Celebrating The Fourth at Home

 

 

 

Farm Residence of Robert Schofield in 1890.

This residence was one of the finest in that part of the country. It was built a few years ago at a cost of $12,000. This house was located in the edge of the village of Greenwood on an excellent farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Schofield had fine large barns and other outbuilding on his farm and all the conveniences of the age about his buildings and on his farm. The farm was well stocked and in the early 1900's was probably worth, with building and stock, $30,000. He also had two hundred acres of land about two miles from the village. Mr. Schofield came to this county when a boy with no means whatever. He was married in 1870 to Miss Burt. They were both natives of New York. The had a family of three children, one boy and two girls. Mr. Schofield was engaged chiefly in lumbering and farming. He also operated a sawmill at Greenwood, Wisconsin.

 

 

While most of the surrounding towns were celebrating the glorious and rainy Fourth, Greenwood also made the day memorable for at least 300 of the coming men and women, the celebration being furnished by the Foster mercantile Co. in Schofield’s grove, which was neatly decorated with the national colors and a generous display of flags of nearly every nation under the sun.

 

Lemonade, ice cream, fire crackers, torpedoes, and the usual belongings to the Fourth were all furnished the youngsters free and the way the freeness was met showed that it was duly appreciated.  Ninety quarts of ice cream and over a barrel of lemonade were disposed of properly.  An amusing feature was to see the boys gather around four freezers full of ice cream and help themselves with tablespoons furnished them for the occasion.

 

In the afternoon a list of races for boys and girls was planned and partially carried out, until stopped by the rain, when the spacious Schofield home was thrown open to the celebraters [sic] who took full possession and filled if from cupola to cellar.

 

Of the sports out doors a running race for boys was pulled off, and was won by one of Wm. Goodwin’s boys.  A running race for girls was won by Mary Chamberlin.  One of the Raymond boys won the sack race.  A novel part of the out door events was a contest among ten of the boys to see who could stand on his head the longest.  A prize was offered by Assistant Cashier Stair of the bank.  Roy Rossman outstood them all, and probably would have been standing on his head yet had he no been pulled over after all the rest had given up.

 

It is needless to say that the day will long be remembered not only by the boys and girls who enjoyed the day, but by the firm and their friends who planned and furnished the amusement.  Greenwood Gleaner, 10 July1902.

 

Contributor

 

Sharon Scott.