Transcribed and submitted by Kay Scholtz <scholtz@tznet.com>
Source: 1918 History of Clark County Wisconsin; Compiled by
Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge. Reviewed by James O'Neill, Chicago and
Winona, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co. 1918, “Historical Contributions”,
pages 682-3
MRS. AMANDA SMITH, who came to Clark County in 1878, says: “I was born
in Rutland County, Vt., in 1838. My mother died when I was 3
years old. When I was 12 years of age I came to Manitowoc County,
Wis., with my uncle. At the age of 15 I was married, and
subsequently reared a family of eight children, all born in
Manitowoc. In 1878 we came to Clark County, traveling by rail to
Hatfield, then by team and wagon to a settlement called Christie.
We passed through Neillsville, which at that time was a small
village. There were some farms cleared, but most of the land was
covered with timber. From Christie we moved to Greenwood and
lived there one year, then went to Longwood. Here we built a
house, which was all open. We could see stars through the roof at
night. We had no stairs and had to climb a ladder to get to the
second story. We soon started to repair and improve the building,
and when completed we opened the house as a hotel. For a time our
guests were obliged to sleep on straw spread on the floors. We
finally enlarged the building and used to keep the logging crews.
Just as we had gotten the house all fixed up and paid for, it caught
fire and burned down. We then moved over the Longwood store,
starting another hotel, and soon had a fine trade, but immediately
started a new building, and soon had it ready to move into. We
lived at Longwood, keeping hotel all the time, until 1900, when we came
to Withee. The town has grown about two-thirds since we came
here.”
