Almena Village

Almena Village

The Tillage of Almena had lta beginning In 1887. In that year Theodore Hamm of St. Paul, who was contemplating opening In this region, perauaded hla relatives, Al¬ bert H. Koehler and S. W. Sparlln, to spy ont the land and clear up a townslte. The two men alighted from the "800" train at a spur where Almena is now located, on July 17, 1887. Mr. Sparlln says: "The only families that we found dwelling within a radius of about six miles were those of Sever Christensen, John and Chris Retrum and J. E. Mays. Henry Southhall, a colored man, was occupying one of the Knapp, Stout A Co.'s logging camps at Scott's pond."

Messrs. Sparlln and Koehler wandered about for three dayB. Then they decided to wait for a while before starting work, and accordingly secured John Retrum to guide them through the woods and up Upper Tur¬ tle Lake to Perley, where they could take the train back to St. Paul.

At Perley they found a busy hamlet, with a large sawmill and monster piles of lum¬ ber. This changed their plans. They pur¬ chased two cars of lumber and ordered it sent back to the spur at what Is now Almena.

On Aug. 1 Mr. Sparlln and John Retrum started clearing the land at Almena, using axes and saws. A little hamlet was soon established. The postoffice was opened and the place was named that fall. Of this Mr. Sparlln says:

"In September, 1887, we applied to the postoffice department asking for the estab¬ lishment of a postoffice. He proposed the name of Lightning City, from Lightning Creek close by. But the department sug¬ gested that we eliminate the 'city'. Mr. Koehler and I therefore suggested a new name. His first name of Albert was short¬ ened to 'Al', and his wife's name, Wilhelmina, we shortened to "Mena," the names by which both were commonly called. Put¬ ting the two contractions together gave us Almena, a truly distinctive name."

The location of the vilage is on the south half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the southeast quarter of Section 24, Township 34 North, Range 14 West, the township and range corresponding to what is now known as Almena Township.

The surrounding country is rolling, well watered and diversified with small timber, the ancient forests of larger growth having been removed for the most part by the lumbermen.

Less than three miles to the west is Upper Turtle Lake, and about the same dis¬ tance to the southwest is Lower Turtle Lake, the former with a length of about two miles and the latter of about a mile and a half, whose shores less than forty years ago were dotted with Indian wig¬ wams. These lakes are now favorite re¬ sorts of summer visitors and sportsmen. Stock raising, dairying and general farming Are extensively followed throughout the neighborhood.

S. W. Sparlln, previously mentioned as one of the founders of the village, estab¬ lished the first general store here and was also the first postmaster. His successor as postmaster was George Panlan, who was also a store keeper. Mr. Panlan had charge of the malls until June, 1908, when he was succeeded by Jos. Kurchenmeister, who has remained postmaster ever since. The Al¬ mena postofflce was elevated to the third class July 1, 1920. It has one rural route connected with it

When Mr. Kurchenmeister first came here in 1899, the village contained two general stores, operated respectively by George Panian and Theodore Meyer, and a hardware store, the proprietor of which was John Nimmerfroh.

With the increase of population and the growing importance of the village as a sup¬ ply center, new enterprises of various kinds made their appearance, some of which had but a brief existence, but others have justified the faith of their founders. There are now in Almena about twenty business places, including a bank, special and gen¬ eral stores, garages, hotel, restaurant, bil¬ liard hall, blacksmith shop, lumber yard, fur and hide buying house, creamery and cheese factory, feed mill, grain elevator and several potato warehouses. The popu¬ lation is about 450.

A Farmers Co-operative store was start¬ ed in the village In 1905, and most of the surrounding farmers became Interested In It, but not being properly managed. It failed after an existence of about three years.

The wcter supply of the village is derived directly from wells. There are no water¬ works. There is a voluntary fire depart¬ ment, the apparatus consisting of a chem¬ ical engine and a hook and ladder.

A private creamery was started in Al¬ mena about 25 years ago, and was operated for two years, or until it burned down in 1898. In 1900 Charles Kaemmer established another institution of the same kind, under the name of the Almena Creamery, which was located across the tracks northeast of the railway depot. This he operated for sixteen years, or until Feb. 1, 1916, when he sold it to Richard Becker. The latter car¬ ried it on until the fall of 1917, when, like Its predecessor, it was destroyed by fire. Its place was taken by the present building, which stands on the same site, Just north of the railroad station, and which waB built In 1918 by Herman A. Curt, who is operat¬ ing it as a creamery and cheese factory. The creamery department has a cream pasitized by Google teurizing vat with a capacity of 400 gallons, a power churn and butter workers with a capacity of 600 pounds, and other conven¬ iences. The cheese department has two vats with a combined capacity of 10,000 pounds, a separator with a capacity of 4,000 pounds, cheese presses and the like, while the curing room has a capacity of 3,000 pounds. The plant is operated by electric¬ ity and steam. The daily intake in the busy season is about 11,000 pounds of milk for cheese, and about 3,000 pounds of butterfat. The butter, which is of high grade, is put up in prints and in tubs, the prints being sold mostly in this and neighboring vil¬ lages, and the tubs principally in the New York markets. The cheese, which is of the brick variety exclusively, is shipped to supply the wholesale and retail trade in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Mr. Curt has had long experience in the dairy products line and employs skilled helpers. His cheese and butter have won a high reputa¬ tion.

Almena Stute Bank was organized Oct. 19, 1908, by C. C. Coe, M. C. Howard, George Panian and Charles Kaemmer. The capital was $10,000 and the first officers were: C. C. Coe, president; Charles Kaemmer, vice president; Henry Peterson, cashier, and O.

I. Hanson, assistant cashier. Tfie directors were M. C. Howard, George Panian, C. C. Coe, Charles Haemmer, F. L. Olcott, C. H. Stuck and Henry Peterson. The officers today (Dec. 1, 1921) are the same as at the beginning, except that Math. Dold is assistant cashier instead of Mr. Hanson. The present directors are M. C. Howard, C. C. Coe, Charles Kaemmer and Henry Peter¬ son. The capital has been increased to $20,000, the surplus and profits amounting to $10,000. The building occupied is the bank's property and was built at the time of its organization.

J. E. Mays, W. D. Moore and Henry Weise, who started business with five lines and about 100 phones. Later they became con¬ nected with the Barron Telephone Co. On May 12, 1909, they reorganized on the co¬ operative plan, and were incorporated un¬ der the state law, with a capital stock of $8,000. The incorporators were G. R. Wolter, Aug. D. Miller, Amund Moen, S. W. Sparlin, Jos. Ross, John Lueck and Math. Zitzelberger. There are now about 350 stockholders. The territory covered ex¬ tends in all directions nine or ten miles from Almena Village. Connections are made with the Bell long distance lines, and there are free connections with Cumberland. Arland, Hillsdale. Prairie Farm, Turtle Lake, Dallas, Sand Creek, Colfax, Ridgeland and Chetek. The officers of the company in De¬ cember. 1921. were: Knut Knutson, presi¬ dent; Matt Mathys, vice president; W. A. Gearhart, secretary and treasurer, and Ju¬ lius Soltau, general manager. The first general manager after the incorporation was W. D. Moore, who served three years in that capacity, since which time Mr. Sol¬ tau has held the position.

About 1917 Will Caswell built a small feed mill a short distance southeast of the railway station. After operating it during: two winters, he sold it in the fall of 1919 to W. Hollerud, the present proprietor, who is doing a general feed grinding business.

The public schoolhouse now used in Al¬ mena village, a tasteful brick building of two rooms, was built in 1912, the total cost with lot amounting to over $6,000. It is an eight grade school, employing two teachers, and having an average attendance of about 60 pupils. This comparatively small number for a village the size of Al¬ mena is owing to the fact that a large num¬ ber of pupils attend the two parochial schools in the village, the Roman Catholic and the Lutheran. Before the erection of the present building, the building now used for a parochial schoolhouse by the Luther¬ ans was the public schoolhouse of the vil¬ lage.

The Evangolical Lutheran Matthews Con¬ gregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Sy¬ nod of Missouri, Ohio and other states, com¬ monly known as the Missouri Synod, had its beginning in 1896, when on Dec. 7, it was organized and incorporated under Rev. George P. A. Kirschke, with Albert Curt, Reinhold Matthes, Rudolf Mueller, Hans Wohlk, John Kiefer, Thomas Bntner, Adolf Miller, Adam Kiefer, Martin Harke and Nels Swansen. The Rev. Mr. Kirschke and his successors, the Rev. Messrs. Thormaehlen. Nammacher and Kleinhaus, came from near-by towns to serve this congregation. In 1900, the congregation, together with Im¬ manuel's Evangelical Lutheran Congrega¬ tion of Silver Creek called Rev. Otto Stef¬ fen as their pastor. He served until 1908 when he was called to St. Thomas Evan¬ gelical Lutheran Congregation at Detroit, Michigan, where he is still pastor. After several unsuccessful efforts to obtain a pastoi, a call was extended to Rev. E. Pludemann, who filled the pastorate until early in 1917, when he resigned from the ministry and moved to Shawano, his home town. He was succeeded by Rev. Fred Kersten, who was installed, June 24. 1917, and is still serving. The congregation's property con¬ sists of the church, school, parsonage, and an acre of real estate located at the south¬ east corner of the village. At the end of the year, 1921, the statistics of the congre¬ gation showed 470 souls; 260 communicant members, 69 voting members; parochial school enrollment, 51; Sunday school en¬ rollment, 35; confirmation class enrollment. 25. Divine services are held every Sunday forenoon in the German language and every two weeks in the evening in the English language. The teacher in the parochial school is Harold Dueker.

The Sacred Heart Congregation has been an important factor in the life of Almena for over thirty years past. The first serv¬ ices were held in 1890, in the private house owned by Wm. Maryon, north of Almena. Later services were held in the private house owned by Julius Welde, located on Lot 2, Block 2. At that time there wers about twelve families and the services were given by Rev. Father Becker from Rice Lake. In the fall of 1892 John Nimerfroh donated several lots upon which was erected the frame church building. In years following services were held by Rev. Father Stolz, Rev. Father Dickopf and Rev. Father Vater, all resident priests of Cumberland. In the fall of 1897 Rev. S. A. Leinfelder came to Cumberland and to him was given charge of the little mission at Almena. In the following years new settlers arrived and it came to a point where the old church building was too small. The settlers, being poverty stricken, it was a hard task, but with Rev. Leinfelder as leader, in 1901, it was decided to start excavating for a new brick building 48 by 96 feet. In 1903 the beautiful church was completed and this building stands today as one of the finest in the county. A large credit for this under¬ taking rests with Father Leinfelder, who, through his untiring efforts and inspiring words, was successful completing this un¬ dertaking. Rev. S. A. Leinfelder left in October, 1906, and was succeeded by Rev. Father Berg, who was here for five months when he left for Germany. In the year 1906 the congregation bought the frame building on Lot 17, Block 6. which was re¬ modeled into a parsonage. In August, 1906, Rev. Father Francis Bourg arrived and took charge of the congregation. The sec¬ ond Sunday after his arrival he took up the matter of remodeling the old church build¬ ing into a parochial school and Sisters' dwelling. This was done. The Sisters started school on Nov. 16, 1906. In March, 1907, the congregation decided to build a new parsonage. It was completed the same year. In the summer of 1909 it was found that the school was too small so an addi¬ tion was built to the present building. Both school and church are all furnished and electrically lighted. Through the faithful and untiring work of the Rev. Father Bourg, the present pastor, during the past fifteen years the Sacred Heart congregation of Almena stands today free and clear from debt. The present membership is 106 families.

A camp of Modern Woodmen of America was organized in Almena in 1900, the char¬ ter members being Frank Beecroft, Thomas Beecroft, Jr., Alva P. Cammack, Frank E. Dille, John C. Harris, Edward Johnson, Rheinhold Matther, Ira B. Mays, Charles Quist. Martin Radigan, George Taylor, James Sampair, S. W. Sparlin and D. H. Von Bottger. The camp purchased a goodsized frame building, with lot, the former of which they have since twice remodeled. In it they hold their meetings and it is also used for town meetings, dances and other entertainments, answering the pur¬ pose of a public hall. The camp has now about 87 members.

The Finnish settlement and church of Arland and surrounding townships, are im¬ portant factors in the life and growth of the southwestern part of the county. The sturdy Finnish people began to settle in that locality in the early nineties. Among the leaders may be mentioned Sam John¬ son and Matt Mykkanen, who came in De¬ cember, 1892; and Herman Lolite, in Jan¬ uary, Thomas Nissila in May, Leanter Koski in June, and Jacob Juttila in July, all in 1893. All brought families. Others joined them until there was quite a settlement. The people were for the most part people of devout faith, and felt the need of religious consolation. To them came Rev. Kustaa Sahlberg, a missionary pastor from Minne¬ apolis, who held services in private homes. As the result of these meetings, Rev. Sahl¬ berg helped the people to organize a congre¬ gation. Thus the Finnish Lutheran Congre¬ gation of the town of Arland, county of Barron, came into being on April 23, 1901, under the official name of the Uusl Waasa Congregation of the Suomi Synod, of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church. The congregation at that time consisted of nine men and their families: Leanter Koski, Jacob Wisti, John Lolja, Nick Lake, Nels Tyni, William Wuorenmaa, John Tuttila, A. W. Anderson and H. Kivisto. At a meeting held Jan. 1, 1913, this small but thriving congregation, then consisting of ten fam¬ ilies, decided to erect a church. A quarter of an acre of land was purchased in Section 7, Arland Township, for $20, from Henry Raitanen. The church was completed and dedicated on June 18, 1916. In 1904 a cemetery was started, the first burial being that of the infant child of John Tuttila, on November, 1904. The Sunday school has been in existence since 1904. A. W. Ander¬ son, the first superintendent, is still serv¬ ing, and his devotion to the work has been an important factor in his success in guid¬ ing the younger generation in the right paths. Mr. Anderson has also served for thirteen years as president of the congre¬ gation, and has done good work in other capacities as well. He has the welfare of the church and community deeply at heart, and has given much of his time es¬ pecially during the building of the church, regardless of how pressing his personal du¬ ties might be, being first and last always ready to lend a helping hand. For some seasons past an excellent summer school has been conducted one month of each year. Seven of the good wives, on Dec. 8, 1904, organized a Ladles' Aid Society, which has taken an important part in the affairs of the church laboring hand in hand with the other members of the congregation toward the building of the church, and continuing its active work toward its support. A Christian Young People's Society was or¬ ganized March 19, 1911, with a membership of 21, and is also helping with the church work and life in many important ways. The present officers of the church are K. Jarvi, president; A. Mlckelson, secretary; and A. W. Anderson, treasurer. The pastors of the church have been: the Rev. Messrs. Kuusetaa Sahlberg, H. Sarvela, P. Keranen, J. Mantta, A. Riippa, M. Pesonen, D. A. Samanen, A. Immonen, N. Saastamoinen and D. A. Samanen. The last named pastor is now serving from Minneapolis.

Poskln Village, an unincorporated village with a population of about 250 people, la located on the "Soo" line in Clinton Town* ship, five miles west of Barron, the county seat. Poskln Lake, about a mile to the north, is a favorite summer resort for tour¬ ists, sportsmen and others, there being a number of cottages on the shores. The sur¬ rounding country is excellent for dairying and general farming and here and there presents picturesque features.

Poskln was originally platted about a mile or more to the northwest, on the north¬ east quarter of the southeast quarter of Sec¬ tion 21, Town 34, Range 13. The owner was Fronia L. H. Fay, and D. A. Russell was the county surveyor.

The present village of Poskln is on the village plat of Cosgrove, which was platted Aug. 23. 1887, on land of Peter Cosgrove, by David A. Russell, surveyor.

There has been some confusion with re¬ spect to the name of the village, which oc¬ casionally appears on maps as Paskin, spelled with an "a". This came about in tbe following way. The original settlement - that to the northwest of the present Bite - was named Poskln, as was also the lake, the latter being thus named in honor of Mary Poskln, the Indian or half-breed wife of Capt. Andrew Taintor, of the Knapp, Stout ft Co., the lumber men, who had a camp at the lake. But Charles Larson, who had a store and sawmill there and was post¬ master, being an indifferent English scholar, called the place Paskfn, and his example was followed by others until few people knew the correct spelling.

The first sottler on the site of the pres¬ ent village was Peter Cosgrove, who built a log store here in 1883, and was postmaster in President Cleveland's administration. He -later moved to Centuria, Polk County, Wis¬ consin, where he was postmaster until his death one year ago.

In 1885, two years after Peter Cosgrove laid the foundation of the village, C. H. Strand built a sawmill here and opened a store. The mill, however, burned down four yoars later, in 1889.

Some years after Mr. Strand had left, or probably about 1897, Harry Jacobs, who had been operating a sawmill at the original Poskln, moved it to the newer village, added to it a planing mill, and did a large busi¬ ness, using from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 feet of logs a year. He also conducted a general store. Mr. Jacobs was connected in a busi¬ ness way with Dr. F. S. Wade of New Rich¬ mond, who, it is thought, furnished the cap¬ ital for his Poskln enterprises. Finally Dr. Wade persuaded Mr. Jacobs to go to Idaho to start operations there.

During the first four or five years of its existence the village was known as Cos¬ grove, though the railway company named the station Poskln Lake. At the suggestion of the local agent, M. 8. Deuel, the name of the station was shortened to Poskln two years ago.

Poskin is pleasantly situated, the land sloping down from the business part of town to Vermillion river. The business enter¬ prises include two general stores, two ga¬ rages, a confectionery and lunch room, a lumber yard, blacksmith's shop, grain ele¬ vator and feed mill, and three potato ware¬ houses. There is also a cheese factory, though it is not at present in operation. It was started by C. M. Rabbit, who manufac¬ tured skimmed-mllk cheese until May, 1921, when he ceased operations.

About ten or eleven years ago an eleva¬ tor was erected in Poskin by "Dick" Wil¬ liams, of New Richmond, who called it the "Farmers' Elevator," though it was not a co-operative concern but merely a private enterprise. After conducting it for two years he sold it to the Osceola Mill ft Ele¬ vator Co., under which name it was con¬ ducted as one of a chain of elevators owned by C. C. Ladd, of Minneapolis. Owing to the failure of certain New York dealers to take a large consignment of flour for which they had contracted, Mr. Ladd sustained large losses, with the result that the ele¬ vator at Poskin ceased operations as one of his plants a year ago. In the spring of 1921 it was taken over by the Hewitt Grain ft Provision Co., who are now conducting it as a feed mill.

F. E. Hill, and now has 4,260 members. Up to the present time the company has writ¬ ten about six million dollars worth of in¬ surance on farm property in territory ex¬ tending over the northern part of the state. The officers of the concern are as follows: A. Moen, president; James Peterson, vice president; F. EL Hill, secretary, and J. A. Cornwell, treasurer.

The Farmers State Bank of Poskin was organized by F. E. Hill and E. F. Birch in the fall of 1917. The capital stock was $10,000, at which it still remains. The first officers of the institution were: F. E. Hill, president; E. F. Birch, vice president; and

G. G. B. Dennewith, cashier. In the tall of 1918 C. J. Tengbom became president and has since continued as such. In July, 1918. T. A. Birch became vice president, Mr. Dennewith being re-elected cashier. On April 1, 1921, Mr. Dennewith resigned and was succeeded as cashier by A. P. Mattson; and in July tbe same year EL B. Johnson was elected vice president, succeeding Mr. Birch. The bank occupies a rented building.

The Poskln school building was erected about 1906 at a cost of two thousand dol¬ lars. It employs one teacher and is at¬ tended by about forty pupils. Instruction is given in eight grades.

There is one church in the village, which Is known as the Community M. E. Church. The edifice was built in 1906-07, a mile and a quarter north, near Poskln Lake, and was moved to the village in the summer of 1920. The society was organised Just short¬ ly before the church was built, among the first members being Lars Fahlgren, N. BJnrman, Frank Chronquist, Charles Orn, Louis

Hedblom, with their families, besides sev¬ eral others. After the building had been moved to its present site a basement was put under It and a furnace installed, the building with improvements representing a total cost of about $1,100. The lot was do¬ nated by Q. O. B. Dennewlth and is large enough to furnish a site also for a parson¬ age, the building now being used for that purpose being rented. Electric lights have been installed in the church by Delebard and Hawkinson, garage men, wbo are now making arrangements to furnish lights for the village. The church was first served by Rev. A. G. Beck, the circuit pastor from Cumberland, who preached here for about three years. The Rev. S. W. Mattson, who is now serving the church, came here in October, 1920, and is the first resident pas¬ tor. The auxiliary societies, in addition to the Sunday School, are the Ladies' Aid, the Ep worth League, and the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.

Poskin Camp, No. 687, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized in Poskin in Sep¬ tember, 1899, with about 34 charter mem¬ bers. The camp holds meetings in a rented hall known as Woodmen's Hall.

The Poskin Shipping Association, with Charles J. Tengbom as president, is an in¬ tegral factor in the prosperity of the vil¬ lage and the surrounding country. It was organized in March, 1917, and now has 300 members.

Canton

Canton is an unincorporated village lo¬ cated on the north half of the southwest quarter of section 18, township 34 north, range 10 west, the town and range corre¬ sponding to the political division of the county known as Sumner Township.

The present village owes its existence and location to the Minneapolis, St. Paul 4k Sault Ste. Marie Railway, which was built through the county in 1884; but the nucleus of the village was formed in a settlement begun some ten or twelve years previously on the townsite of Sumner, three miles south of the Canton of today, and which is now often referred to as "Old Canton."

The latter designation has only a senti¬ mental application, for, as above Indicated, the settlement was really called Sumner, and so, also, at first, was the post office established there. After a short time, it having been discovered that there was an¬ other post office in the state by the name of Sumner, it was discontinued, or sus¬ pended for a time, but was later restored to the village under the postal name of Sloska. Among the later postmasters there were Morris Witters, proprietor of a general store, who held the office at least for sev¬ eral years, and Mrs. Fannie Malone, the mother of R. E. Malone of Canton.

inson, the latter of whom owned the land and had it platted. Mr. Hutchinson built a sawmill on Pokegema Creek, and W. D. Edgbert and Harlow J. Youmans built and operated a general store. These events oc¬ curred between 1870 and 1872, and H. J. White, who arrived there in 1873, found the sawmill and store in operation.

A still earlier settler there waB Silas J. Packard, who arrived and took a home¬ stead in 1871, and who later for several years conducted a store.

A log schoolhouse was built in Sumner, in which Mrs. Thomas Gotham, now of Chetek, taught the first school. Soon afterwards a frame schoolhouse was erected. The first teacher In this building was Judge H. J. Sill. The next winter, that of 1874-75, he was succeeded as teacher by H. J. White, now a resident of Canton.

When the railroad was projected, it was believed that the line was to be built through the village, and the settlers there and in the surrounding region were pursuaded to vote bonds for as much as the assessed valuation of their property would admit. But when the railroad was built, it did not touch the village, but passed three miles to the north.

In 1884, when the people of Sumner saw that the railroad was not coming to them, they resolved to go to the railroad, and ac¬ cordingly a general exodus took place to the site of the present village of Canton. Build¬ ings were moved to the new site, leaving little or nothing behind, and the transplant¬ ed village began to bloom in a new environ¬ ment. The village was platted Oct. 6, 1884, on land of L. C. Stanley, of Chippewa Falls, Straw and Lyte were the surveyors.

The site was a good one. The village stands on the prairie, with wooded eleva¬ tions of land, resembling low hills, showing in the distance on all sides except the south and southwest. Between Canton and Cam¬ eron, which is three miles or more to the southwest, lies a part of the tract of land which from early days has been known as Pokegama Prairie. East of the village is timber land somewhat thickly sprinkled with hardheads of a size, reckoned by weight, of from 25 to 100 pounds. This tract is large enough to accommodate a hundred more settlers, who would doubt¬ less have taken possession of it ere this but for the disadvantage above mentioned. The removal of the stones and the cultiva¬ tion of the land is a task that may be ac¬ complished within the next few years.

Silas J. Packard, who moved to Canton with the rest of the Sumner people, opened the first general store here, which subse¬ quently passed through a number of differ¬ ent hands. The second general store was started by William Locke in 1887 or 1888. A man named Birkholz started a blacksmith shop and after conducting it for a while was succeeded by Robert Kleve. Later Mr. Kleve's place as village blacksmith was taken by F. Skinner, who is now conducting a shop here. A hardware store was started some years ago by J. B. Fiske, who later gave it up. His place as hardware meriy Google

There are now in the village two general stores, a hardware store, garage, bank, feed mill, lumber yard, blacksmith shop, pickle station and four potato warehouses; also a school, church and small hotel.

In early days a sawmill was built here, for which I. C. Stanley probably furnished the capital, and William Bell, now living in Chetek, operated it. As there was not much pine in the vicinity, Knapp, Stout & Co. did not work close to the village. The mill was later operated for a number of years by William Locke, who came to Can¬ ton in 1885 and is still living here. H. J. White, another early settler still in the vil¬ lage, came here at the time of the general exodus in 1884, when S. J. Packard came. Arthur and William White, at an early date, settled on a farm close by and finally moved into the village. Two other pioneers of Canton are Nels Lowell and J. N. F. Cain, the latter living north of the village. R. E. Malone, the present postmaster, was born at Sumner, where, as already mentioned, his mother was at one time post mistress, but he spent a number of years out of the county before making his home in Canton.

The first postmaster at Canton was Eilas J. Packard, who was succeeded in the office by Frank Lutz. Then Lewis Walsh bad it, and after him William Locke, J. Packard and J. F. Caldwell. Mr. Caldwell was suc¬ ceeded by Raymond E. Malone, who was appointed in 1910 and is still serving.

About 1898 or 1899 the fanners near Can¬ ton started a cheese factory on the co¬ operative plan, which had an existence of four or five years. Then a disagreement oc¬ curred, some of the fanners being in favor of putting in a creamery and others being opposed to it. It was finally turned into a creamery and was so conducted until its destruction by fire.

In 1914 F. M. Lepley started a cheese fac¬ tory at Canton and conducted it until 1917, when he turned it over to his son-in-law, William Sandmire. The latter operated it until it burned down in 1918, since which time Mr. Sandmire has been manager of the Canton Lumber Yard.

Another co-operative enterprise started in Canton was the Canton Farmers' Store and Market Association, which was organized in September, 1919, some fifty or sixty farm¬ ers taking stock in it. G. J. Boortz was the first president. Robert Miller vice president, Julius Krueger treasurer, and J. B. Stearns secretary. Later Thomas Gullckson be¬ came president. The farmers bought stock from Charles Johnson and at first used his building as their store, but subsequently they established quarters opposite the gen¬ eral store of R. E. Malone, who was man¬ ager of the Association during most of the time it lasted. Having started with insuffi¬ cient capital, the hard times and high prices broke them up, and aftqr an existence of a year and a half the enterprise came to an end.

The Canton Farmers Telephone Co., which has always been a co-operative con¬ cern, was incorporated Dec. 31, 1908, by Olaf Arneson, F. E. Lowell, L. E. Losey, William Locke and Fred Block. Olaf Arne¬ son was president and F. El Moe secretary and treasurer. The company has about 125 phones and in addition to Canton Village, covers territory as far east as Lehigh, as far south as Chetek, also a mile and a half to the west, and to the north and north¬ west about half way to Rice Lake. Connec¬ tions are made with the Chippewa Val¬ ley Telephone Co.'s lines and with those of the Barron County Telephone Co., the farm¬ ers' lines running out of Chetek and, in¬ deed, practically all the farmers' lines throughout this region. The officers of the company in December, 1921, were: Frank Pitman, president, and A. O. White secre¬ tary and treasurer. The directors were Frank Pitman, Dell Cowin, Mat Huiras, John Halverson, A. O. White and Fred Locke.

The Farmers State Bank of Canton was organized in the fall of 1917 by C. J. John¬ son and others, with a capital stock of 110,000. The first officers were: C. J. John¬ son, president; J. M. Ward, vice president, and Erland Engh, cashier. The building now occupied was erected at starting and is an ideal village banking house - fireproof, with cement floors and full basement, and provided with a complete modern equip¬ ment. C. J. Johnson sold the majority of his stock to David Russell, but later bought it back. When Mr. Russell came in he be¬ came president and so continued for about a year, Mr. Engh continuing as cashier. Be¬ fore Mr. Russell got out George Malcolm be¬ came president and Mr. Russell was then vice president. With that exception Mr. Ward has been vice president from the be¬ ginning. The present officers (Dec. 1, 1921) are: George Malcolm, president; J. M. Ward, vice president; E. O. Johnson, cash¬ ier. The directors are George Malcolm, Bert Apker. Wesley Winchester, J. M. Ward, J. Packard, El O. Johnson and A. O. White.

The first schoolhouse in Canton was a frame building which was put up about thirty yoars ago on the homestead of H. J. White, close to the southeast corner of the village. It was used for educational purposes for about ten years, and at that time another school building was erected, which is now used as a blacksmith shop, though when built it was located farther east, having been subsequently moved to its present site. When it finally became inadequate to accommodate the increasing number of pupils, the present building, a concrete structure of two stories, was erected. To this an addition will soon have to be made, as it Is now overcrowded. This is a grade school which includes also the first two years of the high school course. Eighty-eight pupils were enrolled in Decem¬ ber. 1921.

It was thirty years ago or more that the religiously inclined people of Canton united their resources and built a church which came under the control of the Free Meth- odist society, though people of different denominations met there to worship. The most active worker in the organization and building was the Rev. Mr. Howe, who him¬ self performed much of the manual labor and subsequently made personal sacrifices to clear the building from debt. In course of time quite a number of the members moved away, mostly to Chetek, until the Canton congregation had dwindled down to a few members. Then, in 1909, with the permission and approval of the conference, the building was moved to Chetek, where a Free Methodist class had been organized three years before. This removal was op¬ posed by the Canton members, who believed that the ownership of the building was vested in the Canton trustees, and an ap¬ peal was made to the court. There the matter was decided in favor of the Chetek members and the removal was accordingly proceeded with. Finding themselves with¬ out a place of worship, the Canton people subsequently got together and erected a new edifice. Joining the Methodist Episco¬ pal organization. This building is the only church in the village.

The water supply of Canton is obtained from wells. Electric light for general pur¬ poses has not yet been installed, but the J. M. Ward garage is provided with an elec¬ tric light generating system for its own use and has extended wires to the Meth¬ odist Church, these two buildings being at present the only ones in the village lighted in that manner.

The village of Hillsdale is located in the southeast part of the northwest quarter of Section 28 west, Maple Grove Township, (Town 33, Range 12). It is on a branch of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie railroad, which was completed in the year 1900. The heavily rolling character of the land surface in this region gives a picturesque aspect to the scenery, and the quality of the soil has been the chief fac¬ tor in the development of the rich and flourishing farms which surround the vil¬ lage on every side.

The original location of the community known as Hillsdale was about a mile south of that which it occupies today, and its origin and early growth were due to the lumber industry. About 1872 the Mooney family, the head of which was A. D. Mooney, came to this locality from Iowa, to which state they had emigrated from Indiana; and William Mooney, one of the most active and enterprising representatives of the family, built a sawmill around which grew up a small settlement known locally, and through government recognition in the shape of a p08tofflce, as Mooney's Mill.

The next phase in the evolution of Hills¬ dale began in 1882, when Lee & Dickinson, a lumber firm, came here from Indiana, bringing with them their sawmill machin¬ ery and a force of workmen. This firm not only set up and operated their own mill, but also bought and operated that of Mr. Mooney, and for some years were engaged extensively in the lumber Industry. They purchased all the railroad land in the vicin¬ ity, paying for it the government price of $1.25 an acre, and, after cutting the timber, sold it to their workmen and other settlers at $2.50 an acre. The Mooneys, after part¬ ing with their property, moved to Marsh Lake and Prairie Farm. At the time that Lee & Dickinson began their activities the name of Mooney's Mill was discarded and the settlement named Hillsdale, at the in¬ stance, it is said, of their head sawyer, William Smith. Most of the early settlers came from Indiana, some being old em¬ ployees of the lumber firm whom they ac¬ companied on its removal to this state and county, and others coming a little later; but practically all of them were connected in one way or another with the mills.

Among these pioneers were John F. Goin, L. W. Goin, A. Taber, D. F. Stephenson, Jo¬ seph Richards, C. F. Burkie, Kennedy Whit¬ man, J. M. Kilfner, Henry Wiseman, Enos Wiseman, Oliver Perry, Alec Miller, P. H. Van Curen, William Sellers and Ed Macklin. A store was conducted by A. M. White, a preacher, who for awhile was also postmaster. He was probably but one of those who held that position, as A. Routelle is also mentioned as storekeeper and postmaster there, while the last postmaster Is said to have been Ned Smith.

Thus matters went on until about the year 1900, when Woodbury S. Grover, the pioneer, built a store on the site of the present village. The superior advantages of this location were so apparent that a gen¬ eral exodus at once took place from the old village to the new site, and the present village of Hillsdale began to take visible form. It was at first called New Hillsdale to distinguish it from the earlier settle¬ ment, which was referred to as Old Hills¬ dale, but in time, the old village having be¬ come but a memory, the word "New" was dropped by common consent, and the vil¬ lage is now known simply as Hillsdale. William Smith, previously mentioned as head sawyer for Lee & Dickinson, came here and built a mill in the tamarack swamp north of the village, which he con¬ ducted for about four years until he had finished the cut, when he removed with his family to Barron.

In the meanwhile Mr. Grover conducted his store for two years, at the end of which time he sold out to Jake Lemler, foreman for Lee & Dickinson, who built the brick block which now bears his name. The completion of the railroad in 1900 increased the prosperity of the village, and grad¬ ually new stores and business houses sprang up. George Smart, one of the founders of the village, started a general store here in 1902, conducted it until 1905, then sold out and purchased a hardware store, of which he was proprietor until 191 8, when he retired. Ole Vingar operated a tin shop from 1910 to 1916. The business Interests of Hillsdale now include two gen¬ eral stores, one hardware store, one conby Google fectlonery and cigar store, a restaurant, a garage, a blacksmith shop, a barber shop, one bank, a lumber yard, a co-operative stockyard, a hotel, two potato warehouses and a grain and hay warehouse.

Elmer C. Smart was the first postmaster here, that office being now held by Fremon F. Edmonds, who has served since 1912. The former mail route from Barron to Menomonie ran through this village. The new village has never been Incorporated, nor has it evor been properly surveyed or laid out. It just grew up, like Topsy, and has kept on growing. The lack of anything like a regular survey has at times caused some confusion in the determination of boundaries and the transfer of real estate titles, but mutual good feeling on the part of buyer and seller has generally obviated these difficulties.

Nearly all the early settlers who came from the old village are now dead or have moved away, but J. M. Kilmer and P. H. Van Curen are still here and active. One of the oldest men in the 'village is Jeflerson Barnes, a native of Connecticut, and a veteran of the Civil War, now 85 years old but bale and hearty.

The Hillsdale Western Telephone Com¬ pany was organized in the spring of 1906 by Peter Hughes, John Lightner, M. W. Stephenson, Charles Stephenson, R. B. Coon, E. C. Smart and Charles Cook. It was incorporated under the above name Jan. 22, 1907. The first officers were: M. W. Stephenson, president and general man¬ ager; R. B. Coon, vice president; Peter Hughes, secretary, and E. C. Smart, treas¬ urer. The line first extended from Hillsdale west to Daugherty Creek. From time to time new lines were added covering territory from a mile and a half east of Hillsdale to four miles west of Turtle Lake. The com¬ pany owns and operates two centers, one at Hillsdale and the other at Arland. They have 142 miles of line wire, with 305 instru¬ ments, including a few in Barron. The town¬ ships included within the scope of their ter¬ ritory are Maple Grove, Barron, Dallas, Ar¬ land and Turtle Lake. The present officers are: F. H. Burdick, president and general manager; Henry Phelps, vice president; Peter Hughes, secretary; W. R. Hansen, as¬ sistant secretary, and A. J. Hover treas¬ urer.

The State Bank of Hillsdale was organ¬ ized in 1914 by C. H. Museus of Cameron, E. G. Brown of Hillsdale, Dr. C. C. Post of Barron, M. C. Howard of Cameron, A. E. Coe of Barron and J. Lemler of Rice Lake, all of whom were stockholders. The char¬ ter was dated Dec. 29, 1914, the capital stock was $10,000.00, and the bank opened its doors for business Jan. 1, 1915, with C. H. Museus as president, J. Lemler vice president, and E. G. Brown cashier. The board of directors was constituted of the above mentioned officers with the addition of D. B. Hulburt, M. C. Howard, A. Hobcheit and 8. Lemler. The present one-etory brick building was erected by the bank and has been occupied since it first began busi¬ ness. Chas. H. Museus has continued as president, E. G. Brown is now vice presi¬ dent, and J. F. Samson cashier. Mr. Sam¬ son has held his present office for about a year, having succeeded P. C. Anderson, who succeeded E. G. Brown, the first cash¬ ier. Mr. Anderson held the position about a year and a half. The capital stock has remained the same, there is a present sur¬ plus of about $2,000.00, and the deposits (Nov. 1, 1921) are about $160,000.00. The institution has "made good", and gives five per cent interest on time deposits.

The Barron-Hillsdale Stock Shippers' As¬ sociation was organized as a co-operative concern in 1916, the first meeting being Aug. 21. A start was made with 37 mem¬ bers, which number has since been in¬ creased to 250. The first officers elected were: Sam Peterson, president; George Glelter, vice president; and Glenn Kelly, secretary. E. C. Smart, who was chosen manager, in which capacity he served for a year and a half, also acted as treasurer. The board of directors was composed of Sam Peterson, George Glelter, Glenn Kelly. J. H. Kilmer, W. R. Koepp, Fred Burdick and C. A. Granger. From the organization of the Association up to Jan. 1, 1920, the total number of cars shipped out of Hills¬ dale was 131. For the stock thus shipped the net proceeds paid the farmers was $239,499.74. Since the Association was started it has handled all stock shipments from Hillsdale, nothing having been shipped on the outside. The present officers are: James Curtis, president; George Glelter, vice president; J. H. Kilmer, secretary; Charles Chamners, treasurer; the board of directors is composed of the above men¬ tioned officers, together with John Prlne, William McKee and Ed Flemming. O. C. Hansen is manager.

About fifteen years ago A. O. Peterson conducted a creamery for two or three years in the village of Hillsdale, but the pros¬ pects for a cheese factory looking better, it was given up.

The Hillsdale Cheese Factory is a suc¬ cessful concern located in the village. The company was organized in May, 1914, on the co-operative plan, by Peter Hughes, P. H. Alexander, George Klein, Charles Hartzel, W. R. Hansen and Fred Berg. P. H. Alexander was made president, George Klein vice president, W. R. Hensen secre¬ tary and Charles Hartzel treasurer. The board of directors was composed of the above mentioned officers with the addition of Fred Berg. Peter Hughes was manager and has since continued in that position. The factory began operations on July 16, 1914, in the old Hillsdale creamery build¬ ing, which had been rented temporarily for the purpose. On the first day the company manufactured just one cheese, and that not a very large one. With faith in a bright future the company erected in the summer of 1914 the well equipped factory which they are now using, and into which they moved on its completion. Subsequent de¬ velopments have proved favorable and the cheese factory is now one of Hillsdale's most important business enterprises. Its equipment is designed for the manufacture of all styles of American cheese, the prod¬ uct being confined chiefly, however to twin cheese and daisies. The high water mark of production was reached in 1919, when the total quantity of milk received was 2,631,103 pounds; the quantity of cheese made (in round numbers) 356,000 pounds; average price of butter fat paid by the fac¬ tory, 77 cents, and the total receipts of the factory, $112,243.66. The business for the year 1920 was as follows: Pounds of milk received, 2,309,603; pounds of cheese made, 230,690; price per pound of butter fat, 66 cents, or $2.37 a hundred for milk; whole receipt for the year, $61,685.59. The quantity of milk received was more than double that received in 1916, which was 1,072,106 pounds. The present official board is composed as follows: C. R. Chambers, president; Charles 8nyder, vice president; W. R. Hansen, secretary; Charles Hartzel, treasurer. These officials, with Mr. Berg constitute the board of directors. Curtis R. Barker is cheese maker.

The Four Town Cheese Factory, located in the southwest corner of Maple Grove Township, is a co-operative concern and was started in the winter of 1919-1920. Those associated in the enterprise were Eld A. Klein, Solon Buxton, Chris Hansen, Magnes Hansen, Irwin Jones, M. W. Stephen¬ son and others. The first manager was Ed A. Klein. Twin and daisy cheese were first manufactured, but now some brick cheese is also made in winter and Swiss cheese in the spring and fall. The association erected their present building. Some difficulties have been met with and the factory has several times suspended operation* hut at the present time (November, 1921) it is being operated on shares by Jacob Rothenbuehler, an expert cheese maker.

The village of Hillsdale has a state grad¬ ed school with two teachers. The building, which is a neat one-story brick structure with concrete basement, was erected in 1913 at a cost of $5,500, the total expense, including the ground approximating $8,000. The money representing the cost of the building was borrowed from the state. The average attendance for the school year of 1920 was 68 pupils. This district is known as No. 3. The first schoolhouse erected in the village now forms a part of C. D. Rassbach's store building. After it had outlived its usefulness a frame building was con¬ structed on the main road running north and south, and was in use until the present schoolhouse was built. It Is now occasion¬ ally used as a hall for public meetings.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Hills¬ dale was organized about 1906, the first members - those who took part in the or¬ ganization - being Mr. and Mrs. George Han¬ sen, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hansen, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Lemler, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Machlen, Mrs. Emma Carr, Mrs. E. G. Brown, and per¬ haps one or two others. Other early mem¬ bers, who Joined after the organization, were Mrs. Dawson and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Klein, Mrs. Rose Miner, Mrs. Lena

Sprague and C. D. Rassbach and wife. For a year or two services were held in a hall in the village, George Hansen acting as the first pastor. As soon as the financial con¬ dition of the society permitted, plans were considered for the erection of a church edi¬ fice, and the present neat frame structure, with stone basement, and a seating capac¬ ity of about three hundred, was built at a cost of about $2,000. It was dedicated Jan. 10, 1908, while Mr. Hansen, who served several years, was pastor. Other pastors who have served the church since bis time, are, as now remembered: Rev. J. H. Chatterson, three years; Rev. Mr. Hunter, two years; Rev. Mr. Holliday, one year; Rev. Mr. Josephson, two years; Rev. Mr. O'Neal, one year; Rev. Mr. Colas and Rev. Ray Harkness, who each served less than a year, Mr. Harkness being pastor six months, and Rev. L. A. Lockhart, who came here Sept. 1, 1921, and is still serving. He has charge also of the Methodist Churches at Dallas and Rldgeland, and resides at Dallas, as there is a parsonage there. The present membership of the Hillsdale church is about thirty-five.

First Baptist Church of Hillsdale. This was formerly known as the First Baptist Church of Dallas, and as such was organ¬ ized Dec. 30, 1876, the first members being William H. Logan, Mrs. M. J. Logan, Mrs. L. J.. Logan (Burrell). Mrs. Sarah B. Brown, C. S. Millard and Mrs. Rhodah Mil¬ lard. For some time meetings were held at the homes of the different members, "Brother Logan" acting as pastor. In time, as the society increased in strength, the members began to consider plans for the construction of a church Edifice. David Ledyard, owner of the old Ellmer Smart farm, had offered to donate land as a site for the first church to be erected within the village of Hillsdale, and this looking like a good opportunity, on Feb. 20, 1901, the so¬ ciety appointed a committee of two mem¬ bers - the Rev. M. A. Packer and Brother R. B. Coon - to receive the lot and solicit subscriptions for the erection of a church building. The society also passed a reso¬ lution to the effect that "this corporation be changed from the First Baptist Church of Dallas to the First Baptist Church of Hillsdale." It was also voted that the Rev. G. A. Wain be called as pastor to preach every other Sunday, and to receive as rec¬ ompense fifty dollars a year in monthly payments. The resolution to change the name of the church, however, was rescinded and subsequently came up several times, being voted on for and against, and it was not until Jan. 1, 1914, that it received final approval and became an accomplished fact. It being discovered in 1901 that the society was then unable to build, owing to insuffi¬ ciency of funds, the work was taken over by the Wisconsin State Convention, the church by resolution assisting. A frame building was accordingly erected on the site donated by Mr. Ledyard, and was ded¬ icated Nov. 'P0, 1901, the dedication sermon being preachod by Dr. D. W. Hurlburt of Milwaukee. The building was declared free of debt. It served the purpose of the so¬ ciety for thirteen years, at the end of which time a new and larger edifice be¬ came necessary, and accordingly in 1914, the present, building was erected at a cost of about $2,600. In November, 1921, the church had 42 members. Rev. S. R. Dun¬ lop, was appointed in 1917. He also served the Dallas and West Maple Grove Baptist Churches. Mrs. S. M. Duyzers is now serv¬ ing this field.

About 1916 or 1916 some people organ¬ ized a Christian Church in Hillsdale, serv¬ ices being conducted at intervals in a small building just north of the schoolhouse. The community being unable to support three churches, and the Baptists and Meth¬ odists having the start, the "Christian" de¬ nomination found itself beset with difficul¬ ties, and finally, in the spring of 1921, its services were discontinued.

In Section 20, Maple Grove, (Town 33, Range 11) there is a church belonging to the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America, the headquarters of which are in Chicago. This church was organized in 1892, and among its earliest members were A. W. Johnson, John Frans, J. M. Krans. Knut Amundson, Nels Arneson, Charles Kulbek, Andrew Anderson, Hans Olson, T. H. Johnson. Erik Brenggelson, Knut Brenggelson, Charles Martenson, Tom Nelson. Ole Olson and John Fredikson. A church building was erected in 1892, the year of organization. Sunday school has been car¬ ried on most of the time from the begin¬ ning, and there is also a Young People's So¬ ciety whose special activity is in Bible classes and gathering money for the mis¬ sion field. A number of years ago a par¬ sonage was built, located 20 rods west of the church, but which is at present unoc¬ cupied. The church is supplied with pas¬ tors from the covenant to which it belongs. The Rev. Edwin O. Solie has been the pas¬ tor since May 1, 1921. For about five years this church has also been conducting inter¬ denominational services and a Sunday school at the former dance hall known as Wickware Hall, about three and a half miles to the northwest in Maple Grove Township.

The Norwegian Baptist Church in Sec¬ tion 5, (west), Maple Grove Township, was organized in 1894, and belongs to the regu¬ lar Baptist denomination. There were eleven persons who took part in organizing the church, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Cornelius, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Olson, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Sundsmoe, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Taraldson and Mr. Andrew Olson. Of these, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Cornelius and Mr. Anton Taraldson are the only ones now left. The church building was erected in 1897. With respect to pastoral supply, the church has part time service from the First Baptist Church at Barron, and part time service from Rev. Harold Olson, the district missionary, who is employed by the Norwegian Baptist General Conference of America. At the present time (January, 1922) the church has 41 members. There

Campia is an unincorporated village in the northeast part of Rice Lake Township. The village was platted Feb. 8, 1904, on the northeast quarter of Section 12, Town¬ ship 35 north, Range 11 west. The owner was N. W. Bailey of Rice Lake, and the surveyor Sidney G. Jones. The "Soo" rail¬ road, which runs through the village, had been constructed several years previously, in 1901, about which time George Monahan built a store here, which he conducted for five or six years. A depot was built by the railroad company, but for some time the place was simply a supply and shipping point for the neighboring farmers.

Mr. Monahan sold his store to Mons Lar¬ son, who was its proprietor for twelve years, and who is still living in the village. Two other stores were also started, one by C. A. Baggs of Cameron, and the other by O. M. Strand, but both failed within two or three years.

About 1892 Jake Recbenthaler started a blacksmith shop, which he conducted for about nine years, when he sold the plant and business to Oscar Henderson, who is still its proprietor.

In the spring of 1919 Mr. Larson sold his store to William Settlers, who now owns it. The village can also boast of a bank, a sawmill and box factory, a lumber yard, grain elevator, five potato warehouses, a garage, restaurant, hotel and pool hall.

The Bank of Campia was established in November, 1918, by M. L. Russell, L. M. Randall, A. G. Clarke and Mons Larson. be¬ sides one or two others who held their shares but a short time. A suitable building was purchased and adapted by improve¬ ments to the needs of the institution. The bank opened for business with a capital of $10,000, and with M. L. Russell as president,

L. M. Randall vice president and A. G. Clarke cashier. The additional directors were Fred Bumberger and Erland Engh. Subsequently M. C. Johnson succeeded Mr. Clarke as cashier, and on Aug. 1, 1919, L.

M. Fairfield succeeded Mr. Johnson in the same office. The official board in Novem¬ ber, 1921, was as follows: C. P. Stenerson, president; Mons Larson, vice president, and L. M. Fairfield, cashier. There was a sur¬ plus of $6,000 and deposits of $52,000.

One potato warehouse in Campia is owned and operated by the local unit of the American Equity Society. The others belong respectively to the D. R. Baggs Co. of St. Paul, Albert Miller & Co. of Chicago; F. A. Nicholson, of Rice Lake, and Leonard, Crossett & Riley, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

There was formerly a stock shipping as¬ sociation in the village, which was discon¬ tinued after an existence of two years, and the farmers now sell directly to the buyers.

The telephone service of Campia is con¬ trolled by the Barron County Telephone Co., and baa been for a number of years. The streets are graded and there are some ce¬ ment sidewalks. The water supply is ob¬ tained from open wells.

There is no church in the village, but in 1876 a Lutheran Church was started about a mile east, among the organisers and early members being K. N. Tadness, O. A. Dale, T. J. Oleson, O. J. Oleson, K. J. Oleson, Mons Larson and Ole Anderson. For four or five years meetings were held in the schoolhouse on the corner near the church, the first minister being the Rev. Mr. Grove, who remained two years. The second, the Rev. John Waage, served the church about ten years, driving up from Sand Creek. His successor was Rev. Chris Fubb, and then came Rev. John Kvam, who was pastor for about eighteen years. His successors, in order, have been thd Rev. John Skagan, Rev. P. F. KJorlaug, Rev. O. M. Klevem, and Rev. Theodore Kleppe, the last mentioned being the present pastor.

The Campia postoffice was established July 1. 1918, previous to which time the vil¬ lage was on a mall route. The first post¬ master was Gertrude Aslin. Then Ed For¬ est and J. K. Denson had it for a short time. On July 1, 1921, Mrs. Delena Ger¬ maine became postmaster and is still serv¬ ing, with William Germain as assistant.

Brill

Brill is an unincorporated village in the eastern part of Oak Grove Township, and on the Chicago, St. Paul. Minneapolis & Omaha railway. As defined on the map its exact geographical position is on the west¬ ern half of Section 13, Town 36 north, Range 11 west. The site was first platted by the Interstate Land Co., of Minneapolis, G. W. Peavey, president, and C. F. Deaver, secretary. This company on Nov. 28, 1902, laid out thirteen blocks in what is now the western part of the village. This plat was vacated by the Circuit court at Barron Nov. 25, 1914. On Feb. 13, 1904, the Rice Lake Land and Realty Co., James Robbins, pres¬ ident, and E. Knudson, secretary, platted an addition of four blocks on the south part of the site. Then about 1910, Duncan Mon¬ roe laid out another plat, comprising six blocks in the east end. The last addition was made in 1916 by George N. Keesey, who laid out four blocks on Main street, which cover part of the original platting.

Before the coming of the railroad in the fall of 1901 there was nothing here in the shape of a settlement. The railway com¬ pany built a platform and later added the depot. George N. Keesey, who arrived here in 1902, recollects that there was then a lumber yard here operated by the Rice Lake Lumber Co.

now an up-to-date and well patronized es¬ tablishment. In 1919 Arnt Olson opened a grocery and restaurant, which he con¬ tinues to operate. A hotel was built in 1921, its proprietor being Leo Van Ruth. There is also in the village a garage and auto tire repair shop, a blacksmith shop, a creamery, bank and lumber yard. The last mentioned enterprise was established a number of years ago by the Independent Lumber Co. of Elk Mound, Dunn County, who continue to operate it.

The Brill Co-operative Creamery was or¬ ganized by the farmers of the vicinity in 1904. In 1916 the building burned down, and the company was then reorganized un¬ der the Wisconsin co-operative law, and a new building of cement blocks was con¬ structed on a better site. The officers for the first year were: O. H. KJorstad, presi¬ dent; Mike McLeod, vice president; George N. Keesey, secretary, and A. M. Chrislaw, treasurer. During the year 1920 the amount of cream received was 469,583 pounds; the amount of butter made, 162,893 pounds, and the amount paid the farmers for cream, $78,854.40. The officers for 1920 were: Mike McLeod, president; P. A. Helgoland, vice president; Arnt Olson, secretary, and W. H. Cockerill, treasurer and manager.

The Brill State Bank was organized May 6, 1919, by W. R. Zabel, the other persons Interested as stockholders being Tom Ma¬ son, W. H. Ryan (of Haugen), Charles Za¬ bel, B. J. Herricks, George N. Keesey, F. E. Keesey, William H. Cockerill and A. M. Chrislaw. The officers were: W. R. Zabel, president; George N. Keesey, vice presi¬ dent, and B. C. Leonard, cashier. These, officers are still serving. The directorate' is also practically the same as at the be¬ ginning, including W. R. Zabel, B. C. Leon¬ ard, George N. Keesey, Tom Mason, W. H. Ryan, A. M. Chrislaw and B. J. Herricks. The hank was organized with a capital of $10,000 and the required surplus of $1,000. The deposits now vary from $70,000 to $90,000. The bank rented a building for temporary quarters but in the latter part of 1921 constructed a good brick and tile build¬ ing to be occupied by the middle of Decem¬ ber.

Until 1903 the people in and around Brill got their mail through Dobie, where there was a store and postofflce. In 1902 George N. Keesey was appointed postmaster at Brill and has served in that capacity ever since.

The Brill Union Chapel, an undenomina¬ tional place of worship, was built about fourteen years ago at the crossing of two roads about half a mile north of the village, and has since been served by ministers from Rice Lake of the Presbyterian and Seventh Day Adventist denominations. The chapel is now chiefly under Presbyterian in¬ fluence.

The village of Brill obtains its water sup¬ ply from wells. The main street is graded. One or two local plants have installed elec¬ tric light for their own use but as yet that convenience has not extended to the village.

What is known as the "Irish Settlement" was started about 1871 by a few Irish who settled about three miles north and east of Brill. From there to the south line of Oak Grove Township there were in 1876 about six Irish families, bat a number of others arrived when the Knapp-Stout Lumber Com¬ pany began operations in this vicinity. Among the first to come were Frank Mullen and Mike Hanlan. Since then the settle¬ ment has and still from time to time re¬ ceives accessions. These early Irish were practically all in the employ of the Knapp- Stout Company and had to get their sup¬ plies at the company's trading post, or store. They attended the Catholic Church at Dobie, then a small building constructed of slabs. The schoolhouse was in the south¬ west corner of Section 14. Those were rough days and the settlers saw hard times, but most of them were strong and hardy, and after the timber had been cleared off bought land and engaged in farming, in time becoming well to do. Some still sur¬ vive, enjoying comfortable homes, and able to take an interest in the progress of tbe younger generation.

The unincorporated village of Comstock, with a population of about 125, is situated in the northeast quarter of Section 34, Crys¬ tal Lake Township, on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Northwestern railway, which is now a part of the Chicago & North¬ western railway system. It is eighteen miles northwest of Barron, the county seat, and is surrounded by an excellent farming and dairying country. The water supply is derived from wells.

The first settler on the site of the village was Andrew Swamby, who arrived here in 1874. Mr. Swamby opened the first general store and in 1875 became the first postmas¬ ter of Comstock. Other early settlers here were T. N. Stebblns, R. Roberts, E. Whit¬ comb, Daniel Kinnil, J. Jorgenson, John Jorgenson and Frank Williams.

The logging industry was the first car¬ ried on in the vicinity and a sawmill was erected at an early date. Two of the earli¬ est settlers at Crystal Lake, a mile north¬ west of the village, were S. H. Carsley, in 1872, and T. Jacobson, in 1875. Mr. Carsley is still living on the old homestead and is now 84 years old.

Mr. Swamby's successor in the postofflce was R. Corbett, and the latter was succeed¬ ed by S. Addington. Then R. E. Schmallng, who conducted a general store* became postmaster and continued as such until he sold out his business in 1905 to Christ P. Tyvoll. The latter thereupon became post¬ master, and remained so for ten years or more, until Henry H. Carsley, having bought out the Lamoureaux general store in 1916, in July that year succeeded to the office and has since had charge of the mails.

The village has grown slowly, but, in the main, local enterprises have been planted on a solid foundation. One of the most suc¬ cessful creameries in the county is located here, and there Is also a substantial bank, two general stores, well stocked with all goods demanded by a country trade, a ga¬ rage and a lumber yard. Two churches - one Methodist Episcopal and the other Lutheran - provide opportunities for relig¬ ious worship and exert a wholesome influ¬ ence on the lives of the people.

The schoolhouse now in use is the third building that has been erected here for educational purposes. It was built in 1915 at a cost of 35,000 and contains two rooms, in which the usual grade studies are pur¬ sued. Two teachers are employed and about fifty pupils are enrolled.

The Comstock Co-operative Creamery was organized by tbe farmers and incor¬ porated in July, 1907, with a capital stock of 33,000. The chief movers in the enter¬ prise were W. A. Glerhart, Peter Olson, Charles Pederson, Charles Helbig, William A. Ebert and William Modersbach. A fac¬ tory which had been previously operated for a while as an individual creamery, was pur¬ chased and operations begun. The new con¬ cern had a steady growth from the start, and shortly after business had started the capital stock was raised from 33.000 to 35,000, and the building had to be remodeled and enlarged. In 1917 Ernest R. Salsbury took over the management, since which time the business had considerably in¬ creased and the institution is now one of the largest and most successful of its kind in Barron County. This result has been ac¬ complished notwithstanding the competition of two neighboring cheese factories. The fol¬ lowing figures show the amount of business done in the year 1920; Pounds of cream re¬ ceived, 981,166; total amount of butter made, 354,487 pounds; total amount re¬ ceived for same, 3188,010.19; amount paid farmers in cash, 3172,231.81; amount paid farmers in butter, 33,730.01; total paid farm¬ ers, 3175,961.82. Tbe officers of the company are as follows: President and director, W. A. Gierhart, of Turtle Lake; vice president and director, Joseph Dusel, of Turtle Lake; treasurer and director, Otto A. Olson, of Comstock; other directors, T. J. Troan, of Turtle Lake, and Anton Erickson, John Howe and Gust Peterson of Comstock; sec¬ retary and manager, E. R. Salsbury; buttermaker. L. E. Leigh t.

The Bank of Comstock was organized and Incorporated as a state bank in Febru¬ ary, 1918, with a capital stock of 310,000 and a surplus of 31,000. The bank opened for business March 23, 1918, with F. W. Miller as president, A. H. Miller vice presi¬ dent, and Otto A. Olson cashier. These offi¬ cers have since continued to serve and also act as directors. In 1921 Agnes J. Ol¬ son was made assistant cashier. Tbe cap¬ ital stock remains the same as at the be¬ ginning. On Dec. 31, 1921, the surplus was 37,100 and the total deposits 356,622. The institution does a general banking business.

The village of Comstock was platted July 26, 1920. The owners were Tony Dabruzzi, C. P. Tyvoll, Otto Amundson, Charles Blanch, H. H. Carsley, Frank Dabruzzi, the

Comstock Co-operative Creamery Co., (W. A. Gierhart, president; & R. Salsbury, sec¬ retary) and the Comstock Methodist Episco¬ pal Church (William Modersbach, Frank Williams, J. M. Scribner and Benjamin Topper). The surveyor was J. A. H. John¬ son.

In March, 1920, nearly one hundred en¬ thusiastic "boosters" for Comstock held a meeting and organized the Comstock Com¬ munity Club. The organization is thorough¬ ly representative of all the various lines of activity to be found in the community, in¬ cluding farmers, business and professional men, bankers, clerks and laborers. The first officers were: Frank Williams, presi¬ dent; Frank Huser, vice president; Otto A. Olson, secretary, and Claus W. Carlson, treasurer. The officers of the club are al¬ ways found working in perfect harmony with the entire membership and associates for any cause pr project affecting the wel¬ fare of the community. One of the notable achievements of the club is the erection of a fine and modern community building, and by the activity of the members clean amusements and entertainments have been provided for alL This enterprise has been well supported by public sentiment and patronage, and Is visible evidence that Cornstock, though not yet a large village, pos¬ sesses real elements of growth in the upto-date character of its people and those in the country Immediately surrounding it.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Cornstock was organized Sept 1, 1910, among the first members being Mr. and Mrs. Ben Topper, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Scribner, Mr. and Mrs. E. Falkner, Bell Carsley, Martha Gates, G. Gates, Mrs. C. F. Houston, Hattie Williams, Frank Williams and Grover Barnes. A frame building was purchased for $700 from the Modern Woodmen of America and remodeled at a cost of $1,200 into a good church edifice. The first pas¬ tor was Rev. H. S. Goodridge. The pres¬ ent pastor, the Rev. Theo. Mathews, serves both this church and that at Perley. The Comstock church has now about thirty members.

The St. Paul's German Lutheran Evangeli¬ cal Church at Comstock was organized by August H. Soltau, Gustav A. Haas and Au¬ gust Croehler, in August, 1914. The Rev. Theo. D. Martens was the first pastor. He and the members labored together under difficult conditions, without an edifice, try¬ ing their best to enlarge their membership, and holding meetings wherever they could until March, 1917, when August H. Soltau donated to the church a lot 100 feet square, on the corner of Market and East street. On this the members erected a handsome church building. The church has now 21 members with good prospects for future growth. The present pastor is the Rev. H. H. Wegner, who also serves similar con¬ gregations at Cumberland (where he re¬ sides), Colllngwood Corners, Johnstown and McKinley. He manages to give regular services in these churches at least once every other Sunday and on holidays.

Barronette, at one time called Foster, is a small village, or hamlet, in Section 5, Lakeland Township; or the site may be more exactly described as the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 5, Town¬ ship 36 north, Range 13 west. Barronett is close to the northern line of the county, and is on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway, the building of which, in 1878, caused the village to be started soon after.

The business interests of Barronett con¬ sist of a bank, two general stores, a hard¬ ware store, garage, lumber yard, potato warehouse, creamery, land office, barber shop with a watch repairing adjunct, hotel and blacksmith shop. There is also a grade school. A Catholic mission church was es¬ tablished here many years ago, which has been served 'since 1891 from Cumberland.

For some years the Barronett Lumber Co., with headquarters at St. Paul, con¬ ducted extensive lumbering operations here and operated saw, lath and shingle mills. The annual output for a time was some 10,000,000 feet of lumber. Not far from the village J. F. Fuller, of Cumberland, estab¬ lished extensive brick works, with an an¬ nual output of 4,000,000 brick. The village was platted March 26, 1902, the owner being James H. Benson, and the surveyor Henry J. Buck.

The Barronett State Bank was incorpo¬ rated April 25, 1916 by Lyman Ashley. Ma¬ thias Arnes, Martin Peterson, Eld Anderson and C. O. L. Loomis. The capital stock was $10,000. The first officers and direc¬ tors were: Ed Anderson, president; Mar¬ tin Peterson, vice president; C. F. Paxton, cashier. A building was erected which was opened for business Dec. 13, 1916. In 1918 Martin Peterson became president and is now serving in that capacity, with Ed An¬ derson as vice president, and Andrew Rob¬ ertson cashier. On March 1, 1921, when changes in officers were made, E. L. Robert¬ son became assistant cashier, succeeding Henry Anderson in that office.

Mlkana is a small community center lo¬ cated in the east half of the northeast quar¬ ter of Section 21, Cedar Lake Township (township 36 north, range 10 west). It is on the "Soo" railroad. About half a mile to the east is Red Cedar Lake, a body of water about five miles long extending in a northerly and southerly direction. Mikana had its beginning when the "Blue¬ berry" branch of the "Soo" railway came through in 1901. The trains started run¬ ning on Christmas Day of that year. The village was platted March 31, 1902 by the Mikana Improvement Co., of which Thomas B. Wilson, of Knapp, Stout & Co., was the president, and George Hubs secretary. The first store was put up that year by Lee and Kringle, and a postoffice established with George C. Kringle as postmaster. There are now two general stores here and a lumber yard operated by the Independent Lum¬ ber Co., which also deals in flour, feed and

Angus is a small but important commu¬ nity center in Section 4, Cedar Lake Town¬ ship. It is well located for transportation service, as it is on the Omaha railroad and close to the Junction of that road with the "Soo". The community was started in May, 1906, by M. B. Uren, who, after selecting a site, cut down the timber thereon and built a store. He was also the first post¬ master and suggested the name of the of¬ fice, which was approved by the govern¬ ment. Besides a good, general store here, the community has a grade school, which is a frame building with cement basement.

Reeve is a flourishing little hamlet in the southern part of Section 20, in Vance Creek Township. It has a United Brethren Church, a Modern Woodmen lodge, two gen¬ eral stores, a blacksmith shop, a creamery, a pea vinery, and a number of pretty resi¬ dences. At one time there was a postoffice there, now discontinued. The village was started some twenty years ago. The cream¬ ery which was started by the farmers is now owned by the Clear Lake Creamery Association of Clear Lake, Pol County.

Arland is a small hamlet on the line be¬ tween Sections 18 and 19, Arland Township. It has stores, a. creamery and a feed mill. A mile to the southward are two Norwe¬ gian Lutheran Churches, a school and a cemetery. Two miles to the southwest there is a Lutheran Church and a school, while there are also schools a mile and a half to the west, and a mile and a halt to the northeast.

In addition to old Cameron, old Poskin, Mooney's Mills and Sumner, already men¬ tioned, there are several other deserted vil¬ lages in the county, Perley, Sprague, and Granite Lake. There are also a number of localities were stores and postofflces ex¬ isted in the early days.

Perley. In the mind of the old resident in the western part of Barron County the name of Perley awakes recollections of a once lively community, which, under more favorable conditions, might have developed into a permanent and good -sized village; but whatever early promise it may have had proved transitory and illusive. The lumber industry which brought it into being, passed on and left it desolate, and although its former location may still be found on maps, as in tbe southern part of Section 8, Almena Township, the spot today presents no indication of its former bustling activities.

Somewhat over forty years ago the sur¬ rounding region was thickly timbered, and Andrews & Perley, lumbermen, were en¬ gaged there in logging. It was the last mentioned partner, John Perley, who gave his name to the camp, and there, in Decem¬ ber, 1880, a large sawmill was erected which gave employment, on an average, to about 100 men. A boarding house was es¬ tablished, and was presided over by Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Wickenburg, of Turtle Lake, Mr. Wickenburg having been engaged to cook for the camp, a position that he held for three years. The lumber firm built houses for the men and also operated a store, in addition to which there was a saloon that did a flourishing business. For some years previous to the separation of Almena Township from that of Turtle Lake, Perley was a voting place, and as John Perley took an active Interest in politics, election day, which brought many voters to the camp, was a festival occasion, and animated and even exciting scenes were witnessed. The "Omaha" railroad had been constructed through Perley in 1877, previous to which time visitors to the place had to drive there with teams.

The exhaustion of the timber supply brought all this bustle to an end. After operating for five or six years, the lum¬ bermen deserted the place, the boarding house had burned down, the mill was aban¬ doned, and from an active and strenuous community in the living and material world, Perley took its place as an ever-fading ghost in the dim and silent halls of memory.

8prague was started in 1880 on the "Omaha" line three miles south of Cum¬ berland. Sprague Brothers owned and operated a steam sawmill. A postofflce was established and a church and district school organized. When the logging industry di¬ minished, the village disappeared.

Granite Lake was platted Feb. 21, 1879, on land owned by the North Wisconsin Railroad Co. The plat was located on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 17, in what is now Lakeland Township. For some years a railroad sta¬ tion was maintained there.

Doble is a pretty little hamlet of which the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes is the principal feature, located in the southwest corner of Section 36, Oak Grove Township.

The history of Our Lady of Lourdes Church dates back to the year 1869, when mass was read for the first time by Father Nacli in George Roberge's log cabin. Suc¬ ceeding him was the well known Father Goldsmith, who came twice and read mass in John LaBree's cabin. Father Nolan came next and read mass in Honore Demers' home. Father Keller marked the location of the first church. A missionary from Chippewa Falls read the first mass in the new church which was a rather crude af¬ fair, but sufficient to meet the demands of the people. Aristide Mireau, George Ro¬ berge, Tom Kearney, and Tom Donnelly, assisted by several protestant families, did most of the carpenter work. In the year 1878, during the winter, Father Dole came, remaining here nineteen years. He found the little mission literally in the backwoods without either roads or bridges. Fifteen missions were added to his charge - Rice Lake, Chetek, Barron, Prairie Farm, Sand Cartwright, Shell Lake, Turtle Lake, «tc. At the present time Rice Lake has a beautiful church, and Chetek, Shell Lake and Turtle Lake have their own respective churches and pastors. As soon as he got settled down he set about erecting a church, schoolhouse and parsonage at Stanfold (sometimes called Doble - officially Route No. 3, Rice Lake, Wis.), and afterwards at various other missions. The first man bur¬ ied in the cemetery was carried out on poles from Rice Lake via the Indian trail. Father Dole possessed an iron constitution and he needed it. Traveling by foot on the Indian trail through swamps and in all weather conditions to answer a sick call twenty and thirty miles away were some of the difficul¬ ties he had to encounter. It is said that at one time he received news that one under his charge was dying about twenty miles away. He set out immediately. Upon arriving at the cabin, utterly exhausted, he found the sole occupant seated on his bench calmly smoking his pipe. Upon inquiry as to where the dying person was he received the reply: "Father, I Just wanted to know if you would come if I were really dying." Nineteen years of zealous labor in an im¬ mense field tended to weaken an otherwise strong constitution and when fire swept down and burned both his church and house his noble heart literally broke. "Like his Lord and Master", says the Catholic Sen¬ tinel, "he cared nothing for money, and on the day of his death there was found but one dollar and fifty cents in his purse. On his dying bed he forgot self in his anxiety for his congregation and was often heard whispering prayers for their welfare. His last words were : " 'For the love of God let all Christians pray for me'." After the death of Father Dole a second church and parsonage was built by Father Brouillard, who remained in charge for seven years.

Succeeding Father Brouillard was Father Berrube. During his four years as pastor he built the present church, 50x100 feet, of mineral red rock. The following Fathers came in their respective order: Archambeau. Colling, Fitzpatrick, Van Helden, Shell, Mlleckl, Pulch, LeGulllou, Dickoff (who built the present brick-veneered par¬ sonage), Kieffer, Rochon, to the present pastor, Savageau. The congregation, as It is today, numbering about 110 families, ex¬ tends about seven miles north, three miles south, five miles west, eight miles east. Four Sisters of Notre Dame attend to the educational welfare of the school children. Various societies have been formed into which are grouped the married men, women, young ladies and children.

Rev. E. E. Savageau

Cartwright, a part of New Auburn, is on the south line of Dovre Township, the thriving village of New Auburn, however, being all in Chippewa County. Ridgeland is Just south of Dallas Township, in Dunn County. Clayton is Just over the line from Turtle Lake Township, in Polk County. New Auburn, Ridgeland and Amery, as well as several other towns near the border lines, receive considerable trade from this county.