THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

September 10, 1992

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            Prior to 1920 there stood a large, high two-story, old, weather-beaten wood frame structure on what is today the vacant lot adjacent to the north of Verna’s Inc at 105 Jefferson Street.  The building was destroyed by fire.  Verna’s Inc. place of business was once the fine home of Eugene Ware. Many still remember this as the office of Drs. Sam and Jerry Salan.

            Getting back to the old building, there was a picture of it that appeared in a local paper sometime in the early 1900s that showed the building to be 22 feet by 80 feet.  The picture showed the building to have four windows, and a doorway in the rear of the ground floor, and on the second floor there were five windows, all were on the south side facing the Ware home.

            The front, or west end, facing Jefferson Street was a tall, rectangular front approximately 24 feet in width and 40 feet in height.

            On the ground floor there were two high, wide doors opening onto Jefferson, and on the second floor there was one high, wide doorway in the center with a window on each side.

            The picture showed five men standing in the doorways, and in comparison to the height of the men, the doors would be approximately 10 feet high, high enough to let in horses, buggies, wagons or automobiles to be painted or repaired.

            There were two chimneys which would indicate that each floor was heated independently.

            Painted in large white letters across the top of the upper story was the legend, “Wallpapers & room moldings of all kinds.”  Above this on the west end of the building, there was what appeared to be a large bell tower, with a tall pole that may have been a flag pole.

            For what purpose was this old building originally built to accommodate?

            The first occupant of this old building, that I have found so far, was John JC. Ekstrom, who was born in Sweden in 1866, where he learned his trade as a pointer and home decorator.

            He left his native Sweden and came to Waupaca in 1885.  He remained in Waupaca for one year before he went to Minneapolis, where he worked for the next five years, after which time he returned to Waupaca to make his home.

            It was here in Waupaca he married, in 1895.  His wife’s first name was Matilda; her maiden name I do not know. They had only one child, a son.  Readers may remember the son, Clarence Ekstrom, who was born and raised in Waupaca and went onto become Vice Admiral, commanding the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet in the Pacific.

            Just before the turn of the century, Mr. Ekstrom was having difficulties meeting his finanacial obligations.  Discouraged in trying times, I have been told that he offered Thorval Nelsen the business for $1.  This then became the first location of the Nelson Painting Company in Waupaca.

            In one of the first early ads in the local paper, there appeared this ad, “Wallpaper Sale, a few more real bargains from last season’s stock. A full new selected stock of independent walls, crowns, cutout borders, and combinations now ready for exhibition. Paints, calsomine and glass. Call and examine.  Salesrooms upstairs. Nelsen Painting Company, John Ekstrom Mgr.”

            The Nelson Painting Company was operated by Thorval and Albert Nelsen as proprietors, according to their ads in the local paper, up to April 1, 1914, when the ads were changed to read “Nelson Painting Company,” which name continued up to the time that Mrs. Emil T. (Verna) Nelson sold the building to Barry D. Maxom, effective January 3, 1972.  Was it possible that the Nelsen’s made a complete name change, as of April 1, 1914?

            Thorval E. Nelsen was born July 20, 1867 in Copenhagen, Denmark.  He came to Waupaca in 1882, and was united in marriage to Annie C. Johnson, on July 3, 1894.  They became the parents of six children, two dying in infancy, the others are – Margaret (Mrs. Hans Nelson); Lydia (Mrs. Levi Nelson); Emil and Myron.  Myron died at the age of 22 years.

            Mr. Nelson’s tombstone inscriptions and legal papers show “Thorwald” and not Thorval.

            The old wooden structure on the corner of Jefferson and East Fulton streets was destroyed by fire sometime in 1919 or early 1920.  On April 19, 1920 Thorwald and Albert Nelson purchased from John C. Osborn, the south 28 feet of lot 3, Outlot Block 28, and so much of Sessions Street on which was located the south wall of the brick building. Subject to the agreement made and recorded in deed volume 95, page 321.  This location was at 200 N. Main Street.  The building stands empty today.

            After the death of Thorwald E. Nelson in 1929, his son Emil was the operator of the Nelson Painting Company.  Emil T. Nelson was born April 9, 1900 in Waupaca and was married to Verna G. Ireland on May 16, 1936.  Together they ran the Nelson Paint Store until his death on March 21, 1970.  They are the parents of three children – JoAnne, Rosalie and Thor.