History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 196

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

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 196

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The Canton Farmers Telephone Co., which has always been a co-operative con- cern, was incorporated Dec. 31, 1908, by Olaf Arneson, F. E. Lowell, L. E. Losey, William Locke and Fred Block. Olaf Arne- son was president and F. E. Moe secretary and treasurer. The company has about 125 phones and in addition to Canton Village, covers territory as far east as Lehigh, as far south as Chetek, also a mile and a half to the west, and to the north and north- west about half way to Rice Lake. Connec- tions are made with the Chippewa Val- ley Telephone Co.'s lines and with those of the Barron County Telephone Co., the farm- ers' lines running out of Chetek and, in- deed, practically all the farmers' lines throughout this region. The officers of the company in December, 1921, were: Frank Pitman, president, and A. O. White secre- tary and treasurer. The directors were Frank Pitman, Dell Cowin, Mat Huiras, John Halverson, A. O. White and Fred Locke.

The Farmers State Bank of Canton was organized in the fall of 1917 by C. J. John- son and others, with a capital stock of $10,000. The first officers were: C. J. John- son, president; J. M. Ward, vice president, and Erland Engh, cashier. The building now occupied was erected at starting and is an ideal village banking house-fireproof, with cement floors and full basement, and provided with a complete modern equip- ment. C. J. Johnson sold the majority of his stock to David Russell, but later bought it back. When Mr. Russell came in he be- came president and so continued for about a year, Mr. Engh continuing as cashier. Be- fore Mr. Russell got out George Malcolm be- came president and Mr. Russell was then vice president. With that exception Mr. Ward has been vice president from the be- ginning. The present officers (Dec. 1, 1921) are: George Malcolm, president; J. M. Ward, vice president; E. O. Johnson, cash- ier. The directors are George Malcolm, Bert Apker. Wesley Winchester, J. M. Ward, J. Packard, E. O. Johnson and A. O. White.

The first schoolhouse in Canton was a frame building which was put up about thirty years ago on the homestead of H. J. White, close to the southeast corner of the village. It was used for educational purposes for about ten years, and at that time another school building was erected, which is now used as a blacksmith shop, though when built it was located farther east, having been subsequently moved to its present site. When it finally became inadequate to accommodate the increasing number of pupils, the present building. a concrete structure of two stories, was erected. To this an addition will soon have to be made, as it is now overcrowded. This is a grade school which includes also the first two years of the high school course. Eighty-eight pupils were enrolled in Decem- ber, 1921.

It was thirty years ago or more that the religiously inclined people of Canton united their resources and built a church which came under the control of the Free Meth-

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odist society, though people of different denominations met there to worship. The most active worker in the organization and building was the Rev. Mr. Howe, who him- self performed much of the manual labor and subsequently made personal sacrifices to clear the building from debt. In course of time quite a number of the members moved away, mostly to Chetek, until the Canton congregation had dwindled down to a few members. Then, in 1909, with the permission and approval of the conference, the building was moved to Chetek, where a Free Methodist class had been organized three years before. This removal was op- posed by the Canton members, who believed that the ownership of the building was vested in the Canton trustees, and an ap- peal was made to the court. There the matter was decided in favor of the Chetek members and the removal was accordingly proceeded with. Finding themselves with- out a place of worship, the Canton people subsequently got together and erected a new edifice. joining the Methodist Episco- pal organization. This building is the only church in the village.

The water supply of Canton is obtained from wells. Electric light for general pur- poses has not yet been installed, but the J. M. Ward garage is provided with an elec- tric light generating system for its own use and has extended wires to the Meth- odist Church, these two buildings being at present the only ones in the village lighted in that manner.

The population of the village is 217.

HILLSDALE

The village of Hillsdale is located in the southeast part of the northwest quarter of Section 28 west, Maple Grove Township, (Town 33, Range 12). It is on a branch of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie railroad, which was completed in the year 1900. The heavily rolling character of the land surface in this region gives a picturesque aspect to the scenery, and the quality of the soil has been the chief fac- tor in the development of the rich and flourishing farms which surround the vil- lage on every side.

The original location of the community known as Hillsdale was about a mile south of that which it occupies today, and its origin and early growth were due to the lumber industry. About 1872 the Mooney family, the head of which was A. D. Mooney, came to this locality from Iowa, to which state they had emigrated from Indiana; and William Mooney, one of the most active and enterprising representatives of the family, built a sawmill around which grew up a small settlement known locally, and through government recognition in the shape of a postoffice, as Mooney's Mill.

The next phase in the evolution of Hills- dale began in 1882, when Lee & Dickinson, a lumber firm, came here from Indiana, bringing with them their sawmill machin- ery and a force of workmen. This firm not only set up and operated their own mill,

but also bought and operated that of Mr. Mooney, and for some years were engaged extensively in the lumber industry. They purchased all the railroad land in the vicin- ity, paying for it the government price of $1.25 an acre, and, after cutting the timber, sold it to their workmen and other settlers at $2.50 an acre. The Mooneys, after part- ing with their property, moved to Marsh Lake and Prairie Farm. At the time that Lee & Dickinson began their activities the name of Mooney's Mill was discarded and the settlement named Hillsdale, at the in- stance, it is said, of their head sawyer, William Smith. Most of the early settlers came from Indiana, some being old em- ployees of the lumber firm whom they ac- companied on its removal to this state and county, and others coming a little later; but practically all of them were connected in one way or another with the mills.

Among these pioneers were John F. Goin, L. W. Goin, A. Taber, D. F. Stephenson, Jo- seph Richards, C. F. Burkie, Kennedy Whit- man, J. M. Kilmer, Henry Wiseman, Enos Wiseman, Oliver Perry, Alec Miller, P. H. Van Curen, William Sellers and Ed Mack- lin. A store was conducted by A. M. White, a preacher, who for awhile was also postmaster. He was probably but one of those who held that position, as A. Rou- telle is also mentioned as storekeeper and postmaster there, while the last postmaster is said to have been Ned Smith.

Thus matters went on until about the year 1900, when Woodbury S. Grover, the pioneer, built a store on the site of the present village. The superior advantages of this location were so apparent that a gen- eral exodus at once took place from the old village to the new site, and the present village of Hillsdale began to take visible form. It was at first called New Hillsdale to distinguish it from the earlier settle- ment, which was referred to as Old Hills- dale, but in time, the old village having be- come but a memory, the word "New" was dropped by common consent, and the vil- lage is now known simply as Hillsdale. William Smith, previously mentioned as head sawyer for Lee & Dickinson, came here and built a mill in the tamarack swamp north of the village, which he con- ducted for about four years until he had finished the cut, when he removed with his family to Barron.

In the meanwhile Mr. Grover conducted his store for two years, at the end of which time he sold out to Jake Lemler, foreman for Lee & Dickinson, who built the brick block which now bears his name. The completion of the railroad in 1900 increased the prosperity of the village, and grad- ually new stores and business houses sprang up. George Smart, one of the founders of the village, started a general store here in 1902, conducted it until 1905, then sold out and purchased a hardware store, of which he was proprietor until 1918, when he retired. Ole Vingar operated a tin shop from 1910 to 1916. The business interests of Hillsdale now include two gen- eral stores, one hardware store, one con-

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fectionery and cigar store, a restaurant, a garage, a blacksmith shop, a barber shop, one bank, a lumber yard, a co-operative stockyard, a hotel, two potato warehouses and a grain and hay warehouse.

Elmer C. Smart was the first postmaster here, that office being now held by Fre- mon F. Edmonds, who has served since 1912. The former mail route from Barron to Menomonie ran through this village. The new village has never been incorporated, nor bas it ever been properly surveyed or laid out. It just grew up, like Topsy, and has kept on growing. The lack of anything like a regular survey has at times caused some confusion in the determination of boundaries and the transfer of real estate titles, but mutual good feeling on the part of buyer and seller has generally obviated these difficulties.

Nearly all the early settlers who came from the old village are now dead or have moved away, but J. M. Kilmer and P. H. Van Curen are still here and active. One of the oldest men in the village is Jenter- son Barnes, a native of Connecticut. and a veteran of the Civil War, now 85 years old but hale and hearty.

The Hillsdale Western Telephone Com- pany was organized in the spring of 1906 by Peter Hughes, John Lightner, M. W. Stephenson, Charles Stephenson, R. B. Coon, E. C. Smart and Charles Cook. It was incorporated under the above name Jan. 22, 1907. The first officers were: M. W. Stephenson, president and general man- ager; R. B. Coon, vice president; Peter Hughes, secretary, and E. C. Smart, treas- urer. The line first extended from Hillsdale west to Daugherty Creek. From time to time new lines were added covering territory from a mile and a half east of Hillsdale to four miles west of Turtle Lake. The com- pany owns and operates two centers, one at Hillsdale and the other at Arland. They have 142 miles of line wire, with 305 instru- ments, including a few in Barron. The town- ships included within the scope of their ter- ritory are Maple Grove, Barron, Dallas, Ar- land and Turtle Lake. The present officers are: F. H. Burdick, president and general manager; Henry Phelps, vice president; Peter Hughes, secretary; W. R. Hansen, as. sistant secretary, and A. J. Hover treas- urer.

The State Bank of Hillsdale was organ- ized in 1914 by C. H. Museus of Cameron, E. G. Brown of Hillsdale, Dr. C. C. Post of Barron, M. C. Howard of Cameron, A. E. Coe of Barron and J. Lemler of Rice Lake, all of whom were stockholders. The char- ter was dated Dec. 29, 1914, the capital stock was $10,000.00, and the bank opened its doors for business Jan. 1, 1915, with C. H. Museus as president, J. Lemler vice president, and E. G. Brown cashier. The board of directors was constituted of the above mentioned officers with the addition of D. B. Hulburt, M. C. Howard, A. Hos- cheit and S. Lemler. The present one story brick building was erected by the bank and has been occupied since it first began busi- ness. Chas. H. Museus has continued as

president, E. G. Brown is now vice presi- dent, and J. F. Samson cashier. Mr. Sam- son has held his present office for about a year, having succeeded P. C. Anderson, who succeeded E. G. Brown, the first cash- ier. Mr. Anderson held the position about a year and a half. The capital stock has remained the same, there is a present sur- plus of about $2,000.00, and the deposits (Nov. 1, 1921) are about $160,000.00. The institution has "made good", and gives five per cent interest on time deposits.

The Barron-Hillsdale Stock Shippers' As- sociation was organized as a co-operative concern in 1916, the first meeting being Aug. 21. A start was made with 37 mem- bers, which number has since been in- creased to 250. The first officers elected were: Sam Peterson, president; George Gleiter, vice president; and Glenn Kelly, secretary. D. C. Smart, who was chosen manager, in which capacity he served for a year and a half, also acted as treasurer. The board of directors was composed of Sam Peterson, George Gleiter, Glenn Kelly. J. H. Kilmer, W. R. Koepp, Fred Burdick and C. A. Granger. From the organization of the Association up to Jan. 1, 1920, the total number of cars shipped out of Hills- dale was 131. For the stock thus shipped the net proceeds paid the farmers was $239.499.74. Since the Association was started it has handled all stock shipments from Hillsdale, nothing having been shipped on the outside. The present officers are: James Curtis, president; George Gleiter, vice president; J. H. Kilmer, secretary; Charles Chamners, treasurer; the board of directors is composed of the above men- tioned officers, together with John Prine, William McKee and Ed Flemming. O. C. Hansen is manager.

About fifteen years ago A. O. Peterson conducted a creamery for two or three years in the village of Hillsdale, but the pros- pects for a cheese factory looking better, it was given up.

The Hillsdale Cheese Factory is a suc- cessful concern located in the village. The company was organized in May, 1914, on the co-operative plan, by Peter Hughes, P. H. Alexander, George Klein, Charles Hart- zel, W. R. Hansen and Fred Berg. P. H. Alexander was made president, George Klein vice president, W. R. Hensen secre- tary and Charles Hartzel treasurer. The board of directors was composed of the above mentioned officers with the addition of Fred Berg. Peter Hughes was manager and has since continued in that position. The factory began operations on July 16. 1914, in the old Hillsdale creamery build- ing, which had been rented temporarily for the purpose. On the first day the company manufactured just one cheese, and that not a very large one. With faith in a bright future the company erected in the summer of 1914 the well equipped factory which they are now using, and into which they moved on its completion. Subsequent de- velopments have proved favorable and the cheese factory is now one of Hillsdale's most important business enterprises. Its

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equipment is designed for the manufacture of all styles of American cheese, the prod- uct being confined chiefly, however to twin cheese and daisies. The high water mark of production was reached in 1919, when the total quantity of milk received was 3,531,103 pounds; the quantity of cheese made (in round numbers) 356,000 pounds; average price of butter fat paid by the fac- tory, 77 cents, and the total receipts of the factory, $112,243.56. The business for the year 1920 was as follows: Pounds of milk received, 2,309,503; pounds of cheese made, 230,690; price per pound of butter fat, 65 cents, or $2.37 a hundred for milk; whole receipt for the year, $61,685.59. The quantity of milk received was more than double that received in 1916, which was 1,072,106 pounds. The present official board is composed as follows: C. R. Chambers, president; Charles Snyder, vice president; W. R. Hansen, secretary; Charles Hartzel, treasurer. These officials, with Mr. Berg constitute the board of directors. Curtis R. Barker is cheese maker.

The Four Town Cheese Factory, located in the southwest corner of Maple Grove Township, is a co-operative concern and was started in the winter of 1919-1920. Those associated in the enterprise were Ed A. Klein, Solon Buxton, Chris Hansen, Mag- nes Hansen, Irwin Jones, M. W. Stephen- son and others. The first manager was Ed A. Klein. Twin and daisy cheese were first manufactured, but now some brick cheese is also made in winter and Swiss cheese in the spring and fall. The association erected their present building. Some difficulties have been met with and the factory has several times suspended operations, but at the present time (November, 1921) it is being operated on shares by Jacob Roth- enbuehler, an expert cheese maker.

The village of Hillsdale has a state grad- ed school with two teachers. The building, which is a neat one-story brick structure with concrete basement, was erected in 1913 at a cost of $5,500, the total expense, including the ground approximating $8,000. The money representing the cost of the building was borrowed from the state. The average attendance for the school year of 1920 was 68 pupils. This district is known as No. 3. The first schoolhouse erected in the village now forms a part of C. D. Rass- bach's store building. After it had outlived its usefulness a frame building was con- structed on the main road running north and south, and was in use until the present schoolhouse was built. It is now occasion- ally used as a hall for public meetings.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Hills- dale was organized about 1906, the first members-those who took part in the or- ganization-being Mr. and Mrs. George Han- sen, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hansen, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Lemler, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Machlen, Mrs. Emma Carr, Mrs. E. G. Brown, and per- haps one or two others. Other early mem- bers, who joined after the organization, were Mrs. Dawson and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Klein, Mrs. Rose Miner, Mrs. Lena

Sprague and C. D. Rassbach and wife. For a year or two services were held in & hall in the village, George Hansen acting as the first pastor. As soon as the financial con- dition of the society permitted, plans were considered for the erection of a church edi- fice, and the present neat frame structure, with stone basement, and a seating capac- ity of about three hundred, was built at a cost of about $2,000. It was dedicated Jan. 10, 1908, while Mr. Hansen, who served several years, was pastor. Other pastors who have served the church since his time, are, as now remembered: Rev. J. H. Chat- terson, three years; Rev. Mr. Hunter, two years; Rev. Mr. Holliday, one year; Rev. Mr. Josephson, two years; Rev. Mr. O'Neal, one year; Rev. Mr. Colas and Rev. Ray Harkness, who each served less than a year, Mr. Harkness being pastor six months, and Rev. L. A. Lockhart, who came here Sept. 1, 1921, and is still serving. He has charge also of the Methodist Churches at Dallas and Ridgeland, and resides at Dallas, as there is a parsonage there. The present membership of the Hillsdale church is about thirty-five.

First Baptist Church of Hillsdale. This was formerly known as the First Baptist Church of Dallas, and as such was organ- ized Dec. 30, 1876, the first members being William H. Logan, Mrs. M. J. Logan, Mrs. L. J. Logan (Burrell). Mrs. Sarah B. Brown, C. S. Millard and Mrs. Rhodah Mil- lard. For some time meetings were held at the homes of the different members, "Brother Logan" acting as pastor. In time, as the society increased in strength, the members began to consider plans for the construction of a church edifice. David Ledyard, owner of the old Elmer Smart farm, had offered to donate land as a site for the first church to be erected within the village of Hillsdale, and this looking like a good opportunity, on Feb. 20, 1901, the so- ciety appointed a committee of two mem- bers-the Rev. M. A. Packer and Brother R. B. Coon-to receive the lot and solicit subscriptions for the erection of a church building. The society also passed a reso- lution to the effect that "this corporation be changed from the First Baptist Church of Dallas to the First Baptist Church of Hillsdale." It was also voted that the Rev. G. A. Wain be called as pastor to preach every other Sunday, and to receive as rec- ompense fifty dollars a year in monthly payments. The resolution to change the name of the church, however, was rescinded and subsequently came up several times, being voted on for and against, and it was not until Jan. 1, 1914, that it received final approval and became an accomplished fact. It being discovered in 1901 that the society was then unable to build, owing to insuffi- ciency of funds, the work was taken over by the Wisconsin State Convention, the church by resolution assisting. A frame building was accordingly erected on the site donated by Mr. Ledyard, and was ded- icated Nov. 00, 1901, the dedication sermon being preached by Dr. D. W. Hurlburt of Milwaukee. The building was declared free

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of debt. It served the purpose of the so- ciety for thirteen years, at the end of which time a new and larger edifice be- came necessary, and accordingly in 1914, the present building was erected at a cost of about $2,500. In November, 1921, the church had 42 members. Rev. S. R. Dun- lop, was appointed in 1917. He also served the Dallas and West Maple Grove Baptist Churches. Mrs. S. M. Duyzers is now serv- ing this field.

About 1915 or 1916 some people organ- ized a Christian Church in Hillsdale, serv- ices being conducted at intervals in a small building just north of the schoolhouse. The community being unable to support three churches, and the Baptists and Meth- odists having the start, the "Christian" de- nomination found itself beset with difficul- ties, and finally, in the spring of 1921, its services were discontinued.

In Section 20, Maple Grove, (Town 33, Range 11) there is a church belonging to the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America, the headquarters of which are in Chicago. This church was organized in 1892, and among its earliest members were A. W. Johnson, John Frans, J. M. Krans. Knut Amundson, Nels Arneson, Charles Kulbek, Andrew Anderson, Hans Olson, T. H. Johnson. Erik Brenggelson, Knut Breng- gelson, Charles Martenson, Tom Nelson. Ole Olson and John Fredikson. A church building was erected in 1892, the year of organization. Sunday school has been car- ried on most of the time from the begin- ning, and there is also a Young People's So- ciety whose special activity is in Bible classes and gathering money for the mis- sion field. A number of years ago a par- sonage was built, located 20 rods west of the church, but which is at present unoc- cupied. The church is supplied with pas- tors from the covenant to which it belongs. The Rev. Edwin O. Solie has been the pas- tor since May 1, 1921. For about five years this church has also been conducting inter- denominational services and a Sunday school at the former dance hall known as Wickware Hall, about three and a half miles to the northwest in Maple Grove Township.

The Norwegian Baptist Church in Sec- tion 5, (west), Maple Grove Township, was organized in 1894, and belongs to the regu- lar Baptist denomination. There were eleven persons who took part in organizing the church, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Cornelius, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Olson, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Sundsmoe, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Taraldson and Mr. Andrew Olson. Of these, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Cornelius and Mr. Anton Taraldson are the only ones now left. The church building was erected in 1897. With respect to pastoral supply, the church has part time service from the First Baptist Church at Barron, and part time service from Rev. Harold Olson, the district missionary, who is employed by the Norwegian Baptist General Conference of America. At the present time (January, 1922) the church has 41 members. There

is a Ladies' Aid Society and a joint Chris- tian Endeavor with a neighboring district. CAMPIA

Campia is an unincorporated village in the northeast part of Rice Lake Township. The village was platted Feb. 8, 1904, on the northeast quarter of Section 12, Town- ship 35 north, Range 11 west. The owner was N. W. Bailey of Rice Lake, and the surveyor Sidney G. Jones. The "Soo" rail- road, which runs through the village, had been constructed several years previously, in 1901, about which time George Monahan built a store here, which he conducted for five or six years. A depot was built by the railroad company, but for some time the place was simply a supply and shipping point for the neighboring farmers.

Mr. Monahan sold his store to Mons Lar- son, who was its proprietor for twelve years, and who is still living in the village. Two other stores were also started, one by C. A. Baggs of Cameron, and the other by O. M. Strand, but both failed within two or three years.

About 1892 Jake Rechenthaler started a blacksmith shop, which he conducted for about nine years, when he sold the plant and business to Oscar Henderson, who is still its proprietor.

In the spring of 1919 Mr. Larson sold his store to William Settlers, who now owns it. The village can also boast of a bank, a sawmill and box factory, a lumber yard, grain elevator, five potato warehouses, a garage, restaurant, hotel and pool hall.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 196

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

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