Door County, Wisconsin - Chapter 50: Door County's Contribution to the European War, 1917

Chapter 50: Door County's Contribution to the European War

The destructive tentacles of the great European war which have been felt in the outermost parts of the earth have also reached Door County. When war was declared by the United States against Germany steps were at once taken by patriotic men to organize a company of volunteers. Prominent in pushing the enlistment was Dr. F. C. Huff, now a captain in the Medical Reserve Corps. On August 17, 1917, the local company, known as Company F, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, departed for Camp Douglas amid the good-bys of several thousand friends who had met at the depot to bid them godspeed. When they arrived at Camp Douglas they were pleased to learn that their company was the only one in the Fifth Regiment above the war strength of 150 men. Following is the roster of the company, of which twenty-four are from Kewaunee County:

Sergeants - Milton Abell, John C. Acker, William A. Behringer, Lester W. Brann, Emery Eatough, * Jerry J. Jerabeck, William A. Worley, * Fred A. Zastrow.

PRIVATES Anderson, G. D. Bourgeois, L. G. Collard, H. W. Anderson, W. Bruso, H. J. Collard, Harry. Anderson, C. N. Bridenhagen, A. Corbisier, V. A. Anderson, M. R. Bubnik, G. J. Corbisier, A. Andrews, N. M. Burlo, - $ Counard, L. Ahlswede, W. Bournoville, H. J. * Culligan, J. Augustine, E. C. *Capelle, C. * Culligan, G. F. Bathke, A. A. Christianson, J. A. * Culligan, D. Baudhuin, S. J. Christianson, Ole. * Cunningham, W.

The following is a list of the men who up to the present writing have been drafted and certified to the district board by the local board for army service:

The first man examined by the district board who did not claim any exemption and who was willing to go was Claude Wesa, the son of a former German subject

Appendix

The appended article, copied from an issue of the Advocate in 1888, is of interest as giving prices and wages paid in Sturgeon Bay before the Civil war.

The Advocate is in possession of a veritable relic of ante-bellum days. It consists of a ledger which belonged to the upper mill company's store at the time the property was owned and operated by Robert and O. P. Graham. The writing is in Hon. Joseph Harris' bold and plain style, which is so familiar to many of the people of this county.

The first entry is that of William Le Roy, dated July 25, 1857, and he is charged with 8 yards delaine at 25 cents a yard; also one cook stove at $17.

Chris Daniels' name also figures to the extent of a page in the volume. We find him credited in December, 1857, with 107 days' labor in mill at 50 cents per day. In January, 1858, he is credited with 214 days' labor at the rate of $8 per month, or 77 cents for the 2% days. He continued to work for those wages for 24 days of that month, for which he received $7.40 all told. In April that year his wages were raised to $10 per month. This advance was doubtless caused by the fact that he went to rafting logs on the 17th of April, several weeks before navigation opened. We also find him charged with $3.40 in cash, all drawn on the 8th of March, and on the 22d of August following he made another draft of $1.24. His total earnings from the 2d of December, 1857, to the 17th of April, 1858, aggregated $18.19, of which amount he drew $4.60 in cash and the remainder in goods.

Jacob Crass, of Sevastopol, also figures in this ancient volume. On August 18, 1857, he is credited with 1814 days' labor at $1.50 per day. These wages may be considered extravagant, when placed beside the miserable pittance received by Mr. Daniels, but the fact is that Mr. Crass was a master mechanic whose services were in better demand than a common laborer.

Andy Finnegan and wife, who carried on the company's boarding house at that time jointly, received $12 per month for their services in this capacity.

The next is George Bassford, of Sevastopol, who was also an employe of the Graham Brothers during the winter of 1856-7. We find him credited with 25 days' labor during December, 1856, for which he received the extraordinary sum of $5.70 all told. On the 2d of January, 1857, Mr. Bassford hired out for the winter at $6 per month, and he continued working at these figures until the 27th of February following, a total of 51 days, and his credit aggregated $11.73. What an exhibit is $11.73 for a half-hundred days' labor! But then that was during the "good old times" of which we hear and read so much.

Sept. Stephenson, the present city marshal, was evidently one of the fortunate ones those days. We find him working at $10 per month until his earnings had swelled to $39, of which amount he drew $9.50. He is also charged "to one spoon, 25 cents, and one gallon syrup, $1.25." Whether he ate the latter with the former or vice versa is not apparent.

A. J. Schuyler, of Clay Banks, comes next. We find him credited with several days' work in April, 1857, at 50 cents per day. He is also charged with "one bottle of hair oil, 44 cents; one neckerchief, $1.25; two pairs of socks, 44c; one hat, $2; one vest, $5; one pair of pantaloons, $5; V; pound of salts, 18 cents." We ean account for everything in the foregoing except the last named article. What a person wanted with that infernal stuff after he had bought a hat, vest, pantaloons, and two pairs of stockings, all within a month, is past finding out.

On June 23, 1857, H. C. Knutson sold 247 railroad ties for $30.93 and took in exchange therefor one cook stove and several other necessary articles of houschold

Ve find that Nic. Simon received $2.25 in December, 1857, for three days' labor in helping to unload a vessel, and for three days' work in the woods, 76 cents. He also received $10 per month during a part of the winter at the same labor. November 27th he invested in an overcoat for $10.

J. P. Simon, of Nasewaupee, was also one of the elect, inasmuch as he is credited with $31.75 for 1914 days' work during September. This does not include board.

In November, 1857, we find that E. C. Daniels had been working in the mill for 121% days, for which he is credited $7.59 - 75 cents per day. During the following three months he worked 79 days in the pinery which was then located in the rear of Bayside Cemetery. For this work he received $33.43 and of this only $2 in cash.

In April, 1858, Anton Thompson sold the firm 74,147 feet of saw logs, at the rate of $1.50 per 1,000, which aggregated $113.20. Just think of it, lumbermen, $1.50 per 1,000 feet of pine logs! During the same winter L. R. McLachlan also put in logs for which he received $1.50 per 1,000 from the same firm.

May, 1858, John Walker sold 13,000 staves at $4.50 per 1,000 - 3558.50; also 414 cords shingle bolts at $3.50 per cord. Mr. Walker was formerly a resident of Nasewaupee, where he was accidentally killed while working in the woods sometime in 1859. He was the father of Charles Walker of Sevastopol.

Nic Ambrust, of Sevastopol, for work of self and oxen, 6 days at 69 cents per day, $2.54. This credit we find during January, 1857. We also find Henry Martin, of the same town, credited with $7.52, for 22 days' labor performed in January, 1858. This was at the rate of $9 per month. During the time which Mr. Martin worked, which extended over a period of four months, he drew a total of 50 cents in cash. His earnings during that time aggregated $13.08.

Edward Nelson, of this village, sold 1,900 shingles in November, 1858, at $1.25 per 1,000. N. Bassnertte also sold a lot of shingles to the same party the season before that at the rate of $1.00 per 1,000.

In July, 1858, W. H. Warren sold 21,848 feet of new logs at $2.25 per 1,000 and 19,509 feet of old logs at $1.25 per 1,000, which transaction doubtless constituted nearly a winter's work those days, aggregating $73.58.

We might enumerate many other individuals, but no further evidence is needed to convince the present generation of the vast difference between the times now and those of twenty-five and more years ago, as experienced by the early pioneers. It is claimed by some that prices of the necessaries of life were commensurate with the wages paid in those days. This is a great mistake, as far as this place is concerned, as will be observed by the following prices of staple articles, which is taken from the same book: Flour, $6.00 and $7.00 per barrel; corn meal, 2 cents per pound; salt pork, 14 cents; beef, 8 cents; butter, 25 cents; lard, 17 cents; syrup at $1.00 and $1.25; coffee, 18 cents; tea, 75 cents; soap, 12 cents; candles, 25 cents; lard oil, $1.13; sugar, brown, 16 cents; vinegar, 24 cents; dried apples, 14 cents; potatoes - scarce - 50 cents and $2.05 per bushel; hay, $10; corn, 63 cents; beans, $1.25; oats, 37 cents; calico, 13 cents per yard; delaine, 28 cents; pair boots, $3.50, and everything else in proportion.

Let our readers compare these figures with those now current and they will see that there is considerable difference in favor of the present prices. It will be a puzzle to many how the people lived in those days, but live they did, as has been demonstrated in the case of the parties referred to above.

Index

counties Assembly, members of à Assessed valuation of districts . Assessments and taxes .. Aux Premier Belges .. Average salary rural teachers

Boone, John A. . Boston Tea Party Boys frozen to deai Bradley, Allen . Brink, John . Brown county . Buildin, Buried in Lincoln Park, Chicago .... Bushels of various Business at county Buteher's saw for surgery Butter eight cents ..

Cherries Cherry trees yiel Chief Silver Band . Children of school age, 1870 Choice farming land .. Christ church (Episcopalian Chureh of Atonement, Fish Of St. Francis de Paul . Chureh Processional Churches of Liberty Grove In Door County That have gone down . of Podunk Civil War, Door County in . Claflin, Inerease Claflin's Point Clark, John P. . Clark's Lake Clay Banks ... Clay Banks and Norwegian settlement. Clerks and mayors, Sturgeon Bay ...... Climate . Clow, Capt. David . Clow, the Sarah . Coldest day in history of sorai Commercial orchards Company F, Fifth Wis. Compulsory education . Congregat onal church .. er and other finds ...... ros lwood Corn hills Huskings Counties com County board of supervisors Divisions ......... Officers Printing . mE Seat assi: 1857. Superintendent of schools Supports newspaper ... Treasurership in question . Craw, Jas. M. . Crooked election Crushed stone plant Cubs escape .. Curtis family, drowning of - Cyclone hits Mr. Gardner hard une m, Claude .. n" ng . 159 oes Se shoals . 260 Death's Door legend + 40 Decoration Day, 1865 . 244 Deer, bear and beaver ~ :o35 Defunet villages .... 83, 329 Delfosse, Ni J. pees: MO De Pere, mission 61 Detroit Island 21 Cemeteries . 33 Diffieulty of communication 287 Distinguished guests . 172 Distress general 313

First settler of . ssa E Fruit crop, 1917 . 2 165 General view of $5 Highways .. 180 Industries .. 2 155 In Civil war .... MEUS In European war 1 446 Lighthouses wes 254 News .... te. 231 Newspapers + 216 People religious ..... 190 Publishing Company .. 230 Scenery in . hn Schools . 159, 144 School superintendents ..... . M5 MP distriet, counties compos: waned 110 State Bank . 177 uation of property . 120 Ne nears training schoo 144 Door of Death ..... 39 Drafted and certified men, list of 447 Drink brutalizes Indians ... 64

Eagle Bluff lighthouse . Eagle Cliff Eagle Island Eagle Point . Earliest. assessments lost Earliest Farm orchard. Early French explorers in Door county. Early Schools at Rock Island. Early Visitors to Door county. Egg fight, an . Egg Harbor . Christened . Early settlers of ....... Eggs four cents per dozen .... Eighteenth Wisconsin Infantr; Eleventh Battery Wisconsin tillery . Eleventh Regimen! Ellison Bay and beyond Ellison Bay and Mink River site: Empire base ball club Enterprising brokers clean up Ephraim (verse) ... Facts about Famous . . Moravian . Ephraim's greatest "day E Episcopal church, Gardner ... Jacksonport .... Episcopal churches .. Equalization did not equalize B Evangelical Lutheran Christ chure Salem's congregation .

St. John's .. St. Peter's dences of cultivation Evidences of. Indian occupation. Evil fate pursued him .... Evergreen Nursery Compa: Expositor, The Extinet congregations

Farmers, coming of .. 283 Farmers object to fene: 99 Farming ......... . 155 Farming with trotting horses. 360 Farm property and produets . 92 Farms operated by owners . 99 By tenants ........ 2,99 Father of twenty-two . 273 Fence post deal saves the day | 5 Fences called for . . 99 Ferry project killed . 298 Fetzer, John ....... . 100 Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry | " 128 Fifth Wisconsin Infantry . 125 Fight for a throne . 336 Finch (suist) hangs self . . 887 Fire of 1871 ....... . 421 First attempts to get a railway + 183 Ball club in county ......... . 431 Bank in county .. . 176 Belgian settlement . . 418 County assessment . . M3 County superintendent of schools.... 150 Free high school ...... 143 Government land office + N Grain binder in county . . 324 Lawsuit in Ephraim . 945 Lighthouse keeper . . 256 Marriage in Door county muc MT Meeting of county board .. . 96 Organized school in Sturgeon Bay.... 139 Permanent settlement . . 976 Private school, the 139

Forgotten community, a . 262 Fort Dearborn massacre . 48 Fort Howard ..... x TT Forty degrees . 302 Forty-fourth Wisconsin Infantry . 133 Forty-third Wisconsin Infantry. . 132 Foseora $8, 441

Game plentiful .... Gardner, F. B. . Garland, John .... Gas buoys General view of Door County .. German Evangelical chwch, Gibraltar. Liberty Grove German Lutheran church, Baileys H: bor .. German Lutheran church, Kolberg . German M. E. church, Sawyer . German settlement ..... Giant of Gills Rocks, the . Gibraltar ... High school Girls earn $3.00 per year! Good roads data-table op. Government reservation .. Graduates of training school ... Graft charged . Graham, 0; P.

ibl r plagues Great celebration July 4, 1878 Great Explorers, the... Great Fire of 1871. Greatest storm . Green Bay, 1821 Gazette Green Islan: Griffin, the Griswold, L. M. Groenfeldt, J. J. Groom ''married'' to groom, bride to bride

Haines, Tallak .. Hale, ''Doctor,'' an his $ 000° bi Handmade cemetery eerta Hands and feet frozen . Harris, Joseph, Sr. Becomes state senator . Hat Island .. Hay $4.00 a ton . Heaviest taxpayers, Hedgehog Harbor .... Hein's Creek . Villages ... Hennepin, Louis Hibbard Creek . Higgins, Allen High school building ... Highway improvement . Highways of Door county Historical traditons of Indian tribes of Door county peninsula Hoag, S. A. .. Horn's pier Horses starve Horseshoe Ba; Horticulture . Hostility towar Hotels, list of summer .....

Matches refuse to ignite! ............ 365 Mayors and clerks of Sturgeon Bay.... 318 Members of county board of supervisors, 1857-1917 ............ 101 Members of state assembly. 107 Men employed in ice cutting 174 Menasha, land office in .... 350 Mere! Exchange Bank 177 Merrymaking ............ 285 M. E. church, Jacksonport . 203 Methodists in Sturgeon Bay 193 Meulenbach refused to pay 439 Military burial ... 273 Military History 123 Milk condensing f: 160 Mill burns, pier rots . + 385 Mills built .. + 88 Miner, H. D. D» Describes trip with mail ll 288 Walks on water .. lose Molasses-potato diet . 85 Money at 10 per cent. lae Moravian church, Ephri : 191 Sister Bay .........- . 212

Nasewaupee, origin of name . Negro fishermen New bank makes good .. ew school building in 18 Newport site Newspaper opposes railways . Newspapers .. Nicolet, Jean . Nimniquette

Voluntary Infantry . : Ogontz, the .. Old soldiers on Washington Island..... 290 Oldest incorporated bank ATL On foot to Fish Creek | 96 Orchard corporations . 164 Orehards, commercial . ;del Farm . . 160 Original Carrie . 356 Otumba . . 95 Outagamis slaughtered DA Outline of Door county hi 83

Lighthouse station ...... 260 Poem in first issue of Advocate . 216 Poisoned corn bread . . 42 Polish settlement at y 391 Political organization of county 94 Population, composition of ... 91

Portable departm: Porte des Morts station. Potato-Molasses diet . Potato yield ..... +e Potawatomis affable .... Pottawatomie light Potsherds and flakes . Poultry products, value of . Prairie du Chien ..

Railroad and telegraph . 183 Railroad bond election 186 Railroad finally arrives. 319 Rainfall in county . "S Ranney brothers, the + 980 Record of Rock Island, a . . 262 Record of vessel passing. 150 Reminiscences by Mr. MeCord 218 Renault, Etienne .... 57 Reward - the poorhouse . 303 Roadmaking a talkfest . 181

Sage of Fish Creek . Sage of Shivering Sands. Saloon next door to church Saloonist becomes medium Sand Bay . Sarah Clow, "the Sauks burn Ottawa squaw ae Sawmill products .. Sawyer, congressman Scandinavian immigration . Scenery of Door county . School buildings ...... Distriets .. Of Door county Schoolhouse, a new burned .... Schuyler, Fred . Scientific horticulture Seout dance, the .... Second Wisconsin Cavalry . Senatorial distriet, changes by Serio-comie event ..... Settlement near starvation Sevastopol ........... Seventeenth Wisconsin Seventh Day Adventi: Creek ... Sturgeon Bay Seventh Wisconsin

Seventy-five per cent. of people churchgoing ... Shanty Bay . Shearing of the sheep, the .. Sherwood Point lighthouse . Shiloh Moravian ehureh . Shimmel, F. J. ''Shindig,"" a Shipbuilding ...... Shipments Shivering Sands Silver knife, a. Simon, Peter J. Sister Adele's vision Sister Bay .... Baptist chure Site for State Park ... Sixth Wisconsin Infantry Skated ninety miles ... Skunk invades stores Skunks for World's Fair . Sleighing parties Smith, Mri Alice Snow storm, a ter *Sociable'" evening .... Soldiers from Door county . Southern Door County Spear, Geo. O. . Spelling schools . Spies tortured . Spiritualist church, Gardner . Spiritualists build own church Spring Deer, the Stahl, Bill . Rescued . . State Banks of Forestville and Maplewood .. Btate Park State Senato: Statisties, compa Of sawmill products . Steamer Michigan, 1847 . Stephenson, Isaac'... Stephenson, Robert . Stone industry .. Storrow, Samuel A. Strawberry Islands . Sturgeon Bay ... First village plat of Incorporated ......... Village site .......

Table showing moneys raised and spent, amounts and yea Tables of assessed vi distriets of county Tale of Death's Door, a . Talk-fests ..... tied ic

Twenty-five thousand dollars per week.. 160 Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry . "Two Friends" wrecked ..... Je Two hundred miles of waterfront . Two hundred miles on an ox... Two hundred and twenty trout . Two Rivers and White Fish Bay .

Valuations in Door county. Value of all farm erops Of dairy produets .. Of poultry products Vegetation rich and varied Ventriloquist fools Indians . Vessels built at Little Sturgeon . Driven ashore .. . 'Vote against railway . Vote on bonds, by towi

Washington Harbor cemetery Washington Island . Baptist chureh . Waters of Green gan meet . ** We ain't got n y Weddings of rare occurrence . Wellever, Frank . Wesa, Claude .. Westbrook gets revenge . Whaleback shoal .... Where is my cow tonight? . White Fish Bay ... "White House,'' the . Whitney, Daniel .. Wild animals abundant . Winnebagos eat emissaries .. Do not return . Wiseonsin cavalry in Civil war Wisconsin Legislature acts on canal. Wisconsin Midland Railway.....