Barron Town

Barron Town

Location and Advantages - Modern Activities - Early History - John Quad- Brer's Logging Camp - Descriptions by Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Taylor in 1876 - Coming of the Railroad - Barron in 1884 - Hardwood Indus¬ try - Brickmaking - Creamery - Canning Factory - Municipal History and Municipal Improvements - Cemeteries - Public Schools - Carnegie Library - County Buildings - Postal Service - Locations and Post¬ masters - Hospitals - Banks - Telephone - Woolen Mills - Churches - Fraternal and Patriotic Organizations . 1076 - 1087

Contents

Barron city, with a population in round numbers of 1,700 people, is beautifully lo¬ cated in Sections 27 and 28, Barron Town¬ ship, between the Yellow River and Quaderer's Creek, which have their confluence at the east end of the city. It is on the Twin City-Sault Ste Marie and the Rldgeland-Reserve lines of the *Soo''.

The city has six churches: The Meth¬ odist Episcopal, the Norwegian Lutheran, the 8t. Mark's Episcopal, the Baptist, the St. Joseph's Catholic, and the German Luth¬ eran. All the churches have the usual church organizations.

The fraternal organizations are the Ma¬ sons and Eastern Star, the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, the Knights of Pythias and Pythian Sisters; the Modern Woodmen and Royal Neighbors, and the Yeomen.

The commercial organization is the Bar¬ ron Business Men's Club. The federated women's clubs are the Mothers' Club, the Parent-Teachers' Association and the Busi¬ ness Girl's Club. The temperance organi¬ sation is the W. C. T. U. The Boy Scouts and the Hl-Y club are in flourishing condition.

The business industries are the Barron Co-operative Creamery Co., conducting the largest co-operative creamery in the world; the Barron Woolen Mills Co.; the Inderrelden Canning Co.; the Barron Red Pressed Brick Co.; the Barron Woodworking Co.; and the Wenzel Brothers Manufacturing Co.

The one newspaper, the Barron County News-Shield, is a consolidation of the Bar¬ ron County Shield, established in 1876; and the Barron County News, established in 1900.

There are three hotels: The Park Hotel, W. C. Ketchnm, proprietor; the Barron Hotel, Mrs. Emma Sumter, proprietor; and the Shaver Hotel, H. O. Shaver, proprietor, as well as the usual eating rooms and lunch counters.

The Barron County Live Stock Sales As¬ sociation maintains a sales pavillion, and there are several stock-shipping yards, potato warehouses, two lumber yards and a number of garages.

The municipal improvements consist of a pretty forty-acre park, the Library Park, a city hall, water works, electric light sys¬ tem and a fire company, and a Carnegie Library.

Barron had its beginning in 1860 when John Quaderer established a lumber camp on tbe south banks of Quaderer's Creek, just south of the present courthouse square. Mr. Quaderer was at first a foreman for the Knapp, Stout ft Co. firm. Later he was a contractor for that firm. The land about Barron he acquired in his own name. For nearly two decades thereafter the place was little more than a lumber camp. In addition to the buildings incident to the lumbering operations, a small store was opened.

The first death in the city was that of a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phylander Ball, in 1863. The mother died a few days later, and both were buried in Section 19, Town 34, Range 11, on tbe banks of the Menomonie, about a mile north of the "Soo" rail¬ road bridge, at the locality long called "Lousberg".

The second mill in the county was started by F. H. Perkins in 1863. It was located on the Yellow river, southeast of Barron, in Section 6, Town 33, Range 11 (Maple Grove, east). The third mill was started on the same river, also southeast of Barron, in Section 26, Township 34, Range 12 (Bar¬ ron), in 1869, by Bracklin, Neville Co., but was never completed. It wag at this place that the first county seat of Dallas (Bar¬ ron) County was located by the Legislature in 1868. Before this there had been a small mill started about 1862 at Prairie Farm, by Knapp, Stout ft Co.

In 1874, Mr. Quaderer built the frame building 8 till standing on the south bank of Quaderer Creek, southeast of the south head of Third street. This building, known as the Quaderer House, waB used as a hotel for many years. Its upper chambers were used as a courthouse. About this time Baptiste Quaderer took up his home in a small house near the hotel.

The first courthouse on the site of the present county courthouse was built in 1876. The place was still a lumber camp, and N. M. Rocbman and his bride used a part of the courthouse as a residence. Charles S. Taylor, that year appointed dis¬ trict attorney, moved with his wife into a little log cabin.

Upon making his first trip here, Mr. Tay¬ lor, writing to his wife from Rice Lake, July 2, 1876, describes conditions in the county as follows:

"At Barron there is a hotel (a good, large one, painted white and tolerably furnished inside, in which are the county offices, two rooms) ; and a large, new barn belonging to the hotel. Across the road is a little store in which is also the postoffice. There are two small, new residences, one of hewn logs and the other a frame, I believe. The county house is now being erected, it is all en¬ closed. There is a blacksmith shop, small, and about half a mile away, a homesteader's house. This comprises the sum total of the seat of Justice of the county of Barron.

"But, oh, what a difficult 'get-at-able' place it is. Sixteen miles of almost un¬ broken woods from Prairie Farm. Then such roads, mud and ruts, pine stumps and oak. On the way are quite a number of homesteaders' little clearings and one schoolhouse, also the old S. K. Young schoolhouse, northeast of Prairie Farm. - Ed.)

"The timbered land between Prairie Farm and Barron is considerably over half hard wodd, of great density and beauty, the rest is either pine or pine and hardwood mixed, with considerable pine clearing. A marked peculiarity of the pine lands here is that the soil is excellent on most of them, the hardwood lands are all good, of course.

"Between Rice Lake and Barron, twelve miles, over half the distance is heavily wooded with hard wood, part of the distance is covered with pine, or has been so cov¬ ered, with part of the same pine land of a light

Writing of the village after she came here, Mrs. Taylor says: "Picture to your¬ selves a little hamlet in the woods, having a hotel and a tiny store across Quaderer Creek, and on this side a new frame court¬ house, just ready for occupancy, a small printing office where the Barron County Shield was started Oct. 10, 1876, a saloon, and two or three dwellings. On the court¬ house grounds, around the dwellings and In the streets were trees and pine stumps. All north and east of the courthouse square was forest, there was not even a street opened there."

M. C. Mason purchased the Quaderer store about March 1, 1877. It was a few rods from the Quaderer house, in a log building sided over and painted red. A little later, he started the northward busi¬ ness movement by erecting a house and store on the north side of the creek, on the west side of the south head of Second street

J. J. Smith and John Conner came from Shell Rock in the fall of 1878, and opened a store in a little 7 by 9 building on the south side of the creek, not far from the Quaderer house. Shortly afterward they erected a building on the north side of the creek, on the west side of the south head of Third street, opposite the Courthouse square. The building was enlarged from time to time and is still standing on the original site.

In 1878 J. J. Smith and Nelson Carpenter erected a mill on the present site of the municipal electric and pumping plant. They sold to the Speed Brothers. In 1881, George Parr, John Post and S. J. Parr, under the name of Parr, Post Co., purchased the site and plant. The mill was entirely re¬ built, new water wheels and new machinery furnished and the dam reconstructed. This work was done under the supervision of John Post, with the millwright work in charge of his father, James Post. The plant consisted of a double rotary, with a capacity of 30,000 feet a day, a shingle mill of 36,000 production, a planer, lathe and picket machines, a re-saw for the manufac¬ ture of siding, and a turning lathe for both wood and iron. Thomas W. Parr, son of George Parr, purchased John Post's inter¬ est in the property in 1882, and the firm be¬ came George Parr ft Son. In 1884 the lat¬ ter retired.

The Parr, Post ft Co., soon after acquir¬ ing the mill property, put up a general store on the southwest corner of La Salle and Second streets, only a block from the Mason store. This building, still standing, is moved back, and the site is now occu¬ pied by the residence of Dr. H. M. Coleman, MrB. Coleman being a niece of John Parr. In connection with the general store, Thomas W. Parr had a drug store.

When John Post sold his interest in Parr, Post ft Co., in 1882, he opened a hardware store in a building on the northeast corner of La Salle and Second streets, west of the present News-Shield office. He built a store across the street, on the northwest corner of La Salle and Second streets, now occupied by M. H. McKee, merchant and city clerk, and moved his hardware store there. A little later when De Witt Post, brother of John Post, came to town, he became a part¬ ner in the hardware store.

The line of the Minneapolis, St. Paul ft Sault Ste Marie waa completed through Barron in 1884, connecting on the west with Turtle Lake, and thus with St. Paul, and on the east with Bruce.' The depot was finished Sept. 1, 1884, and was located on Seventh street, near the tracks, four blocks from its present location.

In the meantime, M. C. Mason had sold his store to Fred Telke, county clerk, and Herman Telke, a Prairie Farm farmer, who conducted it under the name of Telke Brothers.

When the railroad came through, there were the three general stores, Telke Brothers, near the head of Second street, George Parr at the corner of Second and La Salle, and Smith ft Conner near the corner of Third street. John Post had a hardware store, also on a corner of Second and La Salle. The Quaderer House, on the south bank of the creek near the head of Third street, was being managed by Simon Chrlsteeon.

Barron Lodge No. 220, F. ft A. M. with George Parr as master; and Martin Wat¬ son Post No. 172, G. A. R. with John Post as commander, and J. J. Smith as adjutant, were in a flourishing condition.

The railroad addition was being platted eastward along La Salle street, from be¬ tween Third and Fourth street, to between Eleventh and Twelfth street, and north¬ ward.

Before the trains started running, Cam¬ eron on the "Omaha" was the nearest rail¬ road station. A. R. Thurston was operating stages between Barron and Cumberland, and Barron and Cameron, and carrying mail. William Bartlett was also running a stage several times daily between Barron and Cameron.

Charles S. and Jared W. Taylor, in 1884, completed a dam at the east end of the city, on the Yellow river, providing an eight-foot head of water. Two sluice ways, each twenty feet wide, and each with an eightfoot flow of water, were provided, and each equipped with a "Parker" gate, then con¬ sidered a marvel of ingenuity. A chute was provided for the passage through the dam of ten or twelve miHion feet of pine logs which the Knapp, Stout ft Co. people con¬ tinued to float down the Yellow river an¬ nually for several years thereafter.

The roller mills were established by Jared W. Taylor and Chas. S. Taylor, and the woolen mills by Charles S. Taylor and a few associates. Jared W. Taylor moved the Stanley mill machinery from old Cam¬ eron, and opened for business In the fall of 1884. The power was from a 36-inch water wheel, manufactured and patented accord¬ ing to the newspapers of the time, by C. C. Taylor, of Appleton, Wis., an uncle of the Taylor brothers. The mill had a daily capacity of from 76 to 100 barrels. The woolen mills started buying wool and mak¬ ing yarn at once, and in 1886 started full operations. The power was from a twentyfour-inch water wheel, of the same type as that in the flour mills. Later It was re¬ placed by a 40-inch wheel. The main build¬ ing was 40 M by 60 feet in size, with an addi¬ tion of a boiler room, 16 by 20 feet. B. O. Ashdown was the first superintendent. Later an addition 40 by 80 feet was put on the main building, and three other build¬ ings erected.

The roller mills were operated by Jared W. Taylor until his death in 1917. The property was sold to Otto Berg in 1919. and he in turn sold to the city of Barron in 1921. The city is holding the property as a reserve water power. All outstanding in¬ terests in the woolen mills were gradually acquired by Charles S. Taylor, the founder, and are still owned and operated by the family.

The opening of the depot at Barron car¬ ried the trend of business eastward. In 1886 Telke Brothers moved to the north¬ west corner of La Salle and Fourth street, and the upper floor was fitted up as a hall. Smith ft Conner put up a building on the northeast corner of La Salle and Fourth street. Thomas W. Parr erected a building between the jail and the Smith ft Conner building, and moved his drug stock there from the general store of his father. John Quaderer and Simon Christeson put up a new Quaderer House on the southeast corner of Fifth and La Salle street. The building, moved eastward to the middle of the block, is still standing. John and De- Witt Post built a store on the northeast corner of Fifth and La Salle, and moved the hardware store there. Ed. C. Coleman and Nelson Carpenter opened a new store. Other smaller business enterprises were also started. J. F.' and C. D. Coe put up an office building at the northeast corner of Third and La Salle streets. They fitted up the upper floor as a Masonic hall. In Sep¬ tember, 1885, the Bank of Barron was opened in this building. It was in July of this year that the Cumberland stage was discontinued, the postoflice of Price, on that route, being discontinued at the same time.

The Barron County Shield in the summer of 1886 mentions the fact that there were then more than 100 men working on new buildings in the village. An articld pub¬ lished on Sept. 11, 1886, says:

"Barron is a striking example of the op¬ portunities offered for farming, cattle rais¬ ing, lumber or flour mills, or other mill run by water power. With ample water power from the Yellow river, where already lum¬ ber, flour and woolen mills are in operation, about 160 stores and dwellings; with almost every variety of timber, as bass, birch, pine, tamarack, beech, cedar and the like, and a rich soil, growing the finest grass for cattle and giving excellent crops, it is surrounded by a rich cattle raising, farm¬ ing or dairying country."

At the same time, Jerome F. Coe was run¬ ning advertisements in various papers tell¬ ing of the advantages of Barron and Barron County. These advertisements set forth the conditions as they were at the time, and spoke most enthusiastically of the future. Probably at that time the advertisements seemed to be the most extravagant "boost¬ ing", but all the predictions as to the possi¬ bilities of the county have come true in a measure greater than could have been fore¬ seen in those days even by the men of the broadest vision.

The hardwood Industry began to take on new Importance. George Parr ft Son con¬ tinued their mill with enlarged capacity. In May, 1899, the firm became merged in the Parr Manufacturing Company. The mill property was reduced to ashes Sept. 17, 1890, when the company bought the entire ma¬ chinery and fittings of the steam sawmill at Turtle Lake, formerly belonging to Joel Richardson and set it up near the site of the old mill. The new mill had a capacity of 40,000 feet a day, and employment is given to about 30 men. The company also pur¬ chased, in the spring of 1891, the shingle mill of J. W. Stone, of Turtle Lake, and erected it in close proximity to their other mill. It had a capacity of 40,000 shingles a day. The mill later passed through several hands, and on Oct. 26, 1901 was sold to the city of Barrop.

In 1886, W. B. Judd erected a large saw and stave mill, having a capacity of about 40,000 a day. J. W. McKesson put up a stave and heading factory the same year, with a daily capacity of 26,000 staves, and 10,000 headings. E. N. Stebbins, Sr., put up a stave and heading mill in 1891. It was several times demolished and rebuilt and continued business until the past decade. W. L. Morris and E. N. Stebbins, Jr., were asso¬ ciated in the business.

To the wood-working mills in Barron, in the nineties, came a wealth of hardwood from the surrounding region. The news¬ papers of the period speak of the fact that ofien on a bright winter morning, more than a hundred loads of hardwood logs all in one line could be counted, bound for the Barron mills. Not only did Barron get these logs, but it also became the trading center of a large territory especially to the southward.

Rice Lake branch of the "Soo," now the "Blueberry," from Barron to Ridgeland, took much trade from the city of Barron, by furnishing the farmers to the southward with convenient shipping and trading points nearer home.

But as the dairying Industry increased. Barron shared in the prosperity of all the surrounding country, and it is now a grow¬ ing and flourishing place, with its natural advantages well developed.

Brickmaking has flourished in Barron since the early days, the various yards hav¬ ing been located on the Hillsdale road south of Quaderer Creek. The latest brickyard, quite a pretentious establishment, is still in existence but has not been operated for several years.

Barron was incorporated as a city in 1887. The bill was Introduced by Charles S.Taylor. At that time the county seat question was a vital one in the county. The friends of Rice Lake secured the introduction of an act in¬ corporating that city with four wards, thus making four members on the county board. Mr. Taylor at once rallied the friends of Barron, and was successful in securing the incorporation of Barron with a like number of wards, thus keeping the balance of power on the county board.

The first election was held April 1, 1887, and the following officers chosen: Mayor Ed. C. Coleman; aldermen and super¬ visors, first ward, John Quaderer; second ward, John Conner; third ward, George Parr; fourth ward, De Witt Post; clerk, Henry Olson; treasurer, J. J. Smith; asses¬ sor, A. M. Blodgett; justice of the peace, A. M. Blodgett The first council meeting was held April 19, 1887. C. T. Webster was appointed marshal; and A. C. McLain, street commissioner. A little later, J. F. Coe was appointed city attorney.

The officers for 1920-21 are: Mayor, Henry Radermacher; aldermen and super¬ visors, C. P. Stenerson, W. F. Wichern, H. H. Dennison and J. E. Bowen; clerk, M. H. Mc¬ Kee: treasurer, John West; assessor, F. A. Hulbert; justice of the peace, F. B. Kinsley; marshal, Frank Burnham. M. H. McKee, the clerk, went Into office In 1898, and has served almost continuously since that time.

The public water system was established in 1894 when the first mains were estab¬ lished. J. W. Stone was then mayor. Two large reservoirs were constructed, fed by springs. The present supply is from a well, some 424 feet deep, the water being ele¬ vated by two pumps, operated at the pump¬ ing station. The system covers the princi¬ pal business and residential portions of the city.

Oil street lamps were established for street lighting when Barron was but a ham¬ let. The city continued the system for many years. In 1898 the first electric system in Barron was established under the mayorship of E. N. Stebbins, Sr. A small brick building was erected on the banks of the Yellow river, arrangements made with R.

Holliday, then the owner of the old Parr Manufacturing Co. plant, to furnish the power for the electric lights and to pump the water for the water works. A flfty-volt generator was established. At a special election held Sept. 23, 1898, it was deter* mined to install a 110 volt system, and in¬ augurate street lights. Oct. 4, 1898, a con¬ tract for pumping water and running the dynamo was let to Gillet ft Soderberg, the successors to R. Holliday. Oct 23, 1901, the city bought the mill and mill site, including the waterpower and six acres of land. The mill burned, and in 1902, the city built a temporary structure over the flume to house the wbeel and generator. New apparatus was established at that time. May 20, 1914, a contract for purchasing power was made with the WlBConsin-Minnesota Light ft Power Co., and a day current established. The city now manufactures some of the current, and buys the rest from that com¬ pany. The present building and plant was constructed in 1918 under the mayorship of T. J. Thompson. The present cement dam was completed late in 1920. The plant is a modern one in every respect and well equipped. July 12, 1920, the city purchased the J. W. Taylor property at the east end of the city half a mile below the city plant. The new purchase includes the flour mill and waterpower of the old Barron Roller Mills.

The city hall, a brick structure on east side of Fourth street, between La Salle and Division street, was built in 1907, when J. T. Atwater was mayor. The special election for the purpose was held May 16, 1907. The building houses the fire apparatus in its lower story, while the upper story is used for council chambers. When Barron was a hamlet a volunteer fire department was established. After the city was incorporat¬ ed, the council voted on July 14, 1887, to organize a regular volunteer fire depart¬ ment, and to spend $1,500 for a hand pump engine. The appropriation was confirmed at a special election, 8ept. 9. 1887. A. N. Clemans was the first chief. The first hand pnmp engine was a crude affair, necessi¬ tating the pumping of water from the creek or any convenient well. The equipment is now adequate and excellently cared for. W. Robert Reed Is the present chief. The fire apparatus for some years was housed In sheds, first on rented property, and then In a small structure on the grounds of the pub¬ lic pound, now the city hall site. A shed was moved to the same site and converted into a lock-up. Part of the time, the county jail was also used as a detention place for city prisoners. The city council held its meetings in the C. D. Coe law office on the upper story of the old Bank of Barron building, then standing on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Third streets, but now moved north on Third street.

The city park is a beauty spot of forty acres of woodland, lying along the course of the Yellow river. It is conveniently lo¬ cated, and of a picturesque naturalness. Plans for its improvement have been made by a landscape artist. It is not only a place of recreation for the people of the city, but also for travelers, a pleasant tourist camp with ample camping facilities having been provided by the city. The property was purchased from Clarence C. Coe on Oct 14, 1918, when T. J. Thompson was mayor. The city also owns a small park of two lots, Just north of the Carnegie library on Third street. The lots were purchased in 1921.

The Wayside Cemetery, a beautiful city of those who sleep, is located northeast of the city, in a place of beauty, peace and repose. The cemetery was started by the town of Barron and later taken over by the city. A plan is now being worked out by which the cemetery will be made perpetual¬ ly self-sustaining. The first cemetery was started west of the city oil Division street, on the rise of land now being cut down, a few rods west of the tracks. Next a ceme¬ tery was started on the south side of La¬ Salle creek, near its eastern end, on the banks of Quaderer's creek. This was later abandoned, and the bodies removed to Way¬ side cemetery. One of the features of the Wayside cemetery is the beautiful monu¬ ment erected by the citizens of Barron to the heroes of the Civil War.

The first schoolhouse in Barron, as al¬ ready noted, was erected in 1877, and was located on Division street, east of the tracks. Margaret Clary was the first teacher. The schoolhouse was burned in 1881. In its place a building was erected on Franklin street, on the present site of the Ward school. In the fall of 1884 it was enlarged to two departments, with two teachers. Prof. Lellen S. Cheney took charge of the school in 1886. Prof. Cheney graded the school and established systematic courses. The growing number of pupils, together with the systematic grading, necessitated more room, and two of the grade rooms were housed in rented store rooms, a third teacher being employed in the fall of 1886 and a fourth in January, 1887. In 1887, Prof. Cheney started giving instruction in the first year's work of a three years' high school course. One of the two staircases of the building was boarded up and partitioned off. and a small room thus made on the second floor for the new high school.

At the end of the 1886-87 term, a deal was made for the purchase of a lot on a rise of land in the west end of the city. The sum of $400 was to be paid for the lot, and the sum of $1,500 was to be spent in construct¬ ing a schoolhouse. But while the deal was hanging fire, the people living toward the east end of the city became active, and at a meeting held soon thereafter it was decid¬ ed to purchase a lot on the south side of LaSalle street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, from John Quaderer, for $1,600. The sum of $4,000 was appropriated for a new school. A four room frame building was started. The two lower rooms were finished ready for occupancy in 1888.

The reviews in the common branches were continued and at the close of the winter term of 1888-89, the pupils of the grammar grades and the high school grades were examined, with the result that twenty-eight

Prof. Cheney resigned after the close of the school work of 1888-89, and went to Madison. He took the examination papers and other documents with him and at once interviewed the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Three of the sets of examination papers presented were thrown out because they were written by non-resident pupils. The other twenty-five were, passed and the school admitted to the list of free High schools with a three-year course of study. When the school entered upon its next year's work, it was a full-fledged High School, with its highest class beginning its third or senior year's work.

The first class started by Prof. Cheney was duly graduated from the three years' course in the summer of 1890. Farlin F. Wood was then the principal. The first class consisted of Noble W. Mason, Ralph Parr, Nellie Blodgett Skinner and George Wright George Wright is dead. Noble W. Mason is a Barron business man, and the other two are living elsewhere.

Classes continued to graduate annually from the three years' course until 1894. In that year no graduation was held. The course was then changed to a four-year course, and the first class, consisting of one student, was graduated in 1895. In 1902, the High school was Inspected by Prof. Cheney, then assistant professor of botany at the University of Wisconsin, and representing the faculty of that institution, and the English course duly placed on the accredited university list Later other courses have been accredited.

As already noted. Prof. Cheney was the first principal in 1886-1889. Prof. Cheney was succeeded by Prof. Farlin F. Wood, who was in the school three years. He was followed by Professor Travis, who was here one year.

From 1893 to 1898 Prof. T. H. Lage, later county superintendent, was principal of the city schools. During the first year of this period, the second story of the old High school building was finished and fitted up for school use. The High school was moved into the east room, while the grammar grades occupied the west room. The enroll¬ ment of the High school at this time was 73. Prof. W. S. Freeman succeeded Prof. Lage, and superintended the workings of the school from 1898 to 1901. The High school grew very rapidly so that in 1901 an assist¬ ant was employed to aid the principal. The same year, the grammar grades were moved to the east room on the first floor and the room vacated by that grade was divided Into two rooms, one being fitted up for a recitation room and the other for a labora¬ tory. On account of this change two grades were obliged to be placed in Theater hall.

and in 1902 Latin and German being added to the course, a second assistant was neces¬ sary to teach these branches. After 1903 Prof. F. H. Swenson superintended the schools and it was during his first year that the work was found to be too heavy for three teachers so a third assistant was added to the staff. By the autumn of 1904 the enrollment had increased to such an extent that the assembly room could no longer accommodate the whole High school, so the Freshmen were placed downstairs and given over to the supervision of the third assistant.

Because of the increasing need of the schools, a new High school building was be¬ gun in the summer of 1906, and finished the following April. This constitutes the front part of the present building.

Since then the story of the schools has been one of steady growth, fully in keep¬ ing with the general educational progress of the state, and the industrial progress of Barron county. The principals have been: 1909-10, Charles C. McCormick; 1910-1L Margaret Kennedy; 1911-14, H. H. Hum¬ phrey; 1914-18, L. L. Fulton; 1918-20, P. L. Coon; 1920 to the present time, F. T. Hansen.

At present a broad general course is given, with specialized lines in Agriculture, Domestic Science and Manual Training. Nine instructors, including the principal, are now engaged in the High school alone, and the enrollment is slightly over two hundred pupils. The faculty is composed as follows: F. T. Hansen (principal), Lucile F. Wood¬ bury (English), Florence Pearson (history), Maude M. Morrison (mathematics), N. C. Llppincott (science), Paul G. Singleton (his¬ tory and civics). Gladys Arnold (domestic science), Philip Peloquin (agriculture), Fred Short (manual training).

In the early months of 1922 an addition to the High school was completed, more than doubling its size, and making it one of the finest High school buildings in this part of the state.

The Barron Public Library had its be¬ ginning in 1909 under the auspices of the Men's Club, an organization of the leading business and professional men of the city. Elarly in the year books and papers were solicited by a house to house canvass and funds for a start raised by popular subscrip¬ tion. Early in April, rooms in the second floor of the old postoflice building, near the corner of Third and La Salle streets, were opened with a pile of old Youth's Com¬ panions, Saturday Evening Posts and Amer¬ ican Boy Magazines piled up in one corner and some chairs and reading tables.

Mrs. T. J. Powell was secured as librarian and the first afternoon's work for her was picking over that pile and entertaining the interested ones who came to see the new library. But books and magazines of all descriptions came fast, also traveling li¬ braries and a number of books donated by the state. Both city papers donated their current issues and Mrs. J. E. Bowen gave

On March 17, 1912, application was made to Andrew Carnegie for funds to build a permanent home for the library and word was received a month later that he would donate $6,500 for that purpose. Negotia¬ tions for suitable lots and to secure plans for the building were begun at once. A fine location at the corner of Third and Divi¬ sion streets at a cost of $500 was secured and work commenced on the building late in August.

Mrs. Powell continued as librarian until 1913. She was followed by Mrs. Isabelle Young. The present librarian. Mrs. Jose¬ phine (J. H.) Anderson, took the position September 1, 1920.

The chairman of the Men's Club at the time the library was projected was Clarence C. Coe; the secretary and treasurer was J. W. Soderberg. The arrangement com¬ mittee consisted of J. T. Atwater and M. 1. Berg; the financial committee, of G. H. R. Kershaw, L. S. Cheney and W. A. McKee.

Henry Radermacher, Julius C. Rockman, Geo. Post, George R. Borum, J. E. Bowen, Mrs. J. P. McGuan, Mrs. J. H. Anderson, Mrs. K. E. Thompson, Mrs. Isabelle Young and P. L. Coon are also names which appear on the early records.

When the permanent organization was perfected November 26, 1910, Geo. Post was made president, and Geo. R. Borun, secre¬ tary and treasurer. Mr. Post was followed as president by John W. Soderberg, who is still serving. The present members of the board are, in addition to the two officers mentioned: J. E. Bowen, Mrs. J. P. Mc¬ Guan, Mrs. Josephine Anderson, Mrs. K. E. Thompson and Prof. F. T. Hansen, ex officio.

The story of the county buildings has already been told. Early meetings of the county board were held in the Quaderer headquarters. Feb. 8, 1875, the county board designated the upper floor of the Quaderer House as the courthouse. In 1876 the first courthouse was completed on the present courthouse square donated by John Quaderer. Later a small building for the register of deeds was erected in the same yard. In 1879 a jail was completed on the block north of the courthouse on lot 12, near the present postofflce. In 1891 the present jail and sheriff's residence was built. In 1901 the present sightly court¬ house was completed. It is a pretty build¬ ing, occupying a commanding site on a rise of land overlooking the principal business street. In its rear flows the limpid stream of Quaderer's creek, on the north bank of

The first postofflce was established in 1868. It was kept in the Johnson House, so called, on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 27, jhst north of the river. This house was designated by the county board as the county headquar¬ ters the following year and the locality is still known as "the old county seat.'' James Bracklin, superintendent for Knapp, Stout & Co., carried the mail to and from Menomonie. The postmaster was S. P. Barker, another Knapp-Stout man. In 1872, John Quaderer was appointed postmaster, and moved the office to his house on Quaderer's creek, in the present city. John Conner was appointed postmaster in 1881, and J. J. Smith. Was his assistant. They kept the postofflce in their store at the head of Third street, and in 1885 moved it to their new location at the northeast corner of Fourth and La Salle. Benjamin Harrison, the next postmaster, moved the office down La Salle street, to near the northwest cor¬ ner of Fifth and La Salle. He was fol¬ lowed by Jared W. Taylor, who left Mrs. Harrison In charge. J. J. Smith, the next postmaster, moved it to a building near the northeast corner of La Salle and Third, a few rods from the Bank of Barron. H. G. Ellsworth also kept it there. Fred B. Kinsley moved it to the present location. He Berved twelve years, then came K. E. Thompson who served four years, and then, A. J. Osborne, who held the office for six years. Lester B. West is the present post¬ master.

The Barron City Hospital is one of the excellent Institutions of Barron. It occu¬ pies the beautiful Jerome F. Coe residence on La Salle street, and in addition to the main building has a large separate sun parlor. Dr. Clark C. Post came to Barron in 1893. In 1895 he rented the Lentz dwell¬ ing, and established a hospital with Mrs. Hitchcock as matron and Mrs. Ellen Forry as nurse. Dr. Harry M. Coleman joined Dr. Post in 1901. The present build¬ ing was secured in 1920. Dr. R. W. Adams joined the firm and the hospital staff late in 1921. Dr. E. S. Crisman, of Almena, is also a member of the staff. Mrs. Sophia Butler is the matron, and there is one regis¬ tered nurse on the staff, as well as two stu¬ dent nurses. The hospital admits both surgical and medical cases, the members of the surgical staff being prepared to perform all major and minor surgery.

The Bank of Barron was established as a private Institution, in September, 1886, by J. F. and C. D. Coe, and opened for business in the law office of J. F. Coe, under the name of the Bank of C. D. and J. F. Coe, on the present site, the northeast corner of Third and La Salle streets. The upper story of this building was fitted up as a Masonic Temple. This building is still standing, having been moved north on

Third street. J. F. Coe was president of the Institution. C. D. Coe was in active charge as cashier. Before the close of the year, C. J. Borum, the present president of the institution, entered its employ as book¬ keeper. May 2, 1887, F. J. and W. C. Mc¬ Lean, of Menomonie, became Interested in the concern, and it was Incorporated as a state bank under its present name, with F. J. McLean as president, W. C. McLean as vice-president, C. D. Coe as cashier, and J. F. Coe as assistant cashier. George R. Borum, the present vice-president, became bookkeeper in 1892. C. D. Coe died in the winter of 1894 and J. F. Coe in the summer of 1895. Aug. 1, 1895, C. J. Borum became director and cashier. Two days later, on August 3, Thomas W. Borum, the present chairman of the board of directors, pur¬ chased an Interest in the bank. January 13, 1909, W. C. McLean was made president, and J. P. McLean, vice-president; C. J. Borum remaining as cashier, and George R. Borum as assistant cashier. January 9, 1912, Thomas W. Borum became a director. The bank was reorganised Sept. 10, 1915, at which time the McLean interests were purchased by C. J., T.- W., George R. and Aurora M. Borum, J. Ada M., Clarance C. and Arthur E. Coe; J. E. Bowen, De Wittt Post and Henry Radermacher; all of Barron; and Mabel E. Jones, of Watertown, South Dakota. Thomas W. Borum was the president; C. J. Borum and J. H. Coe, the vice-presidents, and G. R. Borum, the cashier. The directors were these four gentlemen with J. E. Bowen, C. C. Coe and De Witt Post. The capital stock was 136,000. Jan. 20, 1920, Thomas W. Borum resigned as president, and became chairman of the board of directors. C. J. Borum was made president and George R. Borum, vice-president; Fred Van Sickle, cashier, and Sadie F. Kirkwood, assistant cashier. The capital was increased to $60,- 000. The present beautiful banking house was first occupied Jan. 1, 1906.

The Normanna Savings Bank was estab¬ lished Jan. 4, 1894, and opened for business on that date, the founders being N. M. Rockman, of Barron; P. A. Moe, of Chetek; J. A. Anderson, of Dallas; Knudt Espeseth, of Dallas; and Nels Johnson, of Chippewa Falls. The banking house was located on the north side of La Salle street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, and N. M. Rockman was in active charge. After a short time, the Messrs. Anderson and Espeseth withdrew. The Messrs. Rockman, Johnson and Moe then continued as the owners for a while. Then Mr. Johnson sold out to the other two. In the summer of 1902, the bank was moved to the present sightly banking house at the northwest corner of La Salle and Fourth streets, the building being owned by N. M. Rockman personally. July 15, 1903, the institution was incorporated as a state bank, the officers being P. A. Moe (president), G. I. Moe (vice-president). N. M. Rockman (cashier), and Elmer A. Rockman (assistant cashier). At that time the seal of the institution was adopted. The device is most interesting. Between the words "The Normanna Savings Bank" and the words "Barron, Wisconsin," there are on opposite sides of the seal, two five-pointed stars. The star at the left is in honor of the five founders of the original bank; the star at the right is in honor of the five in¬ corporators of the state bank. In the center of the seal is the representation of a man prying at a stump which he has succeeded in getting partly out of the ground. This is in reference to the hardships of the pio¬ neers of Barron county and of the bank. Jan. 1, 1909, Julius C. Rockman, who had been in the bank since boyhood, and had been a regular employee since 1904, became cashier and N. M. Rockman became vicepresident. The officers at the present time are P. A. Moe (president), N. M. Rockman (vice president), and Julius C. Rockman (cashier). The working staff, in addition to the cashier, consists of Morris B. Johnson, teller, who entered the bank Sept. 1, 1920; Arthur Mors, bookkeeper, who entered the bank May 1, 1921; and Helga Nelson, sten¬ ographer, who entered the bank March 1, 1919.

When the State Bank was organised in 1903, the capital was $6,000. Jan. 1, 1908, this was Increased to $12,000, the Increase being taken from the earnings. There Is now an earned surplus of $12,000. Thus the original stock of $6,000 has Increased to a combined capital and surplus of $24,000 with¬ out additional Investment.

The First National Bank of Barron was chartered Aug. 18, 1916. The present sight¬ ly banking house was erected at once, and the institution opened its doors, Feb. 3, 1917, with a capital stock of $25,000. The first officers were: President, Jared W. Taylor; vice-president, Otto Berg; cashier, K. E. Thompson; assistant cashier, N. O. Strand. Jared W. Taylor, the founder of the bank, died Feb. 15, 1917, shortly after the institu¬ tion started business, and Charles A. Tay¬ lor became president. At the same time, C. P. Stenerson became assistant cashier.

On Oct 1, 1921, Otis Skogstad succeeded Mr. Stenerson as assistant cashier. The first directors were J. W. Taylor, Otto Berg, C. A. Taylor, N. O. Strand, Nels Wer¬ ner, William Bartlett and P. J. Krahenbuhl. Upon Mr. Taylor's death he was succeeded as director by J. W. Heffner. Upon Mr. Bartlett's death in May, 1921, he was suc¬ ceeded as director by S. El Severson.

The Barron County Telephone Co., the first telephone company in Barron county, with exchanges at Rice Lake and Barron, and with toll stations at Rice Lake, Barron, Dallas, Cumberland, Mlkana, Poskin, Almena, Hillsdale, Haugen, Doble, Cameron, Angus, Prairie Farm, Chetek, Campia Horseman and Tuscobla, in this county; Birchwood in Washburn county; and Ridgeland in Dunn county, was organized Feb. 5, 1896. with a capital of $1,676, all paid in, divided into 63 shares of $26 each. The first officers and directors were: Presi¬ dent, Dewitt Post; vice-president, N. M. Rockman; secretary, W. H. Brandt; treas¬ urer, C. J. Borum; C. C. Coe. July 14, 1896, T. W. Borum became a director in place of C. C. Coe. Feb. 8, 1897, A. M. Fenton and Dr. C C. Post were added to the board in place of N. M. Rockman and W. H. Brandt. At that time, A. M. Fenton became vicepresident in place of N. M. Rockman, and T. W. Borum secretary in place of W. H. Brandt. April 16, 1901, J. E. Horsman be¬ came vice-president in place of A. M. Fen¬ ton. Feb. 12, 1906, J. E. Horsman and T. W. Borum reversed positions, and Mr. Hors¬ man, upon becoming secretary, took over the active management of the Barron ex¬ change. April 27, 1909, A. C. Strand suc¬ ceeded Dr. C. C. Post as director. With De¬ witt Post as president; T. W. Borum as vice-president; J. El Horsman as secretary; C. J. Borum as treasurer; and A. O. Strand as the other director the organization con¬ tinued until Feb. 21, 1922.

On that date several blocks of stock changed hands, and it was decided to move the headquarters from Barron to Rice Lake. The new officers are: President, Dr. O. M. Sattre, Rice Lake; vice-president, Charles A. Taylor, Barron; secretary and gen¬ eral manager, J. E. Horsman; treasurer, W. A. Demers, Rice Lake. These gentle¬ men with A. G. Strand constitute the board of directors.

The first exchange was established at Barron, with thirty subscribers and a fifty drop board. The same year the Cumber¬ land exchange was opened. In 1897 the ex¬ changes were opened at Rice Lake and Cameron. Then the lines were extended to Dallas, Prairie Farm and Chetek. The sys¬ tem grew rapidly until the company had local exchanges at Barron, Rice Lake, Cum¬ berland, Cameron, Chetek and Prairie E'arm, and toll stations at Almena, Dallas, Mikana, Poskin, Hillsdale, Rldgeland, Haug¬ en, Birchwood, Dobie, Angus and Tuscobla.

There was at first no outside connection. In 1900, the Chippewa Valley Telephone Co. built a line from Eau Claire to Ashland, and thus gave Barron county telephone communication with the outside world.

All the local exchanges have now been sold, except those at Rice Lake and Barron, and to the development of these exchanges, the company now devotes its attention.

The Rice Lake exchange with 1,716 sub¬ scribers, of whom 1,004 are in the city, and 712 in the country, covers the northern part of the county; and the Barron exchange, with 704 subscribers, of which 402 are in the city and 302 in the country, covers the southern part of the county. The earnings of the company have Increased from $400 in 1897 to $50,000 in 1920, and the pole line mileage from 100 to 600 miles. The suc¬ cess of the company since its organization has been largely due to the untiring efforts of DeWitt Post. Mr. Horsman has taken hold of the Rice Lake end of the business with characteristic energy, and has built up a remarkable system. The oldest em¬ ployee in the company is Zip Biron, who became lineman in 1897, and is now wire chief, with headquarters at Rice Lake.

In noting the recent change a newspaper report In speaking of the enlarging of Mr. Horsman's management to Include the Barron exchange, says:

"It is not necessary for us to say that J. E. Horsman who will be the new general manager and who is well known in this city, will look after the interests of the subscribers equally as well as his old and intimate friend, DeWitt Post. Their rela¬ tionship in business has been and will con¬ tinue like brothers, but Mr. Post who has wished to retire for the past three years, insisted on being relieved at this meeting, although he consented to remain in charge of the Barron exchange until June 1.''

Barron Woolen Mill Co., a reorganiza¬ tion of the Barron Woolen Mills Co., of which mention has already been made, was Incorporated March 30, 1899, by Charles S. Taylor. Upon Mr. Taylor's death, his son, Charles A. Taylor, succeeded him as presfdent. The estate of C. 8. Taylor and Mrs. C. S. Taylor are the owners. A. Crawford is in active charge of operating the mill. The motive power is still obtained from a waterwheel.

The story of the mills is a most interest¬ ing one. The first year, wool was bought from the growers, and the finished product sold to the wholesalers. Since the second year the sales have been entirely to the re¬ tail trade.

For many years, the salesmen started out with the wagons in the fall, and called from door to door in the rural districts. Goods were sold for cash, for cash notes payable April 1, or for wool to be delivered at stated delivery points on June 1. June 1, the buyers went to these designated points, and took in this wool, and also bought wool for cash. Most of the wool was used at the mills. The surplus was graded and sorted, and shipped east. Some years as much as five carloads or 100,000 pounds of wool was shipped out. In the eastern wool markets the name "Taylor's matchings'' is still known.

The product consists of flannels, yarns, shawls, blankets, mitts, hoisery, macki¬ naws, trousers, underwear, shirts, jumpers and automobile robes. Some flfteen sales¬ men are employed, and the mills give em¬ ployment to some twenty people. Water¬ power is still used.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Bar¬ ron had its beginning, Dec. 3, 1876, when a few Barron people met at the courthouse to listen to a sermon by Rev. K. A. Fulmur, of Prairie Farm, who had charge of the Sumner circuit. It was planned to hold meetings every alternate Sunday evening, but the roads were such that the minister could not always get here. The first Sunday school was organized May 20, 1877. There were then less than two dozen, children in the village, and some of these were babies. Washington Bird, then county treasurer, was the superintendent. The first camp meeting on this circuit was held in June, 1877, in Dallas, near the farm then owned by Woodbury 8. Grover. The first com¬ munion was administered by Rev. William Haw, who held a quarterly conference here in August, 1877. Rev. Fulmur was followed in 1877 by Rev. H. C. Carter, and he in 1878 by Rev. W. S. Taylor. During this year there was organized a Barron County Sab¬ bath School association, which existed about three years and has for its successive presidents, Rev. M. Taylor, Mrs. Charles S. Taylor and J. F. Coe. In 1879, Rev. J. H. McManus became pastor, followed in 1880 by Rev. Helms. About this time the Mite Society was organized. At first it em¬ braced all the religious ladies of the town. Later, as other churches were organized, the new churches formed their own or¬ ganizations and since 1896 the Mite Society has been strictly Methodist In 1881, Rev. F. W. Arndt became pastor. Rev. W. E. Robinson came in 1882 and Rev. James Conner in 1883. Services were then being held in the schoolhouse. During his pas¬ torate, funds were solicited to build a church. Work was started in 1885. Rev. John Haw became pastor that year, and the church was dedicated Aug. 28-29, 1886. Dur¬ ing the fall and most of the winter of 1886 and 1887 Rev. S. Phoenix served as a sup¬ ply. In the fall of 1886 came Rev. Barkaloo, followed in the spring of 1887 by Rev. Moses C. Alley. He was the first resident pastor, taking up his home here in a rented house. In 1887 came Rev. G. W. Pepper. Oct. 3, 1890, the Epworth League was or¬ ganized. Rev. Pepper was followed in 1891 by F. M. Haight, whose year was filled out by Rev. A. A. Loomis. In 1892 came Rev. S. N. Griffith, followed in 1893 by Rev. El¬ mer R. Sidell. In 1894 a parsonage was completed. Rev. H. P. Blake came in 1895. The Woman's Home Missionary Society was organized July 10, 1894, with Mrs. Sarah Parr as the first president. Rev. E. C. Dixon, the next pastor, served until the fall of 1901; Rev. M. Benson until the fall of 1907; Rev. G. H. R. Kershaw until the fall of 1912 and then Rev. E Harris.

In writing of early days in the church Mrs. C. S. Taylor has said: "For a long time our meetings were held in the court room of the courthouse. After that we met in the white frame schoolhouse which stood just in front of where the red brick Ward school now stands. The building was later moved away, and is now the Catholic church. We worshipped in the schoolhouse as early as 1882. Fancy going there on a Sunday evening when it was so dark you could scarcely find your way on the muddy paths through the woods. In the late sev¬ enties, a friend of the work loaned us an organ. A few years later, C. S. Taylor pur¬ chased an organ for the church, and sev¬ eral who were interested made payments on it until it was nearly all paid for. After a while Thomas W. Borum made the church a present of a new organ for the rooms below for the Epworth League and other services. Later still he replaced the old church organ with a new one, which made it in a large measure a gift. Of choristers we have had but five in forty years: Mrs. C. S. Taylor, J. F. Coe, L. S. Cheney, W. B. Crawford and A. Crawford." To this Clarance C. Coe adds; "Mrs. C. S. Taylor, who started the tunes for the first services of the church in 1876, has been continuously and still is a member of the choir."

The First Baptist Church of Barron was organized in the town of Maple Grove, in the Johnson schoolhouse, March 3, 1894, under the name of The Immanuel Baptist Church, with six charter members: A. W. Arndt, Mrs. A. W. Arndt, W. H. Ellis, Mrs. W. H. Ellis, Mrs. Harry Young and Charley S. Sanderson. On March 10 five more mem¬ bers were added by baptism. April 19, 1895, a special meeting was held and the name of the organization was changed to the First Baptist Church of Barron, and meetings were held from that date until 1897 in different halls in the city of Barron. The first church building was completed in 1897, largely through the sacrificial efforts of its charter members. All the lumber for the building, except sheeting and wainscot¬ ing, including the pulpit and the pews, came from the farm of A. W. Arndt The church was remodeled and enlarged in 1913, and the capacity of the church doubled, with a seating capacity now of 250. It is a modern and comfortable church home. The first board of trustees were S. R. Wiley, A. W. Arndt and W. H. Ellis. The following pas¬ tors served the church since its organiza¬ tion: George B. Dissmore, 8. S. Hageman, A. E. Goff. G. A. Wain, H. E Hoare, E. J. Parsons, G. W. Morton, H. A. Ericson, J. McFarlane, J. W. Bell, J. C. Johnson. George Hamilton, H. H. Savage, C. H. Dinsmore and David Alexander. Rev. Solomon M. Duyzers is the present pastor. A. W. Arndt and F. D. Otis, senior deacons. C. C. Dickson, chairman of the board of trustees.

St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1894. The moving spirit In the organization was Major E. N. Stebbins. He was the first Episcopalian to settle In Barron, and It was largely through his efforts that the pretty little church was built in 1901. The church has been an im¬ portant factor in the life of Barron, and numbers in its communicants a number of the city's leading citizens. The rector is the Rev. M. B. Goodall of Rice Lake.

Lake and held mass here in homes, in halls and in the basement of one of the banks. A parish was organized and given the name of St. Joseph's. In 1909 the old white Ward school was purchased and moved to the present site on LaSalle street, where it was fitted up as a church. In 1913 the building was remodeled into very neat and sightly church edifice. The pas¬ tors have been the Rev. Fathers Smith from Rice Lake, Berg from Almena, Bourg from Almena, Novarkie from Chetek, Nouza from Illinois, Zenislk from Illinois, and Tabencki of Chetek. Among the names prominent in the church annals are those of Kohten, Crawley, Ooheen, Koerner, Noo¬ nan, Matton, Schmitz, Cady, Matthys, Hoff¬ man, Burnham, Salscheider, Baker, Peloquin. Thill, Josephson, Castonie, St. Louis, Paulson and Osborne. J. P. Hoffman is secretary of the church. The Ladles Aid Society was established about the time the church was organized, with Mrs. J. P. Hoff¬ man as president.

The German Lutheran Church was organ¬ ized April 1, 1893, the name used being the German Evangelical Lutheran Bethlehem Church. A church building was erect¬ ed the same year, and also a parsonage. The building committee was composed of nine members: Carl Schroeder, chair¬ man, Julius Zable, Christopher Wagenbach, Ferdinand Mieltke, Fred Schudlick, John Krueger, Jacob Wagner, Wellington Fox and Fred Schultz. An¬ drew Rewey was the architect and superin¬ tendent. and was assisted by Charley Mannel. Most of the work was done by mem¬ bers of the committee and congregation. The corner stone was laid by Rev. H. O. Rastin, of Shell Lake. Frederick Schudlick and Carl Ferdinand Meisegeier did all the mason work. The first organization was composed of fifteen families: Carl Schroe¬ der, Jacob Wagner, Frederick Schudlick, F. Mieltke, Julius Zable, Valentine Fox, Christopher Wagenbach, Gottlieb Kurth, Fritz Schultz, Otto Horn, Willie Kolb, Ern¬ est Kolb. John Krueger, Phillip Wagen¬ bach and Frank Barfknecht. During t)ie building of the church services were held in the Method 1st Church and at convenient residences, many times at the home of Gott¬ lieb Krueger. Rev. H. O. Rastin, who was located at Shell Lake, representing the Wis¬ consin Synod, conducted the first services. Since then the following pastors have served the church: Theodore Thormachlem, Oswald Lugenheim, H. J. Ablemann, J. Freund, R. F. Nammacher, George Kerchke, Adolph Lederer, William Keturakat, Julius Wagner, Walter Motzkus. The congrega¬ tion now numbers about thirty families, representing a total membership of about two hundred.

A Presbyterian mission was formed here in 1881, by Rev. Mr. Smith. He conducted the services until 1886, when a church was organized by his successor. Rev. Mr. Chapin. He continued to minister to this church and the one at Chetek until the fall of 1887. After that the mission was discontinued.

Barron Lodge No. 220, F. and A. M. was organized on dispensation under date of June 7, 1881. The charter members were the following: William P. Swift, W. M.; George Parr, S. W.; S. E. Washburn, J. W.; James Sims, treasurer; C. B. Leach, secre¬ tary; D. C. Strong, S. D., and S. C. Miles, J. D. At this time this lodge was the only Masonic organization in Barron County and it must have been somewhat of a task to assemble the members for meetings as S. E. Washburn lived near Cameron, James Sims lived at Rice Lake, C. B. Leach, though having his home at Barron, was at Shell Lake, D. C. Strong lived at Chetek and S. E. Miles lived at Prairie Farm.

These same ofllcers held their offices the following two years, except that N. M. Rockman was Junior deacon and S. E. Miles tyler. At the first meeting held in June 1881, N. M. Rockman of Barron, and Walter Speed of Chetek were admitted to membership. In 1882 and up to June, 1883, twelve more were admitted and at the an¬ nual meeting of the Grand Lodge in June, 1883, the charter was granted.

The first member to affiliate was R. L. Young of Rice Lake, who Joined in the lat¬ ter part of 1883. In 1886 four members de¬ moted to Join Rice Lake Lodge No. 234 which had been recently organized and among these was John F. Dietz, of Cameron Dam fame, who had been admitted to mem¬ bership in September of that year. The first death in the membership occurred in the year 1888 when A. J. Barton passed away on October 14.

The first meetings were held in the upper story of J. F. Coe's law office, which stood, on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Third streets, the present site of the Bank of Barron. The building is still standing, having been moved north to the next lot on Third street. Sometime later, the exact date of which does not seem to be on rec¬ ord, the lodge moved to the second floor of the building erected by John Post, which is still standing on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Fifth streets. While the lodge occupied this building, the adjoining one was burned and some damage done to the Post building and the lodge equipment, enough so that the charter of the lodge was somewhat blackened with smoke, but ac¬ tion on the part of some of the members saved the charter and prevented further damage to the equipment. In the year 1903 the lodge moved to the quarters it now occupies, on the second floor of the N. M. Rockman block on the northeast corner of LaSalle and Fourth streets.

In addition to his service as Master, Mr. Washburn has been Junior warden three terms, senior warden one term, treasurer one term, and trustee for a considerable pe¬ riod. C. W. Meadows served twelve terms as treasurer; W. T. Porter eleven terms as tyler, Ellsworth McKlnny five terms as treasurer, and Julius C. Rockman four terms as secretary.

There were, as mentioned, seven charter members; 170 have been raised by the lodge, 61 have affiliated from other lodges, making a total of 232 names on the books. Of these 78 have demitted, 28 have died, and 16 have been dropped, a total of 121. There are now 117 members.

In 1882-83 ten were raised. From then un¬ til 1920, twenty more became members. Ten names disappeared, leaving a net gain of 20, thus making a total membership of 27 in 1900. The greatest loss came in 1909 when eight demitted. For 28 of its years the lodge has gained in membership, for eight years it lost, and for five years it re¬ mained even.

Esther Chapter No. 36, O. E. 8., had its origin when a dispensation was Issued, au¬ thorizing George Parr as worthy patron, Mrs. LIU C. Kinsley as worthy matron, and Mrs. Ella Radermacher as associate ma¬ tron, to form a chapter. The chapter was duly instituted June 12, 1892, by Dr. Bar¬ ker, of Shell Lake, deputy grand patron. The following were the charter members: Bertie E. Borum, J. C. Beckwith. Annie Beckwith, J. F. Coe, Ada M. Coe, Clarence C. Coe, Claudia M. Coe, Ed. C. Coleman. Isabella J. Coleman, John Darrow, Eliza¬ beth Darrow, Llbble Ellis, Ruth Horsman, Lill C. Kinsley, Julia Leach, Josephine Mc¬ Donald, Susan J. Parr, Florence L. Ross, Ella L. Radermacher, Ellen Speed, H. G. Ellsworth, W. H. Ellis, E. J. Horsman. F. B. Kinsley, George Parr, Henry Radermacher. Silas Speed and Wallace B. Crawford. The first officers in addition to the three al¬ ready mentioned were: Secretary, Claudia Coe; treasurer, Ada Coe; conductor, Isa¬ bella Coleman; assistant conductor, Ellen

Speed; chaplain, Clarance C. Coe; Adah, Florence Ross; Ruth, JuUa Leach; Esther, Ruth Horsman; Martha, Bertie E Borum; Electa, Susan J. Parr; warder, Elizabeth Darrow. The first candidates initiated were Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Brandt, on July 28, 1892. The chapter worked under dispensa¬ tion until March 9, 1893, when the charter was granted. There are now 122 members. The officers for 1922 are: Worthy matron, Mae Walsh; worthy patron, L. H. Glddlngs; assistant matron, Maxine Stenerson; sec¬ retary, Mildred McKinny; treasurer, Marne Berg; conductor, MoUie Mason; assistant conductor, Nellie Jensen; chaplain, Eliza¬ beth Crawford; organist, Minnie Garrett; Adah, Nellie Stlth; Ruth, Helen HufT; Es¬ ther, Agnes McKinny; Martha, Gladys Pat¬ rick; Electa, Nellie Nelson; warder, Mary McNurlen; sentinel. Alvah McKinny; mar¬ shal. Helga Gulickson.

Liberty Rebekah Lodge No. 64, was or¬ ganized Sept. 16, 1891, and worked under dispensation until June 8, 1892, when a charter was granted. There were nine names on the petition for charter: Mrs. E J. Harris, Mrs. Frank 8peed, Mrs. H. P. Taft, Mrs. J. Pratt, George Parr, S. Chris¬ teson. E J. Harris, David McKee. J. W. Taylor. There were 40 charter members, but the early records of the lodge were lost, and only by scattering papers are we able to secure a partial list of the first offi¬ cers, who were: Amanda Horstmann, N. G.; Hannah Taylor, V. G.; Gertrude Taft. Rec. Sec.; Mrs. A. V. Rouse, Per. Sec.; Mrs. J. J. Galvin, treasurer; Mary Babcock, chap¬ lain; Elva Beckwith, Warden; Edith Speed, conductor. The lodge cow has an honorary list of seven who have been members of the order for 26 years or more. They are: Noah Augst. J. R. Beckwith, Elva Beckwith, Mary Babcock, Lottie Lee, Gertrude McKee and Edith Speed. Mrs. Mary Babcock is the oldest living member of the drder. The present officers are: Mrs. Sarah Heffner, N. G.; Tina Hulbert, V. G.; Susie Babcock, R.* S.: Helga Gulickson, F. S.; Anna Car¬ penter, T.; Ella Hutchins, Con.; Kate Chambers. Warden; Sophie Bather, R. S. to N. G.; Etta Bert. L. S. to N. G.; Clara Davis, R. S. to V. G.; Blanche Coon. L. 8. to V. G.; Eliza Simonson, O. G.; Blanche Stalker, I. G.; Elva Beckwith, Chaplin; Mao Walsh, P. N. G.

United Colony No. 218, Beavers, was in¬ stituted on Jan. 3, 1907, with fourteen char¬ ter members: William L. Brown, Ella Thompson, Charles G. Cowles, J. A. Nelson, James R. Beckwith, Bertha A. Wichern, Mary E. McThurston, Etta C. Beckwith, Persis Wolworth, Claud E. Edwards, Philip Wagenbach, John P. Wichern, John W. Jen¬ son and William Bartlett

Ben Brown Post No. 212, American Le¬ gion, Department of Wisconsin, was organ¬ ized Jan. 12, 1920. The first officers of the post were: Dr. H. M. Coleman, commander; Clifford Chrlsteson, vice commander; Lloyd Wahl, adjutant; L. B. West, finance officer; Dr. H. N. Huff, historian; Harry Burnham, sergeant at arms; Clarence Cornelius, chap¬ lain. The post now has a membership of 126. The present officers are: L. B. West commander; Oscar E. Kolb, vice com¬ mander; John C. Schiltz, adjutant; L. V. Weisensell, finance officer; John W. Coe, chaplain; R. B. Curtis, sergeant at arms; M. E. Gordon, historian; H. G. Horne, serv¬ ice officer.

The Women's Auxiliary of Ben Brown Post No. 212, Department of Wisconsin, was organized March 17, 1921, with eleven char¬ ter members: Mrs. Oscar Kolb, Miss Alma Ahlstrom, Mrs. Ray Stowell; Mrs. John West; Mrs. L. B. West; Mrs. F. T. Hanson; Mrs. A. M. Paulson; Miss Regina Kohten, Mrs. Alma Bolstad, Mrs. H. M. Coleman, Mrs. C. C. Post The first officers were: Mrs. Martina Falkenberg, president; Mrs. Nellie Jenson, vice president; Miss Anna Horn, secretary; Mrs. Oscar Kolb, treas¬ urer; Miss Florence Chrlsteson, Histo¬ rian. The Auxiliary now has 73 members and hold meetings on the second Thursday of each month. The present officers are:

Martin Watson Post No. 172, G. A. R. was organized Sept. 6, 1884, with sixteen charter members as follows: J. J. Smith, O. Christopherson, J. B. Thurston, J. P. Briggs, Levi Miller, Chas. Jenks, J. A. Conner, John Post. J. C. Beckwith, William Miller, Thomas Bourke, A. Blodgett, and D. J. Harris. Of these D. J. Harris is still an active member of the local post. The others are all dead. Eight members are in good standing on March 13, 1922. They are as follows: Commander, M. C. Mason; senior vice commander, S. EX Washburn; junior vice commander, D. G. Harris; quartermas¬ ter, Noah Augst; officer of the day, B. S. Kipp; adjutant, C. P. Taylor; chaplain, George Lee; patriotic instructor, W. A. Kent.

Martin Watson, W. R. C. No. 130 was oi> ganized April 16, 1895, by Belle Hanover, department president. Mrs. Melissa Wygant was the first president, Mrs. EHizabeth Clark the first secretary, and Mrs. Abble Mason, treasurer, all three are now dead. The other charter members were the Mesdames Rose Kent, Ehnily Mattlson, Mary Rouse, Sarah Fry, Jane Taylor, Sarah Sidell, Sarah Timblln and Ellen F\>rrey, all deceased; and Mamie Thurson, Jennie Post, Irene Cheney, Irene Fry, Fidelia Jenks, Hattie Hogeboom, Mary Quackenbush and Mary Babcock,. now living.

There are now 20 members. The presi¬ dent is Catherine Hoffman; the senior vice president is Mrs. Helen Kipp; the junior vice president is Mrs. Ida Hecox, the secre¬ tary, Mrs. Cora Lee; the treasurer, Mrs. Mary Quackenbush; press correspondent, Mrs. Casey Johnston; patriot instructor, Mrs. Casey Johnston.

The corps since its organization has done everything possible to foster the spirit of patriotism in Barron and to further and aid all the purposes of the old soldiers. Flags have been presented to the schools, and pa¬ triotic publications furnished the school children. A touching courtesy extended by the ladies of the Corps is a presentation to each of the veterans still living in Barron of a basket of fruits and dainties on their birthdays.