THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

May 6, 1993

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            Joel Stratton was born in Cambridge (Lamville County), Vermont, August 30, 1817, and it was on October 12, 1841, that he was united in marriage to Adaline Lewis (sometimes spelled Adeline).  She was also born in the Green Mountain State of Vermont, August 14, 1820.

            Before leaving that beautiful state of Vermont in 1846, they had become the parents of three children:  Winchester E., born April 13, 1842; Edgar A., born April 21, 1844 and Emma, born May 25, 1846.

            In the year 1846 the Stratton family arrived at Lyons Township (Walworth County).  It was there that another son was born.  Wellington Stratton was born February 2, 1848.  The Stratton family remained in Walworth County until 1853.

            In 1853 the family again picked up stakes and settled in the undeveloped wilderness in the Indian Lands of Waupaca County, in the Town of Dayton, where they acquired 40 acres of wild land.

            In the Government Land Entry book in the Register of Deeds office in the Waupaca County Courthouse, there is an entry dated July 27, 1853, that shows that he North West Quarter of the South East Quarter in Section 8, T.21N-R.11E (this is Dayton) was issued to Joel Stratton. Land records show that by 1872 and 1873, Joel and Adaline Stratton owned most of the South West Quarter of Section 27, all land from the Crystal Lake Church to the Crystal Lake Corners.

            The Joel Stratton family grew in number to 10 children as follows:  Winchester E., who was born April 13, 1842, married Martha M. Mynard; Edgar A., who was born April 21, 1844, died at the early age of 12; Emma, who was born May 25, 1846, married Nelson Brigham; Wellington, who was born February 2, 1848, and his first wife was Anna Marion Warren; Oliver S. was born February 13, 1853, and he married Clara Morey; Charles L. was born March 6, 1856, and he married Anna Kurtz; Ella M. was born February 26, 1858, and was married to John Lewis, and died when only 22 years; Alice was born July 31, 1861, and married Robert Pinkerton; Martha, I have no birth date, but she married M.E. Bailey and they lived in Breit, Iowa.  There was also an infant son, Frankie, who died April 6, 1863, aged two months and eight days.

            These names were the foundation of the well-known and highly-respected Stratton descendents who had their start in the Crystal Lake area in the Town of Dayton.  Stratton Lake, with its clear blue water, located between State Highway 22 on the south and the Stratton Lake Road on the north, received its name in honor of these pioneer families.

            I will now continue with the Oliver Sheldon Stratton line, as this leads me to my objective, Frank O. Stratton, and the Stratton Drug Store that still exists today.

            Oliver Sheldon Stratton was born February 13, 1853, in Walworth County, and when he was only about six months of age he came with his parents who settled in Section Eight, Township of Dayton.

            When Oliver was about 19 years of age he began working out on neighbors’ farms. He soon met a young lady by the name of Clara E. Morey, and they were married on November 27, 1873.  Clara E. Morey, a daughter of Joseph and Eliza (Warren) Morey, was born February 15, 1852.

            This union became parents of five children, three sons and two daughters:  Fred B., born December 5, 1876; Frank O., born October 27, 1878; Freamont C., born August 27, 1887; Addie Eliza, born October 30, 1882, and was married to Levi Christenson, and Kate, who was born April 14, 1885, and was married to Mahlon Wilson.

            Fred B. Stratton married Della M. Darling, Frank O. Stratton married Amanda Elizabeth Nelson and Freamont never married.

            This brings us to Frank O. Stratton, the second child of Oliver and Clara Stratton, who was born November 26, 1879 on the family farm in the Town of Dayton.

            Frank O. Stratton graduated with the Waupaca High School Class of 1901.  He completed his course in Pharmacy in Milwaukee and returned to Waupaca where he took employment with C.H. Truesdell in the Truesdell Drug Store that was located at that time in the north part of the old National Bank building.

            On October 21, 1909, Frank O. Stratton was united in marriage to Amanda Elizabeth Nelson. She was a daughter of Carl and Anna Nelson, born May 20, 1886.  Frank and Ann Stratton had one son, Oliver Richard (Ollie).

            Due to the bank’s expansion, Mr. Truesdell’s lease was not renewed, and on May 13, 1914 the C.H. Truesdell Drug Store was re-located to the Masonic building at 107 North Main.  Due to illness, Mr. Truesdell was forced to dispose of his business, and it was sold to Frank O. Stratton, who took possession on September 1, 1915.

            The Truesdell Drug Store now became known as the Stratton Drug Store and it prospered under the management of Frank O. Stratton for about 33 years when he took his son, Oliver, into full partnership.

            Oliver Richard Stratton was born to Frank O. and Anna Stratton on October 13, 1911, and he was married June 28, 1933 to Miss Mary Louise Bowers.  She is best known as just Louise.  They were the parents of two children, Sally and John.

            Ollie became a partner on January 1, 1948 in the drug store. Frank Stratton stayed active for several years assisting Ollie and Louise with the business.

            It was on April 15, 1968 that Ollie Stratton passed away while vacationing in Florida.  From this time on his wife Louise took control.

            Louise Stratton headed a staff of nine full time and three part time employees and three registered pharmacists, Dick DeTerville, Dick Kempfert and Don Shelp.

            The Stratton Drug Store was not an official Walgreen Agency, but it did handle Walgreen items.  In 1970 Mrs. Louise Stratton elected to discontinue the popular soda fountain and lunch counter, and she donated this unit to the Youth Center.  This unit is still intact in the Senior Center at 101 South Washington Street.

            Frank O. Stratton entered Bethany Home on April 14, 1967, and passed away there January 26, 1973, but not before he was honored at a testimonial dinner held in November 1971 for his dedicated service to the First National Bank, his participation in the Chamber of Commerce, and having served 24 years with the Waupaca County Selective Service Board.

            His wife and lifelong partner, Amanda (Nelson) Stratton passed away November 27, 1953.  Both are buried in the Waupaca Lakeside Memorial Park as is Ollie Stratton.

            In 1974 the Stratton Drug Store changed hands.  An Article of Incorporation dated April 1, 1974, shows that the Stratton Drug, Inc. was purchased by Richard J. DeTerville and Richard W. Kempfert.  In 1976 Stratton Drug, Inc. purchased Robb’s Bakery from John and Kris Robbers, that was located next door to the south.  This had been the Star Bakery and later Olson’s Bakery.

            Don’s Construction of Waupaca had the contract for renovation of the two stores.  It was mostly a one-man crew that spent the better part of the summer cutting a large door between the buildings and reinforcing and putting in new floors where the bakery ovens had caused considerable damage through the many years as a bakery.

            On May 3, 1985 there was another change in ownership of the Stratton Drug, Inc.  Richard (Dick) Kempfert became the sole owner of the business that was in the Stratton family for nearly 60 years.