Forest Township,
St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Source: History of the Saint Croix Valley, 1909
transcribed & submitted by Cathy Danielson
Forest Township
With the exception of Glenwood, Forest is the youngest of the townships in St. Croix county. At a meeting of the county board, held December 16, 1880, it was ordered that all of township 31, range 15, then a part of Cylon, be detached to form a new town, to be called Forest, the first meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in April, 1881. The organization was perfected December 10, 1881, with S. D. Love as chairman of the first board of supervisors. The town was originally heavily wooded and the original settlers in many cases cut a trail through the woods to their locations. The woods have now been cleared to a great extent and the township is rapidly becoming an important agricultural center.
Forest is situated in the northeastern corner of the county and is bounded by Polk and Dunn counties and Glenwood, Emerald and Cylon townships. It is crossed by a railroad and drained by several streams, the Willow river having its source in this township. Hempel is a little village in the southwestern part.
The township contains 23,665 acres, having an average valuation of $13.12; 265 horses, valued at $13,250; 1,480 cattle, valued at $20,720; 2,120 sheep and lambs, valued at $6,360; 180 pigs, valued at $900. The total valuation of real estate is $310,700; of the personal property, $49,500; making a total of $360,200. Following is the acreage devoted to various crops in Forest township in 1908: Wheat, 16; corn, 80; oats, 923; barley, 259; rye, 26; flaxseed, 16; potatoes, 40; cultivated hay, 1,400.
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A. G. Anderson
A. G. Anderson is one of the early settlers of this part of the country. He remembers the time when his people were one of four families of white folks in Pierce county, this state, the remainder all being Indians. He has seen as many as 500 Indians together, some of them still savage, and decked in all the paint and feathers of war. He saw the beginning of the first building that was ever erected in River Falls, Wis., and has many interesting stories to tell of the days when all kinds of wild game, including deer, wolves, wild cats, etc.. abounded in wilds where populous villages now stand.
Mr. Anderson was born in Norway, November 5, 1847, a son of Guturm and Christina Anderson. His parents came to the United States and settled in Pierce county in 1853. The father has followed farming all his life and is still living in River Falls, being over ninety-three years of age. A. G. worked on the farm and attended school in his earlier days, afterward working in the woods until twenty-six years of age. He then spent six years in a flour mill, being manager of all the teams and teamsters. After this he rented a farm for two years, then came to Forest township, St. Croix county, in 1881. He purchased a place in the woods and cleared the land, making many improvements. He now owns 236 acres of land, 160 being under the plow. Mr. Anderson still clings to the memories of early days and continues to reside in the log cabin which he built when he first settled here. He carries on general farming, raising some stock and selling considerable cream.
Mr. Anderson's wife and children have all helped to make the home, and Ray and Victor are the principal farmers on the home place now, doing most of the work. Mr. Anderson was married in 1877 to Semelia Headmark, daughter of Andrew and Sophia Headmark, by whom he had eight children: Augusta was a dressmaker. She married Michael Dorgan, of Hudson, and died in the month of March, 1908. Hilda is a dressmaker; Tobie received his education at McCoy's bank in New Richmond, Wis., and is now cashier of a bank in Tacoma, Wash.; Clyde is a graduate of the Canton Business College at Minneapolis, Minn., and is now bookkeeper for the Northwestern Telephone Company at Fargo, N. Dak.; Ray is at home; Sadie is a school teacher, and Victor and Frank are at home.
Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics and has served on the side board for six years. He has also been school trustee for five years. He is an honest, hard working man, who has earned everything that he possesses by his own labors. The family are members of the Methodist church.
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C. W. Sage
C. W. Sage is one of those men who, by working hard on their own farms, have assisted greatly in the general development of the valley. When he came here his farm was covered with heavy timber, and he had to cut a trail to it, so thick were the woods in those days.
He was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, March 17,1854, son of George and Caroline (Mason) Sage, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. In the family there were seven children, six of whom still survive, worthy offspring of worthy forebears. The father died in 1894, at Wild Rose, Waushara county, Wisconsin. The mother is living at the same place, and is in good health at seventy-six years of age.
C. W. attended district school and worked on the farm until 1877, when he came to St. Croix county and settled on his present place in Forest township. Upon coming here, he bought 120 acres of land, one half of which he has cleared. He has made all the improvements on the place and carries on general farming, also raising some live stock.
He was married in 1881 to Mary Thomas, daughter of John and Elizabeth Thomas. John Thomas came to this vicinity in 1875 and ran a stave mill. He now resides in Hawkins.
Mr. Sage has three children: Ella is married to Robert Schultz, a blacksmith, and George and Griffith are at home.
Mr. Sage is a Republican in politics and has ably served as chairman of Forest township, which position he occupies at the present time. He was town clerk ten years, and has also held school office. He fraternizes with Clear Lake Lodge No. 272, I. O. O. F.
Mr. Sage has not sought to acquire wealth of money, but is rich in the friends that he has made. Of a genial and pleasant disposition, to know him is to like him, and no one meets him without feeling that he has become acquainted with one who fully deserves the title of "good fellow."
Mr. and Mrs. Sage are hospitable people, and their home is ever open to their numerous friends, who always have a good time, and some samples of superfine cooking, whenever they visit there.
With the exception of Glenwood, Forest is the youngest of the townships in St. Croix county. At a meeting of the county board, held December 16, 1880, it was ordered that all of township 31, range 15, then a part of Cylon, be detached to form a new town, to be called Forest, the first meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in April, 1881. The organization was perfected December 10, 1881, with S. D. Love as chairman of the first board of supervisors. The town was originally heavily wooded and the original settlers in many cases cut a trail through the woods to their locations. The woods have now been cleared to a great extent and the township is rapidly becoming an important agricultural center.
Forest is situated in the northeastern corner of the county and is bounded by Polk and Dunn counties and Glenwood, Emerald and Cylon townships. It is crossed by a railroad and drained by several streams, the Willow river having its source in this township. Hempel is a little village in the southwestern part.
The township contains 23,665 acres, having an average valuation of $13.12; 265 horses, valued at $13,250; 1,480 cattle, valued at $20,720; 2,120 sheep and lambs, valued at $6,360; 180 pigs, valued at $900. The total valuation of real estate is $310,700; of the personal property, $49,500; making a total of $360,200. Following is the acreage devoted to various crops in Forest township in 1908: Wheat, 16; corn, 80; oats, 923; barley, 259; rye, 26; flaxseed, 16; potatoes, 40; cultivated hay, 1,400.
_______________
A. G. Anderson
A. G. Anderson is one of the early settlers of this part of the country. He remembers the time when his people were one of four families of white folks in Pierce county, this state, the remainder all being Indians. He has seen as many as 500 Indians together, some of them still savage, and decked in all the paint and feathers of war. He saw the beginning of the first building that was ever erected in River Falls, Wis., and has many interesting stories to tell of the days when all kinds of wild game, including deer, wolves, wild cats, etc.. abounded in wilds where populous villages now stand.
Mr. Anderson was born in Norway, November 5, 1847, a son of Guturm and Christina Anderson. His parents came to the United States and settled in Pierce county in 1853. The father has followed farming all his life and is still living in River Falls, being over ninety-three years of age. A. G. worked on the farm and attended school in his earlier days, afterward working in the woods until twenty-six years of age. He then spent six years in a flour mill, being manager of all the teams and teamsters. After this he rented a farm for two years, then came to Forest township, St. Croix county, in 1881. He purchased a place in the woods and cleared the land, making many improvements. He now owns 236 acres of land, 160 being under the plow. Mr. Anderson still clings to the memories of early days and continues to reside in the log cabin which he built when he first settled here. He carries on general farming, raising some stock and selling considerable cream.
Mr. Anderson's wife and children have all helped to make the home, and Ray and Victor are the principal farmers on the home place now, doing most of the work. Mr. Anderson was married in 1877 to Semelia Headmark, daughter of Andrew and Sophia Headmark, by whom he had eight children: Augusta was a dressmaker. She married Michael Dorgan, of Hudson, and died in the month of March, 1908. Hilda is a dressmaker; Tobie received his education at McCoy's bank in New Richmond, Wis., and is now cashier of a bank in Tacoma, Wash.; Clyde is a graduate of the Canton Business College at Minneapolis, Minn., and is now bookkeeper for the Northwestern Telephone Company at Fargo, N. Dak.; Ray is at home; Sadie is a school teacher, and Victor and Frank are at home.
Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics and has served on the side board for six years. He has also been school trustee for five years. He is an honest, hard working man, who has earned everything that he possesses by his own labors. The family are members of the Methodist church.
_______________
C. W. Sage
C. W. Sage is one of those men who, by working hard on their own farms, have assisted greatly in the general development of the valley. When he came here his farm was covered with heavy timber, and he had to cut a trail to it, so thick were the woods in those days.
He was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, March 17,1854, son of George and Caroline (Mason) Sage, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. In the family there were seven children, six of whom still survive, worthy offspring of worthy forebears. The father died in 1894, at Wild Rose, Waushara county, Wisconsin. The mother is living at the same place, and is in good health at seventy-six years of age.
C. W. attended district school and worked on the farm until 1877, when he came to St. Croix county and settled on his present place in Forest township. Upon coming here, he bought 120 acres of land, one half of which he has cleared. He has made all the improvements on the place and carries on general farming, also raising some live stock.
He was married in 1881 to Mary Thomas, daughter of John and Elizabeth Thomas. John Thomas came to this vicinity in 1875 and ran a stave mill. He now resides in Hawkins.
Mr. Sage has three children: Ella is married to Robert Schultz, a blacksmith, and George and Griffith are at home.
Mr. Sage is a Republican in politics and has ably served as chairman of Forest township, which position he occupies at the present time. He was town clerk ten years, and has also held school office. He fraternizes with Clear Lake Lodge No. 272, I. O. O. F.
Mr. Sage has not sought to acquire wealth of money, but is rich in the friends that he has made. Of a genial and pleasant disposition, to know him is to like him, and no one meets him without feeling that he has become acquainted with one who fully deserves the title of "good fellow."
Mr. and Mrs. Sage are hospitable people, and their home is ever open to their numerous friends, who always have a good time, and some samples of superfine cooking, whenever they visit there.
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