Mengel's

Just had to share this picture, from a 1913 Reporter.

Hamilton in 1913

Many small communities in Fond du Lac county, were once thriving locations.  Thanks to a 1913 newspaper, (and my volunteer, John B.)  I have several articles about these communities, and their history.

see below for a transcription of this article.

These photos accompanied the article on Hamilton in the 1913 newspaper.

"Hamilton is a small hamlet about seven miles south of Fond du Lac on the Soo Line.  The main enterprise there is the plant of the Union Lime company whose headquarters are in Milwaukee. Besides the plant at Hamilton the company has five others which are located at the following places: Marblehead, High Cliff, Brillion, Grimm and Hayton.

The plant at Hamilton consists of five lime kilns, a stone crusher and a pulverizing machine. During the greater part of the year a force of fifty men is employed. The product of the lime kilns is shipped in large quantities to Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana besides many points within Wisconsin.

The pulverizing machine is used for the grinding of rock into fine material which is used for fertilizing purposes upon the lands in various  parts of the state. This has been somewhat of an experimental proposition but has produced very satisfactory results wherever used and has resulted in a greater demand for the product each year.

The product of the stone crusher is also extensively used. It is in great demand for concrete work and also for the construction and repairing of highways.

During the coming spring the company plans to install a large hoisting equipment which will be used for raising the stone to be manufactured into the products of the plant. the equipment will be operated by gasoline power.

Anderson is Manager

Louis Anderson is manager of the company's business at Hamilton while H. C. Anderson is the bookkeeper and has charge of the office.  The engineer of the plant is J. A. Hirst, formerly of Fond du Lac, and who at one time was in the employ of the Soo line at North Fond du Lac.

The only store in the place is under the supervision of J. A. Hirst who deals principally in groceries, notions and flour. He has been a resident of the place for the past five years.

The agent of the Soo line at Hamilton is G. A. Meyer who has served the company here for four years. He is also the postmaster, the office being in the depot. The express company serving this place is the Western, and its business is in charge of Mr. Meyer."

The Reporter, Dec. 16, 1913

The office building that was in the quarry, can still be seen today.  It is now used as the Photographer's Studio on the grounds of the Galloway House and Village.

Mystery photo

Does anyone know what this is about?  This is a request from another FDL historian.

This photo was taken about 1890 in Fond du Lac. (The photographer Herman J. Buss started in business around 1887.)

The young man seated at left was J. West Dittmar (1872-1956), who resided his entire life at 92 West Division Street in Fond du Lac. He was a Corporal in Company E (Fond du Lac) of the 2nd Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and  he served in Cuba with that company in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. 

Was there a nautical club or group that they all belonged to??

The Breeders Gazette

Today is National Farmers Day, and if you live in Wisconsin chances are that you have some farming ancestry somewhere.  One of the reference works that we have in the library is The Breeders Gazette, a National Farm Magazine, so I thought that I would post a few of the pictures featured in the issues that we have from 1899. A one year subscription to this magazine cost $2.

We have a bound collection of issues from July to Dec 1899.

For their Christmas issue in 1899, they printed full sized photos of many breeds of farm animals.

Shorthorn Bull

Percheron

Hereford Bull Calf

Jersey Bull

Eden-Ashford School District #4

Among the many old ledgers packed away in the library archives, is one volume relating to the expenses of running the local school.  The first entry is dated Dec 19, 1868, and is a payment to Miles Lytten of $5.00  for repairs.  Then on Dec 23, 1869 J. C. Divers is paid his teachers wages of $20.
On Feb. 4, 1869 J.C. Divers is paid $26 for teachers wages, and then on March 24, 1869 he is paid $174.35.

Further pages show expenses for 1892, and in this year  Genevieve Doyle is paid $129.00 for teachers wages.  They also paid $9 for a dictionary, and 20 cents for a box of chalk. A tin cup and dipper cost 30 cents.

In 1916 there must have been some work done on the building, because there are a lot of expenses for shingles, and labor for masonry work.

Quite a picture of what it took to operate a school, and how the many neighbors all participated in the upkeep of the building, as well as furnishing the wood to keep it heated.

McCulloughs Dry Goods Store, Campbellsport

You never know what will turn up when you are cataloging books.  This week, I was cataloging a box of business ledgers, and most of the old books did not have a company name in them.

Then I came across one, where the names on the ledger sounded like familiar names from the Campbellsport area, and I had to check deeper

This is a ledger from Jas. McCullogh, who sold Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, Crockery and Glassware.  The entries start on Jan. 1, 1884.

The page on the left shows an entry for Nick Gantner.  He purchased 2 lb. sugar, 1/2 gal. molasses, 2 spools of thread, and 2 pieces of candy.....all for 51 cents.

Here is a list of some of the surnames that are found in the 1884 ledger for Jas. McCullough's store in Campbellsport:  (see previous post)

Adams

Bonesho

Bradly

Brayford

Burke

Calahan

Campbell

Cisco

Clifford

Coartney

Cobler

Curran

Davis

Dechendroffer

Dougherty

Doyle

Doyle

Fellenz

Gagner

Gantner

Goodrich

Haessley

Harter

Helmer

Hermander

Hull

Jewsen

Johnson

Katen

Klotz

Knickle

Lichinsteiger

Loomis

Marx

Mayer

McCullough

McInrow

Mead

Meade

Miller

Mudge

Mullholen

Murrey

Obrien

Odekirk

Piehl

Seefeld

Sennke

Slattery

Stack

Tanor

Thompson

Ulrich

Ulrick

Vandergrinton

Ward

Welsh

Yancy

Website

The Thornton Research Library now has a separate page on the FDL Co. Historical Society's website.  It is still not complete, but one by one you will find the indexes to our many collections.

Check it out, and stop by often to see what's new.

 http://www.fdlhistory.com/library.iml