History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 174

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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R. No. 2, Henry Feller; Twin Town, B, Turtle Lake, R. No. 2, Twin Town Co-op. Ch. Co .; White Clover, B, Turtle . Lake, R. No. 2, White Clover Ch. F. Ass'n; making a total of 44 cheese factories.

The following is a list of the creameries in Barron County on April 1, 1920, the name of the creamery being given first; the mail address, second; and the operator, third: Arland, Arland, C. J. Benson, Clayton, R. No. 2; Barron, Bar- ron, Barron Co-op. Cry. Co .; Barronett, Barronett, Barronett Co-op. Cry. Ass'n; Brill, Britl, Brill Cry. Co .; Cameron, Cameron, Eau Claire Cry. Co., Eau Claire; Chetek, Chetek, Chetek Co-op. Cry. Co .; Chetek, Chetek, Eau Claire Cry. Co .; Spring Hill, Chetek, R. F. D., Spring Hill Cry .; Crescent, Clayton, Peter Thill; Comstock, Comstock, Comstock Co-op. Co .; Cumberland, Cumber- land, Curt & Swinghamer; Silver Lake, Cumberland, Silver Lake Ch. Co .; Dal- las, Dallas, Dallas Cry. Co .; Prairie Farm, Prairie Farm, Prairie Farm Cry. Co .; Reeve, Reeve, The Farmers' Cry. Co., Clear Lake; Campia, Rice Lake, R. No. 1. Campia Btr. & Ch. Co .; Central, Rice Lake, R. No. 1, Central Ch. & Btr. Ass'n; Rice Lake, Rice Lake, Conrad Gerland; Turtle Lake, Turtle Lake, Tur- tle Lake Co-op. Cry. Ass'n; making a total of 19 creameries in. Barron County.

The annual report of the assessor of incomes for 1921, showed 14,182 horses, mules and asses; 63,180 neat cattle; 8,767 sheep, and 8,917 swine. A mark of modern progress is shown in the fact that 4,259 automobiles are owned here.

Among the forces operating to bring about the rapid agricultural develop- ment of Barron County during the quarter of a century just elapsed, probably none has been more important than the Barron creamery. Not only has this institution served directly an extensive tract of farming territory in the cen- ter of the county, but in a very large measure the dairy industry of the entire county is an outgrowth of its successful operation. In the beginning, pioneer work had to be done. It was necessary to demonstrate that butter could be made at a profit in this northern county of long, cold winters. This was ac- complished. Then came the move for more cows, and later the demand for better cows. A logical result of the effort to increase the output of the indi- vidual cow was the introduction of special dairy strains of cattle, Guernseys, Holsteins and Jerseys.

In due time the settlers in other parts of the county learned of the suc- cess of the Barron Creamery and started creameries or cheese factories in other localities, thus extending to all parts of the county its leading agricultural industry. The story of many of these establishments, some of which even ante- dated the Barron efforts is told elsewhere in this book, in connection with the various cities and villages.

A history of the Barron Creamery as it is at the present time would not be complete without some account of earlier efforts looking to the establish- ment of such a plant. While those efforts were not crowned with any consider- able financial success they doubtless had great influence in calling attention to the possibilities of such an enterprise. There were those who early in the nine- ties saw the possibilities for the dairy industry. Some of these were willing to back their belief with their money, and began agitating the proposition of start- ing a creamery at Barron. After canvassing the matter carefully, articles of organization were drawn up and circulated for signatures.

The first meeting of the signers of the articles of organization of the Bar- ron Creamery Company was held at the Normanna Savings Bank in the City of Barron on the second day of March, 1895. At this meeting the five incor- porators, C. S. Taylor, C. C. Coe, John Post, N. M. Rockman and F. W. Timms, elected C. S. Taylor as chairman of the company, and C. C. Coe, secretary. Books were opened for subscriptions to the capital stock. In a short time $2,350 worth of stock was subscribed. This amount was later increased to $2,650. Those who took this stock were: C. S. Taylor, John Post, F. W. Timms, J. W. Taylor, C. P. Taylor, N. M. Rockman, Bank of Barron, J. P. Kohl, Robert Holliday, E. N. Stebbins, W. B. Crawford, T. W. Borum, DeWitt Post, Leo

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Stroebel, W. O. Hood, Geo. Post, W. F. Horstmann, W. A. Kent, Noah Augst, Clarence C. Coe, F. B. Kinsley, W. F. Grover, J. J. Smith, W. H. Brandt, Wm. Kolb, L. O. Wold, John C. Aune, Christ Wagenbach.

Permanent organization was completed March 26, 1895, by the election of directors as follows: C. S. Taylor, C. C. Coe, John Post, N. M. Rockman and F. W. Timms. On the eleventh day of April following, these directors were named as the officers of the concern: C. S. Taylor, president; John Post, vice- president; N. M. Rockman, treasurer; W. B. Crawford, secretary.

A site, located at the corner of Monroe and Fifth Street, was leased from John Quaderer and a creamery erected thereon. The manufacture of butter was commenced on July 10, 1895. The plant was operated from this date until September 28. During these few weeks, 3,844 pounds of butter were made. This brought the company $682.92, of which the patrons received $498.10. The plant was operated from May 4 to October 14 in the summer of 1896, and 15,- 279 pounds of butter were made. This brought the company $2,292.07, of which amount the patrons were paid $1,496.45. The next summer, that of 1897, the factory run from May 3 to November 17, and made 15,279 pounds of but- ter. It also purchased butter from the Prairie Farm Creamery Company to the amount of $444.00. For butter bought and manufactured the sum of $2,954.90 was received, and the patrons were paid $1,762.05 for butter. During the sum- mer of 1898 the plant was operated from April 10 to October 10. The amount of butter made was 8,827 pounds, and $73.81 was paid to the Prairie Farm Creamery Company for butter. The total amount received for butter was $1,- 480.61 and the patrons were paid $1,041.25 for butter fat.

During these four seasons the stockholders' meetings were held in John Post's hardware store and the directors' meetings were held at the Normanna Savings Bank. A portion of the closing paragraph of the first annual report to stockholders is quoted below. The bit of prophecy contained in it seems especially significant in the light of the records made by the creamery as we know it today: "We feel like saying in conclusion that the future prospects of the creamery are good; that we expect a much increased patronage the coming year; and that the business will increase from year to year until it shall be- come of great importance to our city and the surrounding community."

The directors and officers and their respective terms of service are as follows: C. S. Taylor served as director from the time of organization until April 7, 1899. John Post was one of the directors chosen at the time of or- ganization and continued as such until April 13, 1899. N. M. Rockman served from the date of organization until : April 13, 1899, as one of the directors. C. C. Coe acted as a director from March 25, 1895, until January 18, 1897. F. W. Timms was one of the first directors and served until January 17, 1898. J. W. Taylor served as director from January 17, 1898, until April 7, 1899, and W. B. Crawford served as director from January 17, 1898, until April 13, 1899.

The officers elected at the time of organization, with one exception, served until April, 1899, when the concern passed to a different management: C. S. Taylor, president; John Post, vice-president; N. M. Rockman, treasurer; and W. B. Crawford, secretary. F. B. Kinsley served as secretary during the year 1897.

In the spring of 1899, N. M. Rockman, a stockholder, director and treasurer of the company, made an offer to the other stockholders, looking to the pur- chase of their stock. His offer was accepted and on April 13, 1899, the con- cern passed into the hands of Mr. Rockman, who assumed full control and man- agement. It remained in his hands through three seasons. During two of these it was operated, lying idle one season.

During the years that had elapsed since the organization of the company, many new farms had been opened up by men from older parts of the state. Some of these men came from vicinities where dairying was becoming a profit- able feature of rural enterprise. Several of these men believed that the time

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was ripe for co-operative effort for the promotion of the dairy interests of Bar- ron County. To put this belief into operation, new articles of incorporation were signed on December 21, 1901, by E. C. Joyce, William Cuthbert, F. A. Hulbert, Charles Post, W. L. Brown, J. E. Bowen, and F. J. Wichern, and books opened for subscriptions to the capital stock of the concern.

At a meeting of the stockholders held on January 18, 1902, permanent organization, under the name of Barron Co-operative Creamery Company, was effected by the election of the following officers and directors: J. E. Bowen, president; William Bartlett, vice-president; W. L. Brown, secretary; George Brown, treasurer. Directors, J. P. Crawley, E. E. Joyce, J. E. DeWolf, Paul Paulsen, and F. J. Wichern. On February 25, 1902, the new organization pur- chased the old creamery plant from N. M. Rockman, and, on March 17, did its first churning, making two sixty-pound tubs of butter, which was sold to Gam- ble-Robinson Company of Minneapolis. One month later, April 17, a shipment of 600 pounds of butter was made to Gleason & Lansing, of Buffalo, N. Y. This shipment was the entire output of the plant for a week. The total made for this first year, 1902, was 70,416 pounds, for which $14,953.55 was received. From that time to the present, 1922, the concern has made a steady and con- sistent growth. During the twenty years, 18,954,154 pounds of butter have been made. This yielded $6,976,639.61. Of this amount, $504,370.50 has been paid for plant and cost of operation, the remainder, $6,472,269.11, has gone to the patrons for butter fat.

Already, by the summer of 1906, the creamery quarters were becoming seriously crowded and in June of that year the officers and directors took pre- liminary steps, looking to an enlarged plant, that should be equipped with up- to-date machinery. The old building must either be considerably enlarged and remodeled or replaced by a new one. After careful consideration of the matter it was decided to recommend a new building. To that end a resolution, authoriz- ing the board of directors to borrow the necessary funds and proceed at once with the erection of a new building, was adopted at the annual meeting of the stockholders, February 9, 1907. In accordance with this resolution a modern brick structure, thought to be large enough for all time, was erected in the late summer of 1907. The building was accepted by the directors November 2, 1907. The officers and directors who had charge of the construction of the new building were: J. E. Bowen, J. H. Johnson, W. L. Brown, E. J. McKinny, J. F. Wichern, W. H. Sullivan, C. J. Tholander, A. W. Arndt, and L. S. Cheney. At this time the beginning was made in substituting modern creamery appliances for the old-fashioned equipment then in use. The first combined churn and worker having been authorized October 15, 1906. Extensive additions to the building were constructed in 1913, 1914 and 1917, and in February, 1922, an- other large addition was provided for by the stockholders.

The articles of incorporation were amended in 1906, increasing the capital stock from $3,000 to $5,000, and within a year the extra $2,000 was taken by two hundred purchasers at one share each. At first the creamery charged non- stockholding patrons one cent a pound for manufacturing and marketing their butter, but in a few years the regulations were changed and the butter for this class of patrons handled without extra charge, the increased output thus se- cured being deemed sufficient return to the company for the extra work.

In 1918 provision was made for the manufacture of buttermilk meal, and during the three years that have followed, the amounts given below have been received for this product: 1919, $6,956.59; 1920, $7,182.48; 1921, $6,977.20, with a considerable part of this last year's output still unsold.

Perhaps there is no better way and certainly no more concise way, of showing the continued growth and sound material condition of the creamery than the inclusion here of the figures compiled for the annual report of the stockholders :

In 1902, made 70,416 pounds butter, received $14,953.55, paid to patrons, $13,383.90.

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In 1903, made 166,081 pounds butter, received $34,193.79, paid to patrons, $30,938.26.

In 1904, made 320,149 pounds butter, received $62,807.52, paid to patrons, $54,511.10. In 1905, made 509,925 pounds butter, received $109,649.86, paid to patrons, In 1906, made 668,256 pounds butter, received $148,880.83, paid to patrons, In 1907, made 679,448 pounds butter, received $174,070.87, paid to patrons,

$97,656.41.

$134,435.64.

$157,517.89.

$140,505.60.

$158,182.01.

$163,491.92.

In 1908, made 642,697 pounds butter, received $157,240.09, paid to patrons, In 1909, made 637,610 pounds butter, received $173,256.77, paid to patrons, In 1910, made 634,238 pounds butter, received $177,485.35, paid to patrons, In 1911, made 665,348 pounds butter, received $167,943.41, paid to patrons,

$152,962.73.

In 1912, made 666,556 pounds butter, received $229,832.60, paid to patrons, $212, 238.30.

In 1913 made 993,069 pounds butter, received $282,943.02, paid to patrons, $260,244.06. In 1914, made 1,112,380 pounds butter, received $318,755.52, paid to patrons, $295,031.30.

In 1915, made 1,319,200 pounds butter, received $364,203.70, paid to patrons,

$334,601.32.

In 1916, made 1,398,820 pounds butter, received $445,180.13, paid to patrons, $417,447.11.

In 1917, made 1,351,786 pounds butter, received $552,477.19, paid to patrons, $524,472.78.

In 1918, made 1,501,154 pounds butter, received $718,238.20, paid to patrons, $673,708.58.

In 1919, made 1,623,562 pounds butter, received $930,834.27, paid to patrons, $885,750.28.

In 1920, made 1,805,694 pounds butter, received $1,044,617.14, paid to pa- trons, $977,550.56.

In 1921, made 2,187,765 pounds butter, received $869,075.80, paid to patrons, $787,639.26.

J. E. Bowen was the first president and manager, serving from 1902 to 1909. At that time the offices of manager and treasurer were combined and Mr. Bowen was elected to this dual office, serving one year. A. W. Arndt was elected president in February, 1909, having served as a director from 1904 up to this time. In February, 1910, E. J. McKinny was elected president and has served continuously up to this time. At the same time, A. W. Arndt was made manager-treasurer and is still serving in this capacity.

William Bartlett was the first vice-president and served from 1902 to 1906. J. H. Johnson was elected in 1906 and served until 1909. Mr. Johnson was elected on the board of directors in 1911 and served until 1918. William Bart- lett was vice-president from February, 1909, to February, 1910. In 1910, J. F. Wichern was elected vice-president and served until February, 1914. Mr. Wichern also served on the board of directors from 1902 to 1909. Again in 1914, William Bartlett was elected vice-president, and served until February, 1918. In 1918 he served on the board of directors. W. H. Sullivan was elected vice-president in 1918 and served two years. Mr. Sullivan served on the board of directors from 1906 to February, 1911. F. J. Krahenbuhl was elected vice- president in 1920 and is still holding this office. He also served as a director, 1903 to 1906.

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W. L. Brown was the first secretary and served from 1902 to 1913, when he was succeeded by J. A. Nelson, who has continued in this position up to this time. Mr. Nelson also served as a director in 1909.

George Brown was the first treasurer, elected in 1902, and served one year. He was succeeded by William Cuthbert, who served until 1906. L. S. Cheney served as treasurer for one year, and was a director from February, 1907, to 1908. E. J. McKinny was elected treasurer in 1907 and served until 1909, when the office of manager and treasurer was combined. Mr. McKinny served as a director in 1909.

Other directors have been: E. E. Joyce, 1902-03; J. E. DeWolfe, 1902; Paul Paulson, 1902-03; C. B. Larson, 1903; N. P. Olson, 1904-05; Wellington White- ford. 1904-05; C. J. Tholander, 1906 to March 15, 1909, when he resigned. Oscar Halvorson was appointed to fill the vacancy and served until Feb. 11, 1911; Louis Voll, 1906; William Bartlett, 1909; Albert Brendon, 1910; Simon Erickson, 1910; Nick Feidt, 1911-16; Charley Place, 1911-13; Martin Nagenback, 1911-17; G. J. Gleiter, 1911, still serving; William Halvorson, 1913-18; Charles C. Dickson, 1916, and still serving; H. Heinz was elected in 1917, but did not serve, and A. J. Dragseth was appointed in his place and is still serving; Mark Worman, 1918, still serving; C. O. Heldstab, 1919, still serving.

It will be seen from the foregoing narrative that during the last twenty years, the creamery has made a steady and, at times, a remarkable growth, as it has furnished the basis for much agricultural progress, just so has it prof- ited by advancement along other lines. In conclusion, it may be safely said that the growth and development of the institution furnishes an accurate index for the general agricultural development of Barron County.

In a short time after the reorganization of the Barron Creamery it became evident to everybody that dairying could be made a very profitable and perma- nent feature in the agricultural activity of Barron County. Those engaged in dairying began to look into the producing capacity of each cow, with a result that here and there a low producing individual was dropped. From this prac- tice a logical step was the introduction of dairy strains of cattle into the herds. It was an easy step from this to the thought of co-operative breeding of one or more of the standard kinds of dairy cattle on a sufficiently large scale to produce good dairy stock to export as well as for local use. This idea grew until it seemed the time had arrived for organized effort.

A mass meeting of all dairy men and others interested in the betterment of dairy conditions was held in Nelson's Hall, in the City of Barron, January 15, 1907, for the purpose of organizing an association of dairy men who would pledge themselves to raise one, and one only, of the standard dairy breeds. Holstein, Guernsey or Jersey. A large attendance was present; all parts of the county being represented. A vote was taken to try to decide which breed should be selected. This resulted in a considerable majority for the Holstein. The Guernseys also had a good showing of strong adherents, which included some of the leading dairymen of the county. The Jerseys also had several strong supporters.

The immediate result of the mass meeting was the temporary organization of the Barron County Holstein Breeders' Association, followed within a few weeks by the formation of similar organizations of breeders of Guernseys and Jerseys.

The temporary organization of the Barron County Holstein Breeders' Asso- ciation was effected January 15, 1907, by the election of W. F. Krippner tem- porary president, F. J. Krahenbuhl secretary, and D. Rollin Kline treasurer. Permanent organization was completed January 26, 1907, by making temporary organization permanent, adopting a constitution and by-laws and the election of S. Pribble vice-president at large. At the same time vice-presidents were provided for from each township in the county represented in the organiza- tion.

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This organization continued until January, 1921, when the plan was changed, providing for ten Holstein Clubs throughout the county, each with a president and secretary. The Club officers together constitute the county or- ganization and a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer are elected from this number. Up to this time the officers of the association have been:

President: W. F. Krippner, 1907-12; Louis Voll, 1913-14; Ellsworth Mc- Kinny, 1915-21.

Vice-President. S. Pribble, 1907; W. R. Hotchkiss, 1908; Fred Hoxie, 1909, and again in 1916; F. H. Burdick, 1910; F. J. Krahenbuhl, 1911, and again in 1920; Louis Voll, 1912; W. S. Carpenter, 1913-15; W. R. Cuthbert, 1917; Dr. Sherbon, 1918; August Roberg, 1919.

Secretary: F. J. Krahenbuhl, 1907-8; Charles Stair, 1909, to October, 1915, when he resigned and M. M. Matthys served until 1916; Fred W. Hoxie, 1917- 19; Karl T. Hazelberg, 1920.

Treasurer: D. Rollin Kline, 1907-9; . G. J. Gleiter, 1910-11; Frank Barf- knecht, 1912-20.

At the fourteenth annual meeting held February 25, 1921, the new organ- ization was perfected and the following officers elected: E. McKinny was elected president, Karl T. Hazelberg vice-president, William Meisegeier secre- tary and A. L. Morken treasurer. At this time the date for holding the annual meeting was changed from the winter months to June. At the June, 1921, meeting the same officers were re-elected, except that N. P. Becker was elected vice-president instead of Karl T. Hazelberg. We find from the record that the association consider this their fifteenth annual meeting.

The ten Clubs, composing the county organization, has 250 or 300 mem- bers. The Clubs are located at Almena, Barron, Brill, Cameron, Chetek, Cum- berland, Dallas, Rice Lake and Reeve.

Several men who had already made considerable progress in the develop- ment of Guernsey herds, feeling that they could not throw away practically all that they had accomplished, met Feb. 3, 1907, pursuant to a call signed by Wm. Bartlett, J. F. Wickern, P. B. Matthys, Archie Nelson, C. J. Cowles, Jacob Kohten, C. J. Orn, M. T. Spencer, W. L. Brown, H. G. Ellsworth, W. H. Sulli- van and Roy Cuthburt.

H. G. Ellsworth acted as temporary chairman and N. S. Gordon as tem- porary secretary. After an address by A. J. Philips, West Salem, Wis., a con- stitution was adopted and officers were elected.

The officers of the association down to the time of re-organization in 1921 were: H. G. Ellsworth was elected president at the time of organization and served until 1909. William Bartlett was president in 1909, again from 1915 to 1919, and again in 1921, up to the time of reorganization. He served as first vice-president during 1907 and 1908; and as secretary during 1910 to 1914. J. E. Bowen was the third president, serving through the years 1910 to 1913, inclusive. Mr. Bowen also served as treasurer from the time of organization to 1909. In 1914 William Halvorson was president, having served as first vice- president the preceding year. He again served as first vice-president during 1916 to 1918. F. D. Otis was president in 1920, serving the following year as secretary. Jacob Kohten was the first secretary. He served through the years 1907 to 1909. In 1915, A. E. Coe was secretary; and F. W. Meyer served in this capacity in 1916 to 1918. During 1919-1920, E. F. Jones was secretary. J. A. (Archie) Nelson was treasurer of the association from 1910 to 1918, inclusive. In 1919, Mr. Sexton was in this position, and during the next two years, 1920 to 1921, Walter Matthys held the place. Others who served as either first or second vice-president are C. J. Orn, ten years; W. H. Sullivan, five years; W. L. Brown, five years; E. A. Thompson, one year; and Albert Halvorson, two years.

In 1921 the Guernsey and Holstein Breeders' Associations reorganized un- der a new plan and new constitutions under the new plan. The breeders are grouped in township organizations, known as clubs, with presidents and sec- retaries. The officers of the various clubs constituting the central, or county,

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organization. The work of reorganization was so far completed for the Guern- . sey people that on Aug. 13, 1921, the central organization was perfected by the election of the following named officers: William Halvorson, President; Frank Huser, Vice-President; Frank D. Otis, Secretary ' and Albert Dusel, Treasurer. Seven clubs completed their organization and federated into the Associa- tion. Barron, William Bartlett, president; Frank D. Otis, secretary; Canton, Wm. Halvorson, president; Daul Shearer, secretary; Chetek, Julius Fostvedt, president; Thom Barker, secretary; Cumberland, B. F. Buccholz, president; W. A. Weilip, secretary; Comstock, F. E. Huser, president; Albert Dusel, sec- retary; Prairie Farm, Geo. Pederson, president; Otto Kahl, secretary; and Tur- tle Lake, J. J. Golden, president; J. R. Young, secretary.

A Jersey Breeders' Association was also organized. While this organiza- tion has never had as many members as either of the others, it has contained some of the leading dairymen of the county. The Jersey breeding industry cen- ters in Prairie Farm Township, where some of the leading breeders are, Frank N. Roemhild, John Rassbach, C. Henry Roemhild, Otto Kahl, John Sather, Hans Auseng, Schultheiss Brothers, Peter Miller, Leonard Lindemer and John Kurschner. W. H. Clark and W. F. Krippner are in the Rice Lake region. The present Jersey Breeders' Association was organized in 1921. Frank N. Roem- hild is the president, and Otto Kurschner the secretary and treasurer.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 174

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767