USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 50
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The United Brethren Church is under the pastorate of Rev. G. W. Bechtolt and the Church of God of Mrs. E. E. Bishop.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES
Reedsburg will never stagnate for lack of stimulating societies, social, secret and benevolent, patriotic, etc.
The first Masonie Lodge at Reedsburg, known as No. 79 and organized in 1856, was transferred to Ironton in 1864. The existing body, Reeds- burg Lodge No. 157, was chartered in 1866, with the following officers: Moses Young, W. M .; Giles Stevens, S. W., and Henry A. Tator, J. W. In the early years of the lodge Mr. Young, Henry A. Tator, Giles Stevens, J. W. Lusk, H. A. Chase and J. N. Parker were worthy masters and prominent in Masonic work.
Reedsburg Masonry is also represented by Chapter No. 56, St. John Commandery No. 21, and Queen Sheba Chapter (Order Eastern Star).
The Odd Fellows organized their first lodge (No. 135) in December,
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1865. Its charter members were W. O. Pietsch, Doctor Gaylord, John Hagenah, George O. Pietsch, E. F. Buelow and S. F. Smith. North- western Encampment was organized at the same time, but in 1869 both charters were surrendered and the camp was moved to Baraboo. In April, 1877, the subordinate lodge was re-instated, with authority to work in the German language. Of course, the latter privilege has long since been reconsidered and all the proceedings are conducted in English.
The H. A. Tator Post No. 13, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized in April, 1880, by L. O. Holmes of Baraboo. Its first officers were H. C. Hunt, commander; William G. Hawley, senior vice com- mander; E. F. Seaver, junior viee commander; H. B. Turney, sergeant ; W. A. Wyse, chaplain; James Miles, quartermaster; O. W. Schoenfeldt, adjutant. The present membership of the post is thirty.
Maplewood Camp No. 470, Modern Woodmen of America, was organ- ized in December, 1887, with the following officers: G. W. Morgan, V. C .; George Daniels, W. A .; C. W. Hunt, E. B .; I. Weaver, clerk. . Among those who have been the longest prominent in the affairs of the camp at Reedsburg are Amos Coddington, Daniel Mepham and Peter Burns-the last named holding the record. The organization has a membership of more than 200, with these officers: Frank Camp, V. C .; R. A. Black, W. A .; W. H. Hahn, E. B .; J. H. Claridge, clerk.
Other well known local organizations of a secret and benevolent character are: The Maccabees, Royal Neighbors, Knights of Pythias, Eagles and members of the Equitable Fraternal Union. The Germania Club is also strong.
THE WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS
The good, intelligent and patriotic women of Reedsburg have at least three stalwart organizations. In these times of war they are in the stirring current and doing their part.
The Reedsburg Women's Club came into existence in 1894 with a membership of twelve. Mrs. A. L. Harris was the moving spirit in its organization and became the first president. When the call came for all the elubs in Wisconsin to unite in a federation, the Women's Club of Reedsburg sent representatives to Milwaukee and became one of the charter clubs of the State Federation in 1898. It has steadily been the desire of its members that the Women's Club should be a useful factor in the life of the community, ready to enlist its forces in every worthy cause. The membership at present is fifteen. The officers are: Mrs. O. R. Ryan, president ; Mrs. C. A: Clark, vice president ; Mrs. J. P. Stone, secretary, and Mrs. Otto Krause, corresponding secretary.
The Fay Robinson Chapter, Danghters of the American Revolution, of Reedsburg, the only chapter of this organization in Sauk County, was organized in 1896 with the required number, twelve, with Mrs.
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R. P. Perry as regent. This chapter has aided many patriotic causes, the latest act to its account being the purchase of a Liberty Bond, the first organization in the city to so move. The membership at present numbers sixteen. Mrs. N. T. Gill is regent.
The Red Cross Auxiliary of Reedsburg began its activities in the spring of 1917, with a large membership which has steadily increased and now numbers over 500. Miss Mildred Perry became president and associated actively with her were Mrs. D. O. Stine, Mrs. W. A. Stolte, Mrs. Leo Darrenougue and others.
SAUK COUNTY YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
The headquarters of the Sauk County Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation were at Reedsburg for some time and later removed to Baraboo. The association is one of a hundred or more similar organizations in the United States, and began its fourth year in the spring of 1917. An all- around programme of Bible study, debates, lectures, athletics, camps and agricultural contests is carried out, through a score of groups of' young men and boys. The leaders in perfecting and carrying out the various programmes are men and the older high school boys, and the head of them all is the county secretary, the only employed officer of the country organization. Back of him is a committee of eighteen busi- ness men and farmers from various sections of the county, officered as follows: George Carpenter, chairman; Professor William E. Smith, of the Training School, vice chairman; George W. Davies, county superin- tendent of schools, recording secretary; N. T. Gill, treasurer. The county secretary, W. H. Babcock, has been holding similar positions for a period of fourteen years at Minneapolis, in Iowa, in New Zealand, and other sections of the world where he was sent by the general associa- tion as the best man for the place.
THE REEDSBURG NEWSPAPERS
The living newspapers of Reedsburg are the Free Press and the Times. Neither is the original representative of its kind. That dis- tinction falls to the Reedsburg Herald, a democratie organ of the Buchanan Democracy first issued October 21, 1856. The enterprise, ahead of the times-or behind them, according to polities-dissolved in February, 1858.
Some time in the winter of 1859-60 N. V. Chandler, who had been employed in the office of the Herald, and had used some of its material in local job printing, had much of the outfit sold from under him by E. G. Wheeler, who had acquired a controlling interest in the defunet concern. In self-defense, or better to prevent his family from suffering, Mr. Chandler, encouraged by William Shumway, prepared to start an-
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other newspaper. On a capital of nothing, borrowed money and second- hand press and type, after seurrying around the country for some time, he finally issued the first number of his Free Press on June 25, 1860. It was a stanch republican sheet and its first number was put out just in time to announce the nomination of Lincoln at the Chicago eonven- tion. Mr. Chandler continued to issue the Free Press until September 7, 1861, when he moved to New Lisbon and ran the Juneau County Argus for a year or so. After a sleep of nearly eleven years, the Reeds- burg Free Press was resurrected, the new series commeneing March 22, 1872, under the guiding hand and mind of Mr. Chandler. In July, 1878, it passed from its founder to John H. Powers, afterward one of the publishers of the Baraboo Republie, and John Blake, the latter be- coming sole proprietor in November, 1879. With his son, L. C. Blake, he continued the publication of the Free Press until March, 1893. At that time W. F. Hill purchased it from J. W. Blake & Son, and in 1899 Mr. Hill gave place to the present editor and proprietor, George J. Sea- mans.
The Reedsburg Times was established by George Conklin, at Prairie du Sae, in 1887. Within the following three years he tried North Free- dom and Baraboo, but in 1890 decided that the best field for him was at Reedsburg; and so it proved. In 1891 Mr. Conklin sold the Times to Charles S. Smith and C. A. Johnson. Mr. Smith purchased his partner's interest in the following year, selling the paper in 1895 to B. J. Hager, a former employee of the Free Press. Mr. Hager continued the pub- lication until May 1, 1898, when the plant was sold to W. G. Evans, and in September of the following year he disposed of the newspaper to T. C. Ninman, the editor and proprietor now conducting it.
FINANCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
The local banks comprise the Reedsburg Bank, the State Bank of Reedsburg and the Citizens Bank, mention being made of the institu- tions in the order of their founding.
It is said that the first banking business done in Reedsburg was of the "wild-cat" order; which was no banking at all. The pioneer legiti- mate enterprise to be established was the private bank established in the winter of 1867-68 by Mackey, Rudd & Company, including as part- ners Joseph Mackey, E. O. Rudd and J. W. Lusk. Messrs. Rudd and Lusk soon retired and Mr. Mackey conducted the bank alone until 1877, when he also withdrew and went to Minneapolis. Moses Young was the first cashier of what was known as the Reedsburg Bank, and J. W. Lusk its first president. George T. Morse acted as cashier from 1878, after Mr. Mackey's retirement, until 1887. Then D. B. Rudd and R. P. Perry became the principal stockholders and owners of the concern and, with William B. Smith as cashier. In 1895 it was incorporated under the
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laws of the state with a capital of $50,000. Although Mr. Rudd was president the active management of the bank devolved on Mr. Perry, who, at the death of the former, in March, 1896, succeeded to the presi- dency; W. F. Winchester, succeeding Mr. Smith as cashier in 1898. In 1912 Mr. Winchester became vice president of the bank and Otto Krause, who had been assistant cashier, went up a step higher. The bank building still occupied by the institution, with. various improve- ments, was erected in 1877. The following figures give a general idea. of the present financial condition of the Reedsburg Bank: Capital, $50,000; surplus and undivided profits, $25,000; average deposits, $625,000.
The Citizens Bank was founded in 1887. Charles Kirth, the first president, was succeeded by George T. Morse. The present vice presi- dent is August Siefert, and cashier, William Riggert. Capital stock of the bank, $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $20,000; average de- posits, $440,000.
The State Bank of Reedsburg was organized and open for business on the 10th day of March, 1898. The moving spirit in its organization was William B. Smith, who was cashier from the organization of the bank until April, 1904, when he died very suddenly of apoplexy. John P. Stone has been president and C. A. Rood, vice president of the bank since its organization. At the time of the death of Mr. Smith, N. T. Gill was chosen as cashier, and has served in that capacity ever since. At the time of organization, the capital stock was $30,000, with no sur- plus or undivided profits. The capital has since been increased to $60,000. The surplus is now $25,000 and the undivided profits about $5,000. For the last three years the average deposits have been a little more than three-quarters of a million. The Board of Directors at the present time is comprised of five men, namely : John P. Stone, C. A. Rood, Martin Hickey, A. S. Winckler, and Charles H. Stone.
Reedsburg has a number of industrial plants deserving of mention as builders of the community. The John Wilde plant for the condensing of milk is one of the largest in the state and, with the establishment of the Central Wisconsin Creamery Company, furnishes a constant mar- ket for millions of pounds of milk annually, even monthly. Among the large local industries are also to be noted a flour mill, a branch of the Appleton Woolen Mills, and a canning factory. Reedsburg is one of the leading shipping points for potatoes in a state which is a leader in that produce, and is no small center in the handling of hogs and cattle. It is, in fact, a large and fine market and distributing center for the natural products of an extensive area of country.
THE REEDSBURG FAIRS
There is no more conclusive proof of that statement than the success of the fairs which have been held at Reedsburg for a number of years VN. 1- 31
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past under the auspices of the Baraboo Valley Agricultural Society. It was incorporated in 1903 and ten years later, because of the expansion in the scope and excellence of its exhibits and the solid success of the undertaking, the capital stock of the society was increased from $2,000 to $14,000. Its officers in the fall of 1917 were as follows: E. S. Powell, president; Ernst Pape, vice president; N. T. Gill, treasurer; W. H. Hahn, secretary; Peter Henry, superintendent of grounds.
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CHAPTER XVII
LOWER AND UPPER SAUK
MAIN FEATURES OF THE TWO VILLAGES- SAUK CITY-BARABOO COMBI- NATION-SAUK CITY INCORPORATED-GETS INTO EASTERN CONNEC- TION-THE SAUK CITY RIFLE COMPANY-THE CITY-VILLAGE IN 1854 -FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED-POLICE COURT CREATED-POST- OFFICE MOVED FROM THE UPPER TO LOWER TOWN-THE "PIONIER PRESSE"-BANKS AND INDUSTRIES-FIRE DEPARTMENT FORMED- THE LOCAL SCHOOLS-HOME ECONOMICS CLUB-CHURCHES AND SO- CIETIES-PRAIRIE DU SAC, OR UPPER SAUK-FIRST BRIDGE ACROSS THE WISCONSIN-THE GRABBING OF THE POSTOFFICE-THE PRESENT UPPER VILLAGE-SCHOOLS OF UPPER SAUK-LIBRARY AND VILLAGE HALL (TRIPP MEMORIAL) -WATER AND ELECTRIC PLANTS-"SAUK COUNTY NEWS"-CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.
The history of the Lower and Upper Sauk villages-Sauk City and Prairie du Sac-includes the earliest events leading to the permanent settlement of the county ; as such, it has already been presented with pic- tures of their experiences drawn by the pioneer actors themselves. The coming of the Alban family, advance agents of the stable colony which located on the site of Sauk City, in 1838-39, and the location made by D. B. Crocker, at a somewhat later date on what is now the principal part of the Village of Prairie du Sac are matters of past record. The latter seemed to have gained the upper hand at the time the County of Sauk was organized.
MAIN FEATURES OF THE TWO VILLAGES
Prairie du Sac was settled mainly by American families from the East, while the Lower Village of Haraszthy, largely under the stimulus of the Count and Robert Bryant, was chiefly settled by Germans and other immigrants. They were orderly, industrious people, who were saving and worked hard. Some of them brewed beer in big kettles and very soon a saloon was opened at Haraszthy and well patronized. Whether the fact that the Upper Village was distinctively Yankee and the Lower German, and rather foreign, had anything to do with the first location of the county seat at Prairie du Sac is not positively known,
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although it has been suggested. At all events, Sauk City lost the fight, although it offered the county the Haraszthy-Bryant House, a building which might have been converted into a courthouse, and Prairie du Sac donated only some vacant lots, with the proviso that they should revert to the original owners in case the seat of county government should be moved elsewhere. It was claimed by the voters of the Baraboo Valley and others that the string mentioned was only discovered after the matter had been decided by the locating commissioners.
SAUK CITY-BARABOO COMBINATION
But Sauk City was uneasy under the decision and the settlers at Baraboo Rapids encouraged its dissatisfaction. The result was that in
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STREET SCENE IN SAUK CITY
1845 Count Haraszthy, heading a delegation from Sauk City, with several citizens of the Baraboo Valley, explored the "interior of the county" and reported to the state authorities that the region was all fertile and very fair to look upon. People could get a good living from the lands and they were bound to be soon settled. In 1846, therefore, Baraboo drew the county seat prize from Prairie du Sac, and Sauk City forged slightly ahead of the Upper Town.
SAUK CITY INCORPORATED
By legislative charter of March 30, 1854, the village corporation of Sauk City was created, and on the first Saturday of April its first elec- tion was held at the distriet schoolhouse. Annual elections for ensuing
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years were to be held in March. Wrapped in the provisions of the charter was a special matter, which really was the objeet at which the aet of incorporation was aimed. The people wished to obtain funds for the construction of a levee, or causeway, from the east shore of the Wisconsin River to and across the island opposite Sauk City, and a body had to be created through which they could work.
GETS INTO EASTERN CONNECTION
In the village charter the Board of Trustees of Sauk City were au- thorized to raise a sum of money not to exceed $2,500 on the eredit of the corporation, and secured by its bonds, to be expended on that publie work, and in providing such boats and tackle as might be necessary to connect the proposed causeway with the west shore of the river at Sauk City. Rates were also fixed for the transportation of live stock, humans and vehicles. The causeway was built, the ferry put in operation and Sauk City was not only legally created, but co-ordinated with the more settled country east of the Wisconsin.
THE SAUK CITY RIFLE COMPANY
In the same spring of the village incorporation, the citizens of the Lower Village, not a few of whom had received a military training in the "old country," formed a rifle company of sixty-four members, of which Robert Hantzsch was captain. There were also two lieutenants, four sergeants and corporals and a brass band of seven instruments, besides a drummer. During the winter following they received their guns and aecouterments from the state. The members of the Sauk City Rifle Company dressed in gray pants, green eoats and glazed caps, and formed one of the best known organizations of the place until the out- break of the Civil war, when it was absorbed into the Union army as Company D of the Ninth Wisconsin Infantry. It was a matter of fre- quent comment that the boys of the old Sauk City Rifles went to the front sixty-five strong-one more than the original number who joined the organization seven years previously.
THE CITY-VILLAGE IN 1854
At the time Sauk City was incorporated and raised its rifle company the local newspaper, "Pionier am Wisconsin," which had been estab- lished five or six months, said : "Sauk City is a flourishing town on the banks of the Wisconsin, ninety miles from Prairie du Chien and forty miles from Portage City. There are two sawmills here, one saw and planing mill and one saw and grist mill, besides a distillery, a briek yard, a printing office, ten stores, hotels and saloons. There is a Hu-
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manist Society, and one Catholic, one Lutheran and one Methodist Episcopal church, a singing society, a theatrical society and a military company. The population here and in this vicinity is principally Ger- man, and most of them are farmers. Wild land can be bought for from $2 to $5 per acre." The population of Sauk City was then about 650.
FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED
By 1857 the property interests at the Lower Village had become so considerable that the original charter was so amended that provision was made for the establishment of a fire department, and in the follow- ing year an additional legislative act was passed authorizing the village board to borrow $20,000 with which to build a bridge from the cause- way to Sauk City. The action of the state was subject to the approval of the village voters. It was several years before the bridge was built.
POLICE COURT CREATED
In March, 1868, the Legislature passed an amended charter by which a police or municipal court was created, and provision made for improv- ing the village streets, and two years later another act extended such work, as well as provided for the digging of drains and the taking of other sanitary measures.
POSTOFFICE MOVED FROM THE UPPER TO LOWER TOWN
In the meantime, also, Sauk City had acquired a really, truly post- office, the period when her people had to go to Prairie du Sac for their mail being a season of humiliation. In 1851 Simcon Dean, a resident of the Lower Village, was appointed postmaster, although the office was at Prairie du Sac. Accordingly, it was proposed by the residents of Sauk City to move the office to the new postmaster rather than to transfer the official to his office. Twenty or twenty-five stalwart men from the city went up to Prairie du Sac one day and returned with the postoffice outfit to Mr. Dean's store, where it was kept until his estab- lishment was burned in 1854. It was then moved into a stone ware- house and Postmaster Dean resigned.
THE "PIONIER PRESSE"
Since those days of small things and lively happenings Sauk City has become a growing and well built village of 1,200 people, with credit- able stores, banks, several noticeable industries, and all the social, edu- cational and religious advantages provided by truly American com- munities. It still has a large German element, so thoroughly American-
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ized as to make the people all the more dependable. This characteristic stability is illustrated in the record of the home paper, the "Pionier am Wisconsin," of which the Pionier Presse is the direct successor. It is therefore not only the oldest living newspaper, of continuous pub- lieation in Sauk County, but is said to be the oldest living paper in Wis- consin printed in the German language.
The "Pionier am Wisconsin" was first issued at Sauk City on the 23d of November, 1853, by L. Joachim & Company, publishers, and C. Duerr, editor. Although it leaned toward Democracy, it was strongly opposed to slavery. C. Knutz became proprietor of the paper in April, 1855. Four columns had been printed in English for about a year, but the experiment was abandoned when Mr. Kuntz assumed the proprietor- ship and a return made to all-German print. Messrs. Kohn & Baumann bought out Mr. Kuntz in January, 1856, and in October, 1858, L. Crusius and H. Kleinpell purchased the plant, and changed the neutral policy of the newspaper to straight Republicanism. In March, 1878, H. Muehlberg bought Mr. Kleinpell's interest and assumed the editorial management. Other changes occurred before another newspaper (the Presse) entered the local field.
In 1890 C. F. Ninman formed the Sauk County Publishing Com- pany, became its president and manager, and issued the Sauk City Presse. In 1897 a consolidation was effected with the old Pionier am Wisconsin under the title of the Pionier Presse. Mr. Ninman had re- ceived his son, Max H., into partnership, and at the death of the older in 1904, the latter became editor and principal proprietor.
BANKS AND INDUSTRIES
Sauk City has a good electric light and power plant, and the finances of the place are conserved by two banks-the State and the Farmers & Citizens. The Sauk City Bank was established as early as 1856, but existed for only a few years, and after its discontinuance the village de- pended upon various private enterprises of many degrees of stability, or banked elsewhere. Of the existing institutions, the State Bank was or- ganized by J. E. Buerki in 1906, with a capital stock of $10,000, sub- sequently increased to $20,000.
The industries of Sauk City comprise a large factory for the canning of peas and corn, an elevator, a ereamery, a brewery, granite works and (the newest manufactory) a plant for the making of farm tractors. As to its business establishments may be listed two lumber yards, two large department stores and other houses.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FORMED
In November, 1854, when Postmaster Dean's store with a few other buildings was destroyed, the village bestirred itself to organize a fire de-
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partment. The usual recommendations were made at a public meeting held that month, but not until January, 1855, was a company actually organized under John A. Hantzsch. It was divided into four depart- ments, of which the fourth was composed of the Rifle Company. In August, 1859, the records show that a hook and ladder were purchased, supplemented in April, 1862, by a hand engine from Milwaukee. An engine house was then built by the village, and the fire apparatus was afterward increased, so that the protection has become adequate to all needs.
THE LOCAL SCHOOLS
From the early times of Sauk City the local school has been faith- fully supported. There was a school at the Lower Village in 1841, al- though the records of District No. 5, in which it is included, date back to 1847 only. The only brick schoolhouse was completed in 1861 at a cost of over $2,000, and in the early '70s additional frame buildings were erected to meet the requirements of the expanding school popu- lation. About a decade later a still larger schoolhouse was built. Sinee that time the citizens have taken a lively interest in the education of the young people of their village. Literary societies have been organized and provided with places of meeting in the high school and the up-to- date methods of intellectual development eneouraged. One of the late movements in that direction is the establishment of the Charles Dein- inger Memorial Fund for the purchase of story books for the school children ; which is a recognition, along the lines of modern pedagogical thought and conelusion, that it is as necessary to exercise the imagina- tion of the child as it is to train the reason; that to provide the right kind of play is as vital as to keep the pupil to his task; in a word, that all-around elasticity of the mind will prevent it from being overtrained, or "muscle-bound."
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