"1905 Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company's Annual Meeting"
The Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company held their annual business meeting at the Town Hall last Tuesday.
The following officials were elected for the ensuing year:
President - W.J. Rhodes
Secretary - I.T. Bishop
Treasurer - G.F. Jordan
The following Directors were elected for three years:
W. J. Rhodes
G.F. Jordan and Herman Boelter
During the past year, 100 policies were written, making a total of 356 policies now in force; $204,830 the amount written; $171,432 expired and cancelled; $1,910.39 is the average amount of policies written; $239.45 amount paid for loss during the past year. The Company is free from debt."
(Source: Racine Journal, January 13, 1905)
1914 Annual Meeting
"The annual meeting of Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company was held at the town hall on Tuesday. The following trustees were elected for a term of three years. Henry Lytle, Nicholas Lichter and Herman J. Boelter. The following trustees elected to fill vacancies, Jacob J. Barrows and William F. Bose, Sr.
The Board of Trustees now comprises Isaac T. Bishop, James E. Spencer, Jacob J. Barrows, William F. Bose, Sr., Lawrence E. Ozanne, Nicholas Thomas, Henry Lytle, Nicholas Lichter, and Herman J. Boelter.
The following officers were elected:
President - James E. Spencer
Secretary - Isaac T. Bishop
Treasurer - Henry Lytle
Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized September 12, 1873, and has insured since that time $6,711.945. The amount of policies written during the year of 1913, $263,060.
Amount in force on December 31, 1913, $935,050.
Since its organization the company has paid out for losses $25,572.04.
During the year 1913 the company has paid out for losses $3,835.75.
The number of policies in force at present time 365.
The average amount per policy has increased from $1,831.72 in 1902, to $12,561.78 in 1913."
(Source: Racine Journal January 9, 1914)
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Center of the World
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| Center of the World Photo taken March 21, 1937 Located on the southeast corner of 22nd Avenue and Birch Road. This photo was taken between 22nd Avenue and the North Shore Railroad tracks. (Source: Original photo courtesy of Jim and Sharon Bose Smith. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Violet Birch Bose is Sharon's mother) |
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| Center of the World Evelyn and Violet Birch stand with their mother, Tillie Birch, in front of the store about 1930. (Source: Original photo courtesy of Jim and Sharon Bose Smith. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Violet Birch Bose is Sharon's mother) |
"Most old timers and some not so old timers will remember the place. It was on north 22nd Avenue and Birch Road, where Casa Capri Restaurant stands today.
These photos come from the family album of Violet (Birch) Bose: her parents original store next to the weigh scale that serviced all the local farmers about 1927/28 as a candy, cigarette, and soda stop.
The old Birch homestead still stands on the north side of Birch Road, although the home has passed out of the hands of the Birch family.
As the years went by, the Birchs added to the business. First a tavern, and then an IGA grocery store and a couple of gas pumps.
The bar served a Friday night fish fry (15cents a plate) and a Saturday chicken fry (25 cents a plate).
For the farmers in the area, it truly was the center of the world. The weigh scale was used by the farmers to weigh their truck loads of wagon loads of cabbage, corn, and grain. The North Shore tracks ran along 22nd Avenue, crossing at the intersection of Birch Road. Many a freight car was packed and stacked by the farmers and their sons. These same men came with shovels and cleared the tracks of snow during the year of the big blizzard in the 30's.
During those years of the Great Depression, after all the crops were harvested and sold, the farmers would come in the afternoons to the Center of the World and sit around a huge old round oak table to play a few hands of rummy or sheepshead. When spring came, the card games ended and the farmers would return to their fields.
The business was a family affair and everyone had their jobs, including Violet and her older sister, Evelyn.
Just keeping the place clean was a real chore; 22nd Avenue was a bumpy gravel road and when the wind blew out of the west it was a constant battle to keep the dust down.
The store was a lot of work, filling shelves, cleaning the glass fronts and the meat counters, preparing food for the fish and chicken fry and the never ending job of scrubbing and sweeping.
Violet remembers the flies being a real problem. She said the only way to keep ahead of them was some foul smelling spray and those sticky strips that hung from the ceiling.
Then there were the girls' most dreaded jobs: cleaning the outdoor privies and the spittoons, which had to be washed with hot sudsy water.
The building had a flat tarred roof and during the depression when money for repairs was tight, a rainstorm meant scurrying about with pots and pans to catch the drips from the leaky roof.
Customers became the Birchs friends and company. One year Chris got a deer and they held a deer roast for all their customers and friends. Violet recalled that one customer played ragtime piano and they rolled back the carpet in the living room and danced.
the tavern was closed on election day, as was the law, but that didn't mean a day of rest for the family. That day was always spend sanding and varnishing the bar for the year.
One night after everyone was n bed, Tillie heard a strange noise and woke Chris up and together they climbed out the bedroom window to investigate. Chris had his shotgun and caught a man trying to cut out the door lock to the place. As it turned out, the man had just been released from prison.
Chris and his brother, Bill, were athletes, playing on the Somers Grays baseball team. Chris eventually built a ball diamond and grandstand south of the store. It was a huge success and the parking lot was always packed with cars during a game. Teams came from Milwaukee, Illinois and Western Kenosha County.
the biggest draw were the hilarious donkey baseball games where players rode donkeys while playing their favorite sport.
"You hit the ball and you humped on that donkey and maybe he took you to first base and maybe he didn't," laughed Bose.
The steadfast customers of the establishment were farme3rs in the area until about WWII, when they began to draw folks from the city of Kenosha.
In 1945, Chris and Tillie sold the business and went to Somers to live and farm. A succession owners ran the place, but always kept the name: Center of the World."
(Source: Kenosha News, Bulletin, November 20, 1995, "Old Kenosha" article, page 52)
Mandernach
Mathias filed his Declaration of Intent to Naturalize in Kenosha County Circuit Court onNovember 6, 1860 .
Katherine “Kate” – born approximately 1872 in Germany; came to America approximately 1873; married Peter Olson on February 1, 1896; two children – Herbert and Jeannette; died 1935; it is unclear if Kate is actually the daughter of Mathias or if she was born to Elizabeth prior to her marriage to Mathias (or could possibly be a sister or other relative of Elizabeth)
Note that Edward and Nicholas married Larsen sisters.
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| Mathias Mandernach (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Elizabeth Kramer Mandernach (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Children of Mathias and Elizabeth Mandernach Front row: Peter, Edward, Nicholas Back Row: Louise, Appolonia (known as "Abbie"), Mary, Katherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Emma The two women on the ends (Louise and Emma) are dressed in white because they are not yet married. Louise was married in January 1916 so this photo would have been taken sometime shortly before that. (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved) |
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| Elizabeth Mandernach and Children The Mathias Mandernach Family Front Row: Portrait of father Mathias, Elizabeth (daughter), Appolonia (also known as "Abbie"), Louise, Emma (on floor), Elizabeth (mother), Anna Back Row: Mary, Edward, Peter, Katherine, Nicholas This photo was taken shortly after Mathias died. Elizabeth (mother) wanted him to be in this family portrait, so they included the framed photo of Mathias. (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Wedding Photo of Lena Weyres and Peter Mandernach (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Mandernach Farm Location: County Line Road, Somers Township Sitting: Elizabeth (mother), Appolonia (also known as "Abbie") Standing: Emma, Peter, Louise, and Nicholas with bicycle (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved) |
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| Mandernach Homestead Farm Location: County Line Road, Somers Township This house is still standing (2012) on KR between Wood Road and Green Bay Road. it is very hard to see from the road now with all of the brush that has grown in front of it. (Source: Photo courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved) |
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| Partial 1887 Map of Somers Township M. Mandernach Farm |
Mathias Mandernach
Written by Kim Heinen Bitto. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved.
Four Mandernach siblings (Elizabeth, Mathias, Christian, and Ferdinand) traveled together to America
The Mandernach and Thomm families settled in Southeastern Wisconsin, becoming members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Racine
Mathias Mandernach lived with the Thom family (his sister) on their property Thistle Farm on Wood Road from 1857 to 1875, at which time he purchased 2.25 acres on Corbett Road. In 1877 he sold that property and moved back in with the Thom family. He subsequently purchased ten acres on County Line Road(Somers Township
Mathias filed his Declaration of Intent to Naturalize in Kenosha County Circuit Court on
On February 14, 1874, Mathias Mandernach married Elizabeth Kramer (also spelled Cramer, Craemer, or Kraemer) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Racine Germany Niedertiefenbach Elizabeth Elizabeth
Katherine “Kate” – born approximately 1872 in Germany; came to America approximately 1873; married Peter Olson on February 1, 1896; two children – Herbert and Jeannette; died 1935; it is unclear if Kate is actually the daughter of Mathias or if she was born to Elizabeth prior to her marriage to Mathias (or could possibly be a sister or other relative of Elizabeth)
Mary Anne – born May 16, 1875 in Kenosha County; married Philip Peter Pfeiffer on February 12, 1895; five children – Elizabeth, Helen, Anthony, Loretta, and Philip; died December 25, 1948 in Racine
Elizabeth “Libby” – born September 6, 1876 in Kenosha County; married George Schliesmann on May 12, 1896; eight children – John, Mathew, Gertrude, Anna, Veronica, Fred, Marie, and George; died December 30, 1915 in Racine
Anna Katherine – born September 7, 1878 in Kenosha County; married Amiel Julius “Emil” Johnson on August 5, 1903; nine children – Louise, Nicholas, Frederick, Erma, Myrtle, Margaret, Clarence, Ruth, and Irving Julius; died May 18, 1962 in Michigan
(Andrew) Edward “Big Ed” – born April 28, 1880 in Kenosha County; married Amanda Larsen on October 7, 1902; five children – Hazel, Edward Nicholas, Matthias Frederick, George, and Daniel; died July 4, 1940 in Racine
Peter John – born August 21, 1882 in Kenosha County; married Helena Magdalena “Lena” Weyres November 11, 1908 at Holy Name Catholic Church, Racine; six children – Ethel, Arthur, Gilbert, Kenneth, Russell, and Valerie; died October 28, 1975 in Kenosha
Nicholas Edward – born July 21, 1884 in Kenosha County; married Valborg “Vol” Larsen July 21, 1907; ten children – Evelyn, Mary, Alice, Nicholas, Louis, Anthony, Olive, Grace, Lorraine, and Dorothy; died April 8, 1957 in Racine
Appolonia “Abbie” – born April 17, 1886 in Kenosha County; married Fred Schroeder on May 24, 1905; two children – Lillian and Florence; died April 29, 1916
Louise M. – born November 4, 1888 in Kenosha County; married Frank Miller on January 10, 1916; eleven children – Bernard, Lucille, Norman, Delores, Geraldine, Gladys, Frank, Richard, John, Joyce, and Jean; died May 23, 1981
Emma G. – born March 17, 1891 in Kenosha County; married George Cabels about 1911; divorced; died October 26, 1969 in Racine
Note that Edward and Nicholas married Larsen sisters.
Mathias Mandernach died on December 3, 1893, at the age of 61. At that time, nine of their ten children were still minors, leaving Elizabeth Kramer Mandernach to raise their family alone. She continued to work the family farm, traveling into Racine Racine
Mathias and Elizabeth Helena Lena or Magdalena ) Weyres on November 11, 1908 at Holy Name Catholic Church, Racine , Wisconsin Lena ’s older sister, Angelina “Annie” Weyres, but she instead married Daniel August “Gus” O’Day. Peter and Lena Mandernach had six children:
Ethel Elizabeth – born August 4, 1909 in Kenosha County; married William Joseph Heinen on September 16, 1930; two children – Thomas William and Mary (who died in infancy); died April 21, 2000 in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Arthur Walter – born January 31, 1912 in Kenosha County; married Gertrude Schoepke; divorced; two children – Ralph and Gordon; died June 8, 1994 in Crivitz, Wisconsin
Gilbert E. – born June 27, 1914 in Kenosha County; married Mary Elizabeth Heinen in November, 1937; divorced; four children – Robert, Lawrence, Cynthia and David; died August 14, 1988, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Kenneth J. – born October 30, 1921 in Kenosha County; married first to Elaine Schied; divorced; one child Constance Lee relinquished to ex-wife; married second to Ann Roges; died February 5, 2003 in New Port Richey, Florida
Russell N. – born September 10, 1924 in Kenosha County September 20, 2000 , in Cottonwood , California
Valerie Rose – born June 25, 1929 in Kenosha or Racine County; married Harold “Pete” Meyer; five children – Linda, Nancy, Lola, Steven, and Tammy; died March 1, 2010 in New Port Richey, Florida
Lena Weyres Mandernach died on August 9, 1968 in Kenosha , Wisconsin October 23, 1975 in Kenosha , Wisconsin
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Arrowheads
About the Sherwood Klapproth Collection
Many farmers in Somers Township have “arrowhead” collections. What makes the Sherwood Klapproth Collection significant and unique is that we know for certain the exact acreage where they were discovered and, by the shapes and styles of the artifacts, we have confirmed evidence that prehistoric Indian cultures of Wisconsin existed here on the Klapproth farm in Berryville and Somers Township. Sherwood would walk the tilled fields after a rain looking for these artifacts in the sandy soil on the farm located not more than one mile from the Lake Michigan shore. All were found during the 1950's and 1960's.
The Klapproth Collection ( a partial collection shown here) includes arrowheads and projectile points. Arrowheads were used with bow and arrows and projectile points were larger and used as an attachment to a shaft or spear. The arrowheads and projectile points have different shapes and styles. This does not necessarily identify the Indian tribe but rather helps determine the time period they were used as each culture had their own way of shaping a making projectile points.
With the assistance of Mr. Dan Joyce, MA, RPA, Senior Curator of Exhibits and Collections, Military Historian, and Archaeologist of the Kenosha Museum (2010), the artifacts were inspected, sorted and identified.
For further study of Indians of Wisconsin, I recommend:
"A Guide to Common Prehistoric Projectile Points in Wisconsin"
by Lynne G. Goldstein and Sannie K. Osborn, Copyright 1988 Milwaukee Public Museum.
"Prehistoric Indians of Wisconsin"
by Robert E. Ritzenthaler, Revised by Lynne G. Goldstein, Copyright 1985 Milwaukee Public Museum.
Many farmers in Somers Township have “arrowhead” collections. What makes the Sherwood Klapproth Collection significant and unique is that we know for certain the exact acreage where they were discovered and, by the shapes and styles of the artifacts, we have confirmed evidence that prehistoric Indian cultures of Wisconsin existed here on the Klapproth farm in Berryville and Somers Township. Sherwood would walk the tilled fields after a rain looking for these artifacts in the sandy soil on the farm located not more than one mile from the Lake Michigan shore. All were found during the 1950's and 1960's.
The Klapproth Collection ( a partial collection shown here) includes arrowheads and projectile points. Arrowheads were used with bow and arrows and projectile points were larger and used as an attachment to a shaft or spear. The arrowheads and projectile points have different shapes and styles. This does not necessarily identify the Indian tribe but rather helps determine the time period they were used as each culture had their own way of shaping a making projectile points.
With the assistance of Mr. Dan Joyce, MA, RPA, Senior Curator of Exhibits and Collections, Military Historian, and Archaeologist of the Kenosha Museum (2010), the artifacts were inspected, sorted and identified.
For further study of Indians of Wisconsin, I recommend:
"A Guide to Common Prehistoric Projectile Points in Wisconsin"
by Lynne G. Goldstein and Sannie K. Osborn, Copyright 1988 Milwaukee Public Museum.
"Prehistoric Indians of Wisconsin"
by Robert E. Ritzenthaler, Revised by Lynne G. Goldstein, Copyright 1985 Milwaukee Public Museum.
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| Godar Side-Notched Middle Archaic Period dates between 6,000 B.C. - 3,000 B.C. During the Middle Archaic Period the climate became warmer and drier. Hardwood and prairie forest borders replaced the boreal forests. The people of this time relied on deer and small game hunting bu there was more emphasis on plants and nuts. This period also had the presence of Native people chopping wood making dugout canoes and other wooden bowls and implements. |
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| Madison Triangular Projectile Point Late Woodland Period dated between 1,100 - 400 AD The Late Woodland Period in Wisconsin was marked by the appearance of the development of the bow and arrow. People tended to live in small farming complexes and farming was a more stable source of food than hunting and gathering. |
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| Raddatz Side-Notched Projectile Point Middle Archaic Period 6,000 BC to Late Archaic Period from 3,000 BC - 1,000 BC Indian people of this period in the southern part of Wisconsin relied on winter deer hunting, spring and summer fishing, and plant resources, especially nuts and seeds. |
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| Kramer-like Projectile Point Early to Middle Wood Period dates between 600 BC - 100 BC During this time in southern Wisconsin, native people tended to build their villages along rivers. There is some evidence they raised gardens and had an emphasis on the Great Lakes fishing. Pottery tended to be in the form of heavy pots with pointed bottoms and cordmarked or stamped exteriors. Pottery was used to store wild plant foods because of the shorter growing season. |
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| Waubesa Contracting Stem Projectile Point Early Woodland Period dating 1,000 BC - 300 BC The early Woodland Period was a time of rapid culture change and includes the development of pottery, burial mounds, and cultivated plants. Native people hunted and fished but plant foods became more important leading to the development of agriculture. |
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| Durst Stemmed Projective Point Late Archaic Period 3,000 - 1,000 BC to the Early Woodland 1,000 - 300 BC |
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Quilt, Somers 1996
The Somers Quilt
An Idea Was Born
In 1996, Sandra Barrett, Town Supervisor and Shirley Bethke, Town Treasurer, thought a town quilt hanging on a wall in the town hall would be a good idea. In the first issue of the Somers Town Crier, the Somers Township newsletter, a call went out for quilters to make a Somers quilt to depict the history of Somers.
Eight quilters replied: Sandy Barrett, Nancy Girman, Laverne Goodman, Bev Hansen, Sandy Halmo, Rosemary Moenssen, Connie Syslack and June Williams. These ladies would be known as the Somers Quilt Committee.
Hours of Planning
Quilting is a craft that is often used for storytelling about our ancestors. It is an expression of women's artistic talents requiring imagination and a great deal of planning. The Somers Quilt Committee spent many hours discussing and establishing a central idea, general pattern, blocks of shapes, colors, fabrics, and sewing techniques. Some blocks were appliqued and some were pieced. Organizing the blocks decided the impact the ladies wanted the quilt to have on the viewer. And finally, after all the planning, the cutting and piecing process began. The completed blocks were assembled with lattices and small corner squares. The finishing was hand quilted by all the members of the Somers Quilt Committee.
The Somers Quilt Committee obtained their inspiration from the Minnie Ozanne book, My Memories, which was written and published in the late 1940's, drawing on Somers history since the 1830's. Photographs of buildings were used to stylize certain quilt blocks.
The quilt's focal point medallion is based upon the Somers town flag. It was hand cross-stitched by June Williams from her own transposition of the flag into a cross-stitch pattern. Radiating out from each quarter of the four diamond design of the medallion are squares that relate to the four general themes of the Somers town flag: homesteads and farming, recreation and parks, industry and business, government, civic organizations, and schools.
Description of Blocks and Sewing Style
Top to Bottom, Left to Right
Row 1
Wisconsin (Pieced) - Official State of Wisconsin block.
Vegetables (Applique) - Somers fields, until the later half of the century, were filled with these vegetables. Tomatoes were trucked or went by rail to Campbell Soup in Chicago, and carrots were shipped to canneries. Potatoes were taken to the local markets by horse-drawn wagons early in the century and crates were loaded on the railroad for shipment to Chicago. Cabbage, a prominent crop in the township, covered the landscape in the early 1900's especially near the lake shore.
Animals (Pieced) - Chickens were raised on nearly every farm to provide the family with eggs and meat. Wool from sheep was spun into yarn for family clothing.
Farm Scene (Applique) - This block commemorates all of the Somers pioneer farmhouses and barns that were built in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The landscape was plentiful with the traditional clap board farmhouses, barns, outbuildings, and orchards. Somers had two master barn builders who lived in the village: B.F. Yule and William Lauer.
Animals (Pieced) - All Somers pioneer families raised small animals such as chickens, ducks, and pigs for food and the market. Cows were found on every farm as they were a source of milk and food. Larger dairy farms were fairly common but more prominent in the western part of the township.
Log Cabin (Pieces) - Jacob Montgomery and his two sons built one of the first log cabins in Somers township on the site of the Ozanne homestead. This block honors all the first settlers who built log cabins as their first home in the early 1830's and 1840's.
Row 2
Sunflower (Applique) - This scene signifies the many flowers found in Somers, both cultivated and wild.
Strawberry (Applique) - Somers was well known for its strawberry fields especially in the area named Berryville, located in the northeast corner of the town on the lake shore. Most homes had a small patch for family use however it was not uncommon for strawberry growers in the Berryville area to plant and harvest berries from 50,000 or more plants per farm. Berries were shipped to Chicago via railroad. Thompson's strawberry pick-your-own farm was a well-known landmark until the 1960's.
Barn (Pieced) - Barns in Somers township were primarily built in the early 1900's and are an important landmark and symbol of our agriculture heritage. The rural landscape, from the lake shore to our west boundary has many barns, still in use and preserved, that serve as shelter for work horses and dairy cows. Barns in Somers township were hand made by skilled carpenters and range in sizes, shapes and colors.
Horse (Pieced and Appliqued) - Horses were highly valued by our early Somes pioneers. The work horses and farmer worked side by side as stumps were pulled to clear fields. Large fields were tilled, row by row, with horses pulling the plow steered by a farmer who walked behind. Horses were also used for transportation, not only to take early settlers to church, the store, and doctor, but to haul crops to the market or railroad.
Eggs & Basket (Pieced) - Somers farm wives raised chickens to feed their family. They used the extra eggs to sell or trade at the market. It was common to ride into a farmyard to see chickens roaming the yard but by nightfall, they were typically herded into the the little chicken coop found in every farm yard.
General Store (Pieced) - This block was designed from a photograph of the Bullamore Brothers General Store, built in 1872. This store was located in the village just west of the railroad tracks and was a typical mercantile store found in every small town selling everything from pitchforks, cans of peas, candy, cigars, hammers and anything else a Somers pioneer might need.
Row 3
Petrifying Springs Park (Applique) - Native Americans camped here and the first pioneers in Somers settled in the Petrifying Springs Park area. Old newspaper clippings report this was a frequent and popular place to picnic. 350 acres were sold to Kenosha County in 1928, establishing Petrifying Spring Park. This block depicts a typical Pike River and tree scene and commemorates one of the most beautiful old parks in southeastern Wisconsin.
Vegetables & Fruit (Applique) - Somers township was well-known for its many "truck farms" that primarily grew vegetables and fruits which were sold at local markets and shipped to Chicago and Milwaukee on the the railroad. Trucks farms in Somers primarily grew cabbage, sugar beets, potatoes, corn, and berries. These crops thrived because of the Lake Michigan climate and rich soils.
Railroad Depot (Pieced) - This block was created from a photograph of the depot station for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad that ran through the center the village. It was located west of the tracks, one block south of Highway E. The Stationmaster for over fifty years was M.E. Thompson.
Railroad Tracks - Railroads played a key role in the development of Somers township as they provided residential transportation and equally as important they transported agricultural products to the Milwaukee and Chicago markets. Two railroads ran through the eastern neighborhood of Berryville, and two west of the old Green Bay Trail, one running in the center of the village, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. The earliest settlement of Somers was established on the old Green Bay Trail and the Somers Road. When the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroad was built in the 1870's, the town moved west on Somers Road, establishing a "village" around the activity of the railroad.
Row 4
Log Cabin Home (Pieced) - The early settlers arrived in Somers to a wilderness landscape. The first priority of the pioneer was to build a home for shelter. The first home in Somers was a log cabin which was built on the old Green Bay Trail near Petrifying Springs Park on the Ozanne homestead.
Turkey Tracks (Pieced) - Turkeys were grown commercially in Somers from the 1930's to the 1950's. Still today wild turkeys can be found in Somers.
Mill (Applique) - This block was copied from a photograph and depicts the Ozanne Mill built in 1845 and used until 1868. It was wind driven with large sails. Other mills also existed in Somers township. Farmers would haul their grain and corn to local mills to be ground into flour.
Lake with Sailboard (Pieced) - Lake Michigan is the eastern border of Somers Township. It represents the place where many of our earliest pioneers arrived on boats when they came from the eastern states and Europe to make Somers their home.
Row 5
Crossed Canoes (Pieced) - The Potawatomi Native American tribe lived in this area for many years before the pioneers settled here. They used native trees to make dug out canoes which were used for fishing in Lake Michigan and Pike River.
Snowflake (Applique) - This depicts a portion of the beauty of Somers in the winter. Farmers depend on a blanket of snowfall to protect and insulate crops from extreme freezing temperatures and provide a needed saturation of moisture in the fields for spring planting. Somers resident also enjoy leisure activities such as Cross-country ski trails, sledding at Petrifying Springs Park, and snowmobiling on field headlands.
Town Hall (Pieced) - The first Somers town meeting was held May 1, 1843 in the home of one of our earliest pioneers, the Leet family, who lived on the old Green Bay Trail. A new town hall was built in 1857 at a cost of $400 and it has been preserved and moved to the Hawthorne Hollow property.
Church (Pieced) - Somers pioneers financed and donated time and talent to build churches soon after their own homes were built. Our early pioneers made it priority to celebrate religious freedom. The Somers Presbyterian Church was erected in 1839 and the Methodist Episcopal Church completed in 1840.
Butter & Churn (Pieced) - This block commemorates the importance of creameries to the pioneer dairy farmers of Somers. As early as 1898, the village of Somers had a creamery ice house, churns, later a bottling plant, and the creameries played a key role in shipping dairy products via the railroad to the Chicago market.
Drunkard's Path (Pieced) - This block represents the many taverns and early saloons in the town.
Row 6
4-H (Pieced) - Somers has had a 4-H youth group since the 1920's.
Arrowhead (Applique) - Arrowheads, projectile points and scrapping tool artifacts have been found by many farmers in Somers township, typically after a rain brings the artifacts to the surface of a freshly tilled field. Museum archaeologists have confirmed, by evidence of the artifacts, that Native Americans inhabited Somers township as far back as 10,000 B.C.
Schoolhouse (Pieced) - Thirteen school districts were approved for the Town of Somers in the 1840's. These were originally one-room schools; the first being built in 1840. The original 1848 Pike River school has been preserved, renovated and moved to Hawthorne Hollow. This block represents the type of school in which Somers pioneers received their education - eight grades in one room.
Fire Truck (Pieced and Applique) - This block commemorates the establishment of the Somers Volunteer Fire Department in 1934. A former Chevrolet garage was converted into the first fire station which housed fire apparatus including the purchase of the first fire engine, a 1934 Dodge Brothers, manufactured by the Peter Pirsch Company which operated in Kenosha.
Rescue Squad (Pieced and Applique) - In 1977 the Somers Rescue Squad was formed as a volunteer organization which worked closely with the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. Both the Rescue and Fire volunteer departments joined and reorganized in 2006.
Red Cross (Pieced) - This block recognizes the strong commitment of Somers residents to volunteering time and talent to civic organizations. The Literary Society of Somers, Prohibition Club of Somers, Somers Camp No. 826 Modern Woodmen of America, Somers Baseball Club, Somers Township Study Club, and Royal Neighbors 500 Club, are some of the organizations that were established and active in the 1800's.
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| The Somers Quilt Currently displayed in the Somers Town Hall |
The Somers Quilt
An Idea Was Born
In 1996, Sandra Barrett, Town Supervisor and Shirley Bethke, Town Treasurer, thought a town quilt hanging on a wall in the town hall would be a good idea. In the first issue of the Somers Town Crier, the Somers Township newsletter, a call went out for quilters to make a Somers quilt to depict the history of Somers.
Eight quilters replied: Sandy Barrett, Nancy Girman, Laverne Goodman, Bev Hansen, Sandy Halmo, Rosemary Moenssen, Connie Syslack and June Williams. These ladies would be known as the Somers Quilt Committee.
Hours of Planning
Quilting is a craft that is often used for storytelling about our ancestors. It is an expression of women's artistic talents requiring imagination and a great deal of planning. The Somers Quilt Committee spent many hours discussing and establishing a central idea, general pattern, blocks of shapes, colors, fabrics, and sewing techniques. Some blocks were appliqued and some were pieced. Organizing the blocks decided the impact the ladies wanted the quilt to have on the viewer. And finally, after all the planning, the cutting and piecing process began. The completed blocks were assembled with lattices and small corner squares. The finishing was hand quilted by all the members of the Somers Quilt Committee.
The Somers Quilt Committee obtained their inspiration from the Minnie Ozanne book, My Memories, which was written and published in the late 1940's, drawing on Somers history since the 1830's. Photographs of buildings were used to stylize certain quilt blocks.
The quilt's focal point medallion is based upon the Somers town flag. It was hand cross-stitched by June Williams from her own transposition of the flag into a cross-stitch pattern. Radiating out from each quarter of the four diamond design of the medallion are squares that relate to the four general themes of the Somers town flag: homesteads and farming, recreation and parks, industry and business, government, civic organizations, and schools.
Description of Blocks and Sewing Style
Top to Bottom, Left to Right
Row 1
Wisconsin (Pieced) - Official State of Wisconsin block.
Vegetables (Applique) - Somers fields, until the later half of the century, were filled with these vegetables. Tomatoes were trucked or went by rail to Campbell Soup in Chicago, and carrots were shipped to canneries. Potatoes were taken to the local markets by horse-drawn wagons early in the century and crates were loaded on the railroad for shipment to Chicago. Cabbage, a prominent crop in the township, covered the landscape in the early 1900's especially near the lake shore.
Animals (Pieced) - Chickens were raised on nearly every farm to provide the family with eggs and meat. Wool from sheep was spun into yarn for family clothing.
Farm Scene (Applique) - This block commemorates all of the Somers pioneer farmhouses and barns that were built in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The landscape was plentiful with the traditional clap board farmhouses, barns, outbuildings, and orchards. Somers had two master barn builders who lived in the village: B.F. Yule and William Lauer.
Animals (Pieced) - All Somers pioneer families raised small animals such as chickens, ducks, and pigs for food and the market. Cows were found on every farm as they were a source of milk and food. Larger dairy farms were fairly common but more prominent in the western part of the township.
Log Cabin (Pieces) - Jacob Montgomery and his two sons built one of the first log cabins in Somers township on the site of the Ozanne homestead. This block honors all the first settlers who built log cabins as their first home in the early 1830's and 1840's.
Row 2
Sunflower (Applique) - This scene signifies the many flowers found in Somers, both cultivated and wild.
Strawberry (Applique) - Somers was well known for its strawberry fields especially in the area named Berryville, located in the northeast corner of the town on the lake shore. Most homes had a small patch for family use however it was not uncommon for strawberry growers in the Berryville area to plant and harvest berries from 50,000 or more plants per farm. Berries were shipped to Chicago via railroad. Thompson's strawberry pick-your-own farm was a well-known landmark until the 1960's.
Barn (Pieced) - Barns in Somers township were primarily built in the early 1900's and are an important landmark and symbol of our agriculture heritage. The rural landscape, from the lake shore to our west boundary has many barns, still in use and preserved, that serve as shelter for work horses and dairy cows. Barns in Somers township were hand made by skilled carpenters and range in sizes, shapes and colors.
Horse (Pieced and Appliqued) - Horses were highly valued by our early Somes pioneers. The work horses and farmer worked side by side as stumps were pulled to clear fields. Large fields were tilled, row by row, with horses pulling the plow steered by a farmer who walked behind. Horses were also used for transportation, not only to take early settlers to church, the store, and doctor, but to haul crops to the market or railroad.
Eggs & Basket (Pieced) - Somers farm wives raised chickens to feed their family. They used the extra eggs to sell or trade at the market. It was common to ride into a farmyard to see chickens roaming the yard but by nightfall, they were typically herded into the the little chicken coop found in every farm yard.
General Store (Pieced) - This block was designed from a photograph of the Bullamore Brothers General Store, built in 1872. This store was located in the village just west of the railroad tracks and was a typical mercantile store found in every small town selling everything from pitchforks, cans of peas, candy, cigars, hammers and anything else a Somers pioneer might need.
Row 3
Petrifying Springs Park (Applique) - Native Americans camped here and the first pioneers in Somers settled in the Petrifying Springs Park area. Old newspaper clippings report this was a frequent and popular place to picnic. 350 acres were sold to Kenosha County in 1928, establishing Petrifying Spring Park. This block depicts a typical Pike River and tree scene and commemorates one of the most beautiful old parks in southeastern Wisconsin.
Vegetables & Fruit (Applique) - Somers township was well-known for its many "truck farms" that primarily grew vegetables and fruits which were sold at local markets and shipped to Chicago and Milwaukee on the the railroad. Trucks farms in Somers primarily grew cabbage, sugar beets, potatoes, corn, and berries. These crops thrived because of the Lake Michigan climate and rich soils.
Railroad Depot (Pieced) - This block was created from a photograph of the depot station for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad that ran through the center the village. It was located west of the tracks, one block south of Highway E. The Stationmaster for over fifty years was M.E. Thompson.
Railroad Tracks - Railroads played a key role in the development of Somers township as they provided residential transportation and equally as important they transported agricultural products to the Milwaukee and Chicago markets. Two railroads ran through the eastern neighborhood of Berryville, and two west of the old Green Bay Trail, one running in the center of the village, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. The earliest settlement of Somers was established on the old Green Bay Trail and the Somers Road. When the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroad was built in the 1870's, the town moved west on Somers Road, establishing a "village" around the activity of the railroad.
Row 4
Log Cabin Home (Pieced) - The early settlers arrived in Somers to a wilderness landscape. The first priority of the pioneer was to build a home for shelter. The first home in Somers was a log cabin which was built on the old Green Bay Trail near Petrifying Springs Park on the Ozanne homestead.
Turkey Tracks (Pieced) - Turkeys were grown commercially in Somers from the 1930's to the 1950's. Still today wild turkeys can be found in Somers.
Mill (Applique) - This block was copied from a photograph and depicts the Ozanne Mill built in 1845 and used until 1868. It was wind driven with large sails. Other mills also existed in Somers township. Farmers would haul their grain and corn to local mills to be ground into flour.
Lake with Sailboard (Pieced) - Lake Michigan is the eastern border of Somers Township. It represents the place where many of our earliest pioneers arrived on boats when they came from the eastern states and Europe to make Somers their home.
Row 5
Crossed Canoes (Pieced) - The Potawatomi Native American tribe lived in this area for many years before the pioneers settled here. They used native trees to make dug out canoes which were used for fishing in Lake Michigan and Pike River.
Snowflake (Applique) - This depicts a portion of the beauty of Somers in the winter. Farmers depend on a blanket of snowfall to protect and insulate crops from extreme freezing temperatures and provide a needed saturation of moisture in the fields for spring planting. Somers resident also enjoy leisure activities such as Cross-country ski trails, sledding at Petrifying Springs Park, and snowmobiling on field headlands.
Town Hall (Pieced) - The first Somers town meeting was held May 1, 1843 in the home of one of our earliest pioneers, the Leet family, who lived on the old Green Bay Trail. A new town hall was built in 1857 at a cost of $400 and it has been preserved and moved to the Hawthorne Hollow property.
Church (Pieced) - Somers pioneers financed and donated time and talent to build churches soon after their own homes were built. Our early pioneers made it priority to celebrate religious freedom. The Somers Presbyterian Church was erected in 1839 and the Methodist Episcopal Church completed in 1840.
Butter & Churn (Pieced) - This block commemorates the importance of creameries to the pioneer dairy farmers of Somers. As early as 1898, the village of Somers had a creamery ice house, churns, later a bottling plant, and the creameries played a key role in shipping dairy products via the railroad to the Chicago market.
Drunkard's Path (Pieced) - This block represents the many taverns and early saloons in the town.
Row 6
4-H (Pieced) - Somers has had a 4-H youth group since the 1920's.
Arrowhead (Applique) - Arrowheads, projectile points and scrapping tool artifacts have been found by many farmers in Somers township, typically after a rain brings the artifacts to the surface of a freshly tilled field. Museum archaeologists have confirmed, by evidence of the artifacts, that Native Americans inhabited Somers township as far back as 10,000 B.C.
Schoolhouse (Pieced) - Thirteen school districts were approved for the Town of Somers in the 1840's. These were originally one-room schools; the first being built in 1840. The original 1848 Pike River school has been preserved, renovated and moved to Hawthorne Hollow. This block represents the type of school in which Somers pioneers received their education - eight grades in one room.
Fire Truck (Pieced and Applique) - This block commemorates the establishment of the Somers Volunteer Fire Department in 1934. A former Chevrolet garage was converted into the first fire station which housed fire apparatus including the purchase of the first fire engine, a 1934 Dodge Brothers, manufactured by the Peter Pirsch Company which operated in Kenosha.
Rescue Squad (Pieced and Applique) - In 1977 the Somers Rescue Squad was formed as a volunteer organization which worked closely with the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. Both the Rescue and Fire volunteer departments joined and reorganized in 2006.
Red Cross (Pieced) - This block recognizes the strong commitment of Somers residents to volunteering time and talent to civic organizations. The Literary Society of Somers, Prohibition Club of Somers, Somers Camp No. 826 Modern Woodmen of America, Somers Baseball Club, Somers Township Study Club, and Royal Neighbors 500 Club, are some of the organizations that were established and active in the 1800's.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Bradley, Almer
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| (Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of |
Almer H. Bradley
Almer H. Bradley, a farmer and market gardener, has resided on Section 5, Somers Township , Kenosha County Wallingford , New Haven County , Conn. , February 22, 1844, and comes of an old New England family. His father, David Bradley, was also a native of New Haven County, where he was reared to manhood and, after attaining his majority, married Abbie Peck, who was also born in that locality. Mr. Bradley was a mechanic by trade, and followed his chosen occupation in Wallingford
At his mother’s death, Almer Bradley was adopted by his uncle, who was then living in Kenosha County , Wisconsin Chattanooga Lookout Mountain Madison West Meriden , Conn.
During the interval spent in Connecticut , Mr. Bradley was married on the 7th of November, 1867, to Miss Sarah A. Peck, who was born in Salem , Kenosha County , Wisconsin Kenosha County Somers Three Oaks High School , and was also for one year a student in the Normal at Whitewater , Wisconsin
On December 1, 1891, Miss Etta A. Bradley was married to William J. Hansche, a native of Racine County Mt. Pleasant Township Racine High School
In religious belief Mr. Bradley is a Methodist, and an active worker in the church. He has also been Superintendent of the Sabbath-school for about ten years. In politics he is a Republican, having supported that party since attaining his majority, but has never been an aspirant for public office. Socially he is a member of Gov. Harvey Post, No. 17, G.A.R., of Racine
(Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties Chicago
[1] Additional Information from 1890 Wisconsin Veteran’s Schedule. Battery C sent to Fort Wood , Chattanooga Fort Creighton and in May moved to Fort Sherman Athens , Tenn.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
1967 New Town Hall
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| New Town Hall 1967 Somers officials of pioneer families: Edquist, Newman, Leet (Source: Kenosha News December 1,1967) |
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| New Town Hall 1967 Somers officials Bishop, Ebener, Huck (Source: Kenosha News December 1,1967) |
Somers School
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| (Source: The Racine Journal Times, August 15, 1967) |
Dedicate New School Building at Somers June 4, 1904
"Says the Kenosha News: Arrangements have been completed for the dedication of the new school building in the Town of Somers, and exercises of dedication will be held on the historic spot on Saturday, June 4. The new building for District No. 2 is now completed and the patrons of the district have decided to make the dedication of it an event which will awaken many reminiscences of the early history of the schools of the county. In order to have the old days recalled, an invitation has been sent out to all of the former teachers and students of the old school and many of them have promised to be present and take part in the dedicatory ceremonies."
(Source: Racine Journal, May 27, 1904)
Somers Schools in the News
"Somers Schools Hire Faculties for 1956-1957 School Year"
School Board members of Hillcrest State Graded School have reported the hiring of teachers for the coming school year. They are Misses Carol Poynter, Gail Gilmore, Donna Tyler, Virginia Wacek, Nancy Hageborn, Mrs. Ronald Franke and Mrs. Jane Wuttje.
A two-room addition to the six-classroom school building now is under construction. It is expected to be completed by September in time for opening of classes. An enrollment of an additional 20 students is expected in the fall. Current enrollment is 175 pupils.
Mrs. Donald Smith will return as teacher at Pike River School for the coming year.
Three teachers also have been engaged to teach at Bullamore Forks State Graded School. They are Mmes. Edna McConethy, Jeannine Everett and Miss Elizabeth Thuring.
Three teachers have been hired for the coming year at Washington State Graded School. They are Mmes. Paul Ghyseis, Martha Cummings and Miss Esther Nelson.
Berryville State Graded School has 11 teachers hired for the coming school year. They are George Wind, principal, Mmes. Blenne Malloy, Agnes Sorenson, George Feest, Jerome Jensen, James Saaf, Bertha Amdahl, and Selma Kenders, and Misses Nancy Paulson, Hazel Havel and Priscilla Hastings.
Burr Oak State Graded School has engaged two teachers for the coming school year. They are Misses Lillian Hvitved and Phyliss Nelson."
(Source: Racine Journal May 25, 1956)
"In the course of a few months one of the old land marks of our town will, in all probablility cease to exist, as a meeting of the electors of the joint school district No. 7 of Mt. Pleasant and Somers was held on Monday evening and it was decided to build a new school house. The present building is one of the oldest of its kind in the county and it is doubtful if there is a person in the district who will oppose the move that has been taken. The old building has been repaired a number of times and the fact that there is not room to accommodate all the children of the district, proves the necessity of erecting a new building. Another meeting to make final arrangments will be held on Monday evening, July 31, and every voter of the disdtrict should make it a point to be be present."
(Source: Racine Daily July 25, 1905)
Klapproth
Henry Klapproth
Henry Klapproth, who was engaged in farming on Section 6, Somers Township, Berryville, was born on April 18, 1855 in Gittelde, a small iron ore mining village in the Harz Mountain range of Germany. At the age of nineteen, Henry Klapproth became a certified Journeyman Cooper and proceeded to travel to France and other places in Germany to find work. By the age of twenty four, he found the wars had left the impoverished German people little to rebuild their homes and lives and on March 20, 1880 Henry sailed to America looking for a better life, arriving at the Port of Baltimore . He immediately proceeded to Racine to live with his sister, Louisa Klapproth Krueger and her husband C.F. Krueger who arrived in Wisconsin in 1868 and whom later bought a farm on the lake shore in Somers Township, Section 6. Henry secured work at the Mitchell Wagon Company in Racine.
On January 16, 1884 Henry Klapproth married Emilie Willhelmina Sasse, at First Evangelical Church in Racine. Emilie was born in Germany on March 22, 1857 and was the daughter of Carle and Emilie Sasse who who neighbors of his sister. Three children were born of this union: Conrad of Ohio, William who died of injuries resulting of an auto accident in Racine; and Henry, Jr. of Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. On March 18, 1893, Emilie had surgery at St. Mary's Hospital and died at the age of 37, leaving Henry widowed with three small children. Emilie was buried in Mound Cemetery, Racine.
Henry married the second time to Catherine Fox Fruedenberg on July 3, 1893 at the home he built on Hagerer Street in Racine. Catherine was born in Caledonia, Racine County, on September 19, 1860 and was the daughter of Michael and Christine (Schmidt) Fox, German pioneers. Henry has saved his earnings, sold his house in Racine, and moved to the farm he purchased in 1905 in Berryville, living about a mile from his sister.
Henry and Catherine had three children: Daniel August married Vernetta Rolfs and they lived on the farm homestead in Berryville; Viola Christine married Anthony P. Heidenreich of Racine; and Lillian Christiane who married Frank Sahorske of Racine.
Henry and Catherine purchased twenty acres of farm land in Section 6, Somers Township in the neighborhood known as Berryville on March 1, 1905. This 20 acres is now a portion of the Kenosha County Club. Henry Klapproth farmed this parcel for ten years at which time he sold all 20 acres in 1915 and then proceeded to purchase a farm from the Hansche's of thirty two and three quarter acres on March 23, 1915 of which land is located directly east across the road. Katherine died March 20, 1928 and Henry died February 21, 1932. Katherine and Henry's son, Daniel continued to operate the farm until his death in 1935. His wife Vernetta continued the farm operation with the help of her family and five children, Sherwood, Daniel, Shirley, Irvin and Melvin.
The Klapproth Diary and Supply Cost List - 1915
The Klapproth farm was purchased in March 1915 and a diary was kept by Henry's son, Henry, Jr. during the first year. The budget has been retyped however the April 6, 1915 - May 12, 1915 diary is a scan of the original. Thank you to Henry's granddaughter, Carol Klapproth Isgrow of Ohio for sharing this diary.
1915 Budget for Farm Supplies
Plow $12.00
Disc $18.00
Fine tooth cultivator $4.00
Harness, collar and halters $64.00
Horse blanket $1.25
Ax handle $0.10
Bag of fertilizer $1.57
Pitch Fork $0.65
Wheel Barrow $1.95
Four shoes for horse $0.50
Lawn Mower $9.00
Three horses $175.00
Five cows $350.00
Forty chickens $40.00
1915 Budget for Household and Misc. Items
Alarm Clock $1.00
Cord of Wood $0.16
Ham, whole per pound $0.18
Eggs, per dozen $0.20
Butter, per pound $0.28
Flour, 25 pound bag $1.10
Tea Kettle $0.58
Mouse Trap $0.10
Wash Board $0.45
Apron $0.35
1,300 pounds of heating coat $6.75
Toy Wagon $0.75
Ladies Purse $1.25
One gallon of paint $2.00
Sole and heels on shoes $0.85
Canvas Gloves $1.30
Man's Haircut $0.35
Sunday Newspaper $0.05
Film for camera $0.25
Hunting License $1.25
Ladies Silk Stockings $0.90
Klapproth 1915 Farm Diary April 6, 1915 to May 12, 1915
World War I and Germans
Although World War I started in 1914, the effects of the war did not impact German immigrants until President Wilson issued a law on November 16, 1917 which required all male alien enemies to register at their county offices. This registration card was required to be on the person at all times or they would be subject to arrest and detention for the period of the war. Of those German immigrants like Henry Klapproth who did not complete Naturalization Papers before the war, he was subject to restrictions even though he had arrived in the United States in 1880 - thirty seven years prior.
President Wilson issued the same for females on April 18, 1918. Although Catherine Klapproth was born in Racine and officially a citizen, she was married to an alien and was subject to the same.
Below are World War I Registration identification papers.
More About Klapproth
"For Sale - Good Milch cows. Route #4, Box 31. H. Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date, November 8, 1912)
"For Sale - 30,000 Strawberry plants. Henry Klapproth. Berryville"
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date May 31, 1913)
" For Sale - 50,000 Glen Mary strawberry plants. $2.00 per 1,000. Henry Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date April 29, 1916)
"For Sale - 50,000 Cabbage plants. H. Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date July 2, 1917)
"Wanted - Berry pickers for Monday morning. None but good pickers need apply. Henry Klapproth. Hansche Road, Berryville."
(Source: June 21, 1919)
Henry Klapproth, who was engaged in farming on Section 6, Somers Township, Berryville, was born on April 18, 1855 in Gittelde, a small iron ore mining village in the Harz Mountain range of Germany. At the age of nineteen, Henry Klapproth became a certified Journeyman Cooper and proceeded to travel to France and other places in Germany to find work. By the age of twenty four, he found the wars had left the impoverished German people little to rebuild their homes and lives and on March 20, 1880 Henry sailed to America looking for a better life, arriving at the Port of Baltimore . He immediately proceeded to Racine to live with his sister, Louisa Klapproth Krueger and her husband C.F. Krueger who arrived in Wisconsin in 1868 and whom later bought a farm on the lake shore in Somers Township, Section 6. Henry secured work at the Mitchell Wagon Company in Racine.
On January 16, 1884 Henry Klapproth married Emilie Willhelmina Sasse, at First Evangelical Church in Racine. Emilie was born in Germany on March 22, 1857 and was the daughter of Carle and Emilie Sasse who who neighbors of his sister. Three children were born of this union: Conrad of Ohio, William who died of injuries resulting of an auto accident in Racine; and Henry, Jr. of Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. On March 18, 1893, Emilie had surgery at St. Mary's Hospital and died at the age of 37, leaving Henry widowed with three small children. Emilie was buried in Mound Cemetery, Racine.
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| Emilie Sasse Klapproth (Source: Photo from personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
Henry and Catherine had three children: Daniel August married Vernetta Rolfs and they lived on the farm homestead in Berryville; Viola Christine married Anthony P. Heidenreich of Racine; and Lillian Christiane who married Frank Sahorske of Racine.
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| Katherine and Henry Klapproth (Source: Photo pesonal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| 1887 Partial Somers Map Section 6, H. Klapproth 20 acre parcel Kenosha County Land Records show Henry Klapproth purchased from Maria Madson March 1, 1905 who purchased it from Chester Barrows November 24, 1902. |
Henry and Catherine purchased twenty acres of farm land in Section 6, Somers Township in the neighborhood known as Berryville on March 1, 1905. This 20 acres is now a portion of the Kenosha County Club. Henry Klapproth farmed this parcel for ten years at which time he sold all 20 acres in 1915 and then proceeded to purchase a farm from the Hansche's of thirty two and three quarter acres on March 23, 1915 of which land is located directly east across the road. Katherine died March 20, 1928 and Henry died February 21, 1932. Katherine and Henry's son, Daniel continued to operate the farm until his death in 1935. His wife Vernetta continued the farm operation with the help of her family and five children, Sherwood, Daniel, Shirley, Irvin and Melvin.
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| Klapproth Farm, purchased March 1915 Berryville, Somers Township Section 6. 32.75 acres (Source: Photo courtesy of personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
The Klapproth farm was purchased in March 1915 and a diary was kept by Henry's son, Henry, Jr. during the first year. The budget has been retyped however the April 6, 1915 - May 12, 1915 diary is a scan of the original. Thank you to Henry's granddaughter, Carol Klapproth Isgrow of Ohio for sharing this diary.
1915 Budget for Farm Supplies
Plow $12.00
Disc $18.00
Fine tooth cultivator $4.00
Harness, collar and halters $64.00
Horse blanket $1.25
Ax handle $0.10
Bag of fertilizer $1.57
Pitch Fork $0.65
Wheel Barrow $1.95
Four shoes for horse $0.50
Lawn Mower $9.00
Three horses $175.00
Five cows $350.00
Forty chickens $40.00
1915 Budget for Household and Misc. Items
Alarm Clock $1.00
Cord of Wood $0.16
Ham, whole per pound $0.18
Eggs, per dozen $0.20
Butter, per pound $0.28
Flour, 25 pound bag $1.10
Tea Kettle $0.58
Mouse Trap $0.10
Wash Board $0.45
Apron $0.35
1,300 pounds of heating coat $6.75
Toy Wagon $0.75
Ladies Purse $1.25
One gallon of paint $2.00
Sole and heels on shoes $0.85
Canvas Gloves $1.30
Man's Haircut $0.35
Sunday Newspaper $0.05
Film for camera $0.25
Hunting License $1.25
Ladies Silk Stockings $0.90
Klapproth 1915 Farm Diary April 6, 1915 to May 12, 1915
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Although World War I started in 1914, the effects of the war did not impact German immigrants until President Wilson issued a law on November 16, 1917 which required all male alien enemies to register at their county offices. This registration card was required to be on the person at all times or they would be subject to arrest and detention for the period of the war. Of those German immigrants like Henry Klapproth who did not complete Naturalization Papers before the war, he was subject to restrictions even though he had arrived in the United States in 1880 - thirty seven years prior.
President Wilson issued the same for females on April 18, 1918. Although Catherine Klapproth was born in Racine and officially a citizen, she was married to an alien and was subject to the same.
Below are World War I Registration identification papers.
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| Katherine Klapproth World War I Registration Identification |
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| Henry Klapproth World War I Registration Identification |
"For Sale - Good Milch cows. Route #4, Box 31. H. Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date, November 8, 1912)
"For Sale - 30,000 Strawberry plants. Henry Klapproth. Berryville"
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date May 31, 1913)
" For Sale - 50,000 Glen Mary strawberry plants. $2.00 per 1,000. Henry Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date April 29, 1916)
"For Sale - 50,000 Cabbage plants. H. Klapproth. Berryville."
(Source: Racine Journal, publication date July 2, 1917)
"Wanted - Berry pickers for Monday morning. None but good pickers need apply. Henry Klapproth. Hansche Road, Berryville."
(Source: June 21, 1919)
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| Taking Hay to Barn Klapproth Farm (Source: Photo from personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Irvin and Melvin Klapproth and their favorite horse "Scotty" (Source: Photo from personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Shirley, Daniel, Sherwood, Melvin, Irvin Klapproth. Circa 1930's. (Source: Photo from personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
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| Sherwood Klapproth harvesting wheat with his "red" Oliver tractor. Circa 1958. (Source: Photo from personal collection of Jacqueline Klapproth Nelson. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.) |
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