Society News and Events

Good Afternoon Forest County Residents!

This week’s featured local history female is Lulu Shaw, the first female mayor in the state of Wisconsin! In fact, Lulu’s mayoral election was such a momentous occasion it was mentioned in a New York City newspaper in 1923(New York Evening Telegram). Lulu Parnell Shaw was born in the town of Omro in 1866 to Samuel and Louise Shaw. She became well educated in business and law. Ms. Shaw was one of the early publishers of the Forest Republican in Crandon (The Wisconsin State Journal). She spoke at the 5th annual convention of the North Central Wisconsin Union Young Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor in Stevens Point on the subject of Sunday school work (Stevens Point Journal). Lulu fought for the vote when she organized a women’s suffrage club in 1914(Madison Wisconsin State Journal). In April of 1923 she was elected the mayor of Crandon over her opponent Otto A. Bock. Shaw died October 21, 1937 after a brief bout of pneumonia (The Oshkosh Northwestern). I encourage everyone to come to the library to view the display next to the Children’s Room. The case features photos of Lulu as well as the book of the Common Council Proceedings where she signed many of her mayoral decrees.

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week’s featured woman in local history did not spend her entire life in Forest County but she was a pioneer as a career woman throughout her life. Ida Dutcher was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin to Heber and Mary Ann West in 1857 and she received her high school diploma while residing in Waupaca (Carpenter & Milbury 1914). She became a school teacher until she married a Civil War veteran, Henry Dutcher, in 1880 (Plover 1938). Ida and Henry moved to Forest County in 1888 where they developed one of the most profitable and beautiful farms in the region. Ida assisted her husband in his abstract business. They were also active in religious and community organizations in Forest County. While living in the area Ida gave birth to three children and buried two of them (Forest Republican). The Dutchers moved to California in 1901 where Ida maintained and operated an insurance and real estate business for thirty years. A woman owning her own business was very rare at that time. She also had a enormous impact as a Library and School trustee and a founder of the local PTA ( Forest Republican).  Ida Dutcher was one of the first pioneers in the Forest County area and a trail blazer as a woman entrepreneur and her accomplishments should certainly be recognized.

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week’s featured female historical figure for Women’s History Month is Louise Webb Shaw. She is well-known for being the first white female settler in Crandon. Louise was born in Waukesha in 1844 to Robert and Parnal Hulbert Beckwith Webb. When she was eight her family moved to Omro where she attended school and studied music. She was married to Samual Shaw on July 17^th, 1865. The Shaws moved to Madison in 1873 where Samuel became superintendent of schools while he invested in timber in Northern Wisconsin. The Shaws relocated to Northern Wisconsin in 1883 and Louise named the region “Forest County” in 1885. She became the county’s first superintendent of schools and would frequently visit the schools on horseback. At the time Forest County schools included institutions in Pelican Lake, Monico, and Three Lakes. Louise brought a medical book with her to the Northwoods and would assist her neighbors when their children became ill. The first post office called Ayr was located in the Shaw home and Mrs. Shaw became the community’s first postmaster. She handled the mail which was brought in by stage coach twice a week. Louise was a devout Christian; she instituted the community’s first religious services which were held in the Shaw home. In 1930, she suffered a stroke which affected the left side of her body but she still maintained an active interest in her community, especially enjoying reading and visiting her friends. Two years later Louise passed away and the mayor declared that all stores and places of business would be closed during her funeral out of respect for such a beloved resident ( Forest Republican 1932).

Good Afternoon Forest County!

The month of March is Women’s History Month so to honor all the great women throughout history my monthly exhibit will reflect that theme. Please come visit the Crandon Public Library and check out the display that invites you to “Discover Local History through the Female Lens”. To coordinate with that subject, there is a book display next to the new book section of works that feature strong women characters.  There is also a table outside of the children’s room whose story lines include positive role models. Every Friday this month I will highlight a woman from Forest County history that served the community and thrived in the frontier environment.

This week’s lady of honor is Edith Keith. Edith was born in Peoria, Illinois to William and Stella Brubaker on October 21st, 1884. She was a graduate of Bradley College and the Chicago Art Institute. She came to Crandon in 1906 to teach art and music. Edith became Mrs. Harry Keith on October 21st, 1907. Mr. Keith owned a mill and a lumber company and was a businessman. Edith was the founder and two term president of the Rural Art Society. She received the prestigious John Stewart Curry Memorial Award for her dedication to the arts. Mrs. Keith was also said to be the first to woman to drive unescorted from Chicago to Crandon in 1911 (Forest Republican 1982). Can you imagine that car ride?

 

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week’s discovery can be connected with a figure in our national history. The archives contain a letter from Booker T. Washington written on paper bearing the letter head of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute addressed to A.C. Haile thanking her for her support. Booker T. Washington was a prominent Civil Rights Activist during the late 19th and early 20th century and was the first African American to visit the White House. Mr. Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute in order to provide higher education to African Americans specifically in the field of agriculture. The Tuskegee University is still a highly respected institution of higher education today. To see a photo of the letter check out the Crandon Public Library Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day Forest County!

This week I wanted to find out how residents celebrated this lovers’ holiday many years ago. According to an article from the Forest Republican published in 1922 ” Valentine’s Day is the Beginning of a Week of Pleasures”. That year Mrs. H.H. Mohr threw a Valentine party with Princess pine and hearts decorating her home. Everyone spent the night playing the card game “Hearts” while eating food crafted into heart shapes. A “colorful messenger” showed up and delivered everyone’s place cards in the “form of half a valentine”. There was musically entertainment and prizes awarded to the winners of the card game including: Mrs. Roeber, Mrs. Keith, Mrs. Gebhart, and Mrs. Ison (Forest Republican 1922).  That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the holiday to me!

I have also included photographs of loving couples below to get everyone in the mood for Valentine’s Day.

 

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week I discovered a charge plate among the collection in the Local History Room at the library. A charge plate also referred to as a “charga-plate” was popular during the 1930’s-40’s and was used to make purchases when the buyer did not have enough money. The plates were embossed with the person’s name and address. The charge plate functioned by putting the metal plate in a machine with inked ribbon stuck between the sales slip and that plate that would transfer the plate’s image onto the piece of paper when it was pressed together.  The earliest known record of the plate’s use was by airplane and gasoline corporations in the 1920’s.

The charge plate in the collection was issued to James Wegter by the Chicago Credit Plate Service, Inc.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-02-01/entertainment/9101100146_1_credit-cards-charge-plates-debts-collected

Hello Forest County Residents!

Today I will be working on a new display for the case located at the front of the Crandon Public Library. The February display reveals the identity of the mystery object from last month’s display so you really need to come check it out! The display also illuminates the amazing life of Ernest Wilson, who donated the mystery object to the library.

Ernest Wilson was born on January 1^st, 1914 in New Auburn, Wisconsin to a divorced mother who was forced to place her children in an orphanage located in Sparta, Wisconsin. To help produce an income Ernest was sent to work at local farms. At the age of 10 people began to proclaim that Ernest was a prodigy due to his ability to sketch the likeness of any person, and his aptitude for musical instruments. In 1924, Ernest put on a musical show for the governor of Wisconsin and during the Depression he earned money and gained fame by traveling all around North America performing.  In 1935, Ernest met Max Scharf, the champion trick fiddler, and they teamed up to play daily on the radio as well as weekends for the W.L.S. Barn Dance in Chicago as the Whoopee Cowboys. Ernest married his partner’s daughter Nina Scharf of Crandon in 1935. They had five children together: Bert, Glen, Linda, Karl, and Julie. Over his illustrious career Ernest won several awards including:  National Champion Yodeling contest, National Championship for the one man band, and won Senior Citizen of the Year at the Wisconsin State Fair. Upon his retirement Ernest settled in Crandon to focus on his art and to operate a sign shop. He would still perform at local events and would entertain the residents at the nursing home. Ernest Wilson passed away in 1995 in Minnesota but he is buried at the Lakeside Cemetery. Ernest’s ancestors still reside in Crandon and his art can be seen decorating the walls of the Forest County Courthouse. The drum from his one man band is exhibited at the Forest County Historical and Genealogical Society. If you have a memory or photo of Ernest Wilson or Max Scharf feel free to share!

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/62375230/person/30090585507/mediax/7?pgnum=1&pg=32814&pgpl=pid%7CpgNum

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week I came across a photo of the Range Line Forest Club in 1947 which prompted me to want to learn more about this organization’s purpose and origin. The club’s beginning can be traced to January 6, 1925 when Mrs. James Feight was thrown a surprise birthday party. Many of the ladies in attendance enjoyed the group dynamics and commented on the need for a club so they could gather together on a regular basis. The group decided to meet a few weeks later in the home of Mrs. Silas Smith and the organization continued to exist for 62 years until June 12, 1987 (Forest Republican 1987) . The purpose of the group was “to promote friendliness and neighborliness and to help anyone in need” (Forest Republican 1979). The club was responsible for purchasing war bonds during WWII, raising money for the Crandon Medical Center, sponsoring a child in the Philippines, and much more. The ladies were in charge of the Town of Lincoln booth at the County Fair every year, where they won several ribbons for their impressive vegetables. A member of the club, Mrs. Paul Statezny, was asked how the club endured for so long and she replied “We have never let politics or religion become an issue. And we don’t allow gossip discussed in our club” (Forest Republican 1979). Those are wise words that all of us could put into place when we are involved in community organizations.

If anyone knows when the club’s final year of existence was or has more photos and documents from the group please stop by the library and share your information.

Hello Forest County Residents!

This week a few new items were donated to the local history room which allowed me to learn more about the Peters Flower Shop that existed in Crandon from approximately 1920’s -1960’s. The shop was owned by Amalie (Erdman) Peters and run by her son Clarence Peters who worked at the shop his entire life. Amalie was married to Charles Peters but the donor did not remember a husband participating in the business. Charles may have died before the shop was open due to the fact that he was 24 years older than his wife. The Flower Shop sold flowers on one side of the shop and vegetables on the other side. The majority of the products were grown in their own garden and it was a very successful business in the area for several decades. The two boys in the photo below are Clarence and Linus Peters, the son of Amalie Peters. Clarence, the older brother,  never married, lived with his mother until her passing, and worked in the flower shop his entire life. Clarence was stricken with a serious illness in infancy that caused him to lose his hearing. Linus graduated from Crandon High School and then attended college at UW- Madison in 1921. He married Eva M Yungfer of Tomahawk in 1933. Linus worked in the lumber industry as well as a surveyor. He eventually became an engineer for the Wisconsin Highway Department before he died of complications from surgery. If anyone has photos of the Peters Flower Shop please let me know I would love to see them!