Clark County Press, Neillsville, Wisconsin

September 17, 2008, Page 17

Contributed by "The Clark Co. Press"

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

Index of "Oldies" Articles 

 

Compiled and contributed by Dee Zimmerman

 

Clark County News

September 1928

 

Friday evening the Daisy Cheese Factory, owned by Geo. Schils together with Mr. Schils’ home and household goods, burned to the ground. This factory was situated in the Town of York about six and one-half miles northeast of Neillsville.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Schils and their seven children were all at the fair grounds that evening and knew nothing of the fire until it was all over.  They lost everything they had except their car and the clothing they had on.  A quantity of casein in the factory also was lost, but the day’s receipt of cream had been shipped.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Schils came here from Merrill last April and bought this factory, having a nice patronage during the summer.  This took everything they had.  The loss is partly covered by insurance and if after the adjustment is made and if he has sufficient funds, he plans to rebuild, making a fire-proof building.

 

The origin of the fire is unknown.  The fire alarm in Neillsville was sounded and one of the fire trucks and several of the men drove out to the fire, but it was beyond control.

•••••••••

The W. G. Woodward Co. Inc. will open in Neillsville next Saturday, the 8th.  The men who operate this chain have been in the chain store game 18 years, and up until a year ago, owned and operated a chain of 54 stores, which merged with the J. C. Penney Co. stores.  The Woodward Co. with head-quarters in the Hockney Building, St. Paul, will open 10 new stores this fall and five stores in the spring.

•••••••••

A deal which has been in progress for some time was closed last week at Granton, O. W. Trindal of Loyal buying the W. J. Spry Warehouse and Feed Store.  Mr. Trindal has a similar business in Loyal.

•••••••••

Last week while threshing at the Rueben Bertz farm near Loyal, John Bertz heard a mysterious hissing noise under a shock of grain while pitching bundles in the field.  He became alarmed and called one of the other men to join him.  There they discovered two large pine snakes.  One of the snakes became savage and tried to leap at them.  It was believed the snake had been pricked with the fork and was ready to defend itself.

•••••••••

Tuesday morning Mrs. Coombs, wife of the man found helpless in Harry St. Claire’s pasture and since confined in jail, arrived here Tuesday morning accompanied by a lady friend.  She paid the fine and costs, which the court levied, also the charges at the garage where his car was repaired and stored; and all left with the car Tuesday forenoon for Chicago.

 

The wife reports that he husband had been a “dope fiend” for the past two years and under the influence had taken the car and left.  Mr. Coombs had recovered considerably during the time he was confined in jail, but appeared moody and unhappy, not seeming to rejoice greatly at his release.

•••••••••

A chicken dinner will be served at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Hall Sunday, Sept. 30, beginning at 11:30 and lasting until all are served.  During the afternoon various games and pastimes will be provided.  Supper will be served for all who wish, beginning about 4:30 p.m.

 

The ladies of St. Mary’s congregation have won deserved popularity in previous years for the fine dinners served and all may feel assured of the best service and a pleasant time.    

•••••••••

If you are in need of an electric iron, see our 6-pound irons, which we are selling at a special price of $2.98.  We also have the same weight iron with the automatic heat control for sale at $3.98, electric toasters for $3.98, Waffle irons $7.98, Percolators for $2.98, Vibrators for $4.95, hair Dryers for $4.95 and curling irons at various prices.  All of our electrical appliances are fully guaranteed at Kern’s (Kearn’s) Drug Store, Neillsville.

•••••••••

The Big Store, Zimmermans in Neillsville, Specials: Pure Cane Sugar, 10 lbs. 62¢; Old York Coffee, 1 lb. 42¢; Seedless Raisins, 2 lb. pkg 10¢; Spaghetti, 2 lbs. 19¢; Catsup, large bottle 19¢; Mothers Oats, with a piece of china in the box, 35¢; Oatmeal, 8 lbs. 25¢.

•••••••••

Milton Pagelsdorf and Ted Wagner, who worked in the A&P Store here in Neillsville, have gone to work in the Marshfield A&P Store.  E. A. Swanson and his family moved to Marshfield where he has been transferred to manage the Marshfield A&P Store.  Pagelsdorf and Wagner will once again work for Swanson.  Milton’s mother and sisters moved to Marshfield with him.

 

September 1958

 

The first all-new rural schoolhouse constructed in Clark County in more than a quarter-century opened its doors near Shortville corner, southeast of Neillsville on Highway 73, Monday morning.

 

The opening was delayed two weeks to permit the finishing of construction of the new $40,000 plant, which unlike its counterpart of yester-year contains three classrooms and modern facilities from the front door to the back.

 

Opening day found about 75 children registering for classes under three teachers.  They came from all parts of he combined district, which for the last few years operated the Cannonville, Shortville and Carlyle schools.  The school district owns another building, the old South Washburn School, which has not been operating.

•••••••••

She’d probably blush at the name, but Mrs. Vera Crandall is “Mrs. Music” to the Granton Community.

 

The organizer of the first band in the Granton schools and in the community, she has had a hand in the musical education of nearly every youth in the Granton area for more than 30 years.

 

For this service, a grateful Granton will acknowledge her contributions during the annual fall festival to be held September 19 to 21, inclusive.  The gigantic parade, annually a feature of the festival, will be held this year in Mrs. Crandall’s honor.

 

Mrs. Crandall’s musical efforts have reached far beyond the Granton area.  In her earlier years she also gave piano lessons in Neillsville, Black River Falls, and Humbird.  Helping her to make the circuit much like the preacher of old rode his, Mrs. Crandall boarded the Omaha train at Granton, where her late husband was the depot agent, and followed the rails to the three communities.

 

Mrs. Crandall grew up in Neillsville as Vera B. Williams, and studied at Columbia College in Chicago.  Then she studied under Neii Innes, one of the famous band men of the past.

 

Her musical efforts in Granton began in 1906, when she started teaching music to private pupils. She made the trip between her home in Neillsville and Granton until 1908, when she was married to E. W. Crandall.  One of her first pupils was Ora Beeckler, another Ruth Pietenpol, both of the Granton community.

 

The organizer of three bands, an orchestra and a member of the adult dance band in the community, Mrs. Crandall organized the first Granton band in the school year of 1925-1926.  That group consisted of 18 instruments and was composed of the following: cornets, Douglas Crandall, Leland Dopp, Earl Lawson and Victor Trimberger; clarinet, Floyd Higgins; saxophone, Ted Crandall and Lola Amidon; drums, Walter Garbisch and Elizabeth Wonser; slide trombones, Vernon Peterson, Erlin Bergemann and Milo R. Mabie; altos, Marie Schroeder and Alex Witte; baritone, Ursula Davis; basses, Harlan Bergemann and Marion Schroeder; and cymbals, Jerome Bladl.

 

From that time until her retirement in 1953, Mrs. Crandall was off-and-on music instructor in the Granton School system.  She would retire only to come out of retirement when the school board found securing a music teacher difficult or worse.  She stayed only until a replacement could be found.

 

This “arrangement” was a fortunate one for the Granton area, for it kept the music department in motion, and children of the area interested in, and learning, music.

 

Probably the greatest achievement of Mrs. Crandall’s band came in 1951, when the Granton organization won the Class C contest and trophy at the district festival at Loyal.  Another achievement was the winning of second prize of $50 in a July 4th event at Marshfield against heavy competition by larger organizations.

 

Still active s a private teacher of piano, Mrs. Crandall has found time in busy life of music to raise two sons, Douglas of Granton and Theodore of Green Bay.

 

Mrs. Crandall is an active member of the Granton Civic Club, the Royal Neighbors of America, of the Methodist Ladies Aid; and is director of the Methodist Church choir.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Schmidt have purchased the Margaret Bruley house on W. 14th Street and plan to move the first week in October.

•••••••••

There’s a horse for sale in Abbotsford that has an interesting background.

 

He, or is may be a she, was bought a couple of weeks ago by the John J. Nikolays for their children.  Mr. Nikolay, former district attorney, was going to demonstrate to the children how to ride the horse.

 

He was thrown and suffered fractures of his right lower leg and ankle.

•••••••••

Miss Jean Knoop, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Knoop, Rt. 2, Neillsville, and Kenneth Goetz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Romie Goetz, Rt. 2, Loyal, exchanged nuptial vows Saturday, Sept. 13 in a double ring ceremony performed by the Rev. Alfred Schews (Schewe) in St. John’s parsonage.

 

The bride was attired in a caramel brown suit and carried a bridal bouquet of yellow gladioli.  She was attended by her sister, Mrs. Gale Minsaas, as matron of honor.

 

Wendell Elmhorst, a friend of the groom, served as best man.

 

Following the ceremony a reception for 30 guests was held at the home of the bride’s parents.

 

They will reside on Rt. 1, Neillsville.

•••••••••

Five Clark County men were inducted into the army at Minneapolis September 9, according to the selective service office here.  They were: Richard C. Harlin of Granton; Harvey D. Haslow and Richard C. Miles of Loyal; Alex Pabich of Owen, and Everett G. Roehl, Marshfield.  They were sent to Fort Carson, Colo., for basic training.

•••••••••

With all but one teaching position filled, a total of 80 teachers now are conducting classes in rural, state graded and special schools of Clark County, County Supt. Leonard Morley announced this week.

 

The school without at teacher at the close of last week was Butlerville, in the Town of Butler.

•••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ure and daughter, Vera of Junction City visited his brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ure in Lynn, and Mrs. Vivian Seltrecht of Neillsville, last weekend.

 

Mr. Ure reminisced of the early days and told of playing baseball at Lynn, for Kurt Listeman in Neillsville, with Charles Rahm at Loyal and with the Dexterville Indians team.  He and Carl Yankee of Lynn formed the battery that won state-wide recognition.

 

“We would make more money playing ball than we could farming,” said Ure.

••••••••

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Portz have sold their farm in the Spring Creek Valley community, Town of Fremont, to Mr. and Mrs. William Nickel.

•••••••••

Henry Wallace has sold his 40-acre farm in the Town of Washburn to Mr. and Mrs. Andreas Lutz, of Chicago.  Mr. Wallace has returned to Neillsville to make his home in the Huron Street residence belonging to his son, Ted Wallace of Milwaukee.  He moved from Neillsville to the Town of Washburn 12 years ago to a farm of 160 acres.  He earlier sold 40 acres to Joe Mesar, 80 acres to Bruce Spiegel and the last 40 to Mr. Lutz.  Mr. and Mrs. Lutz have three sons.

 

September 1962

 

The United Church of Christ’s roots came from the Congregational Christian Church and the Zion Reformed Church.

 

The Congregational Christian Church was formed in January 1891.  Six people attended the first meeting.  In August of the following year, ground was broken and the church building was begun.  By January 1893, the membership consisted of 55 people and growing steadily.  Twelve ministers served the church during its 88 years.

 

Initial steps in the founding of the Zion Reformed Church were taken in 1898 at Columbia, eight miles southwest of Neillsville.  Services were later held at Sidney located two miles west of Neillsville.  In 1907, the congregation relocated again, this time going to Neillsville where services were held in the Unitarian Church at a rental of $1.50 per Sunday.  In 1913, this church building was purchased for $2,500.  Nine ministers served a total of 55 years in Neillsville.

 

The merger of these two churches was begun in 1958.  The Rev. Albert Guthmiller was then pastor of the former Zion Church and the Rev. Frank B. Harcey served the Congregational Church.  In 1959, new officers were elected, the treasuries were merged, a uniting constitution was adopted and the Rev. Harcey was called as the minister.  On February 17, 1960, the congregation voted to build a new church with a building and finance committee evolving from this.  The uniting effort became visible February 24, 1962, as the ground was broken for the new church building.  The cornerstone ceremony was held Sunday afternoon, April 8, 1962.

 

The present building, located at the corner of Second and Park (Hill) Streets, provides a beautiful place of worship and excellent facilities for Christian education and congregational fellowship. (Address is 515 West 2nd Street)

 

The Congregational Church, shown above, was formed in January 1891, breaking ground for their new building, which was located on the southeast corner of West and Fifth Streets in Neillsville, now site of Mid-Wisconsin Bank.   Its active congregation worshipped there until a merger with the Zion Reformed Church, located two blocks west of the Congregational Church.  In 1959, a uniting constitution was adopted along with a new name, “United Church of Christ.”  In February 1960 ground was broken for a new worship building, on the corner of Second and Hill Streets.

 

***Our Clark Co. Wis. Historian, Steve Roberts tells us The Calvary Lutheran Church sits almost on the corner of Second and Hill Street now, but back at the time of the above article it would have had a Hill Street Address.

 

 

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