Valaria Sawyer Russon

Valaria Margaret Sawyer was born December 27,
1920 to Lyle Welcome Sawyer (1893-1948) and
Murrel Maybelle Jeffers (1900-1978). Early in her
life her family lived in Racine.  Her paternal
grandparents were Herbert Sawyer and Addie
Herrick. Herbert was born in the Town of Belmont. 
Her maternal grandparents were Henry Jeffers and
Mary Bartelson who lived on Cleveland Avenue in
Wild Rose.  The family was in Wild Rose in 1935
and through Valeria's years in high school.  In
school her appearance was "quick", her weakness
was dancing, her saying was "nuts to you.  She
married Raymond Samuel Russon February 10,
1942 in Wisconsin.  Raymond was born April 21,
1916 in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was living in
Minneapolis in 1930.  He served in WWII.  Bay
Pines National Cemetery in Florida.Valeria died
July 24, 2005 in Marion, Florida.

Phoebe Page Lane

Phoebe Page was born in November 1843 in Rose, 

Wayne County, NY to James Watson Page (1822-

1900) and Polly Jeffers (1824-1853). To avoid 

confusion there were two Polly Jeffers in Rose, NY.  

Phoebe's mother was the daughter of William (1790-

1865) and Phebe (1790-1879) Jeffers.  The other 

Polly was the daughter of John Jeffers (1796-1876) 

and Lydia Way (1808-1863). This Polly married John 

Tower Jenks.  Phoebe married Charles Wesley Lane 

(1842-1915) in 1867. They had the following children: 

Grace married George Lincoln, Carlton, Harry, Elton 

Page, Fred, Frank, Edward, Leslie and Madge Riley.  

ch 3, 1912 in Calistoga. 

Wild Rose cheerleaders 1956-57

Wild Rose cheerleaders for the 1956-57 season: Joan Potts
Attoe, Jeanette Urban Nelson (1939-2007), Barbara Korleski
Van Airsdale later Millin, Wendy Heuer Caswell. All were from
the Class of 1957.

Wild Rose City Team

This is a tournament game  in 1963 that was played at
Milwaukee Stadium. The Wild Rose city team won their
league. They lost to a Milwaukee team but it was
respectable. Back row: Ed Berry, Ron Jenks, Dick Sommer,
Vernon Apps, Dale Glunn Ted Steinke, Marty Inda,  David
Sommer. Middle row: Joe Dernbach, Dick Jensen, Ray
Johnson, Dick Anderson, Mike Wilson,  Leonard Leary.

Front row: bat boy - Gordie Jensen.

Dan Merryfield as a Skunk in Skating Show

This skunk costume was worn by Dan Merryfield
in 1951 during the Wild Rose Skating club
performance.  Dan donated the costume to the
Wild Rose Historical Society for our collection on
ice skating. The club had local skaters from
1952 due to rain and higher temperature. Dan
was born to Howard Merryfield and Martha Lee
at the Hadden Hospital in Wild Rose. Howard
had a barbershop on the lower level of the 2nd
Wild Rose Bank. His mother, Martha had a beauty
shop on the lower level of the Mercentile. In 1955
Dan was one of seven recognized for his ability to
sell magazine subscriptions to help the W.R
chools. an graduated from WRHS in 1961.  He was
President of the Freshmen class, V-P in Junior and
Senior classes, he also served 3 years on student
council, He was in the Letter Club 4 years. He
played Larry Donley in "Lock, Stock and Lipstick"
as a senior. He was number 27 on the football
team for 4 years and honorary captain his senior
year. He played basketball his first two years and
had number 34. He was in prom court and home
coming court. He played baseball for 3 years. He
saw Iowa play UW in 1959 with the letter club.

Kay Zeller Harris

Kay Jean Zeller was born June 23, 1941 to Carl Zeller
(1900-1968) and Clara Olson (1905-2004) in Berlin,
Green Lake County, Wisconsin.Kay graduated with the
class of 1959 from Wild Rose High School as
Salutatorian. She was president of her freshman class
and treasurer as a senior. She was in homecoming
court as a freshman, Sno-Ball court as a sophomore,
Prom court as a junior.  She was Alyene, the youngest
Porter in the senior class play "Papa was a Preacher."
All four years she was in F.H.A., Forensics, Band, Alto
Sax solo, Sax duet, Sax quartet and Pep band. She
was in chorus the first thee years and glee club her
senior year. She won a WGN Radio show in July of
1956. The Lions club sent her to U.W. Madison music
clinic for three weeks. She went to Marquette and r
eceived a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech. She
married George Alton Harris Jr in November of 1969 i
n Broward County, Florida. He died in 1988 in Kentucky. 
Kay died July 11, 2001 in New Orleans.  She is buried
in St. Martin's in Almond, Wisconsin.

Vernon Lane and Norma Herlin

This picture was likely taken around 1919 or 1920.  

Norman Herlin graduated in 1922 but Vernon Lane 

did not graduate.  Vernon Allen Lane was born July 

23, 1902 in Springwater to Henry Lane (1866-1927) 

and Therese Wilson (1869-1920). In 1920 he lived 

with his mother on Euclid Street near Isaac and 

Tammie Woodward. He married Esther M. Staeber  

(1902-1995).  They had two children Bruce V Lane 

(1923-1946) and James O Lane (1926-1987). Vernon 

died March 7, 1972 and is buried in Woodlawn 

Cemetery in Shawano.

Norman Ellsworth Herlin September 21, 1901 in 

Illinois and moved to Wild Rose in 1903. His parents 

were Frank M. Herlin (1867-1930) and Ragnild 

Elizabeth Thompson (1874-1945). He missed some 

school in March of 1921 due to Scarlet fever.  He 

married Isabelle Charlotte Backhaus (1906-1996) 

April 6, 1932 at Beaver Dam.  Norman was a 

salesman for Armour meats but he also was a 

musician. He played for an orchestra in La Crosse 

s well as the Ohioans (the band with perfect 

rhythm in dance halls and speakeasys) in a variety 

of places.  He had a daughter Jean.  He died Nov. 10, 

1941 in Beaver Dam.  His wife later married Buel 

Walsh.  He is burief with his wife in the Mt. Morris 

Holden Cemetery

Leonard Dake

Leonard Grant Dake was born June 27, 1922 in 
Wild Rose to Earl Dake (1876-1935)  and Luella 
Morey (1880-1963). His father had a jewelry 
store in Wild Rose. His nickname was "Duck". 
His appearance was mischievous and he had a 
weakness in catching the ball. His saying was 
"who said so." His favorite song was "Drifting 
and Dreaming." He wanted to be in the National 
League. Leonard willed his baseball ability to 
Norman Hoeft and Kenneth Baker. Leonard was 
a catcher on the baseball team as well as one of 
the best hitters in Wild Rose history at that time, 
Leonard enlisted in the US Army Sept. 28, 1942.  
He was 5'7" and weighted 176 pounds. He was 
discharged. He married Marcella Joyce Williams 
(March 16, 1923-Aug. 5, 2015)  on May 29, 
1943 in Wild Rose. Her parents were Griffith 
Elmer Williams (1891-1965) and Emma "Helen: 
Jensen (1898-1987).  He was captured in 
Germany and detained Dec. 20, 1944.  He 
received a Purple heart.  He was released 
May 25, 2945. He was discharged as a corporal 
on Oct. 24, 1945. He drove for the Chicago 
Transit Authority for 39 years and retired in 
1983 when he also moved to Saxeville.  He 
died Aug, 29, 2011 in Appleton, WI. He and 
Marcella are buried in the Hilltop Cemetery in 
Saxeville.

Milford Etheridge, Josiah Etheridge and Permelia Pease Etheridge

Milford Etheridge is the grandson of Josiah Etheridge
and Permelia Pease Etheridge. The picture is before
1912 when Permelia died.

Sever Charleson

Sever Charleson was born March 9, 1873 in Mt
Morris and baptized on May 25, 1873 at Mt.
Morris Holden Church. His Parents were Ellick
Charleson ( Ellev Kjostelsen) from Sondeled,
Norway (1834-1899) and Emma Thompson
(Ingeborg Helene Torjesen) (1838-1922) from
Holt, Norway.  He was baptized May 25, 1873
at  the Mount Morris Holden Church.  He married
Ida Alice Anderson who was born Dec 22, 1881
to Andrew L Anderson and Isabel A Larson. 
They were married at the Mt Morris Church on
September 5, 1900.. Sever was a farmer.  They
had two children. Raymond Howard Charleson
who was born March 4 and baptized on March
30, 1902.  Raymond charged his surname to
Charleston in 1942 while his was living in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  He later lived in
Maywood, Illinois with a wife and two children. 
Sever's daughter, Verne Elenor was born was
born August 27, 1906, baptized on Sept. 23 with
Halbert and Louisa Charleson Anderson as
sponsors. Unfortunately she died December 11,
1906.  Sever died of flu on March 3, 1907.  Ida
moved around including Minnesota and later
Chicago.  When her sister Grace's husband,
Torge Lovdahl died, she came back to live with
her.  Ida died June 3, 1965. 

John J Dopp

John J Dopp was born Feb.24, 1922 in the Town
of Belmont to Walter H. Dopp (1887-1957) and
Florence Yale Frost (1889-1980). John
graduated from Wild Rose High School in 1939.
He as described as casual, he had a weakness
for studying, his song was "Shade of the Old
Apple Tree", and his saying was "Oh, Nuts!."
Dancing was an experience for him. He
attended college for one year. His occupation
was a farmer, He married Virginia Mae Lienhard
October 10, 1945.  He was a member of the
Dopp Methodist Church.  He was a Treasurer
of the Dopp Cemetery (now Greeenvale
Cemetey). He was President of the Wild Rose
Hospital Board. He was President of the Wild
Road Booster Club. He was a director for the
Mount Morris Mutual Fire Insurance Co. He died
Aug. 24, 1976 in Belmont. He is buried in the
Dopp Cemetery. He was survived by his 5 
children.

Doris Davies

Doris Denise Davies was born June 25, 1921 to 

Daniel Webster Davies (1886-1966) and his wife, 

Sarah Evans (1887-1968).  Doris graduated 

with the Class of 1939. Dorie was class 

President as a freshman. Her appearance was 

prim. She had a weakness for “Wautoma males.” 

Her favorite song was “Danny Boy” even though 

she was Welsh. Her favorite saying was “Oh my 

gosh, what’ll I do?” Her interesting experience 

was playing hooky. Doris played Rhoda, the 

daughter of Ainsworth Alcott, a small town 

Caesar in “Intimate Enemies” which was 

performed April 28, 1939. She went for more 

schooling in Oshkosh. She married John R 

Buchholz Feb. 11, 1944. John was born 

Jan. 22, 1920 in Minneapolis but grew up in 

Pickett, Wisconsin. They moved to Manitowoc 

in 1947. John was the Manitowoc County 

Agricultural agent. They had two children: 

William and Barbara who married Randall 

Howard. John died Feb 11, 1977. In 1981, 

Doris married William T Boelter of Manitowoc.  

Doris died Sept. 27 2002 in Manitowoc.

Soule Children

This picture shows the 4 oldest children of Harold Marion
Soule and Mildred Abear. They are in order; Marion,
Norrine, Floyd and Nelson. Marion Maria, the oldest
daughter was born Feb. 8, 1926 and died May 4, 1996 in
 De Tour, Michigan. Marion graduated with the class of
1944. Norrine Eleanor was born Oct. 6, 1928. She married
Carl Christie. They had 4 children: Carla, Dennis, Diane
and Nadine. Norrine died March 18, 1957 in Marinette.
Floyd James was born Feb. 16, 1930 in Springfield, Ill.
and died Jan. 21, 2015. Nelson Benjamin was born June 7,
1931 in De Tour, Michigan and died March 9, 2004 in
Hampton City, Virginia. Harold worked for railroad and
so he moved around. Harold was the son of Rev. Almeran
Soule and Florence Towne.  Harold was born April 2, 1904
and died in Webster, Texas. on November 25, 1979.  The
elder Soules also moved around because the Reverend
served different churches in Illionis and Iowa. Mildred
Abear was the daughter of Nelson Abear and Lillian
Jondreau. Mildred was born in De Tour on August 29,
1907. She died Jan. 30, 1980 in De Tour, Michigan. 
Harold and Mildred divorced and he remarried.

Walter Attoe

Walter Berthold Attoe was born August 31,
1920 in the Town of Springwater. His parents
were Herbert James Attoe (1881-1955) and
his wife Mary Schmidt (1884-1982). His
middle name came from his maternal
grandfather, Berthold Schmidt. He attended
school in Wild Rose. He played James
Seymour, one of the guests in The Candle
in the Window" which the 8th grade
performed as part of the Christmas
program at the Mercantile Hall in 1935.
He graduated in 1939. His appearance
was calm. He had a weakness for motorcycles.
His favorite song was "Now's the Time to Fall
in Love." His saying was "Yup." He also made
sorghum. He married Mildred Lucille Bandt
October 18, 1947 in Fond du Lac. Mildred was
born Aug. 19, 1927.They had two sons. He was
active in the Wild Rose Baptist church including
being the Asst. Superintendent of the Sunday
school. He participated as a collector for the
American Bible Society. Walter had moved to
Wautoma but he died in the Wild Rose Hospital
on May 1,1970. Mildred died March 11, 2013 in
Wautoma.  Both are buried in the Wild Rose Union
Cemetery.

Charles F Bartsch

Charles Frederick Bartsch was born March 1, 1921 to
Gustav Emil Bartsch ( 1888-1971) and his wife, Leona
Anne Strey (1896-1992) of Saxeville. He went to
grade school in Saxeville. Charlie was a member of
the class of 1939 at Wild Rose High School and
graduated with his class. His appearance was reckless
and he had a weakness. His favorite song was "You're
the Only One for Me". His saying was "Oh Yeah." He
had experience climbing trees. He willed his manners
to Betty Sommers. He was "Ronnie, the ineffective
son of Armsworth Elkhart, a tyrannical small town
Caesar. The play was "Intimate Enemy" and was
performed on April 28, 1939. On September 21 1942 he
enlisted in the Army. The records indicate he was 5'5"
and weighed 150. He was married Feb. 1, 1947 at the
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church close to the
Howe Cemetery in the Town of Mount Morris. His wife
was Helen E Stratton daughter of Charles P Stratton
(1896-1949) and Ingrid M Danielson (1897-1944 .He
was a supply manager for Wisconsin Electric Power Co.
He died April 2, 2003 in Racine and is buried in Hilltop in
Saxeville,  Helen died June 20, 2001 in Wild Rose and is
also buried at Hilltop.

Clara Hudziak Pionke

Clara Hudziak Pionke is the daughter of Joseph Hudziak 

(1893-1971) and Clara Buckholtz (1895-1940).  Her 

parents are buried in Hope Cemetery in Heffron.  Clara 

graduated in the class of 1945.  She was the class 

Secretary as a freshman and moved up to class 

President as a senior. She was Queen of the May 4, 

1944 Prom with Harold Baitinger as King.  The prom 

had a Hawaiian Paradise theme and music was by the 

orchestra of Larry Woodbury.  Clara was the assistant 

editor of the annual.  She was described as "friendly" 

with a weakness for Delwin. Her favorite song was "In 

the Army Now."  She married Martin Pionke Jr., son of 

Martin Pionke and Laura Golla, on June 21, 1952 at 

Heffron.   Clara has been active in the "Over 50 Club" 

which is the group of Wild Rose school people who 

graduated over 50 years ago. Clara was born Oct. 19, 

1929.  She died April 27. 2017 in Wisconsin Rapids. WI.

Joyce Potter Patterson

.

Joyce I Potter was born in 1922 to Minor Potter 
(1894-1961) and Edith Evans (1897-1988). 
She was treasurer of her freshman class. Her 
appearance was good natured. She had a 
weakness for redheads. Her favorite song 
was "A Bicycle Built For Two." Her saying 
was "Forget it." She performed in a piano 
trio for the Wild Rose P.T.A. in 1934 with 
Gwendora Williams and Inez Inda. She was 
"Phyllis, a friend" of the main character in 
"Sound Your Horn" as a junior. The senior 
class play was "Intimate Enemy" which was 
a comedy where she was "Adoree, a carefree 
dancer" She was Queen of the 1938 Prom 
with her husband to be, Norman Patterson 
as King. She wore a peach taffeta dress with 
a wrist corsage of sweet peas and carnations. 
That was the first prom to be held in the gym 
at the high school. Before they were held at 
the Mercantile hall. The prom was held on the 
lawn of a southern plantation. She married 
Norman Patterson at the parsonage of the 
Presbyterian Church in January 1946. 
Norman, who was a career military guy, 
had just returned from 17 months in India. 
Before her marriage she had worked as 
register in probate for Judge Gad Jones. 
Norman died in 2000. Joyce died January 12, 
2015 and was buried at Fort Snelling 
cemetery in Minnesota.

Women at Bessie Jeffers Neilson's

This picture was taken March 29, 1960. L to R:
Clara Nelson Smith (1881-1970), Blanche
Etheridge Murty (1889-1980),  Grace
Goodwin Darling later Stratton (1890-1984),
Lelah Larson Knights (1889-1964), Bessie
Jeffers Neilson (1880-1962,  and Ina Stewart
Coombs(1876-1964). This is in the dining
room of the house in the Town of Rose that
Bessie shared with her brother Floyd Jeffers.
Lelah was married to William J Knights who
was one of the three founders of the Gideons.

Milton Jones Silo

This picture shows the first Wild Rose 
School that as located at 642 Main St. 
The building was bought from the 
Wild Rose School district about 1890 
by David Lloyd Jones, the father of 
David Milton Jones. David Lloyd 
Jones was also the father of Elizabeth 
Jones Walters, the mother of Lois and
Margaret Walters. A new school was 
built on the same site. It was the 
where the Dave Bowen house
was. The school became the potato 
cellar which is located behind the silo. 
The farm was locate at
N5677 17th Drive, Wild Rose.

Bugh Bridge, Wautoma

More from Clyde Diggles album. The card was 
sent in 1909.  Clyde enlisted and served in 
WWI.  He was in the 107th Supply Train that 
went to France. He was medium height and 
weight with brown hair and blue eyes. The 
transport records show he left NY Jan.24th 
1918.  On Feb. 5, 1918 his ship the Tuscania 
was torpedoed by  German U-Boat 77 about 
6:40 PM off the coast of Ireland.  The troops 
and crew were 2,397 and 210 died that day. 
It took 4 hours for the ship to sink. There were 
many people from Waushara county in the ship 
including these surnames: Inda, Colligan, 
Campbell, Patterson, Johnson, Swendrzynski, 
Jarvis, Persons, Thorstad, Gunderson, 
Simonson, Sorenson. 

Party for Anna Hoaglin at Blanche Murty's

Mrs.Edward (Anna Smart) Hoaglin 1883-1954, 
Mrs Rodney( Blanche Etheridge Murty 1889-
1980, Mrs. Lyman (Rose Swett )Anderson 1875-
1959,  Mrs Rev.Robert (Irma Zuehlke) Hoffman 
1888-1984,Mrs. Jerry (Fanny Etheridge) Pierce 
1865- 1957, Mrs. Ole (Mary Legried)Olson  1881-
1964) grandson, Maurice Haskins) Mrs. Glenn 
(Jeanette Olson) Murty 1913-2002, and  Mrs. 
Glenn (Hannah Bowen) Etheridge !889-1957. 
Mrs Hoaglin was the Wild Rose librarian. Hannah 
Etheridge was on the Wild Rose school board. 
Blanche, Rose and Fanny were all descendants 
of the Jeffers. Mary was Jeanette's mother and 
lived in Albert Lea, MN.  Blanche's husband 
worked for Ed Hoaglin at the mill and later owned
the Wild Rose mill. The picture was about 1949-
1950.

Class of 1930

Back row: Edna Nelson Lerch, Laurel Thompson, 

Martha Lee Merryfield, Olive Backes Covill, 

Beatrice Apps Thomson.2nd row Bernice Korleski 

Johnson Sophie Wargula, Lola 

Jenks Sorenson, Laura Eserhut Cate, 

Alice Holt Hennings, teacher Olive Oettke. 

Front row John Apps, Ellen Currier Colligan, 

Carolyn Hanson Garrison, Albert Potts.

Henry Rable Jr.

Henry Rable Jr was born September 29, 1941 in Czechoslovakia to
a member of the Class of 1959. He was President of his class as a
Junior and on student council, He played baseball and basketball
all four years. He was 30 on the basketball team and 21 on the
football team where he was a halfback. He was on football for 3
years and track his last two years Hank was Prom King as a
Junior with Isabelle Potts as Queen. He played clarinet in band,
solo, duet and quartet. The quartet played "Staccoto and; Legeto"
at the spring concert in 1957. George Wilcox, Zona Jones and
Rosemary Cook were the other three. Hank went to Badger
Boys State in 1958. After graduation Henry went to Carroll
College in Waukesha. Hank was a passenger in a car which
veered out of control after passing a car. Witnesses said the
car went off the left shoulder and then crashed into a ditch
two miles north of Wautoma on Highway 22. Hank was killed
instantly. Hank and the driver were thrown from the car, He died
on August 17, 1960.  He and his parents are buried at Calvary
Cemetery in Wautoma.

Dorthy Harvey Williams & Gladys Fosnot

The picture is from 1936-1938 time.  On the
 left is Dorothy Harvey who was born in
Redgranite, Aug. 31 1911 to Walter
Harvey  (1882-1965) and  Catherine
Bannerman (1879-1948). Dorothy's
parents were born in Scotland. She
married John Owen Williams Sept. 20,
1941 in Wild Rose.  John was the son of
Owen Williams (1873-1938).  Gladys
Eileen Fosnot was born Baraboo on
Oct. 13, 1914 To Bert R. Fosnot and his
wife Myrta McCoy.  Gladys graduated
from UW Madison with a degree in
music and was the band director in
Wild Rose.  She left in 1938 to marry
Robert Kirkpatrick on June 30,1938
which was her parent's 30th wedding
anniversary. A number of Wild Rose
people attended her wedding : Mr &
Mrs. A G Holt, Mr and Mrs. R K Hotz,
Dr Fisher and his daughter, Joan and
Gwendora Williams. She played the f
rench horn in the Madison Civic Sympathy
Orchestra. 

Maurice Anderson

Maurice Carlton Anderson was born in the Town 
of Mt. Morris, on Nov. 14, 1911 to Halbert 
Anderson and Louisa Charleson. He went to the 
one room  Thompson School on County G in the 
Town of Mt Morris. His schooling end after his 
sophomore year to work on the family farm. 
He worked at the Wild Rose creamery 
beginning in 1932. He served in World War II, 
enlisting in the Army on June 23, 1942. He 
served in the Pacific and was released Jan. 1, 
1946.  He returned to the Creamery in Wild 
Rose. He married Majorie Hesness who was a 
nurse a the Wild Rose Hospital. They married 
April 6, 1946 in Wautoma. Her parents were 
Ellef Hesness and Anne Theresa Lovdal. He 
became the buttermaker when the old one 
retired. They lived in the buttermaker's house 
at 220 Main Street across from where the 
creamery was. They moved to Wautoma in 
1951 when he went to work for the Waushara 
Highway Dept. Later they built a house on 
Cambridge street near the Catholic church. 
He was a good singer and sang with his 
brothers as the Anderson Quartet at many 
funeral. He retired in April 1975 from the 
Highway Dept. as a truck driver.
Marjorie died July 9, 1974.  Maury died 
December 1980. He attended Hope Lutheran 
Church in Wautoma.