The third week in April is National Library Week and to celebrate I have crafted a new display that delves into the history of the Crandon Public Library. The exhibit features objects from the days of the traveling library when the state library would ship books to Crandon so that the area would have a greater variety of reading material. There are documents from WWI when the Crandon Public Library supported troops by gathering books and shipping them overseas. In addition, there are library books from the early 1900’s that would have been on the shelves of Crandon’s first library located in the county courthouse. I encourage everyone to come and check out the library register from the late 1930’s to see if you can spot one of your relatives’ names. The photograph below is the interior of the Crandon Public Library in the early 1930’s.
The final female featured for Women’s National History Month, Elmyra Hobbs, had a tremendous impact on the Crandon Public Library. In fact, the building is named after her because without her generous donations we would not have the new library facilities. Elmyra was born in 1911 just outside of Crandon to Emil and Anna Schimek. She spent her childhood living on the family’s farm located northwest of the City of Crandon. She attended school at Siding Two, a one room school house, until seventh grade. The Schimek family moved into the City of Crandon in 1926 and Elmyra graduated from Crandon High School in 1931. She went onto higher education at the Oneida County Normal School and worked for F.A. Himes at the local Lumber and Coal Company. She was joined in matrimony to Gordon Hobbs in 1935. Gordon owned the Crandon Telephone Company and Elmyra started working there right after they were married: book keeping, paying bills, handling the switch board, and general office work. She would sometimes work nights and sleep on a cot located in the office. During the early years at the telephone company Elmyra became skilled at repairing heat coils and using a soldering iron. Elmyra continued to work tirelessly at the Crandon Telephone Company as the General Manager until she sold the company to Rhinelander Telecommunications in 1993. In addition to contributing to the Crandon Public Library she donated to Headwaters, a Catholic Charity Bureau, which supplied them with much needed support (Hobbs-Wilbur 2005). I encourage everyone to visit the Forest County Historical Society Museum this summer which displays many objects from Mrs. Hobb’s life.
This week’s featured local history female is Lulu Shaw, the first female mayor in the state of Wisconsin! In fact, Lulu’s mayoral election was such a momentous occasion it was mentioned in a New York City newspaper in 1923(New York Evening Telegram). Lulu Parnell Shaw was born in the town of Omro in 1866 to Samuel and Louise Shaw. She became well educated in business and law. Ms. Shaw was one of the early publishers of the Forest Republican in Crandon (The Wisconsin State Journal). She spoke at the 5th annual convention of the North Central Wisconsin Union Young Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor in Stevens Point on the subject of Sunday school work (Stevens Point Journal). Lulu fought for the vote when she organized a women’s suffrage club in 1914(Madison Wisconsin State Journal). In April of 1923 she was elected the mayor of Crandon over her opponent Otto A. Bock. Shaw died October 21, 1937 after a brief bout of pneumonia (The Oshkosh Northwestern). I encourage everyone to come to the library to view the display next to the Children’s Room. The case features photos of Lulu as well as the book of the Common Council Proceedings where she signed many of her mayoral decrees.
This week’s featured woman in local history did not spend her entire life in Forest County but she was a pioneer as a career woman throughout her life. Ida Dutcher was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin to Heber and Mary Ann West in 1857 and she received her high school diploma while residing in Waupaca (Carpenter & Milbury 1914). She became a school teacher until she married a Civil War veteran, Henry Dutcher, in 1880 (Plover 1938). Ida and Henry moved to Forest County in 1888 where they developed one of the most profitable and beautiful farms in the region. Ida assisted her husband in his abstract business. They were also active in religious and community organizations in Forest County. While living in the area Ida gave birth to three children and buried two of them (Forest Republican). The Dutchers moved to California in 1901 where Ida maintained and operated an insurance and real estate business for thirty years. A woman owning her own business was very rare at that time. She also had a enormous impact as a Library and School trustee and a founder of the local PTA ( Forest Republican). Ida Dutcher was one of the first pioneers in the Forest County area and a trail blazer as a woman entrepreneur and her accomplishments should certainly be recognized.
This week’s featured female historical figure for Women’s History Month is Louise Webb Shaw. She is well-known for being the first white female settler in Crandon. Louise was born in Waukesha in 1844 to Robert and Parnal Hulbert Beckwith Webb. When she was eight her family moved to Omro where she attended school and studied music. She was married to Samual Shaw on July 17th, 1865. The Shaws moved to Madison in 1873 where Samuel became superintendent of schools while he invested in timber in Northern Wisconsin. The Shaws relocated to Northern Wisconsin in 1883 and Louise named the region “Forest County” in 1885. She became the county’s first superintendent of schools and would frequently visit the schools on horseback. At the time Forest County schools included institutions in Pelican Lake, Monico, and Three Lakes. Louise brought a medical book with her to the Northwoods and would assist her neighbors when their children became ill. The first post office called Ayr was located in the Shaw home and Mrs. Shaw became the community’s first postmaster. She handled the mail which was brought in by stage coach twice a week. Louise was a devout Christian; she instituted the community’s first religious services which were held in the Shaw home. In 1930, she suffered a stroke which affected the left side of her body but she still maintained an active interest in her community, especially enjoying reading and visiting her friends. Two years later Louise passed away and the mayor declared that all stores and places of business would be closed during her funeral out of respect for such a beloved resident ( Forest Republican 1932).
The month of March is Women’s History Month so to honor all the great women throughout history my monthly exhibit will reflect that theme. Please come visit the Crandon Public Library and check out the display that invites you to “Discover Local History through the Female Lens”. To coordinate with that subject, there is a book display next to the new book section of works that feature strong women characters. There is also a table outside of the children’s room whose story lines include positive role models. Every Friday this month I will highlight a woman from Forest County history that served the community and thrived in the frontier environment.
This week’s lady of honor is Edith Keith. Edith was born in Peoria, Illinois to William and Stella Brubaker on October 21st, 1884. She was a graduate of Bradley College and the Chicago Art Institute. She came to Crandon in 1906 to teach art and music. Edith became Mrs. Harry Keith on October 21st, 1907. Mr. Keith owned a mill and a lumber company and was a businessman. Edith was the founder and two term president of the Rural Art Society. She received the prestigious John Stewart Curry Memorial Award for her dedication to the arts. Mrs. Keith was also said to be the first to woman to drive unescorted from Chicago to Crandon in 1911 (Forest Republican 1982). Can you imagine that car ride?
This week’s discovery can be connected with a figure in our national history. The archives contain a letter from Booker T. Washington written on paper bearing the letter head of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute addressed to A.C. Haile thanking her for her support. Booker T. Washington was a prominent Civil Rights Activist during the late 19th and early 20th century and was the first African American to visit the White House. Mr. Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute in order to provide higher education to African Americans specifically in the field of agriculture. The Tuskegee University is still a highly respected institution of higher education today. To see a photo of the letter check out the Crandon Public Library Facebook page.
This week I wanted to find out how residents celebrated this lovers’ holiday many years ago. According to an article from the Forest Republican published in 1922 ” Valentine’s Day is the Beginning of a Week of Pleasures”. That year Mrs. H.H. Mohr threw a Valentine party with Princess pine and hearts decorating her home. Everyone spent the night playing the card game “Hearts” while eating food crafted into heart shapes. A “colorful messenger” showed up and delivered everyone’s place cards in the “form of half a valentine”. There was musically entertainment and prizes awarded to the winners of the card game including: Mrs. Roeber, Mrs. Keith, Mrs. Gebhart, and Mrs. Ison (Forest Republican 1922). That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the holiday to me!
I have also included photographs of loving couples below to get everyone in the mood for Valentine’s Day.
Sarah Boggs and Zigmond ChackBernice and August Linnemann
This week I discovered a charge plate among the collection in the Local History Room at the library. A charge plate also referred to as a “charga-plate” was popular during the 1930’s-40’s and was used to make purchases when the buyer did not have enough money. The plates were embossed with the person’s name and address. The charge plate functioned by putting the metal plate in a machine with inked ribbon stuck between the sales slip and that plate that would transfer the plate’s image onto the piece of paper when it was pressed together. The earliest known record of the plate’s use was by airplane and gasoline corporations in the 1920’s.
The charge plate in the collection was issued to James Wegter by the Chicago Credit Plate Service, Inc.
Today I will be working on a new display for the case located at the front of the Crandon Public Library. The February display reveals the identity of the mystery object from last month’s display so you really need to come check it out! The display also illuminates the amazing life of Ernest Wilson, who donated the mystery object to the library.
Ernest Wilson was born on January 1st, 1914 in New Auburn, Wisconsin to a divorced mother who was forced to place her children in an orphanage located in Sparta, Wisconsin. To help produce an income Ernest was sent to work at local farms. At the age of 10 people began to proclaim that Ernest was a prodigy due to his ability to sketch the likeness of any person, and his aptitude for musical instruments. In 1924, Ernest put on a musical show for the governor of Wisconsin and during the Depression he earned money and gained fame by traveling all around North America performing. In 1935, Ernest met Max Scharf, the champion trick fiddler, and they teamed up to play daily on the radio as well as weekends for the W.L.S. Barn Dance in Chicago as the Whoopee Cowboys. Ernest married his partner’s daughter Nina Scharf of Crandon in 1935. They had five children together: Bert, Glen, Linda, Karl, and Julie. Over his illustrious career Ernest won several awards including: National Champion Yodeling contest, National Championship for the one man band, and won Senior Citizen of the Year at the Wisconsin State Fair. Upon his retirement Ernest settled in Crandon to focus on his art and to operate a sign shop. He would still perform at local events and would entertain the residents at the nursing home. Ernest Wilson passed away in 1995 in Minnesota but he is buried at the Lakeside Cemetery. Ernest’s ancestors still reside in Crandon and his art can be seen decorating the walls of the Forest County Courthouse. The drum from his one man band is exhibited at the Forest County Historical and Genealogical Society. If you have a memory or photo of Ernest Wilson or Max Scharf feel free to share!
