Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

November 14, 2001, Page 21

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

Good Old Days

 

Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

 

November 1876

 

O.H. Hoffman, of the firm of Stewart & Hoffman, of Hixton, was in Neillsville last week.  He was here for the purpose of contracting to deliver flour and feed to lumbermen in this locality for their winter’s supply.

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Professor Hill’s class, consisting of the best musical talent in Neillsville and its vicinity, will give a concert on November 25th.  Accompanied by an orchestra of six organs, four violins, a cornet and two bass viols, they will present a grand chorus concert at the Neillsville School House Hall.

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News from the Ithaca Daily Journal informs us that H. C. Putnam, who has been an agent for the Cornell University land in Wisconsin, has resigned his position.  His resignation will take effect on the 1st day of December.  The action of Putnam was due to his ill health and private business interests.

 

Smith Robertson has been appointed to the position made vacant by the resignation of Putnam.  Robertson, formerly of

Ithaca, N.Y., has been a resident of Wisconsin for many years. During most of this time, he has been General Manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company.  His reputation for capability and integrity is good and the trustees have been most fortunate in securing his services.  Robertson will make Eau Claire his headquarters, where he is expected to move to during the present month.  A large tract of the Cornell University lands of Wisconsin are located in Clark County so many of our citizens will probably have occasion to make the acquaintance of the new agent.

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It has been decided that School District No. 1, of the Town of Grant, will employ a make teacher for the winter term.  A chance for that position is hereby offered, or to one who may be persuaded.  Applications should be made immediately.

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The Clark County Board, at its recent meeting, levied a tax of $10,000 for county purposes.  The proportion of that tax is likely to be collected during the next year, at best, and will be but a little more than the amount required to pay the salaries of county officers.

 

Clark County News

 

November 1946

 

Three big days of celebration are planned for Clark County’s returned soldiers, this coming weekend, beginning Saturday, November 9th.

 

The weekend will be a big period of celebration, with the hearty goodness of all of the home folks, who are delighted to have them back.

 

It will be three days of celebration, with socializing, entertainment, reunions and memories of the days and the persons who served in the war.

 

The churches of Neillsville have come forward with programs for the morning hours of Sunday.  They have announced services basically intended to honor returning service persons with messages that will appeal to them.  Detailed announcements will be found in the publicity of several of the local churches.

 

Coincident with the Homecoming here is the announcement of the observance of Sunday, Nov. 10th as Marine Corps Day.  This date marks the 171st Anniversary of the establishment of the U. S. Marine Corps, an organization which has an unique record of foreign and combat service.

 

Three parades will feature the Homecoming.  The first parade will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8th, at 1 p.m.  This will consist of the High School bands of Neillsville and Thorp and pep features designated by members and groups of the high school.  It will be a preliminary to the football game, which begins at 2 p.m.  Prizes will be given for the best floats and a special prize for the most humorous.

 

This parade will start at 1 p.m. at the high school; will proceed westward to Hewett Street on Fourth; will go north on Hewett to the Condensery; will turn at the Condensery and retrace the same route back to the high school.

 

The parade on Sunday will consist of two or more bands and is designed and prepared by the businessmen of Neillsville.  Thirty or more floats are expected to enter.  The Sunday parade begins at 2 p.m. at the high school; proceeds on Fourth to Clay Street, north on Clay to Seventh Street; east on Seventh to Hewett Street; south on Hewett to Fifth; east on Fifth to Court Street; south on Court to the high school.

 

Monday’s parade will start at 10 a.m.   It will be definitely a military parade, with two or three bands, the color guards of both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the World War veterans of both World War I and World War II.  There will be a task force of 140 men and 30 vehicles from Camp McCoy. Lieut. Col. Tufts is most desirous that this parade should be as complete as possible, with the posts of Clark County out in force.  There are returned veterans of Clark County who are back from World War II, in addition to the veterans of World War I.  With a good response from the veterans, the parade will be highly impressive as picturing Clark County’s contribution to the two World Wars.

 

The Monday parade is preliminary to the memorial exercises, which will be hold (held) at the Clark County courthouse.  This parade will be organized at the high school; will proceed on Fourth to Hewett Street; on Hewett (north) to Seventh Street; west on Seventh to Grand Avenue; south on Grand to Fifth Street; east on Fifth to the courthouse grounds.

 

Some of the experiences of the World War participants will be brought home to those who watch the Main Street store windows of Neillsville during the Homecoming.  Not less than 15 windows will be filled with trophies from the wars in which men from this area have participated.  These trophies have come from all over the wide world, places which local men and women have been sent in the country’s service.

 

The Civil War will be represented, for instance, by the old flag which belonged to the G.A.R. post of Neillsville and which usually hangs in the W.R.C. hall.  This G.A. R. flag was carried by a local unit in the Civil War. Also displayed will be the powder flask and an ink well owned by M. N. Wells, father of Burton Wells.  M. N. Wells carried the flask and ink well during the Civil War.  Another exhibit will be a framed clipping form a Vicksburg newspaper, together with a little piece of candy, upon which appears the legend, “Will you marry me?” The candy was wrapped in a piece of newspaper by a little girl and given to George Meek, the grandfather of W.B. Tufts, when the Federal troops entered Vicksburg.  The Civil War exhibit is in charge of Burton Wells, who states that many trophies will be shown.

 

From the Spanish-American War will be shown the saver which was presented to Col. John Wm. Hommel in Puerto Rico, upon the occasion of his appointment (as) a Commissioner for Civil Administration.  This is a Toledo blade and is supposed to have been captured from a Spanish artilleryman.  Col. Hommel was the grandfather of Mrs. Al Covell.  Included in the display, will be the flag carried by the local company in the Spanish-American War.  The Spanish-American exhibit is in the charge of Jule Neverman.

 

The exhibit of World War I is in charge of Harry Roehrborn.

 

From World War II will come a wealth of trophies from all over the world.  Glenn Zilk had secured a hand carved ebony elephant from India, a German helmet was gathered up after Rommel’s units had hurried through North Africa; as well as some etchings from Rome and the Vatican.

 

W. B. Tufts will hve an assortment of trophies and souvenirs from Australia and Japan.

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William Kavanaugh of Neillsville received a head injury in an airplane crash at the new Greenwood airport, one-half mile south of the city.  The pilot of the airplane, Palmer Vinger, escaped without injury.

 

The accident happened on Sunday afternoon, when the plane came in for a landing.  Vinger said the stick was pulled from his hand when the plane struck a soft, low spot in the field.  The plane then nosed over, throwing the occupants forward.

 

The plane was a new Luscombe, which Vinger had flown from Texas only a few days before.  Damage to it included a broken propeller, dented nose and a broken wing tip.

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The choir of the Holy Family Catholic Church at Willard will give a concert at 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, at West Side Hall, Willard.  Songs will be rendered in both the American and Slovenian languages.  The notable artist, Father Missia of St. Paul, will sing.  The choir is under the direction of Mrs. Angeline Ruzic, who is also the church organist.

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Wages received by Wisconsin farm workers this fall show an average that is the highest on record, according to the corp. reporting service of the Wisconsin and United States Departments of Agriculture.  Reports from the Wisconsin crop correspondents show that in October, wages paid to their workers averaged 16 per cent above a year earlier.  The wages now being paid are more than three times those paid in the fall of 1939 when World War II began.

 

 October wage rates, reported by Wisconsin farmers, averaged $92.75 per month, with board.  This amount is compared to $79.50 a year ago.  Wages paid by the day, with board, averaged $4.75 in October of this year, compared to $4.25 per day a year ago.  Wages paid to hired workers in October, 1939, averaged $30.25 per month, or $1.55 per day, with board.

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Claude R. Sturdevant died Sunday evening.  With him passed the last of a family which has played a large part for nearly a century in the making of Neillsville.  He was the son of John Rufus Sturdevant and the grandson of James W. Sturdevant.  The James Sturdevant family came to Neillsville in 1854, when John R. was eight years of age. They settled in Pine Valley, on a farm.  James Sturdevant had married Mary Ann French and was thus related to the “Doc” French family.  This was a vigorous and active clan, which did a big job in Neillsville in the days of the pioneers.

 

Claude Rufus Sturdevant was born in Neillsville on September 18, 1871, and was 75 at the time of his death.  He attended the public schools here and was graduated from Neillsville High School.  He then went to the Wisconsin University and completed a law course.  An only child, he returned to the old home town to enter into a law partnership with his father, who was an attorney and Clark County Judge.  This partnership continued until his father’s retirement.

 

Claude Sturdevant was active in public affairs.  He served at various times as city attorney, altogether about 20 years.  He was Clerk of the Neillsville Board of Education for 24 years.  Also, he was Chairman of the Clark County Board for eight years and a member of the board much longer than that.

 

In home surroundings, Sturdevant was a man of quiet habits, moving in his well-known circle and modestly attracting little attention.  His mind, however, went out into the larger world.  He and his father had interested themselves in distant investments, including oil and realty in Bakersfield, Calif., and Claude Sturdevant had mad occasional trips to the West and to the South.

 

Although Sturdevant came of a large and sturdy race of pioneers, he was small of stature and handicapped in vitality.  This was increasing evidence in recent years and led him to a life of quiet retirement.  He had the constant companionship and understanding service of his wife, Jessie Ruane Flynn, whom he married on June 19, 1901, and who survives him.

 

The Claude Sturdevant home was located at 312 W. Fifth Street.  Built by Sol F. Jaseph, at a cost of $1500, it was the first home to have electric lights and a lawn in the city of Neillsville.  The kitchen wing was added to the home in 1899.  Claude Sturdevant’s grandfathers were James Sturdevant and B. F. French, pioneers of the city, coming in the 1850s. (Drawing by B. Harder)

 

 

 

The wedding of Miss Berdella Ruth Seelow and Herman Arthur Carl took place on November 2 at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church.  The attendants were Miss Jeanette Carl, sister of the groom; Miss Virginia Dux, cousin of the groom; and Frederick and Russell Seelow, brothers of the bride.

 

The newlyweds have returned from a wedding trip to West Union and Fayette, Iowa and Milwaukee.  They are now at home to friends at the home of the groom’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gust Carl, route 2, Neillsville.  Guests from away who were here for the wedding and reception, included Mr. and Mrs. Irvin C. Carl and family and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Syth, Greenwood, and Miss Mary Reichling, Darlington.

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Lorris B. Dusso, age 26, a Marine Corps veteran of Greenwood, was appointed to the Clark County traffic police force by the newly formed Law Enforcement Committee of the County Board on Tuesday.

 

Dusso becomes the third member of the motor police squad.  He will make his headquarters in Greenwood.  He is married and the father of one child.

 

Since April 1, Dusso has been serving as a driver for the Badger State Transportation Company, on the bus line operating through Clark County.  He served in the Marine Corps from April 1, 1942, until October 1945.

 

In announcing the appointment, Arthur E. Stadler, chairman of the County Board, said that the Law Enforcement Committee will meet November 29 to consider the selection of a captain to head the traffic police, in accordance with the reorganization of the force voted by the County Board.  It will also consider rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of the force.

••••••••••

The Nelson Muffler Company of Stoughton has moved machinery to the tobacco warehouse in Black River Falls and will open a branch factory there soon.  The company has a branch in Neillsville.

••••••••••

Bollom’s Appliance has a Hit Parade of new records for sale: “To Each His Own,” by Freddie Martin; “Rumors are Flying,” by Betty Rhodes; “Five Minutes More,” with Texas Tex; “This is Always,” by Betty Rhodes; “Blue Skies,” by Perry Como and “Guitar Polka,” by Rosalie Allen.

 

 


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