William J Thomas & Wife, Mary Elizabeth Williams Thomas

William John Thomas was born on 12 February 1828 in the Town of Steuben, Oneida County, New York and died in Wild Rose 12 January 1901. His wife Mary Elizabeth Williams Thomas was born in Wales (probably Betws-y-Coed according to family tradition) about 1829 and died 12 January 1883 in the Town of Rose. They settled in the Town of Rose in the early 1850's. They are buried in the Caersalem Cemetery.

John Hart Family

The John Hart Family. Back row: Mrs. W. E. (Mary Hart) Davies - 1860-1942, Mrs. Arthur ( Belle Hart) Sigford - 1864-1933, Wesley Hart 1887-1949. Seated: John Hart -1837- 1920 is holding Wesley Sigford -1887-1949, James Ellery Hart- 1876-1962 and Mrs. John (Marion) Hart -1841-1912. Mrs. W. E. Davies lived in the house on Highway A that is Birdsong. John Hart was born in England and his wife was born in Vermont. He was a farmer.

Allen Anderson Family

Allen Anderson Family of the Town of Mt. Morris and later the Town of Rose. Allen Anderson was born 6 November 1855 in Mt. Morris and called Elling. His parents were Lars (Lewis) Anderson and Maren Torjesdatter. His first wife was Gertrude Johnson whom he married on 5 June 1884. They had James Lewis Anderson born in 1888, Mabel Helene (1890-1891), Henry Maurice born in 1893 and Clarence Gilmore born in 1895. Gertrude died in 1900 and Allen took Inga Holt as his second wife 18 November 1902. They had a child Oscar Harvey who was born in 1904 and died in 1905. The picture shows Allen, Gertrude, James and Henry. Allen Anderson was a farmer. Allen died November 20, 1931.

Lelah Larsen Knights

Lelah Larsen Knights was born December 8, 1889 to James Larsen and his wife Amanda Pierce. She married Williams J Knights on November 14, 1923. She was an organist for the Methodist Church in Wild Rose for many years and taught Sunday school. She was an active member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Her husband was a co-founder of the Gideon and she attended many Gideon events. She was a nurses aid at the hospital for many years. Lelah was a talented quilter. She designed and made a quilt known as the World Peace quilt. It was 92 inches by 78 inches and featured the statue "Christ of the Andes" in the center of the quilt. The statute is on a mountain top between Bolivia and Chile. She made many quilters over the years. She was also known for the gathering she had for children in December. She had them put out her manager scene with the youngest child placing Jesus in the manager, followed by singing Christmas carols along with Christmas cookies. She died May 14, 1964. She is buried in Oakhill Cemetery.

The second Wild Rose State Bank opened for business on Thursday, February 21, 1929. It was located at 460 Main Street, The first depositor at the new bank was R. K. Jones who owned one of the hardware stores. C. M. Radley and son were the architects but the general plan for the interior was done by A. G. Holt who was the cashier. Hans P. Knuteson of Waupaca was the contractor. The interior decorating was done by Angus Monroe. The bank encouraged school children to visit to the bank to see stuffed specimens of a badger and a golden eagle. The Wild Rose Historical Society has both of them on display in Pioneer Hall. The bank had resources of $535, 559.60 at the close of business on March 27, 1929.

You can see the stuffed animals in the Wild Rose Historical Society Museum in Pioneer Hall, one of 6 buildings the museum has on its tour. The tour is Wenesday & Saturday afternoons in the summer (after June 15th until Labor Day Saturday). The tour begin at 1:00 PM and the last tour starts no later than 3:00 PM.

Treasurer Hunters Play 1917-1918 Wild Rose WI

This is the cast of the Treasure Hunters in 1917-18 in Wild Rose. Back row: Irwin Clayton, Roland Roberts, John Roberts, Arden Nelson, Franz (Swede) Herlin, Mary Humphrey, Monroe Radley. 4th Row; Clyde Protheroe as Senor Somebody, and sailors Harley Corning, Norman (Bud) Herlin, Lyle Stewart. 3rd Row Miss Newsom (Teacher), Claude Dake- English Dandy, Ira Jones, Miss Keene (Teacher) as Flakey gal, Meredith Owens - Naval officer, Pearl Pierce Dopp as a spinster, Lilah Bertrand Urban, Jennie Johnson Thomas, Orval Davies. 2nd row: Enid Jones Nurnberger, Edith Williams Jones, Gladys Williams Gallagher, Sidni Davies Mundy, Zilpha Davis, Lilah Smith Wilson, Keith Behrens. Front row: Clement Hotz, Leonard Sprague, Donald Larsen, Chester Korleski, Lyle Radloff, Charles Korleski, Harlowe (Ted) Long, Kermit Clark and Arnold Patterson. Some of the boys in the front row were in the class of 1926.

Willow Grove School, Waushara County, WI

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This picture of the Willow Grove School is about 1900. Back row: Ole Sorenson, Elmer Borgen, Gertrude Smith Barr, Anon Sorenson, Edith Woodward, Blanche Woodward Murton, & Ida Thompson. 3rd row: Gary Darling, Mervin Davies, Helen Woodward, Sarah Sorenson, Nona Smith Sommer. 2nd row: Durward Smith, George Sorenson, Martha Borgen, Mabel Woodward Erickson, Anna Sorenson Gethens. Front row: Milton Woodward, Thomas Sorenson, Lucy Woodward, Florence Wellner, Ora Woodward, and the teacher, Marion Davies.

On the right is Betsy Ann Jeffers who was the daughter of William and Phebe Wiley Jeffers. She was born April 13, 1828 in Rose, Wayne County New York. She married James Lyman January 20, 1850 in Rose, New York. James was a carpenter and joiner and later owned a furniture store in Wautoma. Betsy was related to all the Jeffers who settled in the Town of Rose and Town of Wautoma. The Lyman first lived in the Town of Warren , later Wautoma and then Plainfield. On the left is her daughter, Mary Lyman who was born November 16, 1850 in New York. Mary Lyman married Ira Parks Coon on March 14, 1872. Mary was a school teacher in Wautoma before her marriage. They moved to Plainfield. Mary Lyman Coon died December 14, 1943. Ira Coon was born January 25, 1850 in Milan, Ohio. He served two terms as Sheriff for Waushara county. From 1871-1880 he had a hotel in Wautoma. He moved to Plainfield in 1873 and ran a livery stable with John Trickie. He served as Postmaster in Plainfield from Harrison's term until his death with the exception of Cleveland's administration. He died February 21, 1906.

William Arden Murty

William Arden Murty was born August 22, 1897 to Robert Murty and Ella Phillips. He died April 21, 1904. Even though his first name was William, he was called Arden. His father Robert owned the Wild Rose mill on two different occasions. Robert was running the mill before Arden was born. In May of 1900 he sold the mill to Ellery Hart and then he bought it back in February of 1901. There was a newspaper report that Mrs. Robert Murty rescued her son by pulling him out of the millpond. The son had to have been Arden because he was the only one who could walk or craw at that time. While you won't remember Arden, you are very likely to know one of his siblings: Mildred Murty Darling, Maude Murty Harvey, Robert Stanley "Johnny" Murty, Cecil Murty, Isabel Murty Steaffens, Leon "Specks" Murty, Bernard "Bun" Murty, and Ardis Murty Greener. The picture was taken in Waupaca about 1898.

The picture was taken before 1920. It shows Dinah Davies with her children Thomas W and Mary Ann Davies Camp. Dinah was born in Wales in 1825 and died in 1920. She is buried in First Springwater with her husband William W. Davies who was born September 27, 1819 and died April 2, 1893. Thomas was a teacher and principal in Manitowoc. He was born about 1866 and married Katherine and had two daughters. Mary Ann Davies married Willard Camp in 1889 in Dover, Minnesota. Mary Ann was born April 19, 1856 in Berlin and died June 13, 1920. She divorced Willard Camp. Around the turn of the century (1900) she was a dressmaker in Wild Rose and went to North Dakota for a season. She had a son Welcome and two other children who died young. You will notice that Dinah is in a wheelchair. Mary Ann Camp lived on Maple Avenue at one time and at 538 Wisconsin Avenue another time.

Wild Rose Legion Baseball Team

This is the 1961 Wild Rose Legion Baseball team. Back row: David Sommer, Dick Anderson, Ted Steinke, Nelson Clark, Dick Jensen, Glenn Murty- Manager. Front row: Nelson Lehman, Chuck Brownlow, Dennis Thompson, Danny Christensen.

Wild Rose Methodist Youth Choir

This picture was taken about 1955 in the old Wild Rose Methodist Church. You can see part of the sanctuary in the backround. Back row: Rev. Richard Noble, Joan Fisher Attoe-Choir Director, Mae Abbott Songe-Accompanist. 3rd Row: Karen Pilz Cartwright, Rosemary Smith Fahebach, Pam Anderson, Jean Brownlow Sherman. 2nd Row: Michael Anderson, Nancy Caves Siewert, Louise Leuthold Williams, Colleen Colligan Sommer. Front Row: Christine Colligan Lauritzen, Daniel Colligan, Charles Brownlow, Donald Caves.

Maty Murty

Maty Murty was born January 18, 1895 on a day colder than blazes in the Town of Rose. She was the daughter of James "Jeff" Murty and Maggie Thomas Murty. She was delivered by Dr Carey and midwife, Mrs Ben (Mary) Swett. She graduated from Wild Rose High School in 1913. She first attended school at the Brownlow School in the Town of Mt. Morris. She was a teacher and over her 43 year career she taught in the following Waushara County schools: Rice, Hartford, Colebrook, Webb, Chain O'Lakes, Poy Sippi. She taught 3 years at the progressive school that is part of the Wild Rose Museum. She had 22 students in Progressive one room school with grades 1 through 8. She also taught in Minnesota. She went to summer school for years and years. She lived in a house without electricity in those years so she studied by the kerosene lamp. She also had goats. I remember her promising me that I could ride Senator Whitehead when I got older. I never got to ride her and I expect my mother probably said there was no way I could ever ride a goat. She died in Wild Rose July 15 1996 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Wild Rose. Many of you may remember her driving her old car that frequently broke down. She may have lived so long because she had to walk home so often when the car was sick. She was my great aunt. This picture was probably her high school graduation picture.

Wild Rose Basketball Team 1935-36

This is the Wild Rose Basketball team from 1935-36. Back row: Leo Kaminski, Samuel Williams, Donald Stewart, Gordon Caves and Donald "Red" Colligan. Front row: Warren "Beans" Patterson, Bruce McCormick, Robinson "Rob" Williams, and Calvin Woodward. It is obvious that the picture was taken in the spring because of the leaves on the tree.

Wild Rose Faculty Play 1938

Back in the 1930's, not only were there class plays but there were also faculty only plays in Wild Rose. Standing" Elmer Hougum, Gladys Fosnot and Lois Bonson. Seated: Carl Handke, William Godson, Dorothy Harvey (later Williams) and Marlene Nelson.

Wild Rose Christmas Program 1951

We used to have school Christmas Programs and this picture is from Wild Rose in 1951. The Jingle bells girls are the 1st and 2nd graders. Their outfits were made by the mothers without patterns so you will notice different necklines. They were made out of red cheesecloth and had silver trim. From left to right: Carla Christie Casper, Louise Leuthold Williams, Cathy Bowen, Pam Anderson, Rosemary Cook Bartel, Carol Colligan Marquard, Judy Patterson McKenzie, Sharon Thompson Gauno, Karen Pilz Cartwright and Kay Williams Williams. Mr. Schreiner was the music director and Lillian Attoe (later Senn) was the accompanist. The lady in the front in the bathrobe is probably Rosalie Smith.

Wild Rose Horeb Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church in the early years. This is a picture of the of the Horeb Presbyterian Church in Wild Rose at 501 Jackson St. You will notice that there are no other buildings around it other than the outhouse on the right side of the picture and the trees are small.