USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin > Part 40
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. Some families belong to the. Baptist Church, but have no res- ident pastor.
Other denominations may exist, but I am not informed about it.
Having always held that statements in regard to churches and religious associations should be based upon authentic statements, I hope to be excused for being as brief as possible in cases where such information is not procurable, and no public records in re- gard to such exist. In the same condition are the sources of in- formation concerning religious matters in the towns of Maxville, Canton and Nelson, There are no churches in any of these three
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RELIGION.
owns, except those already mentioned among Catholic and Luth- eran churches. I know quite well, that services or meetings of a distinctly religious character are held in schoolhouses, but whether. regular or occasional. by what denominations, and other particu- lars I have been unable to learn. As places of such meetings I may designate the schoolhouses in the Cascade Valley, at Burn- side, and in the North Branch Valley.
Of the churches existing in this county all have now been mentioned, except those of the
EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
They are Protestant Churches and should have been enumer- ated as such, nor is there any other reason for delaying to do so, except that I waited for direct communications in regard to some of them. But I have now to finish this chapter, and shall give such information as I possess, regretting that I am perhaps rather short in this matter.
1. Salem's Church of Alma.
This congregation was formed in 1859. Its church was built in 1869. Regular services are held about every two weeks. A Sunday school and a Missionary Society are connected with the church. Its pastors were: Rev. Seder, Von Eschen, Linse, Um- breit, Ausmann P. Speich, Held, John Dietrich, U. Elmer, C. Mueller, G. Schwantes, J. W. Hennemann; H. Best, who is the present pastor and has my thanks for the information given in re- gard to it.
2. Church in Belvidere.
The building is situated near the Northwest Corner of the Northeast Quarter of Section 16, Township 21, Range 12, in a very conspicuous place, and a grave-yard attached on the eastside. This church and congregation is attached to the foregoing, and services are held as in the former, every two weeks. Its pastors were always the same, as enumerated above. There is a camp- meeting ground in Sec. 10, not very far from the church.
3. Church in Montana,
This congregation is one of the oldest in this county, not only of this denomination. Its founders were the first settlers in the upper part of the Waumandee Valley, and its membership is nu- merous. Its first church, which was a frame building of dimen- sions and execution that were very creditable, considering the
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RELIGION,
times and other circumstances. But in 1884, the old building having been insufficient for several years, a much larger and more pretentious church was built of brick. I regret that although blanks for reporting have been sent to the present and also to the former pastor, no answer was received, and I had to rely on my own recollection alone.
4. Church in Waumandee.
The building is situated in Section 30, Township 21, Range 11, at the fork of the Fountain City and Buffalo City Road. It was built in 1874, and is a frame building, brick-veneered. The services in this church are held by the resident pastor of the above.
5. Church in Lincoln.
This church, which is a frame building, is situated on Section 2, Township 22, Range 11, and was built in 1880 or 81. It is a dependence to the church in Montana whose pastor probably holds regular services once a month. Each of the three last named churches has a graveyard, which in No. 4 and 5 surrounds the church, but in No. 6 is separated from it on a hill south of it. At Montana there is a good dwelling house for the pastor, and there are also sheds or stables for the horses of those from a dis- tance attending service.
6. Trinity Church at Fountain City.
This congregation was formed in 1866, and built the church in 1874. Services are held every two weeks, except at the time of quarterly meetings. Sunday school and prayer meetings are held when there is no other service. The pastors of this church were the Reverends V. Umbreit, Pfefferkorn, Held, Wittenwyler, who dedicated the church, Field, Habermann, Werner, Eilert, Best, and Clement, the latter being the present pastor. The church is under the pastorate of Arcadia .. For the report on this church I am indebted to Mr. Jacob Meili.
There is a
CHURCH IN DEER CREEK VALLEY,
situated near the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of Sec- tion 4, Township 22, Range 13. I think the congregation belongs to the Methodist Episcopal'denomination. Rev. Hemshemeier, of Wabasha has been holding services in the same, but at what stated. times I am not informed.
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RELIGION.
There is also, what is popularly called the CHURCH ON BEEF SLOUGH.
In regard to this so-called church I take the liberty of copy- ing the letter of Mr. Thomas Irvine, secretary of the Mississippi River Logging Co.
BEEF SLOUGH, Wis., Oct. 15th, 1887. L. Kessinger, Alma. DEAR SIR :-
In reply to yours of 14th inst. I have to say, that the building to which you refer was not erected for church services exclusively but was intended for a "Workmen's Library," and a comfortable place for them to spend their Sunday in reading and writing.
It has no corporate title and is entirely free to any Christian denomination that may wish to hold religious services therein. The building was erected in the year 1881. In 1882 and 83 minis- ters from various localities and of different denominations held regular services here. In 1884 and 85 Rev. Benj. Nott, Methodist, held regular services In 1885 Rev. Mr. Stromme, Reformed Lutheran, held regular services and preached in the English and Norwegian languages. In 1886 Rev. J. H. Avery, Methodist, oc- cupied the place and preached regularly, but on Oct. 1st he was removed to Viroqua, and for the coming season no arrangements have been made for a permanent pastor.
There is a suitable Library furnished by the Company besides writing material for the use of the workmen, and a goodly num- ber spend their Sundays here in reading and in writing letters to their friends at home. Yours truly
THOS. IRVINE.
Mr. Irvine has been the originator of the scheme indicated in the above letter, and he is yet the liberal and active patron of the institution. Lectures and exhibitions for the entertainment of all who might attend have been held, and were sometimes assisted by musical talent from Alma. Though not strictly and exclus- ively religious, the institution has done mnuch good to a number of workmen and others, and Mr. Irvine should receive the credit fo rit.
GENERAL REMARKS.
In the above I have endeavored to enumerate and describe the different churches and other religious institutions existing in
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RELIGION .-
this county. It was my desire and intention to do justice to all equally, but as I was furnished with means for my purpose by some and these means were withheld by others, there could be no uniformity in the production. Having tried to give everybody the same chance to be heard, and to speak for themselves, I wish to decline the responsibility for accidental omissions and errors.
It may be remarked also that these public arrangements, though accommodating the majority, do not include the whole body of our people. There are, in fact, numerous persons, origin- ally of one or the other of the denominations mentioned above, who do not consider themselves members of any church. These have, so far, not especially organized in opposition to any mode of worship, and are, practically, a moral, intelligent and influential element of our population. Although we have so many churches of so many different denominations, there has been, and still is, an uninterrupted social intercourse, in which religious differences or distinctions are entirely ignored. It is to be hoped that this spirit of toleration and mutual respect be continued during com- ing generations as it has existed up to and during present times.
477
PUBLIC HEALTH.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
Although this point might have been discussed along with the "Climate" of the county, there are yet so many items connected with it that it appeared necessary to devote a particular chapter to it. There are also such relations between public health and pub- lic policy that the latter name might have been adopted instead of the former, but as numerous points of our public policy, such as rocords of births, marriages and deaths, are yet in a very unsatis- factory condition, while public health, being under the direction of recent laws, and otherwise of great importance, was chosen.
The following questions were formed and submitted to phys- icians:
1. What are the effects of our climate in regard to health in general?
2. What seasons of the year are noted for a prevalence of certain maladies?
3. What maladies are observed at these particular periods?
4. What diseases have occurred as epidemics during the time of your practice in this county?
5. What is the usual extent of the practice of vaccination?
6. What is the probable rate of mortality?
7. Of births?
8. Other remarks.
The following answers to these questions were submitted by Dr. Seiler, of Alma:
1. The climate of Northwestern Wisconsin is considered by physicians as a tonic and stimulating one, because of its latitude and the comparative dryness of its atmosphere.
2 and 3. Spring and early winter months are noted for the development of pneumonia, catarrhal inflammation of the air- passages, such as croup and bronchitis, and inflammation of the
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PUBLIC HEALTH.
throat. The months of hot summer and the fall are noted for the different types of malarial fevers, and in the fall and early winter typhoid fever appears either sporadic or epidemically.
4. In the winter of 1870 an epidemic of measles prevailed in a considerable part of the county; in the winter of 1872-73 inter- mittent fevers in the Mississippi Valley, especially in the northern parts of it.
In the winter of 1873 the only epidemic of small pox occurred in this county. The disease was imported into Buffalo City by emigrants from Germany, who were probably ignorant of its ex- istance among themselves. Hygienic precautions were totally neg- lected, and the disease spread to Alma and Fountain City, however only in isolated cases. This was followed by an epidemic of whooping cough. Epidemics of scarlet fever occurred two or three times. Diphtheria occurred epidemically at Fountain City in the winter of 1880, and at Gilmanton in 1882. Epidemics of measles and of whooping cough were observed in 1886 and 1887.
5. The practice of vaccination is in general badly neglected.
6. The rate of mortality is probably from 5 to 7 per cent.
7. Don't know.
These are all the answers I received. They are explicit enough as far as they go, but as not any one physician can know so precisely what happened in all places in the county, I have to de- pend on recollection for some of the statements.
With regard to epidemics I remember the occurrence of ty- phoid fever, which carried off a number of young people at Mon- dovi. This must have been some twenty years ago.
A similar epidemic occurred in the Big Waumandee Valley in 1873 and '74, during the time when Dr. Franz Ferragut lived at Alma. He attended most of the cases.
Having been for two years the president of the Committee on Health of the Common Council of the city of Alma, I am natur- ally interested in the laws passed by different legislatures. I think it would be well if every citizen should become acquainted with the regulations in regard to public health, and in order to do myshare towards promulgating the knowledge of these laws and regulations, I here insert them in full.
479
PUBLIC HEALTH.
PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS.
TO LOCAL BOARDS OF HEALTH AND ALL OTHERS CONCERNED.
The State Board of Health respectfully calls attention to the amendments to Chapter 167 of the Laws of 1883, made by Chap- ter 291 of the laws of 1887. For the better information of all con- cerned the unrepealed portions of the original act, together with the amendments thereto, are here reprinted in their proper rela- tions to each other.
The present requirements of the law are as follows:
1. That in every Town, Village and City in the state there shall be duly organized a Board of Health, which may be composed in part of persons who are not members of the Town or Village Boards or City Councils, and that every Board of Health shall appoint and constantly maintain a health officer.
2. That the names, occupations and Postoffice addresses of all the officers of such Boards shall be reported to the State Board of Health when organized, and also whenever for any reason a new Health Officer is appointed.
3. That cases of contagious disease shall be reported by all Physicians or when no physician is in attendance, by heads of families to the respective local Boards of Health, and that Health Officers shall report the same to the State Board of Health in such manner and with such frequency that the State Board shall be fully informed with regard thereto.
CHAPTER 167, LAWS OF 1883, AS AMENDED BY CHAPTER 291, LAWS OF 1887.
An Act for the Better Protection of the Public Health.
SECTION 1. The town board, village board or common coun- cil of every town, village or city in this state shall hereafter, within thirty days after each annual election organize as a board of health, or shall appoint wholly or partially from its own members a suitable number of competent persons who shall organize as a board of health for such town, village or city. Such organization shall include the election of a chairman and a clerk, and every board of health organized as provided in this act shall immedi- ately after its organization appoint a health officer for the town, village or city, who shall be ex-officio, a member of the board of health and its executive officer; and the board of health as thus
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PUBLIC HEALTH.
constituted shall, until their successors in office are duly organ- ized, perform all the duties and have all the powers that are given tto boards of health by the general statutes of the state. Every ihealth officer appointed under the provisions of this act shall be, whenever the same is practicable, a reputable physician, and shall hold his office during the pleasure of the board, and until his suc- cessor shall have been duly appointed and qualified, and in case of the occurrence of a vacancy in his office, the board of health shall immediately fill the same by a new appointment; provided, that the foregoing provisions shall not apply to any town, city or village in which a health board is organized and a health officer appointed under the provisions of a special charter, but every lo- cal board of health, whether organized under the provisions of this act or otherwise, shall immediately after each annual or other or- ganization report to the State Board of Health the names, post- office addresses and occupations of the chairman, clerk and health officer thereof, and shall make a similar report whenever, for any reason a new health officer is appointed.
SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of every health officer, ap- pointed under the provisions of this act, or by the provisions of special charters, upon the appearance of small pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, Asiatic cholera, or other dangerous contagious disease in the town, village or city under his supervision, immediately to investigate all the circumstances attendant upon the appearance of such disease, and to make full report thereof to the board of which he is an executive officer, and also to the state board of health, and it shall be the duty of such health officer, at all times promptly to take such measures for the prevention, suppression and control of the diseases herein named, as may in his judgment be needful and proper, subject to the approval of the board of which he is a mein- ber, and it shall be the duty of every health officer to keep and transmit to his successor in office a record of all his official acts; and the salary or other compensation to be paid to every health officer appointed under the provisions of this act shall be estab- lished by the board of health by whom such officer shall be ap- pointed.
The term dangerous contagious disease, as used in this act, shall be construed and understood to mean such diseases as the State Board of Health shall designate as contagious and dangerous
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PUBLIC HEALTH.
to the public health; and health officers shall make report to State Board of Health concerning the progress of such diseases and con- cerning the measures used for their prevention and control, with such frequency as to keep the board fully informed with regard thereto, or at such intervals as the said board may direct.
SECTION 3. Whenever any physician, residing and practicing in the state shall know that any person whom he shall be called upon to visit is sick with small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, Asi- atic cholera, or other dangerous contagious disease, he shall imme- diately give notice thereof to the board of health of the town, vil- lage or city in which such sick person shall be at the timne, and any physician who shall refuse or neglect to give such notice for a period of forty-eight hours shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to a penalty of not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars for each day of such refusal or neglect after the expiration of said forty-eight hours; provided that the notices herein required may be sent by mail, or except in the case of cities may be given to or left at the residence of any member of the board of health, and notices so mailed or given within the time specified shall be deemed a compliance with the provisions of this section.
When any person is sick with any of the diseases named in this act, and no physician is in attendance, all the provisions of this section shall apply to the responsible head of the family or the person in charge of the building in which such person may be.
SECTION 4. All expenses incurred in carrying out the provi- sions of this act, or any of them, shall be paid by the town, village or city by which, or on behalf of which, such expenses shall have incurred.
SECTION 5. Upon complaint being made under oath by any citizen of the state before any magistrate, or justice of the peace, charging the commission of an offense against any of the provi- sions of this act, it shall be the duty of the district attorney of the «county in which the offense shall have been committed to prose- cute the offender, and all sums recovered under the provisions of this act shall be for the benefit of the school fund.
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the passage and publication thereof,. and all acts or parts of acts, inconsistent with the provisions of this act, are hereby re- pealed.
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PUBLIC HEALTH.
Original act approved March 27, 1883, published March 31 1883. Amendments approved April 2, 1887; published April 29th 1887.
Besides the local boards of health there is a state board c health, of which J. F. Reeve, M. D., of Appleton, is the secretary
In the absence of public information with regard to othe towns or corporations I can but state that the provisions of th law demanding the organization of boards of health have been carried out at Alma and at Fountain City. At Alma the result o the action of that board has been a moderate success, and ther was less cause of complaint this year than last, though, of course there is always some grumbling about such matters. I presume there were similar results and experiences at Fountain City.
It can not be denied that in general there is little inclinatior to apply precautionary measures for the preservation of public health. Everybody seems to think that he will not be attackec by epidemic diseases, and to care but little if others become vic tims of such. Experience, says the proverb, keeps a very severe school, but it is the only one in which fools will learn anything. I hope we will not be quite so negligent as to require instruction in that school.
The subject having now received attention from the legisla ture, it is to be hoped that the people will, through the laws and their application, be educated to the proper understanding and appreciation of the importance of this subject.
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EARLIER MARRIAGES.
EARLIER MARRIAGES.
The following is an abstract from the earliest record extant of marriages that took place in this county. It is sometimes so very difficult to ascertain dates of such events, even of those who ought to know, as the magistrates or clergymen, or of the parties them- selves. To be sure it is now a long time since these events, and most people have short memories, yet as that event happens to most persons but once in their lives, and is certainly important enough, an exception might reasonably be claimed for it. On ac- count of the difficulty above alluded to, I concluded to investigate the record, which by law was formerly required to be kept in the office of the clerk of circuit court. I was not just very greatly surprised to find this record far from complete, but otherwise it must be correct as far as it goes. The justices of the peace and ;he clergymen of the various denominations werc evidently not afraid of the penalty imposed for neglecting their duty of filing a copy of each marriage certificate issued, or a full length notice performed by them. Accidental losses might also happen at a ime when communications were not very perfect, and people night trust to accidental accommodations for sending such docu- nents to the proper places. A word is to be said in explanation of the abstract. The numbering of the items is according to the place in which each was found, not always according to the date of he event. This disagreement explains itself from the fact that ome certificates were not immediately filed and others were. Only he names of the contracting parties are given, with the date of the marriage. Whenever a name underneath does not appear with he syllable "Rev." before it, the performance was by a justice of he peace. The initials P. J. after a name mean Police Justice of he City of Buffalo. Where the syllable "Rev." stands before a name it signifies that the name of a clergyman follows:
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EARLIER MARRIAGES.
1. Wm. Achenbach to Christiana Lautenbach, Jan. 20, '56. J. P. Stein.
2. Wm. H. Gates to Elizabeth Marti, Feb. 23, '56. J. P. Stein.
3. John Waecker (sr.) to Barbara Rahm (widow,) June 27, '56. J. P. Stein.
4. Christian Brucker to Fridericka Gesswein, Sept. 10, '56. J. P. Stein.
5. Leonhard Schwoebel to Friderica Schoepp, Aug. 27, '56. John Linse.
6. Jacob Huber to Maria Nordholz, Oct. 19, '56. Andr. Baertsch.
7. Anton Fink to Mary Brangenberg (w. Fink,) Nov. 8, '56. John Linse.
8. Claus Liesch to Magdalena Waecker, Nov. 16, '56. J. P. Stein.
9. Friederick Richter to Elizabeth Eder, Nov. 24, '56. Gottfr. Huber.
10. Wm. Ashton to Elizabeth Faulds, Nov. 26, '56.
Andr. Baertsch.
11. Wm. McFarland to Helen Fuller, Oct. 18, '56. J. P Stein.
12. Abraham Schmoker to Maria Haug, June 7, '56. W. H. Gates.
13. Mathias Hammer to Verena Regli, Aug. 2d, 1856. W. H. Gates.
14. Gottlieb Zacho to Magdalena Fettig, Feb. 11, '57. John Linse.
15. David Jost to Ursina Kuentzler, Feb. 24, '57. John Linse.
16. Claus Kuhrt to Anna Ulrich, Feb. 28, '57. J. P. Stein.
17. Gustav Adoolf Kretschmer to Sophie Ginzkey, May 5, '57. Marvin Pierce, Co. J.
18. John F. Hauser to Fridericke Hesselbarth, May 15, '57. Ferdinand Fetter.
19. John Haeussinger to Elizabeth Beyer, May 6, '57. John Clarke.
20. Gustav Adolf Koch to Paulina Spuehr, June 22, '57. Ferd. Fetter.
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EARLIER MARRIAGES.
21. Joseph Richard to Anna Maria Marky, July 1, '57. John A. Hunner.
24. Andreas Arms to Mrs. Anna Jennell, July 12, '57. Martin Joos.
25. Jacob Blum to Henrietta Scheiner, Aug. 4, '57. Ferd. Fetter.
26. Jacob Botzet to Elizabeth Beyerlein, July 20, '57. John Clarke.
27. John Marshall to Margareth Schneider, July 30, '57. John Clarke.
28. George Friedrich to Maria Schwing, July 30, '57. John Clarke.
29. John Baumann to Theresa -, Sept. 28.
John Linse.
30. Joseph Rohrer to Barbara Miller, Sept. 29. John Linse.
31. John Hill to Marion Dobbie, Oct. 1, '57. Andrew Henry.
32. R. W. Feigl to Mrs. Maria Thorwarth, Oct. 6, '57. Ferd. Fetter.
33. Martin Joos to Magdalena Arms, Oct. 7, '57. Herman Altmann.
34. Henry Case to Mary Gumbert, Nov. 24, '57. Wilson Crippin.
35. John Jacob Moham to Ursula Gadiand, Oct. 27, '57. H. Altmann.
36. Geo. Bull to Malvina M. Polly, Sept. 7, '57. H. Altmann. 37. Michael Schnipp to Marg. Kritzenthaler, Jan. 23, '58. John Clarke. 38. Chas. Hohmann to Wilhelmina Kirchner, Dec. 17, 57. And. Henry.
39. John Lafferty to Mrs. Mary Myers, Feb. 16, '58. R. K. Nichols, J. P.
40. Henry Bechmann to Wilhelmine Fratsean, Feb. 26, '58. J. Linse.
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