Langlade County, Wisconsin - Chapter 48, 1922

Chapter 48

Two Congressional Divisions - Survey of 1860 and 1864 - Physical Features - Timber, Soil, Streams - Boundaries - Organization in 1886 - First Town Meeting At Summit Lake - Slashing Territory From Summit - Parrish Tovsmship Created November 12, 1889 - Officers From 1886 to 1923 - The History Of Sleepy Hollow District, Sunny Slope, Rocky Glen, Callsen, and Parrish Village.

Summit township consists of two congressional divisions, No. 33 and No. 34 of the U. S. government survey. The township lies in the extreme northwestern part of the county. South Summit was surveyed by William T. Bradley in September, 1860, and North Summit was surveyed by James L. Nowlin, commencing on September 15, 1864. The township is bounded on the north by Oneida County, on the south by Vilas township, on the east by Elcho township, and on the west by Lincoln County.

The physical and topographical features of Summite are similar to surrounding divisions. The surface is generally rolling except in some places where swamps and marshes prevail. The leading variety of timber consists of pine, hemlock, birch, oak, elm, basswood and maple, of which splendid groves are yet to be found.

The soil is Gloucester fine sandy loam, Spencer silt loam and Gloucester silt loam, rolling phase. The township has no large creeks or waters courses, the Prairie river being the largest. It extends through the central part of North Summit, running through sections 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19, 20, 22, 25 and 26.

The Resolution Of 1886

February 2, 1886, J. C. Lewis introduced a resolution before the County Board calling for the organization of Summit township. The resolution stipulated that the proposed township consist of congressional townships 33 and 34 of ranges 9 and 10 east. It passed, but not without opposition.

The first township meeting was held at the Summit Lake village school house. W. H. Pool, who was then operating a sawmill at Summit Lake, was elected first township chairman. His right to sit on the County Board was challenged by other members who declared him to be a citizen of Antigo. He filed an affidavit to the contrary stating he had been a resident of Summit Lake for a considerable length of time previously. This quashed the arguments of his enemies.

J. C. Lewis, B. H. Wooledge, Henry Heim, John G. Beardsley, Frank Kennedy and John Bahr were selected to make a settlement with Ackley township and the new town of Summit immediately after the township was organized. Their report to the County Board, November 9, 1886, was adopted.

Slashing Territory From Summit

Summit township did not enjoy its extensive area for any considerable time. December 27, 1886, an effort was made to have townships 34 of ranges 9 and 10 east detached from Summit. Ed Daskam prevented this action by having the proposed new township request tabled. Tabling the petition did not lessen the activities of those who desired a new township and on February 23, 1887, Elcho township was created. With parts of the original Neva township and townships 34 of ranges 9 and 10 east this new township was organized. Thus Summit, exactly a year after organization, was slashed to one-half its original area. But the slashing did not cease. On November 12, 1889, Parrish township was formed by detaching township 34 of range 9 east (North Summit township) from Elcho township. This left Summit township but one congressional township. No. 33, range 9 east, and it remained in that status until 1899, when Parrish township was vacated and attached to Summit township. Its area has remained unchanged since.

All of the officers of Summit township in 1886 came from the village of Summit Lake. Supervisors C. H. Graves, G. W. Glines; Clerk, R. C. Rice; Treasurer, Peter Loos; Assessor, L. M. Stearns, and minor officials were principally from Summit village. Their leader was W. H. Pool, who fought the first attempt to organize Parrish township before the state legislature.

SLEEPY HOLLOW DISTRICT. When the first settlers arrived in the Callsen district John Cummings, who emigrated from Aberdeen, Scotland, took up 160 acres of homestead land in 1883 on section 19 of South Summit township. Following him came Frank and Anton Wildman, who settled on sections 17 and 19 respectively. They also arrived in 1883. Other pioneer settlers were Robert and John Holland who took up land on sections 19 and 30 respectively. It was not but a short time before other settlers arrived. Frank Kursts and Thomas Griese came into the district and settled on section 30. In 1884 Conrad Dore moved into the district taking a location in the northeast part of section 32. Phillip Atkins came at the same time establishing himself on section 29. He homesteaded the south quarter of the section.

ed on the Robert Cummings property in southeastern section 19. Miss Emma Dore was the first teacher. Six pupils were in attendance. The log school was used for many years until a frame building was erected on section 29. The 1921-22 school officials were Robert Cummings, Clerk; Wenzel Wildman, Treasurer, and Otto Bergman, Director.

This district has an area of 5,600 acres of land. Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and all of section 32 except the southeast quarter are in its limits. It was once known as District No. 5.

Their are many sections of the district not inhabited. Those parts where settlers have cleared farms is modern and progressive. Telephones, rural free delivery, splendid county roads, all aid in the general advancement of the district.

The soil of Sleepy Hollow is chiefly Spencer silt loam, with a little peat. The Pine river runs through section 33, nearby. (Section 33 is in district No. 3.)

SUNNY SLOPE DISTRICT comprises all of sections 15, 21, 22, 27, 28, the west half of section 36, all of sections 33, 34, 35 and the southeast quarter of section 32 in South Summit township, embracing an area of land containing 5,600 acres. It received its name from the picturesque slope on which the district school is located.

The first settlers to homestead arrived in the district in 1884. Carl Dumiohn, Frank Tomany, George Zagel, Stephen Simon and son, C. G. Simon, August Zelm, Henry Zelm, George King (now a resident of Rocky Glen district), Michael Pilhofer, John Strobel, Julius Bergman, Conrad Hauenstein and A. Leistikow came into the district between 1884 and 1888.

The first settlers had to walk to Dudley for provisions and for many years mail was hauled over poor trails and marshy roads to the settlement. Mr. Simon was the pioneer mail carrier, who would go to Dudley and return three times a week with the government mail.

The first school was located on section 28 in 1889. Meanwhile Albert Leistikow sold the school district a building for school purposes. An acre of ground was secured from Stephen Simon at a cost of $5. The school was 16x20 feet and the floor of rough pine lumber. It was ready for the fall term of 1889. Fred Kasten, Stephen Simon and Frank Nibler were the first Director, Treasurer and Clerk of the district. Fred Kasten, Frank Nibler and Frank Tomany were in charge of the building of the first school. Early teachers were Lizzie Griese, Celema M. Lavague, Mary Higgins, Emma Molzberger, A. M. Bessey, Elma M. Snyder, Margaret Slover, Miss Filby, Nellie Boyle, Lottie Hinch, Emma Nordman, Nellie Tracy. The 1922-23 teacher was Eleanor Greeland. The 1922- 23 school officials were C. G. Simon, Clerk; J. L. Steger, Director; G. M. Simon, Treasurer.

In 1898 a second log school was built on land leased from George Zagel, who received $27 for clearing it. This site was the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 27. Here a school was built at a cost of $300. It was 22x32 feet in dimensions. Stephen Simon erected it for the district. It was used until the modern school of red brick was built by C. D. Clark at a cost of $4,400. He was awarded the contract March 5, 1917.

The school officials when the new school was erected were C. G. Simon, J. L. Steger and George Zagel, Clerk, Director and Treasurer in order given.

BAVARIA is the chief settlement of the district. A post office was opened in 1906 with Stephen Simon as postmaster. The office was retained until rural free delivery was secured in the district. May 1, 1921. It is route No. 1 from Gleason, Wis. Bavaria was named after the kingdom of Bavaria, which next to Prussia, was the second largest state in the once German Empire. Many of the settlers came from that state.

A Lutheran Evangelical church is located on the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 21, just opposite the town hall. The Lutheran minister from Gleason serves the community.

Floyd Hurlbutt of Parrish, continuation district No. 1, erected a mill on section 34 in 1915. He sold it in 1917 to Fred Molzberger, who, after running for two years, sold it to Doering Brothers. It was then moved to Doering, Wis., a nearby village. The only sawmill now in the district is owned by Ed. Walberger. It is located on section 33. He came to the district in May, 1922.

A cheese factory, located on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 34 was erected many years ago. It changes ownership frequently.

The Summit township hall is located on the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 22 in this district. It has been repaired many times. It is located on highway "H."

ROCKY GLEN DISTRICT. Much of this region is still unsettled and great tracts of timber still stand within its boundaries. Lumbering and logging has been the principal industry. This district was set off in 1899, ten years after the first log school was erected. April 12, 1889, the first school district was created. Many of the early settlers homesteaded in 1886. William Knak, George Koch, Carl Shadewald, John Gnahn, Herman Pohl, S. Bruckner, George Hufnagel, Joseph Hufnagel, George Herbst, John Herbst, George

The first school, log cabin, was erected in 1889 on section 11. It was a 16x20 cabin. Karl Hammer erected the first school, it being completed September 20, 1889. The school ground was leased from Charles Schadewald. The school ground was cleared by Joseph Hufnagel. G. T. Conant, the first teacher, received $30 per month salary. Other early teachers were Emma Ketner, second teacher; others were: Anna D. C. Gropp, Emma Nordman, Emma Gleason, Jane Reader, Nellie Boyle, V. R. Berkman, Agnes Camic, and Albert Boettcher. The 1922-23 teacher was Echo Robbins. Wilhelm Knak, John Herbst and George Koch were the first Director, Treasurer and Clerk of this district. Eight children attended the first school.

In 1903 John King erected the frame school now used, section 11, at a cost of $800. The building is 26x36 and 12 feet high. The job was let to Mr. King, August 13, 1902. The old log school was then sold July 21, 1902, to J. King at $1.55.

The Langlade Lumber Company has been instrumental in bringing in many new settlers into the district, they having located 145 settlers in their cut-over lands thus far.

The district soil is chiefly Spencer silt loam, Gloucester sandy loam and in the marshy areas peat is found, more noticeable at the intersection quarter post of sections 1, 2, 11 and 12. The region is hilly and rocky.

CALLSEN DISTRICT. The year Antigo was divided into two camps as a result of an unsuccessful attempt to incorporate it as a city, a man, full of determination and energy, staked a homestead for himself in the wild virgin forest of this district. This man, Frank Lee, was not long a solitary mortal in the region of pine and hardwood forests. Two years later, in 1885, Stedson and Christopher Callsen, taking with them their worldly belongings, left Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to make a home in that land, which has been the choice of the interpid Frank Lee. Others who followed were Edward Rosbach, Charles Haasman, Otto and Bernard Holtman, Alfred Wright, Gustav Brendemihl, Henry Brendemihl and Conrad De Horn, all sturdy pioneers of the new north.

The Callsen district comprises all of sections 7, 8, 9 and the west half of section 10, all of section 4, 5 and 6, the west quarter of section 3, a small strip of sections 1, 2 and 3 of South Summit township and all of sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 of North Summit together with the south halves of sections 25 to 30 inclusive. The district has an area of 11,568 acres. The district has three types of soil, Gloucester sandy loam, Spencer silt loam and peat.

township and remained as such until 1890 when Parrish township was detached from Elcho. Then it was organized as District No. 1 and for nine years it remained in that status until 1899, when upon the reorganization of Summit township it became district No. 4, by which it is now known.

After preparing their homesteads for crops, building their log cabins and opening up some communication with the outside world, the pioneer settlers turned their attention to education of their children. In the year 1886 a log school was erected at the quarter post of sections 29 and 32. Ten children attended from the Haasman, Callsen and Rosbach families and were taught by Miss Lizzie Giese. Seven years later the log school gave way to the first frame school, erected in 1893 on the northeast corner of section 31. Miss Emma Castellion was the first teacher in charge. Frank Lee, Clerk; Detlof Callsen, Director, and Ed. Rosbach, Treasurer, had charge of the first school activities in this district in 1887. The 1922-23 school officials were John Callsen, a son of Detlof Callsen, as Clerk; Henry Brendemihl as Treasurer and Halvor Granum of Director. Miss Laurette Friebel was the 1922-23 teacher.

In October, 1916, the frame school was destroyed by fire. The children were housed temporarily in a log building nearby. School opened in 1917 in a modern $5,600 brick school erected by the Frazer Lumber Company of Appleton. It is on the site of the old frame structure, section 31. Early teachers in this territory were Anna Jensen, Alice Huntington, Martha Marsilliot, Jesse Waste, Blanche Kilkelly, Florence Bunton and Jeannie Lang.

Pioneer loggers were The Prairie River Lumber Company, J. C. Hollis and Paul Krueger, or The Parrish Lumber Company, Detlof and Christopher Callsen and John Callsen.

The district presents a vivid contrast today to that time in 1885 when the first settlers had to walk to Elcho, a hamlet in the wilderness, for provisions, flour and other necessities. Now it has splendid farms, telephones, splendid residences and while highways are few those that are found are good. The region is steadily forging ahead.

Continuation District No. 1

PARRISH DISTRICT. The village of Parrish is situated in the extreme northwestern part of Langlade County, 32 miles from Antigo, County Seat. It is in the heart of one of the great lumbering regions of pioneer days, and in fact is yet important because of that industry. It received its name in honor of Judge J. K. Parrish of the 10th Wisconsin Judicial Circuit of 1889.

Jule Edwin, first settler, located at the site now used as a hotel by Andrew Kuhl. Mr. Edwin erected the first store in the village for Brooks & Ross Lumber

While the Brooks & Ross Lumber Company had their extensive lumber operations in the region Parrish became a thriving settlement of fifty-eight families. In 1888 it was divided into three districts consisting of French, German and Swedes. These sections were known as Frenchtown, Germantown and Swedetown. Frenchtown was located north of the Prairie river, while the other two groups lived on the south side.

The Parrish school is one of the best in the county. Three teachers are employed. The 1922-23 teachers were the Misses Ethel Gallop, principal, and Gerda Tiller and Elna Augustead, assistants.

Elm City, Lincoln County, is located near Parrish. An old sawmill site is the only monument left as a memory of that place. The great sawdust pile, reminiscent of an industry that has passed, is covered with wild plants and good sized trees are growing at its top.

The soil adjacent to Parrish consists of Gloucester fine sandy loam and Gloucester sandy loam, rolling "-ha^e. This district is hilly and rolling generally.

The Present Parrish School

west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 19. Miss Ruschlow was the first teacher. Among the pupils were Margaret De Horn and Annie Kuhl.

With the construction of a track from Pratt Junction to Parrish contact with the main route of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad was made possible. Parrish thrived for years during the pine timber conquest. It declined from then, however, until 1904. The Parrish Lumber Company, owned by J. O. Hollis and L. Krueger of Wausau, gave employment to many people. C. O. Robinson once was interested in the concern also. The Hurlbutt-Tillman Lumber Company now operate a mill, general store and a planing mill in the village. Floyd Hurlbutt is in active management.

Parrish district consists of sections 1 to 24 inclusive and the north halves of sections 25 to 30 inclusive, all in North Summit township (Township 34, N., R. 9 E.)

The Prairie River Lumber Company saw, planing and shingle mills were erected in 1888. Barney Daugherty had charge of constructing the mills and George F. Rice supervised the work. The sawmill was 120x67 feet, had two band saws, one of which was a combined band and rotary saw. It also was equipped with a gang edger, a slasher and trimmer. Lumber capacity was approximately 90,000 ft. per day, 125,000 shingles per day and 25,000 lath per day. D. Mc- Gillis was the first manager. The mill first opened February 18, 1889.