AREA FOUNDERS MEMORIALIZED
By Carmen Barnes
The Waupaca Historical Society has long recognized the need for more space to handle the continuing gifts to the City Museum, "Hutchinson House at South Park". More safe storage space will allow the Curator to display and rotate displays more advantageously. Since the museum is City property, with the Waupaca Historical Society as the custodians, it was decided by the society members, with the sanction of the City Fathers, to establish a Building Fund.
A Memorial Wall bearing name plaques, will become a permanent display with the buildings. It will carry the names of families, who first came to Waupaca from 1849 through 1900. Each plaque will show the name, the year and the origin from whence they came; i.e.: Session, E.C. Vermont, 1849, & Abby Parrish Session, Vermont, 1849.
Relatives and friends of these early families are donating to the Building Fund, in order to have these memorials put up, where all may view them. The name plaques will be a continuation from Indian Murals depicting our first inhabitants of the area. Since Centennial means Remembering, this is our way to immortalize our forefathers who worked so diligently and were so dedicated in establishing Waupaca. Realizing that many of our first citizens occupied a considerable area about the City, we do not confine our material to only families within the present city limits.
Much searching and correspondence has brought encouraging responses from descendants of about one hundred and twenty-five of our early settlers.
Below are the names we have received at this writing, altho they do not represent all who came here, since many of the families have died out or been lost through moving.
The first family, was William Mumbrue, who surveyed the area before the treaty with the Indians was signed in 1849. He later settled in Lind his brother Harmond C. from New York, and his wife Betsy Barrows of Ohio, also came to Lind in 1849. They built the first Frame House in the area hauling the logs and lumber all the way from Ripon and Berlin, by oxen. Capt. David Scott and his wife Maria from Vermont came in 1849; Edward C. Sessions arrived from Vermont in July of 1849 and married Abbie Parrish in Sept., also from Vermont. David Burnham was another Vermonter who arrived with the Scotts and Sessions.
1850, Dr. Calkins settled in the vicinity of the Chain o Lakes, later discovered Springs on his property and developed the Sheilteil Springs Bottling Co. Franklin E. Carpenter of Vt. Settled in Lind then later in Waupaca. James McCauley, came from Ireland to Saxeville, and his wife Henrietta Buck from Russia to Weyauwega area; Bradley Moses Barnes came from New York to Fremont area where he helped build some of the first buildings of that area .. then moved to Saxeville where he married and raised a family.
1851, Tom Godfrey and his wife Eliza Pinkerton, arrived; also, William Chamberlain and wife Lucy Brimmer and daughter Lucy, from Maine.
1852 Alexander Barrington from Ireland and his wife Elizabeth from England, settled in the area. Sam Pinkerton of Ireland and Jane MacAllister of Scotland, joined them. The Lord family began this year with George Lord and Hannah Parrish from Vermont. Edward L. Browne, and Mary Ann Parrish, were also Easterners who became another leading family, in 1852.
1853 was the year Francis M. Benedict who was born in Wis. arrived on the Waupaca scene. Also, David Taylor and Mary Radley, and Frederick Shoemaker, who came from Alsace-Lorraine and his wife Jane Lewis of New York, and Frederick C. Fisher.
1854 Samuel Bailey and his wife Anzolett Taylor came from Connecticut; and E.W. Stratton of Vermont and his wife Martha Mynard of N.Y.
1855 George Jeffers from New York and Belinda Cadwell of Wales established their home. Also Hosea Harrington, and Carolyn Vaughan came from N.Y., and Marcus Burnham and Phoebe Folsum from Vt.
1856 Cornelius Beesley, Joel H. Miner and Robert R. Roberts all from Wales, settled in the area. Born in Dayton in 1856 was Lewis F. Shoemaker who later married Ella Pollard who was born in Tn. of Dayton in 1863. Their descendants till occupy the Farm they built.
1858 David Axtell came from Maine, and married Martha Blanchard from New York. Stephen Ballard and Mathilda came from N.Y. to settle in the Butternut Ridge area.
1861 saw Jabez Plowman from England, married to Sarah Shaw who was born in Wis., settled here later he married Mary Hanawalt of Ohio.
1862 Claus Johnson came from Denmark.
1863 Christian and Julia Nelson, and Thorvaldt and Anna Nelson, arrived from Denmark.
1864 Seth Thompson from Penn. and Mary Huntoon of Vt. Settled here. Daniel Fulsom Burnham was born in Lind and later married Meta Constance who was born in Waupaca. (Dan bought the Waupaca Co. Post in 1908 and ran it 40 years).
1865 Carl Edouard Hagendahl, and his wife Karen Andersdatter, and daughter Martha Cecelia, arrived from Denmark in time for the July 4th celebration ..
1866, Clarence H. Truesdell arrived from Vt. And married Jennie Browne, who was born in Waupaca. William J. Stratton was born in Lind later married Katie Green, also born in Lind.
1867 Wencell Chady and his wife Theresa both from Bohemia, established themselves here. Also Edward J. Pryse and Elizabeth Davis, both from Wales, together with their children, Thomas, Edward Jr., John, Richard, David and Mary. John Evans came from New York, and in 1868 married Anne Edwards, from N.Y. .. they raised William, Grace (Bristow), Maye (McKenzie) and Lewellyn. Then he married Cora McAllister of Omro who had Bryant and John. Mr. Evans was one of our early Mayors.
1868 was the year Edward E. Browne was born in Waupaca and the year Marten Hansen came from Denmark.
1689 Andrew M. and Ella Larson Hanson came from Denmark.
1870 Christen Jenseon, and wife Anne Kisten Christensen arrived from Denmark, as did Christian Peterson and Kisten Jenson.
1873 - Aden Darow came from New York, married Lura Mumbrue who was born in Waupaca, and settled on the Farm in Dayton where members of the family still live.
1875 Solomon Krake of New York arrived. Also, Hans Peter Nelson and Katherine Stenson both from Denmark.
1878 John Gordonier arrived in Waupaca.
1879 Alfred E. Johnson came from Denmark.
1880 Winfield Mix was born in Lind. Later married Jessie Anderson, who was born in Tn. Mukwa.
1881 Bradley Myron Barnes was born in Saxeville.
1882 Peder Holst, and wife Laura Jensen came from Denmark.
1883 Frank Schroeder came from Germany married Emma who was born in Wis.
Nels C. Jensen came from Denmark later married Martha Hagendahl who came from Denmark in 1865.
1884 Thorvald E. Nelson came from Denmark, married Anna Johnson who was born in Tn. St. Lawrence.
1886 Thomas Pryse and Emma Schaffer both from Wales, arrived. Elizabeth D. Jensen was born to Nels and Martha Jensen and later married Bradley M. Barnes.
1887 Wencel Chady Jr., who was born in Wis. and his bride Mary Frank, from Germany, settled in this area.
1888 Jens Peter and Anne C. Rasmussen came from Denmark.
1889 Jeremiah L. Ottman arrived from N.Y.
1892 C.H. Bemis, who was born in Wis. in 1867, married Fannie Hudnall who was born in Waupaca in 1869, and settled in Dayton.
Also in 1892 Olaf Skye of Norway, and Mathilda Thorson who was born in Scandinavia in 1870, settled in Waupaca, where he was a Blacksmith for many years. Also this was the year Earl Stratton was born in Lind. Edward E. Browne, of Waupaca, married Rose Cleveland born in Wis. Later Tom A. Browne born .. in 1902; daughters were Katherine and Helen (Hobart).
1895 Ella Stratton was born in Lind later married to Clayton Johnson.
It is expected that other names will be added to the list, and the Memorial Wall will be so constructed as to allow additions as they are made.
The New Building and the Memorial Wall will be Dedicated at the Bi-Centennial Celebration in July.