1890 census substitute

For genealogists who like to trace their family movements, the big gap in census records occurs in 1890.  That census was almost entirely destroyed by fire.
So, to track a family in Fond du Lac in 1890, there is a great alternative.

The 1890-91 Fond du Lac City Directory, is really a combined directory of the City of Fond du Lac, the Villages in Fond du Lac County, as well as all the rural residents of the county.  While this does not include names and ages of family members, it should help to discover whether your family resided in the county, or had moved on.

Many of the "City" Directories, actually include county information.

The 1876, 1890-91, 1897-98, 1901, 1905 and 1913 all include county residents.
There is also a 1904 directory showing all of the rural routes in the county, with the names of persons receiving mail along those routes.

All of these directories listed above are available for research at the Fond du Lac County Historical Society.

1867 School Register for Taycheedah

Now that the summer  season has come to a close, I am back digging through the many records found in the library of the historical society.  Right now I am looking through the school books, and the school registers.

Yesterday I found the Teacher's Daily Register for 1867 for Taycheedah School, and this is the earliest book ever found for any Fond du Lac school so far.  Of course, give me a little time.  I might find more!!!

You might not be able to read the full list pictured above, but a very familiar name in Fond du Lac history pops up from the middle of this page......9 year old Peter Mengel!  WOW!

What is interesting, in reading this first book, is the fact that all of the boys are listed on one page, and all of the girls are listed on the second page......then, each student is given a number.....the boys get the odd numbers of 1,3,5,7,9    and the girls get even numbers  2,4,6,8

There are a total of 58 students in the list.

The school register starts with the date of November 11, 1867, and marks each student's attendance.  Five of the boys did not start attending until Nov. 18th.

Here is a full list of surnames found in this register:

Fee

Moritz

McNeally

McNeal

Kramer

Corcoran

Tiffany

Justin

Peters

Fox

McCormick

Preuss

Mengel

Geiser?

Rowen

Donovan

McCoy

Scandling

Spink

Johnson

Conger

Northham

Wyler

Longway

Yockey

Willie

Smith

Bowen

Elks

Ziller

Zillian

Wieler

Other School Registers for Taycheedah, are for the years:

 1868

1876 to 1878

1881 to 1884

1892 to 1894

1896to 1897

1898 to 1899

1899 to 1903

Early Schools

Recently I was asked to look for a record of a woman who used to teach music in the schools, at an early date of 1850's and 1860's.

Unfortunately, most records just don't go back that far, and our earliest school yearbook in from 1907.

But I did do some digging, to see just what kind of early records we might have, and found something of interest.  In the 1880's the school district published a monthly "Reader" which consisted of writings from the second, third and fourth graders.

"Our Little Folks' Reader is published monthly during the school year, directly from manuscripts furnished by the pupils of the second, third and fourth grades (primary) of the public schools."

"Its aim is to improce the work of the above-mentioned grades in all of the elements of composition applicable to such grades, and to serve, secondarily, as supplementary reading. Enough copies are printed to serve all classes of the above grades."

The two issues that we have in the library are dated June 1887, and December 1888.

Here are some sample stories:

The Old Sly Cat

There was a cat; she was very sly. She would hide and if she saw a mouse, rat or bird, she would make a spring and catch it before you could think. One day the canary bird was let out of her cage, and before we knew what the cat was about, she had killed our pretty bird.

Emma Weber, Second Grade, Ruggles Street.

A Birthday

My brother's birthday is to-day. He is three years old. He is very rough and wild. He is very strong. He can climb pretty well, and he likes to run and jump. His name is Paul. He cries when he sees me go to school, because he wants me to play with him. He is very playful and very fat.

Herman Scherzinger, Second Grade Cherry Street.

My Visit

Summer before last I went to Michigan. It took us a day and a night to get there. I had to go on the cars until I got to Milwaukee, then I got on the steam-boat. We were crossing the lake in the night. We got to Manistee in the morning. About three o'clock in the afternoon we went on a steam-tug to Hopkin's-peer and then we went in a wagon five miles to Pleasonton.

Swymour W. Cheney, Second Grade, Ruggles Street

Locked In The Postoffice

Last Saturday night I was out riding with a lady, and she wanted me to go and get the mail, which I did. It was dark and I could not find the box. There was a man in the office, and I asked him if he would find the box. He said, "Most certainly;" and he found it, but I could not unlock it. I tried quite a while, but did not succeed. Then I heard them lock the door of the office. I was very much frightened. I went to the door and cried, and a man in the other part of the office asked me what was the matter. I said that I was locked in, and he said, "Don't cry, I will let you out;" and he got my mail and let me out. I was very glad to get out.

Ida Rediker.  Third Grade, Cherry Street.

This little reader is the earliest example of material found from out early schools.  It prompted me to check the stories, and see just what schools these essays came from, so here is a list of schools.

Amory St.

Cherry St.

Cotton St.

Grant St.

Hickory St.

Marr St.

Rees St.

Ruggles St.

Sibley St.

Walnut St.

First St.

Second St.

Fifth St.