Compiled by Dee Zimmerman

Clark County News

November 1868

A bag of goose’s feathers weighing about ten pounds was lost one day last week, somewhere between Arch Day’s and Black River Falls. A suitable reward will be given if the bag is found and left where the owner, Daniel Gates, can get it.

The preparations for logging this coming winter are getting to be very brisk.  Teams of horses and logging crews of men are going into the woods every day.  A great deal of men from south of here are coming in every day.  The demand for labor is good enough to give work to everyone who comes.  The prospect for a big winter’s work seems good. 

There will be a dance at Arch Day’s Inn on Thursday evening.

Travel doesn’t seem to lessen with winter weather starting.  The hotels in town and along the tote road, seem to be full every evening.

We are requested to announce that there will not be a dance Thanksgiving evening at the O’Neill House, as it was previously reported.  Mr. Johnson is always willing to get up a dance when the young folks desire it, but it would be impossible for him to do so on this holiday.

Forty acres of unimproved hardwood land located about nine miles east of Neillsville, sold for seven dollars per acre this week.  That is a great price.

Thanksgiving Day was duly observed in Neillsville this week.  Rev. J. J. Walker preached at the courthouse in the morning.  Rev. James Mair preached in the evening though his subject, “proper amusements and pastimes,” was not exactly befitting the hour of its delivery, it was of interest to the large number of persons who were in attendance.

The Pioneer Harness Shop is set-up and ready for business in Staffordville, one mile north of Neillsville. Richard Carpenter, the proprietor, uses the best of material to manufacture every article in his line.  He provides quick service, reasonable rates and quality workmanship.

Dr. H. B. Cole has been commissioned as examining Surgeon for Pensions for Jackson and Clark Counties.  Cole has long been a resident of this area and is very well known.  He is like “Corduroy” cloth – wears well.  There is no one else better suited as an examining Surgeon.  Soldiers who are trying to procure pensions should bear in mind that a visit to Dr. Cole is necessary.

C. E. Adams Store has 2,000 pounds of choice butter for sale.

The Milwaukee Sentinel is in its thirtieth year and has come out with an “all new” look.  Subscribe to the Daily Sentinel, one year for $10.

November 1908

Fifty years ago Justice James O’Neill united in marriage Mr. and Mrs. Henry Counsell.  The marriage certificate was recorded in book one at the register of deeds office.  The young couple, in their prime of life, then took up the sterner duties of life on a farm at Pleasant Ridge.  There, they labored, prospered and reared a family who have become a pride and pleasure to them in their old age.  By strict economy and careful management, they made the financial part of their life successful.  Through their kindly actions their married life has been one of happiness and contentment.  Two years ago, they moved to the city of Neillsville so that they might rest from their labors.

Last Wednesday, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their old homestead on the Ridge, now occupied by one of their sons.  The celebration was a happy one and was attended by many of their friends.  They are parents of six children, four of whom are living.  The children are William, who resides in Oregon, Josiah and Oscar who live on the ridge, and Mrs. Nettie Counsell.

The oldest guest, at Counsell’s party was Robert McCallvy, 81 years old and the youngest guest was Helen Short, 4 ½ years old.

Henry Clay Pierce, of Standard Oil Co. has an immense estate on the headwaters of the Brule River in Northern Wisconsin.  More than 2,000 acres are enclosed in impassable wire fences.  There, he goes to hunt and fish.  He has his own fish hatchery, his own game park which contains buffalo, deer and other wild game.

For those who appreciate good tasting butter which is produced under sanitary conditions, Youman’s Extra Dairy butter is sold at Hemp’s Store.  The cream comes from a very clean dairy heard and one of the best barns in Clark County.  Quality and cleanliness is foremost in producing milk of very low bacterial count.

Last week, a party of Neillsville sportsmen received 100 pounds of wild rice which was planted in the upper end of Lake Arbutus.  The rice cost $22 and was paid by subscription among a few men who delight in lying in the duck blinds, shooting over duck decoys.  The rice came packed in wet moss and was immediately planted in shallow waters.  When it grows and bears a crop, the rice fields will be favorite feeding grounds for wild-water fowl.  At that time Neillsville duck hunters will reap their harvest from which they have sown.

Bring your fresh cream to the F. J. Mumm Co. cream receiving station opposite Merchants Hotel in Neillsville where you can get your cream carefully weighed.  Samples are accurately taken and testes so you get your cash for each lot as you have delivered it.  We also pay spot cash for veal, poultry and eggs.

Last Thursday, a couple of little boys were playing on Krumrey’s dray wagon while it was waiting by the Post office. One of the boys fell off the dray seat and landed by the gray horse’s hind feet.  The horse never moved a hair and the little fellow crawled away from the dangerous position.  It was most fortunate that the horse was gentle.

Tragsdorf & Zimmerman’s Store has just received a barrel of fine large German dill pickles.  The pickles are 15 cents a dozen, but you get twice the quantity.

Rev. Burrows performed a ceremony, marrying Walter Gerhardt and Miss Elsie Eisentraut on the evening of Nov. 27.  It was at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Eisentraut, east of Neillsville.  The young couple will live on the groom’s farm, next to his father’s farm.

Rev. Brandt united in marriage Ernest Junchen and Miss Anna Pagenkopf.  The young couple is well known in the Town of Grant, where they grew up.

Clark County Clerk, John Huntzicker has issued 2,000 hunting licenses, 200 more that during any previous year.

Ray Sischo, Will Gayhart, Merril Sischo and two of Henry Sischo’s boys of Christie went hunting and they shot three deer. Most of the area deer hunters are waiting for a snow storm which would make deer hunting easier.

November 1938

Our unseasonably warm weather has the trees and plants confused.  Signs of spring are coming before winter sets in.

Mrs. R. F. Dubes brought in some apple blossoms which she plucked from a tree on her Granton area farm.  Several others report premature growth of spring flowers, due to the unseasonably warm weather and warm “spring-like” showers.

The Highway 29 Bridge over the Popple River near Owen was opened for traffic this past week, just a month after construction on the new span was started. Repairs on the Dell Creek Bridge on County Trunk N were finished a week ago at a cost of $1,136 according to Clark County Highway Commissioner Otto Weyhmiller.  Weyhmiller said work on the Miller Bridge in the town of Colby probably will be competed by Nov. 10 for a cost of $5,000

Young and old, everyone was invited to a Republican rally on Oct. 31, 8 p.m. at the Granton Village Hall.  Hugh M. Jones, candidate for member of Congress for the ninth district, presented a speech.  Other candidates and laymen also spoke.  After the meeting, a free dance was held.

Estimated 4,000 deer hunters stalked the Clark County area woodlands this season.

Joseph Felser, formerly employed at the Ghent Machine Shop, this week took over his new duties as fireman-laborer at the Neillsville Post Office.

Palm Garden is now featuring chicken and frog-legs dinners; Also, fish, chow mein and steak dinners.  Fish Fry every Friday nite for 10¢.

Lewerenz Sweet Shop will have a Thanksgiving Dinner to be served to the public.  A 75 cent complete dinner will include consoma soup, fruit cocktail, tomato juice, salad, celery & olives, sherbet, roast young turkey with dressing, potatoes, carrots & peas, cranberries, home-made dinner rolls with butter, homemade pies of pumpkin, apple or mince, coffee, tea or milk.

Attend the American Legion benefit Turkey dance, Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Kessler’s Silver Dome.  Music will be provided by Dux’s Orchestra.  Help us take the Neillsville High School Band to the 1939 American Legion Convention in Oshkosh.

Kenneth Speich, age 11, of Greenwood, gave a piano recital Sunday afternoon at the studio of his teacher, Miss Mabel M. Bishop.

Speich has shown great aptitude for music.  The recital was nearly an hour in length, all played from memory.

Kenneth is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Speich.

Buy a new Philco radio which is now on sale at Neillsville Maytag Co., John Schiesel, prop.  Schiesel will give you as high as $25 trade-in on your old radio.  Be sure to see the new Philco Farm radio.  It can operate two weeks on a flashlight “A”: battery at a cost of only five cents!

Everybody is invited to attend a free wedding dance in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ratsch on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at the Silver Dome Ballroom.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church at Chili celebrated its 25^th anniversary of the construction of the building last Sunday evening.

The church organization is 38 years old and consists of about 50 communicants from 15 families.  The chairman of the board is the minister, Rev. Arthur Laesch.  Other officials are Herman Montag, secretary; Louis Richert, treasurer; Carl Schlinsog, Wm. Grottke and Louis Richert, deacons; Henry Grottke, Adolph Beil and Paul Beil, trustees.

The Rev. Arthur Laesch is in the sixth year of his pastorate at Granton and Chili. The Zion Evangelical Church at Granton is fifty-five years old and has had thirteen pastors.  The present building, a seemly and well-constructed brick edifice, was put up in 1905. The work was done largely by members of the congregation. The cash outlay was only $6,000 to $7,000.

Buy apples at H. H. Van Gorden & sons in Neillsville.  Choose from three varieties, Hubbardsons, Baldwins or Wagners, $1.19 per bushel.  Farmers, you may bring in your ear corn, we are ready to custom grind corn, anytime.

Wisconsin produced one-tenth of our country’s milk supply in the past year and only six or seven percent was used for fluid consumption. 

An article of furniture which was manufactured at the Neillsville Furniture factory, at about the turn of the century, belongs to a homeowner in Utah.  The beautiful oak dresser is in mint condition having had excellent care through the years.  The oak wood surface has never been varnished, only polished with furniture oil.  (needless to say, the owner of this dresser has a prize possession.)

Part of the shipping tag with “The Neillsville Manufacturing Co., Furniture and Lumber, Neillsville, Wis.” appears on the back of the dresser.

 The decorative pull handles and back plates with lock adorn the dresser drawer fronts.  (Photo courtesy of Kenneth H. Bown)