August 1887

Some Milwaukee saloons sell as high as ten gallons of buttermilk a day at 5 cents a glass.

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The Black River is so low that teams hauling heavy loads ford it opposite the French farm in Levis.

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The Sisco Bridge in the Town of York is no good, the approaches being so incomplete that teams are compelled to ford the creek.

(To “ford the creek” meant teams of horses had to walk, wade through the creek, pulling wagons across to get back on the road and continue the trip. DZ)                    

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The big cities are demanding that the seats at the baseball parks be covered with an awning.  Neillsville already enjoys that one luxury larger cities wish for.               

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The road running south from Wallace Short’s place in Levis ought to be graded through, so, as to let the lost Israelites living down below have a chance to surge through to the United States, without going 75 miles around.                                                                                              

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Small boys have the greatest opportunity of their lives, to run cattle to the city pond for a drink and gather in dimes for so doing.  The new cow law became effective August 1, and bossy is now a fugitive not allowed to roam free.                                                                                         

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Mrs. E. H. Bacon will take five or six boarders at her residence, corner of Fourth and Clay Streets.  Good rooms and a pleasant home will be furnished to any who may avail themselves of this opportunity.

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The Neillsville butchers have reduced the prices of meats a few cents, and steak is now eight cents a pound, roast pieces six cents, boiling chunks four cents and so on through the list.

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Everybody is struggling hard to get down to doing a hard cash basis.  Credit is a bold bad affair, and ought to be tarred and feathered in small transactions that are unsecured.

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Phil Ramminger has been selling the gates he builds for the past week or so, and we met him the other day up near Christie leading a cow and calf home, which he had gotten on a gate dicker.

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C.A. Ackerman’s residence was struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon, tearing off shingles and ran through the second story, doing considerable damage to plaster, doors, etc., on the main floor, and giving Miss Edith Ackerman a bad shock, leaving her with a stiff neck and feeling if something tremendous had struck her on the head.  Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman were shaken, but not stunned.  No fire was set to the house, although every nail touched by the lightning was left red hot, and the wood was burned around it.  It was a most alarming accident.

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The baseball games Thursday and Friday between Neillsville and Eau Claire resulted in a score of 25 to 7 on Thursday and 18 to 1 on Friday, in favor of Neillsville in both games.  The big city of Eau Claire should send down some grown-up men when they want to go up against our giants.  Large crowds witnessed the games, both so one-sided that there was no betting done that we could hear of.

The game of baseball between Menomonie and Neillsville was the most exciting of the season, Neillsville 7, Menomonie 6.  Our boys had a big contract, the visitors having hunted Eau Claire and St. Paul for games.

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Lowe Bros. sold 10,600 pounds of wool to the Menasha Woolen Mill man last week, and J. Hammel & Co. sold 8,000 pounds to the same company.                                                  

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Gilbert Johnson has sold his North Side Grocery store to Lige Myers.  Mr. Myers has kept store before and will doubtless look well to the wants of his customers.  Sol. Joseph informs us that he will have charge. 

August 1942

The treasury department’s blue and white “Minute Man” flag was floating in Neillsville’s business district for the first time Monday, among the American flags, which have been placed out daily since shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack.

The Minute Man flag was put out in front of the Northern States Power company office, signifying that at least 90 percent of the company’s employees are participating in the payroll check-off of 10 percent of their wages for war bonds and stamps.  The flag pictures a Minute Man with his rifle, and stars in white against a blue background.

The company’s employees also are signed up 100 percent for civilian defense volunteer work.

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Tommy, the seven-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Tibbett, fell from the limb of a small apple tree Saturday evening, sustaining a double fracture of the left arm, between the wrist and the elbow.

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Miss Eileen Seeman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Seeman, Loyal, became the bride of Kenneth Emil Luther, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Luther, Saturday afternoon, August 1, at 4 o’clock at Eagle River, Wis.

The bride, who w graduated from the Loyal High School with the class of 1939, later was graduated from Wausau Business Institute.  The groom, a graduate of Greenwood High School with the class of 1940, now operates the pines Service Station in Greenwood, where they will make their home.

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Trondhjem Lutheran Church – History

The Trondhjem Scandinavian Evangelical Church of Clark County was organized on October 13, 1902, with the following charter members: Peder Christopherson, Simon B. Johnson, Jonas Hembre, Hans Ystad, August Gustafson, Ole Bragstad, Iver Hembre, and Mortin Johnson, and Chris Christenson.  Of these, Hans Ystad and Mortin Johnson, both of Greenwood, are the only living charter members.

Permission was granted to hold their meetings in the old red schoolhouse, which stood across the road south of where the Trondhjem Church now stands.

One Sunday during the winter of 1902-1903, Iver Hembre, Simon B. Johnson, Selma Johnson, and Ole Peterson drove to Longwood to attend church services to hear the Rev. J. C. Haugum preach.  They were entertained for dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. C. Johnson, who then lived at Longwood, and later moved to Greenwood.

Their report resulted in the calling of the Rev. Mr. Haugum as pastor of Trondhjem Church.

On April 26, 1903, little Elenoire Hembre, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Iver Hembre was baptized, she was the first baby to be baptized after Trondhjem Church was organized.

On May 18, 1903, it was decided to postpone the building of a church and to use the old red schoolhouse for services.  Some time later, this schoolhouse burned down, and the Christopherson School was built on its present site.  Church service were held there until the congregation decided to build a church in a special meeting on November 15, 1909.  Simon B. Johnson had leased one-half acre of land to the congregation for the church building.  The building committee, appointed included P. C. Johnson, Ole Bragstad, and Iver Hembre.

By this time, new families moved into the neighborhood, and new members had been added to the congregation.  Some of them were: Andrew Olson, Peder Anderson, Ed Englebretson, Ole Peterson, Mrs. Kolstad, Austin Severson, P. C. Johnson, David Danielson, and John Wisth.

Rev. Haugum secured the blue prints and helped in every way possible in the building of the church.  David Danielson, Sr., was head carpenter, and all other members aided him in the building of the church, which was dedicated on March 1912.  The Rev. Haugum served until 1914, when Rev. Erdahl was called to succeed him.  Due to ill health, Rev. Erdahl was able to serve but one year.  In 1915, he was succeeded by Rev. Theodore Kleppe, who served until 1918, when the Rev. M. K. Aaberg was called and is still serving the congregation.  The church was dedicated and completely equipped by 1917.

The Ladies Aid, which was organized years before, was responsible for the equipping of the church.  A large box was used for an altar and rough benches for seats, until they felt they could afford to buy the present equipment.

The Men’s Society, and Young People’s Society, now known as the Luther League, were organized, and helped in every way possible.

The first organist was Miss Mable Osgood.  Before this, the singing was led by Ole Peterson.

The twenty-fifth Anniversary was celebrated on July 14, 1939.

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United Lutheran Church of Greenwood - History

The Greenwood Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on August 21, 1872.  The pastor who directed the organization was the Rev. A. O. Alfsen, who came from Trempealeau Valley in Trempealeau County.  The charter members were: Elias Peterson, Ole Christiansen, Peter Christopherson, Victor Hendrickson, Simon Johnson, and Ole J. Johnson.

At that time, there was no Greenwood.  A settlement, which had begun to grow, was known as Honeywell, and was located upon the present site of Greenwood.  At that time, the city has been hewn out of the forests, and was supported by the early settlers and loggers.  The home of those early members of the congregation gave an interesting picture of the spread, and location of the members.  Elias Peterson lived in a building on the present site of the building owned by Peter Peterson.  Ole Christiansen lived about two and one-half miles northwest on a farm, which was known at one time as the Fred Meyer farm.  Peter Christopherson lived on the present Clarence Verhulst farm.  Simon Johnson lived in a place directly across the road from the present Carl Nelson farm.  The buildings on this farm were torn down at one time and were not rebuilt.  Victor Hendrickson lived on the present Willis Wells farm. Ole J. Hanson lived on the site of the present Harold Stabnow home.  At that time, the country east and northeast of Honeywell was known as the “Norwegian settlement.”

The worship services of the first ten years were conducted in the various homes.  There were a few services held in the first school, which stood on the present site of the R.E.A. building.  In 1874, a special baptismal service was held at which time seven children were baptized.  Included in this group was Mrs. Annie Dyre, a present faithful member of United Lutheran Church.

Peter Vodden, a grandfather of Mrs. Dyre, was the first teacher of parochial school.  This was usually conducted in the homes.  During these early days of pioneering there were no roads, only trails, and the common mode of getting around was by walking.  So scarce were direct good roads and bridges that the Rev. Berntzen of Colfax had to drive by way of Neillsville in going there.

In 1882, a log building was built on the Ole Peterson farm, now known as the Carl Nelson farm.  It was built of hewn logs, in common with most of the homes in the community.  The men of the community joined in building the structure.  They had no regard for time or pay but were concerned about a “House of God.”  Sometime later the building was moved a little east, across the road, where it stood until it burned some years later.  It had been used for both worship and school.  Then followed another period where worship services were held around in homes and schools.

(The church built in 1882 was located on the corner of Fairground Ave. and Century Road, one and three-fourths miles northeast of Greenwood. DZ)

As the years went by and the strength of the group increased, it was found convenient to divide the membership; one group living northeast of the city forming Trondhjem congregation, one group centered in the Greenwood forming the United Lutheran congregation.  The Rev. Berntzen of Colfax was one of the first pastors to conduct worship services among Lutherans of Scandinavian ancestry in this community.  These early servants of God encountered many hardships but were always cheerful and courageous in going to the various settlements, that they might proclaim the word of God.

The group that was centered in Greenwood worshiped in various places until 1915, when under the leadership of the Rev. A.B. Dyre, definite plans were made for the building of a church.  The present United Lutheran Church was a result of those plans.  The dedication services wee held October 7, 1917, by the Rev. J. Nordby.  The Rev. Theodore Kleppe was pastor at the time.

 The Ladies Aid work was started at an early date and much credit is due to the pioneer ladies for their faithful service.  Parochial school had been conducted in the homes, or schools.

Teachers who can be mentioned in addition to Peder Vodden, include the Rev. A. B. Dyre, Mrs. Ringstad, and Mrs. Larson. 

The roster of pastors who have served the congregation includes the Reverends A. O. Alfsen, Mr. Sampson, A. L. Looben, Stoale Berntzen, A. L. Anderson, A. Svanoe, T. J. Reishus, A. B. Dyre, Theodore Kleppe, M. K. Aaberg, and the present pastor, A. E. Norson.

(Trondhjem and United Lutheran congregations again merged, building a new church in 1954, at 110 West Begley Street in Greenwood, now known as Our Savior’s Lutheran.  Through years of faith and determination, the church has held together, serving that community for 145 years, this year. DZ)

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