J H Jeffers and Plainfield School

Party line phone in the General Store at the Wild Rose Museum

In the old days multiple people were on the same line.  Only one call could occur at the same time.  However many other people on the line might listen in.  We know of cases where a lady wrote the local column for the newspaper for her area by listening in on or the calls.  Your number might be a long and a short ring but everyone on you line heard it.

Patsy's Grave for Wild Rose Car Show

This tombstone was made for the car show in Wild Rose Car Show last saturday.

Patsy was one of 4 robbers who tried to rob the Wild Rose State Bank in Oct of 1905. They were successful at the Wild Rose Post Office which was located in Clark's store.

Letter from Christiana Foote Jeffers on death of Great Grandson, William Tobias Spicer

Notice how she uses every possible space,  This letter was written on the back of the letter from William & Phebe Jeffers.  

Letter from William & Phebe Jeffers in 1852 on the death of a grandson

Thomas Dale House

The Thomas Dale log cabin was built about 1868 in the Town of Rose on the bank of the Pine River near a spring about half a mile west of Wild Rose and a fourth of the mile north of the Josiah Etheridge house later owned by Alfred Jenks and on the north of the Chicago Northwestern RR.

The people in the picture are: Jane Bowen  Purcell, Lela Zick, Hannah Bowen Etheridge, Mary Phillips, and Margaret Bowen Hanson.

Ann Etheridge Gegg

Ann Etheridge Gegg was a sister of Josiah, John , & Cornelius Etheridge. Ann stayed in England and those three brothers came to Wild Rose.

Maple Ave in Wild Rose in early days

Wild Rose teachers in 1926 with road sign.

Janet McMillan and Olive Oettinger in 1926 . The teachers are photographed on the south side of Wild Rose.  It is likely to be on the east side of the road opposite the area where the Co-op is today.

Miss Carter, teacher In Wild Rose

Miss Carter, a teacher in Wild Rose from 1910-1012/

David Bowen's Birthplace in Wales

David R Bowen was born in Llanbyther, Carmarthenshire, Wales,
The farm name was Rhydybont.  The Welsh had farm names to
help separate out all the Jones, Williams & Thomas families.

Boats on Wild Rose Mill Pond

The picture was taken by Franklin Woodard who also superimposed the boats on the mill pond.  The house in the center is 220 Main St.