The History of Shortville

Shortville is a community in Washburn Township, southeast of Neillsville, Wisconsin. A community is a locality where people reside, having a common interest, a common bond in friendship and enjoyment--a description that is very fitting when the history of the Shortville community is known.

As with most villages or communities, each one's name was often made up from that of an early settler, by adding ville" "burg" or some other suffix or prefix to it, this village bore the name of its early founders. Five brothers named Short came to Clark County settling on land between the years of 1869 and 1871. Three of the brothers, James, George and Steven, were Civil War veterans who were granted homesteads by the federal government. The other two brothers, Andrew and, John, purchased land from the federal government with all five living within a perimeter of three miles, owning most of the land within that area, thus it became known as Shortville.

Born and raised near Fort Atkinson, their parents were James and Betsy (Richie) Short who came to America from Scotland. They had a family of 10 children of which four daughters and one son remained in Jefferson county. After the death of her husband, Betsy Short joined her five sons in the town of Washburn where she lived out her life.

James, George and Steven Short served in the Northern Army during the Civil War. James Short II settled on his granted homestead, south of Shortville corner. He and his wife were parents of two sons and three daughters. George Short homesteaded one mile east of the Shortville comer. He and his wife had two daughters, Mrs. Fannie Bue and Mrs. Sarah Meddaugh. The daughters and their families remained in. the area and their children were educated in the local school.

Steven Short, a Civil War veteran, lived on his homestead for some years and then moved to the Dakota Territory where he lived out his life.

Arriving in Clark County in 1871, Andrew Short purchased 80 acres of land north of the present Shortville store. He put up a log cabin, 16 by 24 feet, with two rooms and pantry. Considered a big cabin, for then, it became the location of the first post office with Andrew Short as its first postmaster.

As stagelines developed, every few miles along the stage lines there would be a post office. Most people walked to pick up their mail, so the distance between post offices couldn't be too far.

Jennie Scott, of Jefferson county, became Andrew's bride on July 10, 1872, when she came to live on her husband's homestead. At the time of their marriage, there were no roads between Shortville and Neillsville. Settlers had to walk five, six or more miles through the woods to Neillsville for supplies, backpacking their purchases on the return trek. The Shortville area was heavily wooded, so each settler had to clear the land, some acreage each year, for their home, garden plot and fields.

Like most settlers, Andrew had little cash, and all clearing of land and farm work was done by hand. The trees were cut down using an ax, and then there were troublesome tree roots which took some dynamite, if you could afford it, to blast it out. Otherwise, it took much work and time to bring up the roots enough so the soil could be tilled. He purchased two calves and raised them for a team of oxen. Farming was started with one cow, one pig and a few Plymouth Rock chickens. Later, he built a frame house where the log home had been. More cattle and some sheep were added to the livestock. Mrs. Short spun wool into yarn for knitting caps, mittens and socks. They had three children, James, Ralph and May.

Andrew's son, James, as a young man, purchased 80 acres of land in the same township and later added 40 more acres to his farm. He served as treasurer of the Shortville creamery and 13 years as treasurer for the town of Washburn. A grandson of James, Kenneth, resides in Neillsville. Ken's father was Frank.

The second son, Ralph, lived his entire life in Shortville, as a farmer. He was actively involved with township government, serving as chairman of Washburn township from 1917 to 1920 and 21 years as the town clerk. He married Edith Kegley, of Hillsboro, on March 26, 1919. They had one daughter, Doreen Stewart, who resides with her husband in Madison. There were also three grandchildren.

Edith, at age 97, now lives in Neillsville and still writes the Washburn news column, weekly, for the Clark County Press.

The fifth and youngest of the five brothers, John, located at Shortville, purchasing land two miles east of Shortville. He married Jennie McGinnis on May 6,1869. The McGinnis family had located in the town of Sherwood. He and his wife had three sons, Ed, Arthur and William, and two daughters, Inez and Elizabeth. John developed 80 acres. His farm was known as the Lone Pine Tree Farm, named such after a fire swept the area, leaving one lone pine unscathed in the farm yard. One of John's sons, Arthur, married Elsie Neitzel and moved to a farm one and one-quarter miles east of Granton. Another son, William, settled west of Granton, where he worked as a teacher, then a cheesemaker. He and his wife had a daughter, Helen Vine and a son Eugene. William died when his children were very young. Eugene farmed land near the Pray and Highway 10 intersection then along with three sons, Dale, Glenn and Floyd, developed Short's Fur Farm. Glenn and Floyd have retired from the enterprise while Dale and his son Wayne continue the operation. Glenn's son Steve, operates a dairy farm nearby. Glenn and another son, Tom, live along Hwy. 10 in the Pleasant Ridge community.

Clearing and developing the land in the Shortville community, the Short brothers carved their homesteads out of the woods, to be passed on into other hands and dairy farms of today.

The Shortville corner, Highway 73 and Miller Avenue, had a general store, a rural school, church, blacksmith shop and cheese factory. Being of Scotch Presbyterian ancestry, the Shorts organized a congregation and the building of the Shortville Presbyterian Church which existed for nearly 50 years. The church building was sold to Art Drescher, who dismantled it, using the lumber to build a house at 110 Oak Street in Neillsville.

Andrew Shoop purchased a plot of land at the northeast corner of Section 8, township twenty-three North, Range (1) West of the Fourth Principal Meridian, Clark County from the U. S. Government. A few years later, in 1886, Shoop and his wife, Susan, built and opened a country store on the plot of land, located along the stage line road, intersection of now Highway 73 and Miller Avenue. The store was a short distance south of Andrew Short's farm where the first Shortville post office was operated in Shorts home. It was feasible that the store be named "Shortville" for the community that it was part of. The Shoops owned the store and property until 1897 for a total of twenty years, then sold it to Kittie Shaffer. Shaffer ran the business for six months, selling in November of that year, to O. G. Barnes and wife, Tilda. After leaving the Shortville store, Kittie and John Shaffer built a two story building one mile east of Shortville on the Pray Avenue comer. The main floor provided space for a general store business and the second floor was used as a dance hall. About ten years after the Shaffer store building was erected it w as destroyed by fire. Barnes and wife sold the Shortville store to Edward and Nettie Ward in 1899. They continued the general store for four years, then sold.

Two brothers, Thomas M. and William J. Winters obtained the Shortville store in 1903, continuing the partnership for ten years, when Thomas bought out his brothers share, operating the Shortville store until 1933. For a time during that span of years, Edward and Dora Bowen leased the business from 1924 to 1932, Winter's working the business when Bowens left.

Thomas Winters was born Sept. 14, 1867, in the town of Farmington, Waupaca County, and when six weeks of age he accompanied his parents on a two week journey in covered wagon drawn by oxen. They traveled from Waupaca. to Clark County, locating on a farm in the town of Washburn, near the rural community of Shortville. His first job away from home, at age 16, was driving logs on the Black River. Later, he worked in logging camps and sawmills for many years on the Black River and its tributaries.

Winters' wife, Jennie, was born in Cresco, Iowa, March 3, 1869. Her mother died in Iowa. Her father moved to Clark County, one of the five Short brothers for whom Shortville was named. Jennie spent most of her childhood with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Short, Sr., in Jefferson County. She came to Clark County, attending Washburn School one term and during that period she met Thomas Winters, who later became her husband.

Mr. and Mrs. Winters were married June 28, 1893, in the Presbyterian parsonage on the corner of Fifth and Court Street, Neillsville, by Rev. R. Everett, Presbyterian pastor in Neillsville and Shortville at that time. On the day of their wedding, they drove to Neillsville in a one-horse, top buggy.

Their honeymoon was the buggy ride from the parsonage back to Shortville where a wedding dinner had been prepared for them. Mrs. George Bue and William Winters were their wedding attendants. As was the custom then, friends and neighbors from miles around came to their home on that wedding night, gathering for a charivari. They came carrying whatever would make a loud noise, such as guns, metal items, etc.

The Winters farmed on land later known as the Clarence Reinart farm. They had three daughters, Anita (Wall), Gladys (Stevens) and Merille (Vincent). When Anita started attending school, she was very shy and became upset with leaving her parents, having to travel a distance to the Shortville school. To comfort and case Anita's fears, they purchased the Shortville store, moving to live across the road from the school building. They leased out their farm.

Merchandise for the store was shipped by railroad to the Neillsville station where Winters picked up the orders with a team of horses and wagon. Flour, sugar and such staples were packed in wooden kegs or barrels. As their daughters became old enough to help in the store, they would fill bags, weighing out 5-10 pound amounts of bulk foods to put on the shelves.

Mrs. Winters worked in the store along with her household duties. Teachers of the Shortville school boarded at their home during school terms.

Winters served in various positions with the Washburn town board, was school treasurer for many years and director of Lynn Mutual Insurance Company. The first concrete culvert built in the area, was installed with Winter's help at Shortville in 1909, having to be removed in 1942 with the relocation of Hwy. 73.

Other land parcels were made by Winters through the years. He obtained a farm north of the store which was later owned by Adolph Mazourek. Also, he bought a farm on Pleasant Ridge 'property known now as the Gehrt farm. Daughter, Gladys, married Irving Stevens and the couple farmed one of her parents farms.

The Winters' moved to Neillsville in 1923, retiring in the house on the corner of Court and Division, now the office building of Greater Insurance Services. They lived to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. Mr. Winters lived to be 97 and Mrs. Winters was 96 when she died.

(Thank you to Ione Urban, Winters' granddaughter, for providing photos and information. Also, thanks to Carol Mortenson for photos).

As is the trend in the lives of many people, they leave the home community seeking their livelihood elsewhere. Such was the life of Emily Kalas who grew up in the farming community of Shortville. Her parents lived near the Andy Crockett farmstead, west of the Shortville Store.

Working in Illinois, Em met Ragnar (Swede) Mortenson and eventually they were married. they had two children, Bob and Gladys.

The desire to return to a rural setting, brought Em, Swede and their family back to the Shortville community. The Shortville Store was for sale or lease as its owner, Tom Winters, was ready to retire. In October, 1932, Mortensons took over the lease on the store and moved into the living area attached to the store building. They leased the store for a few years and then bought the business.

Operating a general store includes a multitude of experiences as the family would learn through the years.

A general store is as the name implies, it has a variety of merchandise for its customers. There were hardware items such as nuts, bolts, wire, nails, salt, blocks, some veterinarian supplies, and the farm related needs. The basic grocery items were stocked on shelves. Mortensons saw the barrel and keg bulk foods slowly transform to the pre-packed products. Hunter's needs such as shells, etc. kept in stock. Some clothing such as gloves, mittens, caps could be purchased there. As time progressed, gasoline pumps were installed near the building, as a convenience to the travelers and local trade.

Once a week, Swede drove their pickup truck to Eau Claire, where he picked up merchandise from distributors to restock the retail. The family joined in with the work of unpacking and stocking shelves.

Each farmer had laying hens as part of the farm operation. Once a week eggs were taken to the store to be sold or traded in for groceries. The eggs were candied and graded in the back room after which a credit slip was given to the customer showing the amount of money to be paid.

Every Spring, those who liked eating smoked fish, looked forward to being able to buy some at the store. When the rough fish started running in the creeks during the Spring, a local resident, Henry Wallace, would sand some. Wallace had designed and built a smoke house in which he smoked the prepared fish fillets, cured to the liking of many. Mortenson bought orders of the smoked fish to be resold at the Shortville Store.

There was no electricity available to the store in the early 30's. White gas burning lamps were the source of lighting. The only way to refrigerate perishable foods was by using blocks of ice. Ice was harvested at Lake Arbutus each winter as soon . as sub zero temperatures froze a thickness suitable for cutting. An ice saw and tongs were used to cut, then load ice blocks onto sleds or trucks to be transported back to the store. The ice storage shed was built over a dug-out area behind the store. The blocks. of ice were packed with an ample amount of saw dust around it, serving as an insulation to slow down the melting process during warmer summer temperatures. Ice was also sold to area customers.

A popular feature, in the store, was the candy counter--a favorite of all the kids. An assortment of candy was on display, minimum purchase - one penny. Many pondering moments were spent in front of that display case, deciding which to choose for the amount of pennies held in the little hand.

The 30's were hard times but dad and mom made an effort to give their kids a few pennies for treats. Years later, some of those kids returned as adults to visit the store and show their children that candy counter. They would relate the fond memories of buying candy as youngsters.

An unusual feature in the store and probably the only one in the county was the three stool bar. Customers could sit by the bar for awhile to enjoy a cold glass beer or pop. The store held a beer sale license for many years.

Tending the Shortville store required long days, sometimes. On the opening day of deer hunting season, Swede would set the alarm clock for an early hour. After the alarm went off, he was out of bed, getting ready for the day ahead. The store lights were turned on, the space heater was filled with wood and a fire started. The coffee pot was put on the stove, all in readiness for the deer hunters.

Between three and four a.m. Swede would see the first car lights coming from the east on Highway 73. Hunters would stop at the store needing a hunting license, rifle shells, maybe a pair of gloves or some candy bars. They knew Swede would have the store open for them to buy their hunting necessities.

Surprise winter snow storms made traveling roads suddenly impossible during the 30's and 40's. When cars became stalled on Highway 73 and within walking distance of the store, travelers went to the store for refuge. Mortensons had the second floor of the store furnished for such emergencies, being able to put-up their stranded guest until the roads were cleared of snow.

Mortensons were hospitable in helping their neighbors. Swede willingly picked up items or the shut-ins or busy farmers when he went to Neillsville. Visitors were often invited to sit at their dinner table to share food and conversation.

The rural mail carrier, Hans (John) Walk, delivered the route past the store in the 30's. It was usually twelve noon as Walk stopped to deliver Mortenson's mail. Often he was invited to be their guest for noon meal, an invitation he didn't refuse especially during the rigors of winter weather. Walk started delivering mail with horse and buggy. When automobiles became available to the area, he purchased the first Ford sold in Neillsville to use delivering mail.

Swede and Em Mortenson experienced and saw many changes while in the general store business at Shortville. (Photos and info. Courtesy of Carol Mortenson).

Carol Hansen, as a youngster moved to the Shortville community with her parents, Harry and Christine, and several siblings in the late 30's. The Hansen family farmed down the road from the Shortville corner.

Bob Mortenson and Carol Hansen were married in 1948. After their marriage they lived at the Shortville store apartment, helping Bob's parents with the store business. Bob did the bookkeeping and Carol helped Em with the various store chores. In 1951, they rented the vacated Hagie house, living there three years. They built and moved into a new house between the Hagie house and store.

Shortville is considered "home" by Carol who lived there from early childhood until recent years. She has many fond memories of the great community spirit that prevailed in the neighborhood.

One or two evenings a week, year around, neighbors went to the store, parents and kids for some socializing. The men played sheepshead and guys became "fined tuned" in the card game, any guest sitting down to join them soon realized that.

The women brought along their fancy work projects to work on. Farm wives were accustomed to being busy every waking moment, it seemed they couldn't just sit so they kept their minds and hands working with knitting, crocheting or embroidery. They could visit while doing the needlework, often making items for gifts. When some young couple in the neighborhood was planning to be married, there would be a wedding shower that everyone was invited to and an embroidered set of pillowcases or dish towels made a nice gift. A new baby in the community was given a present by each family that came to see the family addition, so hand- knit booties, caps or sweaters were made in readiness for such occasions.

Newly married women, such as Carol learned the needlework arts from other ladies at the store's evening gatherings. No one needed pattern, they shared copying one another's needlework productions, especially if someone came up with a new design.

The children enjoyed getting together to play various games outdoors, during the summer. The school, across the road, had a softball field where the older kids played ball games the younger ones thought of games to their liking. As the evenings became dusk, too dark for ballgames, the game of hide-and-seek was always fun.

The hot summer days, called for "going swimming. The Cunningham Creek ran east to west, about one-half mile north of Shortville corners. There was a nice swimming hole in the creek on the Oscar and Millie Schlegel property. Neighbors who wanted to go swimming were welcome to drive through Schlegel's farm yard to get to the creek just behind the buildings. A pump house in the yard was used for changing into swimwear. The elderly couple, visited with their guests who came to swim in the evenings.

Work could be combined with pleasure, such as corn husking-bee. In the fall, the corn stalks were cut with a binding machine and the bundles shocked in the fields after the cobs of com were dried the bundles were hauled to the farm yard. The cobs of com had to be husked out of the bundles. Often that chore was done in the evenings and neighbors came to help. A husking hook mounted on a leather backing was strapped on hand to make the job easier in pulling off the corn husks. Everyone visited as they worked and there would be a lunch served before everyone left to go home.

There were other "neighbors-helping-neighbors" work projects; grain threshing, silo filling, sawing wood, to name a few.

The Shortville Presbyterian church and the Shortville rural school were nucleuses for community gatherings.

A Ladies Aid Society made up of several women, members of the church, met monthly. The meetings started with a noon meal, followed by their business meeting in the afternoon. They brought along their pre-schoolers which made a large gathering.

The church remained active until the 30's. One minister served both the Shortville and Neillsville Presbyterian congregations. A fire destroyed the Neillsville church in January 1930, after which the minister left. Eventually, the Shortville church closed due to not being able to find a minister for their congregation.

Every spring, an end of the school term picnic was held in May. The entire school district was invited, any and everyone living within the district, whether they did or didn't have children enrolled in the school, were to be part of the day's events.

A large potluck dinner was served at noon. Some place on the school yard, a bon fire was kindled. The kids were sent on a mission to find just the right twigs from a small tree or willow to serve as a skewers in roasting wieners and marshmallows.

The afternoon featured various contests in running races, sack races, broad jumping, etc. and softball games. The elderly guests watched the events and visited.

Basket Socials were hold in the winter months, at least once a year, usually as a fund-raiser to buy some needed school item. An empty shoe box was the perfect size for a basket. Two or three colors of crepe paper were wrapped around the box and cover, arranged with decorative touches giving it an attractive appearance. Lunch for two was neatly packed inside. A program of entertainment usually proceeded once everyone had arrived at the school. After the program, someone acted as auctioneer, calling for bids as he held up a basket. Each basket was sold to the highest bidder. The purchaser would share the lunch with whomever had made up the basket and lunch. Any young, single men in the crowd would have fun outbidding one another for the teacher's basket.

The community took care of one another in a number of ways. Grandpa and grandma Ottow lived one-fourth mile west of the Shortville corner. Not many can recall their first names, most knew them only as "Grandpa" and "Grandma". Grandma was a surrogate grandma to all fitting the roll as a kind, caring person. She became lonely after grandpa died, but chose to remain in the country home. The evening hours were the lonely time, so neighbors such as Mortensons would take her to their house after the supper hour for awhile, taking her back home at bedtime.

Shortville businesses, the church and school have disappeared but the memories in the minds of those who lived during their day, live on.... fond remembrances. Some family names of the area were Trachte, Stevens, Kuhn, West, Matouzak, Shromeks, Horeled, Rizner, Karstenson, Hoeser, Schultz, Holub, Krutch, Wagner, Wilding, Albough, Voltz, Galbreth, Short, Halles, Reinart, Hagie, Doushak, Junchen, Spaetes, Ottow, Theil, Kosmosky and Hall.

(Thanks to everyone who provided information, Carol Mortenson, Mary Lou Meredith, Edith Short, Irma Rizner, lone Urban, Jan Opelt, and Mildred Kissling.)

The Shortville Comers had two other businesses near the general store, a cheese factory and blacksmith shop.

First as a creamery, making butter, then remodeled into a cheese factory in 1903, the business operated approximately 60 years. A house next to the factory building was part of the factory property, providing residence for its manager or owner.

In its beginning, it was cooperatively owned by area farmers who hired a manager to run the business. It was closed for a short time in 1917-1918.

It went to private ownership when sold to Rudolph and Elisabeth Wahlen in 1924. One of their employees was Herman Hediger who worked in the cheese factory when he first came from Switzerland. Many remember Hediger for the cheese factory and business he established in Christie. Wahlen produced cheddar, cheese, selling the finished product to a distributor in Marshfield.

Wahlens operated the cheese factory for 20 years. Their daughter Irma (Wm.) Rizner resides near Neillsville. A Sandmeyer owned or operated the cheese factory for a short time.

In 1944, Earl and Elsie Hanson bought the cheese factory business making cheese until they closed the business in 1951. A daughter, Jan (Bill) Opelt attended the rural school near the factory.

The Shortville cheese factory went the way of many more throughout Clark county during the 50's, 60's "out of business", now in the 90's very few remain.

Another business was located on the west side of the general store, a blacksmith shop.

The first blacksmith shop in the Shortville community was located one fourth mile north of the Shortville corners. The shop was established by Eugene Hagie in the 1890's.

The Hagies had two sons, Floyd and Ed, who attended the Shortville school and eventually followed in their dad's footsteps, both taking up the blacksmith trade.

Floyd Hagie set up a blacksmith shop in the Dells Dam area. It was located on the highway 95 curve, one half mile east of the Black River.

Another son, Ed married Amelia Cardarelle in 1918 or 1919 after which they went to live in the Dakotas. Returning to Shortville about 1921, Hagie built a blacksmith shop west of the general store building.

Every rural community welcomed a blacksmith during that time. The farm machinery was built of simple design such as the, two bottom plow, hay mower, grain binder, disk and drag. When any one of those broke, often by hitting a hidden rock, it could be repaired by welding the broken parts together. The local blacksmith would do the repair work, quickly, for his customer.

Horses were used to pull the farm machinery until tractors became more available after World War II. Hagie shoed horses at his shop, for area farmers.

Rural Electric started reaching the Shortville area as it followed the main roads or highways first, in the late 30's. Having electricity to power welding equipment, saw planer, etc. in Hagie's shop was a great asset to his business.

Hagie was very talented as a machinist. He built and welded together a saw mill that was set-up in back of his shop, to use in sawing lumber. After designing his own portable mill, he built several to order for customers through the years.

Ed and his brother, Floyd, owned and operated a threshing machine and steam engine, doing custom threshing, when they were young men. During the time of the blacksmith shop, he had a Rumley Oyl Pull tractor and threshing machine. The Rumley powered the threshing machine in the threshing season and the sawmill at other times of the year.

The Rumley was a reliable source of power but definitely not a machine to enter any races, as it moved from job site to job site at a max of three miles an hour. After highway 73, in front of Hagie's shop, was paved with a hard surface, highway officials advised Ed not to run his lugged steel wheeled, Rumley Oyl Pull on the highway. A man of inventive ideas, he replaced the steel wheels with army surplus rubber airplane tires enabling the tractor to be driven down the highway.

Ed and Amelia had three sons; Douglas, a retired Air Force Colonel residing in Atlanta, Ga.; Jack, retired, who lives in Prairie du Sac and Gorden, who is deceased. They had one daughter, Mary Lou (Meredith), owner/operator of Mary Lou's Restaurant on Division Street, Neillsville.

Retiring from the life of a blacksmith in 1951, Ed and Amelia Hagie moved to Neillsville. Ed passed away at the age of 60.

The blacksmith shop closed when Hagie retired, the same year that the Cheese Factory ceased operation.

The general store was operated by the Moennig family for a brief time after Mortensons.

The corner lot where the store stands is now owned by third generation of the Mortenson family. Having been vacant for some years, the store has deteriorated and plans are that it will soon be razed. After 109 years, a landmark will disappear. A family member has suggested a Historical marker be placed at the store, site, where Shortville was located, not to be forgotten. (Photos courtesy of Mary Lou Meredith and Irma Rizner).

Sources: 1881 History of Wisconsin; 1891 Biographical History of Clark & Jackson Co.; Biographical History of Clark County, Wisconsin (compiled by Franklyn Curtiss Wedge, c1918); Clippings from the Clark Co. Press; Cemetery, Courthouse and family Records.

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The Short Brothers, Founding Fathers of Shortville, Washburn Twp., Clark Co., WI

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