ORRIN AND EMILY BLANCHARD

Two persons who probably had one of the more challenging jobs on the Wisconsin Central Railroad were Orrin and Emily Blanchard, cooks for the railroad crew. When the railroad reached Abbotsford, they decided to make this area their home. They first purchased eighty acres south of the Dill Creek bridge, south of Colby, across the read from Lamont's mill. They owned the land until moving to Abbotsford where they bought property located, now operated by George Hoffman. They continued to make this place their home until 1900 when they built the house where William O. Colby, Sr., lived. In 1891, Mr. Blanchard purchased the forty acres which is located north of Highway 29 and east of Highway 13" had the land plotted and it is known as Blanchard's addition to the village of Abbotsford. The Blanchards also owned the building which is known as Red's Bar. The building burned in one of Abbotsford's first fires, but was rebuilt and Denny and Olson had their first store in this building until their building south of the Abbotsford Bank was completed, when they moved their stock. The Blanchards also owned the building where Ray's tavern was located, and a house on the west side of town across from the Gus Arndt home. The Blanchards had two children, Lottie, and Cora. Orrin Blanchard died in 1899 and Emily died in 1908.

(Abbotsford Centennial Book "100 Years"; 1973, pg. 52)