, the flames were brought under control, but not before ten buildings had been destroyed with nearly all their contents.

 

Following are a list of the residences and stores destroyed:

 

L. W. Larson’s residence; L. Johnson’s residence; Frank Brown’s residence; Pfeifer’s Meat Market & Grocery; Elias Peterson’s Shoe Shop and Grocery; Christ Vates’ Saloon, hall & barn; S. M. Andrews’ barn, & Thompson-Root’s barn.  Clark Co. Press, May 1885.

 

The Home of Chris & Rica Vates

Hendren Ave., Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin

 

 

Contributor

 

Greenwood Public Library & Janet Schwarze.


 

 

 


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