Visit our Christmas Card collection

 

Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

December 24, 1997, Page 14

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Good Old Days

 

“Clark County News, December 20, 1867”

 

By Dee Zimmerman

 

 

As a consequence of the large amount of job work that has accumulated in our office, there won’t be a newspaper next week.  We have worried about the printing jobs setting here and with a desire to participate in the festivities of the holiday season; we ask the understanding of our readers for one week that we may take part in a little recreation.  We plan to return to our duties again with more vim and vigor after the holidays.

 

Religious exercises here have never been attended with good vocal or instrumental music.  However we are pleased to notice that steps are now being taken to purchase a melodeon for the church.  (A melodeon was a small hand keyboard organ, similar to an accordion. D.Z.)  A committee has been appointed to raise funds for this purpose.  We understand they contemplate purchasing a small instrument.  With a little more exertion, more funds could be raised to purchase a larger and better melodeon.  Next, we hope a choir can be organized.  Worship services will be held at the Court House next Sunday at half past ten a.m., conducted by Rev. W. T. Brighton.

 

Baltimore oysters, a must for Holiday dining: - J. A. Harvey, of Sparta, keeps the Baltimore oysters on hand, enough to supply all of Northern Wisconsin.  He receives shipments daily, enabling customers to purchase fresh oysters on short notice.

 

December 1877

 

Episcopal services will be held in the school chapel next Sabbath, morning and evening, at the usual hours.

 

Youngsters, beware of the soft ice on O’Neill Creek pond.  The unseasonably warm weather of the past two weeks has softened the ice.  Our young folk had been enjoying skating.

 

Mrs. Tibbett has a choice selection of fancy candies at her restaurant.  The little folks like candy as a holiday treat.

 

Several Neillsville area citizens had planned to attend the festival given at Greenwood, last Wednesday evening.  A purpose of the festivals was to establish funds with which they could purchase a bell for the new Methodist church in the village.  The roads were in impassable condition due to the warm weather thaw.  During the greater part of last week, there has been more mud to the square mile in Clark County, than any other time of the year.

 

J. H. Crowns & Co. is featuring a Holiday Special: Photographs $3.50 per dozen, now through the first of the New Year.  Five photographs from an old negative $1.00.  Tin-types; 40¢ each, two for 65¢

 

Jaseph & Pond have more than 1,000 books, best ever published.  They will sell them cheaper than cheapest, as ideal Christmas presents.

 

Those wishing to place presents on the Christmas tree, at Firemen’s Hall, are asked to leave them Monday afternoon, starting at four o’clock.  Members of the committee will be there at that time.  The evening’s entertainment will begin at seven. The program will consist of singing and responsive readings.

 

December 1882

 

Rev. J. E. Webster is again able to resume his work and will hold services at York Center next Sunday morning.  He will conduct services at Dwyer’s in the afternoon and Neillsville in the evening.

 

Officers of the Methodist Church Sabbath School regret to announce it will be impossible to hold a Christmas tree program on Saturday evening, - as planned.  There are many youngsters, members of the school, sick at the present time. 

 

The fall term of the Neillsville School closes tomorrow.  Teachers and pupils will be allowed a playtime for two weeks before opening of the winter term.

 

H. W. Klopf, at Myers & Sniteman’s drug stores, has just received an enormous stock of gold and silver watches and silverware, intended for holiday trade.

 

The ladies say it is hard to find a Christmas present for a man.  Go to Dudley’s and buy him a pair of those chime sleigh bells.  They can be yours for a price of $1.00 to $15.00.

 

Think of those little ones at home – Myers & Sniteman have just the toys they want.  You can buy a doll all the way from five cents to ten dollars.

 

Also, they have reasonably-priced china toys, tin toys, iron toys, brass toys and wooden toys.

 

Christmas passed over Neillsville without disturbance of any kind, but generally enjoyed.  The summer-like conditions made outdoor exercise more agreeable.  Splendid sledding was taken advantage of and about every sleigh rig in town was out most of the day.

 

One of the lumberjacks came in from one of the camps to spend Christmas.  He had too jovial of a time and spent the latter part of the day in the “cooler.”  He was brought before Justice Kountz, Tuesday morning.  Having no apology to offer, the measure of damages to the peace and dignity of the state was placed at three dollars and costs.  Not having funds to liquidate the claim he was sent to jail for five days.

 

A party of young people met at the residence of S. F. Chubb last Sunday evening.

 

After a few hours practice, a band of carol singers, greeted their friends with a Merry Christmas in song.  They will continue caroling until the New Year is ushered in. 

 

A sad event happened in Unity, just before Christmas.  The drug and variety store of S. A. Cook, at Unity was destroyed by fire last Monday.  The fire originated from the explosion of a kerosene lamp.  This is the second loss of a business Cook has met with in Unity within the past two years.

 

December 1937

 

One of the biggest and most popular Christmas parties ever held in Neillsville was on Saturday.  Santa Claus gave 2,500 sacks of candy and peanuts to the kids of the community, received with great enthusiasm.

 

The programs opened promptly at 7:30 p.m. with three vocal selections by children of the public schools, directed by Grace Elkert.  Everyone in attendance joined in a community sing-a-long later in the program.

 

Santa Claus arrived on a sleigh drawn by horses and a large decorated Christmas tree was on the sleigh.  The back part of the sleigh was loaded down with the candy sacks to be distributed to the children present.

 

Santa was assisted in his work by Bob Schiller, Glen White, Lester Zaeske, and Ed Sullivan, all members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, who sponsored it with funds left over from the donations to community days.

 

One of the most beautiful decorations for the Christmas season is the artistic star, in three colors, near the top of the American Stores Dairy Co. building.  It is visible for several blocks on South Hewett Street.

 

The Christmas Story was presented at the Congregational Church Sunday afternoon in a pageant given by the Sunday school, assisted by Dr. Sarah Rosekrans as soloist and members of the choir.  Walter and James Scott played a number of beautiful duets on their cornets.  Mrs. Allan Covell accompanied the musical numbers on the piano. 

 

Pat North painted the Bethlehem stable scene.  James Musil arranged the lighting effect.

 

Jean Potter played the role of the angel; Janice Musil was Mary, with Gale Hetzel acting the part of Joseph.  James Unger, Buford Wilding and Tom Flynn represented the three wise men; Bobbie Peters, Walter Scott and Don Stilwell were shepherds and younger members of the Sunday school were costumed to represent the children of the world. 

 

December 1947

 

Dale Eunson, a Neillsville native, wrote a most appropriate Christmas story, “The Day They Gave Babies Away.”  Many newspapers and magazines sought permission to reproduce the copy-righted story, but were met with refusal.  However Eunson, a Neillsville boy, favored his old hometown and its newspaper.  He saw to it that the publishing rights were granted to the “Clark County Press.” 

 

(Next week’s edition of the Press “Good Old Days” will include excerpts from the Eunson Christmas Story, very meaningful for the season.” D. Z.) Bishop

 

George Bishop, Undertaker in Greenwood, circa 1900

 

THE SILVER AND REED BAND--26 APR 1895.


1.Ray Stevens, 2.Leonard "Lennie" Shanks, 3.Henry Wollenberg, 4.Ed Wollenberg, 5.John Judge (bandmaster), 6.Ed Hirsch, 7.Anson Dewey, 8.Roland "Patsy" Johnston, 9.Hugh Meek, 10.William "Bill" Smith (drums), 11.Lynn H. Miller, 12.Smith H. Miller, 13.Hixon Mead, 14.Valentine Volk, 15.Fred Justice, 16.Lee Palmer, 17.Bennie Johnson, 18.Arch Stewart, 19.Fred Oelig, 20.Claude Carter, 21.Dave Stewart, 22.Jack Syth, 23.Herb White, 24.Charlie Tripp.
*This photo was taken at the Ed Burch home and Edna Burch can be seen peeking over the porch railing behind #8.
Courtesy of Patricia A. Kay, from the collection of her grandfather, Smith Honeywell Miller.

 

HOLIDAY

Memories

As we think back on Christmases of long ago, it makes us appreciate our many blessings.

 

Happy holidays!

 

Be sure to Visit our Clark Co., Wisconsin

Good Old Days Christmas Card Collection!

 

 


© 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