History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 177

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

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 177

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).

The present officers are: Supervisors, Ole E. Lien (chairman), Anton Grote and Carl Fall; treasurer, Tom Stafne; clerk, Clint Wilson; assessor, Hans Kettleson.

Stanley Township embraces Township 34, Range 11. The name came into existence May 11, 1882, when the board ordered that the old town of Rice Lake, created March 30, 1874, should henceforth be known as Stanley. Later another Rice Lake Township was created. The first town meeting after the name of Stanley was adopted was held in the Wold Schoolhouse in School District 1, on April 3, 1883. The officers elected were: Supervisors, S. E. Washburn (chair- man), Ole Jorstad and H. W. Snashall; clerk, R. A. Wheeler; assessor, Hans Lunde; treasurer, John P. Tester. The present officers are: Supervisors, Oscar Anderson (chairman), Herman Raawe and Henry Kisling; treasurer, Thomas Gulickson; clerk, F. C. Durkee; assessor, P. S. Scott.

Oak Grove Township occupies Township 36, Range 11. It was created Nov. 11, 1884, to take effect March 31, 1885. It embraced Township 36, Ranges 11 and 12. The first town meeting was held on April 7, 1885, the first officers elected being: Supervisors, H. J. Mitchell (chairman), Patrick Russell and Ole Brain; clerk, Patrick Haughian; assessor, John Kennedy; treasurer, Law- rence Russell; justices, A. S. Green, Patrick Haughian, Harry Hains and H. J.

Digitized by Google

1055

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

Mitchell; constables, Peter Tome, Michael McGinnis and Thomas Donnelly. The present officers are: Supervisors, George J. Sander (chairman), F. P. Roubal and A. M. Chrislaw; treasurer, Harry Olson; clerk, Charles J. Westby; assessor, M. A. Parks.

Almena Township embraces Township 34, Range 14. It was set off from Turtle Lake on Nov. 8, 1899. The first meeting was ordered held in Weber's Hall, in Almena village, on the first Tuesday in April, 1900. The first town officers were elected April 3, 1900, and were as follows: S. W. Sparlin (chair- man), A. Breisemeister and John Oakes, supervisors; Otto Heider, clerk; Math Dold, treasurer; Joe Blechinger, Louis Larson and S. W. Sparlin, justices; Math Dold and Math Hellev, constables; John A. Cornwall, assessor. The present officers are: Supervisors, Julius Soltau (chairman), W. F. Weise and Joseph Blechinger; treasurer, Adolph Simon; clerk, Charles Wanner; assessor, P. J. Reuter.

Bear Lake Township embraces Township 36, Range 12. It was created from Oak Grove Township, Nov. 12, 1901. The first meeting was ordered held at the schoolhouse in District 3, on the first Tuesday in April, 1902. The first offi- cers elected were: Supervisors, John Le Jeune (chairman), Joseph Dockal and Anton Sorensen; clerk, Peter Yost; treasurer, Anton Cimfl; justices, Peter Thome and Peter Yost; constable, John Thome; assessor, Joseph Hobel. The present officers are: Supervisors, Anton Cimfl (chairman), John G. Kolar and James Vanek; treasurer, Joseph Schleiss; clerk, W. C. Ellis; assessor, John Le Jeune.

Crystal Lake embraces Township 35, Range 14. In the spring of 1902 a vote was taken on the division of the town of Cumberland. It would seem that the people who were to remain in the old town were more anxious for the sepa- ration than the people who were to constitute the new town, for in Township 35, Range 13, the vote was 200 for the proposition and 75 against it, while in Township 35, Range 14, the vote was 53 for the proposition and 47 against it. The county duly created the new township on Nov. 12, 1902. The first meeting was ordered held on the first Tuesday in April, 1903, at the home of Petrio- corco, in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 13. The first officers elected were: Supervisors, John Rafferty (chairman), Swan Swan- son and N. J. Lilliedale; clerk, Paul Ries; treasurer, Joseph Zaccardi; assessor, J. A. Bergstien; justices, Paul Ries, Richard Diffore, Erminio Ricci, N. J. Lilliedale; constables, Sam Ranallo and Charles Lee. The present officers are: Supervisors, Claus W. Carlson (chairman), James B. Peer and Antonio Luciano; treasurer, Martin Vogt; clerk, A. N. Levings; assessor, S. B. Bird.

Doyle Township embraces Township 35, Range 10, west. The question of the division of the old town of Cedar Lake was submitted to the voters at the regular spring election of 1903. Seventy-six of the seventy-seven votes cast in Township 35, Range 10, were in favor of the division, and twenty-nine of the thirty-five votes cast in Township 36, Range 10, were in favor of the division. The new town of Doyle, named for John J. Doyle, a pioneer, was accordingly created by the county board on Nov. 12, 1903, the act to take effect on the first Tuesday in April, 1904, when the first town meeting was to be held in the school- house of District 2, Section 9. The first officers elected were: Supervisors, John J. Doyle (chairman), Bert Smith and Ole N. Bradseth; clerk, Otto Hanson; treasurer, Holstein Hanson; assessor, John J. Oleson; justice, Otto Hanson. The present officers are: Supervisors, James G. Hathaway, Chris Orsund and Nels Larson; treasurer, Iver Tillung; clerk, Seymour Bradseth; assessor, L. B. Reed.

Arland Township embraces Township 33, Range 13. It was set off from Clinton and Prairie Farm by the county board on Nov. 16, 1904. The act was to take effect on the first Tuesday in April, 1905, at which time a meeting was to be held at Hagen's Hall. The first officers were: Supervisors, Ole Johnson (chairman), L. Hubaseh and Fred Olsen; clerk, Henry Bergstrum; treasurer, Peter Quam; assessor, Peter A. Miller. The present officers are: Supervisors,

Digitized by Google

1056

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

F. W. Swant (chairman), Martin A. Miller and Nick Casper; treasurer, Henry Ness; clerk, J. M. Thompson; assessor, Olaf Howe.

Maple Plain Township embraces Township 36, Range 14. It was cut off from Lakeland by the county board on Nov. 15, 1906. The act was effective on the first Tuesday in April, 1907, the first town meeting being held in the school- house in District 4, Section 27. The first officers were: Supervisors, A. Stoll (chairman), G. B. Anderson and Claus Bloomquist; clerk, J. P. Ross; treasurer, Jacob West; assessor, O. M. Robinson; justices, Frank Mattson and J. P. Ross; constable, H. J. Fritze. The present officers are: Supervisors, Henry Peterson (chairman), Chris I. Larson and Oscar Esplin; treasurer, Herman Luke; clerk, K. F. Heinecke; assessor, William Guenther.

The county officers for 1921-22 are as follows: County and juvenile judge, A. F. Wright; registrar in probate, Fern Wright; county clerk, F. S. Woodard; deputy county clerk, Ellen J. Johnson; county treasurer, S. R. Pollock; sheriff, J. H. Johnson; register of deeds, C. D. Blassingham; deputy register of deeds, Clara E. Ellsworth Zwicher; district attorney, J. W. Soderberg; clerk of cir- cuit court, E. V. Babcock; deputy clerk of court, C. M. Babcock; county sur- veyor, J. A. H. Johnson, Chetek; coroner, J. H. Wallis, Rice Lake; county super- intendent of schools, Regina Kohten; county superintendents' clerk, Ellen N. Johnson; supervising teacher, Laura Hanson; highway commissioner, Edward Gleason; county agricultural agent, W. A. Duffy; county, nurse, Ruby McKen- zie; county agent clerk, Elizabeth Hinkle; divorce counsel and public adminis- trator, H. G. Ellsworth; income assessor, Alfred E. Emmerson, Chippewa Falls; sheriff, J. H. Johnson; under sheriff, D. G. Clemmons; deputies, A. W. Mc- George, F. C. Lang and Walter D. Williams; chairman of the county board, R. B. Hart, Cumberland; county highway commissioner, Edward Gleason; state road and bridge committee, F. W. Swant, Arland; C. D. Cochran, Turtle Lake; and W. F. Barber, Chetek; committee on common schools, W. A. Gierhart, Almena; E. C. Smart, Hillsdale; J. J. Burke, Cameron; soldiers' relief commit- tee, Lester West, Barron; R. C. Peck, Rice Lake; A. L. Miller, Cumberland.

The county board is made up as follows: Julius Saltau, Almena; F. W. Swant, Arland; Ellsworth McKinny, Barron; Anton Cimfl, Bear Lake; Frank Morkin, Cedar Lake; W. F. Barber, Chetek; J. J. Malone, Clinton; Claus W. Carlson, Crystal Lake; John Helstrom, Cumberland; I. H. Baland, Dallas; H. J. Meyers, Dovre; J. G. Hathaway, Doyle; C. A. Ness, Lakeland; A. W. Johnson, Maple Grove; Henry Peterson, Maple Plain; George J. Sander, Oak Grove; Frank Roemhild, Prairie Farm; John Heldstab, Rice Lake; Oscar Anderson, Stanfold; James Hanson, Stanley ; J. B. Stearns, Sumner; C. D. Cochran, Tur- tle Lake; Ole E. Lien, Vance Creek; A. Gulickson, Cameron Village; A. Pecore, Dallas Village; J. M. Rassbach, Prairie Farm Village; W. H. Ryan, Haugen Vil- lage; Ed. Pfeifer, Turtle Lake Village; Barron City, C. P. Stenerson, J. F. Wickern, H. H. Denison and John Bowen; Chetek City, E. E. Brown and George J. Holland; Cumberland City, Bennie Johnson, A. C. Hunnicutt, R. B. Hart and L. C. Tappon; Rice Lake, C. D. Nelson, John Schneider, Frank Henrich and C. A. Beggs.

Digitized by Google

1057

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

CHAPTER XVIII

RICE LAKE CITY

Rice Lake, a city of 5,000 people is ninety miles south of the Twin Ports, 100 miles northeast of the Twin Cities, and one night's ride from Chicago and Milwaukee. It is on the main line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway from Chi- cago to Duluth and Superior, and on the Ridgeland-Reserve branch of the Minne- apolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Rail- way, thus giving it access to the main Twin City-Sault Ste. Marie line only a few miles away.

The city is beautifully located on the western shores of Rice Lake, a sightly body of crystal clear water. The lake is really an enlargement of the Menominee River, which divides the city into three parts.

The main street is a notably fine thor- oughfare, two and a half miles in length, with a part of the distance paved and illumi- nated with the lights of a brilliant "White Way."

Originally settled and securing its growth because of the lumber industry, and still having within its limits the largest hard- wood lumber mill in the world, and the larg- est excelsior mill in the world, the develop- ment of the surrounding territory has pro- gressed until the city is now the center of the summer resort district, in one of the best agricultural districts of the North. Evidence of this is the largest pea canning factory in the world and the largest potato warehouse machinery factory in the world located here, and the largest certified seed potato growers' association in the world close to the city.

The city is the financial and trading cen- ter of a wide territory, and is rapidly becom- ing a manufacturing city of note, having shipping facilities to each sea coast and to all markets.

Pure water, invigorating air, wholesome farm products, surplus electric current, plenty of raw material, good schools, churches, bathing beaches, tourist camp site, and a wide awake, congenial populace, make this city an ideal place for homes, factories, prosperity and health.

The city is well laid out and contains about 100 business places in all lines, includ- ing three banks, special and general stores, first class hotels, an opera house, moving picture theaters, public library, city hall, Masonic hall, Odd Fellows' hall and others; and two well-equipped hospitals. There are several garages, restaurants and cafes; also a wholesale grocery, potato and produce shipping houses, potato grading machinery factory, excelsior factory, wood working establishments, planing mills, large flour

and feed mills, and one of the largest lum- ber industries in Wisconsin, comprising both sawmills, wholesale and retail yards. The city has a large canning factory, creamery and ice cream houses, wholesale hide and fur houses, cigar factories and minor indus- tries. Two weekly newspapers, the Rice Lake Chronotype and Rice Lake Times, are published.

The educational system comprises several ward schools, parochial school, and a $140,- 000 high school, the latter having special courses for domestic science, manual train- ing and a course in agriculture. The County Training School for Teachers and Day Oral School are also located in the city.

The city is lighted by electric lights, has a fine system of waterworks, sanitary sewer- age, well-equipped fire department, broad, well paved streets, and is clean, modern and attractive.

Rice Lake is destined to become one of the most popular summer resorts in north- ern Wisconsin. Already a splendid begin- ning has been made in the city park and broad driveway skirting the west shore of Rice Lake, while an extensively planned park and summer yesort has been laid out on the east shore of the same lake. Here broad boulevards and artificial lakes and grassy glades are intermingled and numer- ous cottages have been erected, while on the

shore of South Rice lake another park has been platted and many cottages built. The next few years will see hundreds of cottages erected on the shores of the lake from which the city takes its name. This lake and the many streams in the vicinity abound with game fish and others in greater quantities than some lakes that are more extensively advertised, while the hunting in the vicinity is one of the finest in the state.

The surrounding country is being rapidly developed for all classes of farming and dairying, and shipments of dairy and farm produce, lumber and manufactured products are made in quite large quantities to the leading markets.

A flourishing Commercial Club with C. F. Stout as secretary is doing some notable work in fostering a fraternal and civic spirit, in securing harmonious action by the busi- ness and professional men, and in inducing a number of enterprises to locate here, as well as in fathering a number of municipal and general improvements.

Captain Thomas Wilson, a member of Knapp, Stout & Co., and James Bracklin, a superintendent for that concern, who after- ward settled here and became one of the leading citizens of the county, first looked

Digitized by Google

1058

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

over the possibility of this region in 1858. At that time there was a large Indian village here, and the lake was the favorite resort of thousands of the Indians who came here to gather wild rice and to catch the wild fowl which the wild rice also attracted here.

The village had its real beginning in 1868, when Knapp, Stout & Co. established a log- ging camp south of the Red Cedar River and east of what is now Main Street. With headquarters at this camp, the loggers cut the pine from the present site of the city. That fall the camp was left in charge of Owen Gillespie, and another camp estab- lished on Section 15, on the west side of the lake, with John Lawler as superintendent. The advantages of the site at the outlet of Rice Lake were apparent to the Knapp- Stout people, and it was determined to erect a mill there. Accordingly they built the dam, on the present site. This transformed a series of rice pools and rush swamps, caused by the widening of the Red Cedar River, into the beautiful body of water that Rice Lake is today. In the next few years quite a settlement sprang up.

Knapp, Stout & Co. established their first mill here in 1871. It was started by M. W. Heller, who was the first permanent settler to bring his family here. He started for the Knapp, Stout people not only the first mill, but also the first store, hotel and smithshop. He was the first veteran of the Civil War to die here.

By 1872, the foot of Rice Lake was the scene of considerable activity, mostly con- nected with the Knapp-Stout operations. The sawmill on the present site of the Wis- consin-Minnesota Light & Power Co. power- house was in operation with about six em- ployes. For the accommodation of the settlers a set of stones had been put in, and grist was ground on Saturday afternoons. A frame hotel had been built, now a part of the Lakeside Hospital, and standing on the same site, south of the dam and east of the street. A log shanty was standing be- tween the river and the hotel. South of the end of the present bridge was a log stable. West of the hotel was a large frame sleep- ing shanty, popularly known as the "Kitchen," and still further west was the frame horse barn. Knapp, Stout & Co. store was a frame building on the present site of the hide and fur warehouse. To these were added in 1872, a small frame house, 12 by 16 feet, for Mr. Heller, the superintendent. All these structures were south of the river.

North of the river there was a black- smith shop on the west side of Main Street, a little south of the present Day Oral School. The blacksmith had his dwelling across the street, a little northeast of his shop.

The first resident physician was Dr. E. T. Whinnery, a graduate of the University of Michigan, who came in 1872. The next year, Dr. D. C. Strong located in Sumner.

The first attorney in Rice Lake, and in fact in the county, was E. M. Sexton, who came in 1872. Soon after him came H. J. Sill, J. H. Ives and F. M. Angel.

In 1874, Knapp, Stout & Co. erected on the site of the present Odd Fellows' build-

ing, a structure intended for a Courthouse. That year, G. H. Johnson erected a building 26 by 50 feet, and opened a store. The build- ing was later sold to John Deere, who con- ducted a boarding house. Charles Nunn in 1874 erected the Rice Lake Hotel on the northwest corner of Main and Messenger Streets. This house has been moved and is a part of the present residence of Dr. T. A. Charron. Daniel Dargan erected a combined saloon and residence. Residences were also erected by Newton C. Abbott on the corner south of the present Tourist Hotel, by C. W. Carpenter and George Anderson.

The Rice Lake Chronotype made its first appearance on Sept. 9, 1874, with C. W. Carpenter as editor. William L. Abbott assisted in organizing the paper but with- drew before the first issue. The editor frankly speaks of starting the paper "in a new and almost unbroken wilderness." Com- plaint is made that the mail service is wretched, it taking two weeks to get an answer to a letter from Eau Claire. Most of the advertisements were from outside towns, Menomonie, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. A few were from Rice Lake. Knapp. Stout & Co. advertised a saw, planing and feed mill. They also had a blacksmith and general wagon shop in charge of George Anderson. H. J. Sill and E. M. Sexton, the latter the district attorney, had lawyers' cards, and Ed. C. Coleman had a card as notary public and deputy county treasurer.

In 1875 a brewery was established by Charles Salle. It passed through various hands and flourished for several decades. Another was started later.

Rice Lake was platted Sept. 25, 1875, by Knapp, Stout & Co. The surveyor was J. W. Remington. South Rice Lake was platted May 22, 1884, on land owned by Andrew Tainter, Egbert B. Bundy, Robert Macauley, Edward B. Mainwaring and Joseph H. Gates. Louis W. Leete was the surveyor. It was replatted in the name of Robert Macauley July 30, 1885, Thomas Parker being the surveyor. The plat was partly vacated Nov. 6, 1885. Various addi- tions have been made to both plats.

Charles S. Taylor, writing from Rice Lake, July 2, 1876, says: "Between Rice Lake and Barron, twelve miles, over half the distance is heavily wooded with hard wood; part of the distance is covered with pine, or has been so covered.

"Rice Lake is nicely situated in the midst of a level tract of country. The soil in the village is rather light, but all around, ex- cept toward the south and southwest, the soil is excellent. The lake is on the east. The river, Red Cedar, flows out of it to the west for a short distance, then south. The village, except the company's part is on the north side of the river. The place was almost all built last summer. The company have quite a large saw mill, also a grist mill. They have quite a store, the only one in town. They have a large hotel; also a large boarding house for their own men. The company also has other buildings, large and commodious, which I have not mon-

Digitized by Google

1059

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

tioned. All their buildings are nicely paint- ed. The river and lake as dammed here, furnish a large reservoir for the company's logs."

Knapp, Stout & Co. continued their opera- tions here for many years. The sawmill and grist mill were operated together until the winter of 1879-80, when the company put in improvements in the mill, increasing its sawing capacity, added a planing depart- ment, and erected a water power grist mill further down the river. In 1888, the stones were taken from the grist mill, five sets of rollers installed, giving it a daily capacity of 100 barrels, and the name Rice Lake Roller Mills adopted. In 1890 the saw and planing mill was leased to the Rice Lake Lumber Co. But the logging operations of the Knapp, Stout & Co. continued, the headquarters for some 25 lumber camps be- ing maintained here, as well as a large gen- eral store, the blacksmith and general re- pair shops, and a log-sled manufacturing plant. Logs were towed through the lake by the steamer "Lady of the Lake" and floated down to the mills at Menomonie. The Rice Lake Roller Mills continued to operate until Oct. 20, 1911, when they were burned, and never rebuilt.

In 1885, Meikeljohn & Hatten established a factory here for the manufacture of barrel stock. The company was represented here by E. Hartel. In the days of its activity it gave employment to about forty men. It had a cutting capacity of 50,000 staves in 24 hours, or stock for about 1,000 barrels daily. Mr. Hartel continued in the stave business until 1907.

The Rutter Hub & Spoke Co. was estab- lished in Rice Lake in 1886, having been originated in Kaukauna, Wis., in 1869. Dur- ing the years of its activity here it had an annual output of some 45,000 sets of spokes, and 60,000 sets of hubs.

The Rice Lake Lumber Co. was incorpo- rated May 28, 1883, by O. H. Ingram, W. P. Tearse and William K. Coffin, the original capital being $500,000; later considerably increased. The company acquired large tracts of pine lands along the tributaries to the Menomonie, and also large stretches of land of mixed pine and hardwood between Long and Cedar Lakes, and along Big Chetek, Slim Lake and Lake Sissabagama. In 1890 this company leased the sawmill and planing mill of the Knapp, Stout & Co. They quickly built up the biggest industry in the city. They erected extensive saw- mills and planing works, with large lumber yards, with a capacity of 35,000,000 feet of lumber annually, in addition to great quan- tities of lath and shingles. In 1919 the plant was sold to the Park Falls Lumber Co. It is credited with having the largest hardwood plant in the Northwest.

The Rice Lake Manufacturing Co., the Ashland Manufacturing Co. and C. Mercier & Sons do general woodworking. The Ham- mond-Olsen Lumber Co. has an extensive plant. The Rice Lake Excelsior Co. has a large establishment. The MacKinnan Manu- facturing Co. manufactures spokes and hubs.

C. Mercier & Sons, consisting of Cyrille Mercier and his son, Charles, had its origin in 1883, when Cyrille Mercier came to Rice Lake, and started in the general carpenter and building line. In 1889 he erected a saw- mill. In 1916 he branched out along broader lines, erecting a shop in which the firm makes sash and doors, and does general cabinet work. The son Charles, was ad- mitted as a partner in 1917.

The Rice Lake Manufacturing Co. was organized in the spring of 1893, by O. T. Johnson, J. H. Tandberg, J. Shelrud and A. Hanson, and for several years manufactured bank and office fixtures, sash, doors, blinds and interior finishing.

The F. Mackinnon Manufacturing Co. was organized at Wisconsin Rapids, this state, in 1879, by F. Mackinnon, for the manufacture of wagon hubs and spokes from Wisconsin oak. In 1902 the company entered into the farm wagon business, and put on the market the Mackinnon Wagons, with several distinct features, such as metal covered hubs, the Mackinnon steel and wood axel, and hollow steel stake. In the meantime the company continued the manu- facture of hubs, spokes, axels, and the like. As the supply of oak was exhausted in Wis- consin, John Schnabel, who had been asso- ciated with Mr. Mackinnon from the begin- ning, experimented with various woods, and finally succeeded in establishing the yellow birch hub as a substitute for the oak. In time the company added a line of steel con- tractors' dump wagons. In 1915, the com- pany bought a birch hub factory located at Hannibal, Wis. In 1919 it purchased another hub factory located by the Shaw Company at Crandon, Wis. In 1920, influenced by the Park Falls Lumber Co., from which the com- pany had purchased birch logs for several years, and encouraged by the Rice Lake Chamber of Commerce it was decided to combine the Hannibal and Crandon fac- tories, and move them both to Rice Lake. The Park Falls Company assured the Mac- Kinnon Company of twenty years' supply of birch logs, gave co-operation and assistance in establishing the factory, and turned over a site and a building. The Mackinnon peo- ple remodelled the building, put in modern machinery of the most efficient kind, and started operations in the spring of 1920. The capacity of the Rice Lake plant is 50,000. sets (four to a set) of hubs each year, and 20,000 sets of spokes. Running at capacity the plant will employ about seventy men. John Schnabel, vice-president of the com- pany, had much to do with the establish- ment of the plant at Rice Lake. F. Mac- Kinnon, the president, is now practically re- tired. Both these men are among the best known pioneer woodworkers in Wisconsin. R. M. Mackinnon, a son of the president, is the secretary and general manager. The other vice-president is J. W. Jenkins.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 177

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

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