Keppler's in the Elisha Stewart House

The Elisha Stewart house is part of the Wild Rose Historical Society Museum.  The building was started in 1883 and occupied in 1884.  After Elisha moved to King and died 1900, Louis Glover lived in the house and ran the harness shop.  By 1910 Theodore Keppler's family lived there.  The picture shows Theodore (March 5, 1870- June 24, 1945) behind the tree with daughter, Ruth (June 5, 1907-September 9, 1991) in front of the tree.  Bertha Jockman Keppler (Nov. 27, 1875- Sept. 20, 1970) is in the chair. Archie( Aug. 17, 1904-Sept. 17, 1978) is in the front center. Henry (21 June 1896-Dec. 1968) is on his side on the right. If anyone knows the person near Bertha we would appreciate know who it is. The Keppler's had another daughter Evelyn in 1911. The Kepplers moved to Racine and were buried in Sheboygan County in Mosel. Theodore ran the harness shop. The harness shop was next door to the house and now the museum's gift shop, general store and weaving room. 

Wild Rose Mercantile with Outside Steps

This department store was much more than a store.  High graduations were held  here in the early days. The outside stairs lead to Dr Arthur J Stevens dentist office.  He used a foot pump to make the drill operate.  The stairs were scary especially in the winter with winds and icy steps. The opposite side of the building also had steps and Dr Ben Fisher had an office there  before he built his house and office. For a short time there was a bowling alley in the basement  but it wasn't successful. Wild Rose High School plays  were performed upstairs and so were graduations.

Salesman's Samples of Washing Machine and Stove

These samples are in the children's bedroom in the Elisha Stewart House.

Wild Rose State Bank part of the Wild Rose WI Museum

This Bank is part of the Wild Rose Historical Society in Wisconsin.  When the bank built a new building, it became to Wild Rose Post Office.  Notice that the streets were not  paved at this time. The trim on the bank was red. Today the bank has a pharmacy like T W Stevens ran.  We have a small ice cream parlor like Chet Jenks had.  We have a display of many patents. There is a lot of variety from fishing lures to potato planters.  We have flip boards with pictures. The 1905 robbery display where the robbers were successful in the post office in Clark's store but were unsuccessful in the bank. There is a display of the Wild Rose Skating Show. It was an outside show that ran from the later 1940's to 1953.  The mothers made customs and we have some on display.  We have a display of Dr Kjentvet's medical tools.

Details about Bank from Plainfield Sun

Jack Berens & Clyde Diggles in Bank

Jack Berens is on the left and Clyde Diggles on the right.  Frank Clark does not work for the bank.

Inside Wild Rose Bank which is part of the Mueum

This picture is behind the counter of the first Wild Rose State Bank.  It is before 1910.  You can see the vault on the left.  The middle door is part of the hall in Pioneer Hall.  The man on the left is Clyde Diggles son of Nathan & Ella Diggles. He was born May 19, 1887.  He married Mary L Walker and they had a son Franklin Diggles. Diggles was the Supervisor of the Building & Loan Association in the State Banking Department and served 24 years as a Commissioner of Savings and Loan until June of 1959.  John Vincent Berens was the son of Nicholas Berens and Mary Khiel. He was born April 4, 1880.  He married Suzanna Fisher, daughter of Wilson J and Charlotte Case Fisher.  She was also the sister of Dr Ben Fisher of Wild Rose. She was born April 7, 1883.   The Berens had three children Keith born in 1907, Khiel born in 1908 and Janice born in 1917.  Khiel died at three months and 13 days.  The family moved to Stevens Point and later to California.  John V Berens died June 9, 1953 and Suzanne died March 29, 1982.