~~History~~
Clark County, Wisconsin
Fishing on Lake Emerson with rolling farmland in the background
1856
Early Mentor History (1856 - 1906)
1881
History of Humbird, WI (1881)
1890
"Clark County Illustrated" History of Mentor Township (1890)
1915
"Early Humbird Photos"
1927
Mentor Township Boundary Changes.
1941
Taxation Report (by Wayland Waters)
~~Changes~~
Neil Hein giving his sister, Beth, a ride in their motorized three wheeler.
~~Memories~~
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1921--Neil Hein of Humbird, Wis. sent this postcard of himself to Mr. Clair Robelia of Ladysmith, Wis. and wrote, Dear Clair: Am sending you a photo of my rig. You can see my key, coil and spark gap to the right. I wish you could take a picture of yours if room is light enough. Write soon. Wishing you a merry Christmas and Happy New Year. |
HUMBIRD, WISCONSIN--SKETCH
BOOK
ROSANA HOREL thus relates her experiences: "I was born at Belfast, Maine, in 1839, and lived there until 15 years old. In 1854, with my parents, I left the place of my birth for Wisconsin. We traveled by way of the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Milwaukee, and. by railroad from Milwaukee to Madison. In October of that year we went to Black Earth, Dane County. The next spring we moved to Richland County, where we lived for four years. In 1859 my mother died and I came with my father to Osseo, Trempealeau County. I was married there and lived there for six years, then came to Clark County with my husband and settled on a farm three miles west of Humbird, where I lived thirty-seven years, moving to the hamlet of Humbird in 1902. When I came to Clark County in 1865 there was no town of Humbird or Fairchild. The whole country was covered with tamarack and oak timber. The land where Humbird now stands was owned by Almond Alderman. The place was once called Rocky Mound City. Jake Humbird built the railroad through here in 1869, and the village was named for him. The town experienced quite a boom when they talked of building a railroad from here to Neillsville, but when the plans were changed to Merrillan it subsided. G. W. King had five sawmills and D. D. Travis owned and operated a mill two miles from this town. We used to haul all our grain from the farm to Sparta and bring back our supplies from there, taking about three days to make the trip. The stage coaches used to run through the Garden Valley from Sparta to Hudson, and the settlers used to take turns going to Garden Valley once a week for the mail. There were lots of Indians here but they gave us no trouble only by their everlasting begging. When we first came to Clark County we used oxen, which at night were turned out. One night our dogs made such a noise and fuss that the men got up to see what was the matter. When they went out there was a whole pack of wolves surrounding the open. We used to have plenty of wild game, and used bear grease for cooking. It was nothing to see a drove of deer pass by the door. One day a bear went by acting as though he was wounded and we thought we would get him, but when we got close to him, Mr. Bear leaped over a five-rail fence and was gone. All our furniture in those days was of the homemade variety, including beds, chairs and tables. Everyone was sociable and all acted together, and while we had many hardships, we had some pleasant times. John Branstedter, Peter Beaver, A. Webster Joseph Emer, Orin Wilson and Mr. Colgrove were some of the early settlers." Source: 1918 History of Clark Co., WI
RUNDLE FAMILY--Photo Album Memories.
~~Tragedies~~
Early Train Wreck, date unknown
Contributed by the family of William Hein
1875
1878
Fatal Accident--Nicholas Tice, aged eighty-four years, who living about two miles west of Humbird, was killed by the evening passenger train on the West Wisconsin Railway, in mid February, 1878. At the time of the accident. he, in company with his wife, was walking on the track, toward the village of Humbird, when, seeing the approaching train, they stepped from the track taking opposite sides, to allow it to pass. Mr. Tice being partially blind, did not get out of reach and was struck by the steam chest of the engine, the contact breaking his back and inflicting other injuries, causing instant death. The body was taken aboard the train and conveyed to Humbird, where an inquest was held, resulting in a verdict of death by accident, in accordance with the circumstances and facts in the case. No blame can attach to the train men, but by order of the Superintendent of the road, the body was taken charge of by the employees of the company, with instructions to defray all necessary expenses.
1885
Drowning--Leroy, son of Medbury & Abigail (Flemming) McFarland, drowned in Humbird, Wis., Sept. 15, 1885. He was twelve yrs. and twenty-four days old.
1907
1963
Car-train Accident--Dick Matti, Humbird milk hauler who was critically injured in a car-train accident Saturday, was expected to be moved Wednesday to the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., from the Krohn Clinic at Black River Falls, where he has been treated since the accident. Matti suffered severe head injuries when he was thrown from the cab of his milk truck as it was struck by a Green Bay and Western Railroad freight train near the west edge of Merrillan. Matti’s truck was demolished. His physician said that he had not fully regained consciousness up to Tuesday night, and called his condition “very serious.” The accident took place at the crossing near the Gilbertson home, where Matti was about to pick up milk.
2005
2 killed, 1 injured in Clark Co. crash
Luedtke, Kurt Bryan (1964-2005)