THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

September 2, 1993

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            I came across this interesting article in the Waupaca County Post, dated March 30, 1950.  It was taken from an interview that Marjorie Paneitz had with Rosaline Rademacher, who was a member at the Wisconsin Veterans Home.

            This is a story of a baby girl born September 15, 1889, in Prairie du Chien, one of seven children born to Wenceal V. and Emily (Sterenas) Vonesh.

            Rosaline Josephine Vonesh was married the first time to a Mr. Meach and in 1917 she was married to Fredrick John Rademacher.  She died at King on November 26, 1960, and was buried in the East Lawn Cemetery in Beloit, but not before she became a famous trick rider in a wild west show from Oklahoma.  She was billed as “Montana Rose.”

            One would think that her parents were show people, or horse trainers, but no, her father was a musician  and a tailor in Prairie du Chien.  She learned to ride on her grandfather’s farm at Beloit.  No one taught her, she learned to trick ride by herself.

            When the famous 101 Wild West Show came to Beloit in 1910, she joined the troupe.

            At that time the show was owned by Joe Zack and George Miller. They owned their own string of horses and a train, which traveled all over the United States and parts of South America.  Some of the other performers at that time were Tom Mix, Jesse Willard and the Perry Girls.

            Besides trick riding, Montana Rose did trick roping and took part in the cadrille on horseback, the flag drill, and grand march and the pageant with the Indians and covered wagons.  Her first husband, Mr. Meach, did trick riding, roping and bronc riding, and he also took care of the string of horses.

            The winter quarters for the show was at the 101 Ranch near Bliss, Okla.  Mr. and Mrs. Meach spent only one winter there, the only time that they lived for any time outside Wisconsin.

            In 1913 Montana Rose left the show, I would guess, to raise a family.  She returned to Beloit.  In 1917 she was married to Fredrick John Rademacher.  Tragedy struck in 1918, when she lost a son and daughter in the flue epidemic.

            Rosaline Josephine Rademacher entered the Veterans Home at King on April 3, 1944, and was later confined to a wheelchair, but that did not stop her from getting around.  Whenever possible for her to get outside, she went down to the store.

            She spent her last years crocheting rugs, doilies, chair sets and afghans. She loved to buy presents and write letters to her aged mother, who was still living at Beloit.

            I wonder how many times as she sat in her wheelchair or before going to sleep at night, she thought of her days with the 101 Wild West Show.