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THE
PICKERING FAMILY
LIFE IN SHERWOOD
FOREST, CLARK CO., WISCONSIN
Excerpt from
Lloyd D.
Pickering's Family History (pg. 28 - 58)
(This is a copyrighted work and the following is presented with the
author's permission, given prior to death)
Part [1]
[2] [3]
[4]
On August 23, 1899, Dave wrote to ask Eda to come
to Granton on the 7:46 train so that they could go on a Sunday school
picnic. He closed by saying “Now you be sure and come.”
The Pickering family heartily approved of Eda and she corresponded with Hannah,
Ona and Jessie rather frequently. The night watchman’s job proved
to be temporary and Dave was disappointed, but he said he was going to pick
cranberries with Myron and then to harvest potatoes the first of
November.
Myron Pickerings
Home in Granton, Wis.
When
Eda went home for her spring vacation in 1900, she wrote to tell Dave that her
father was quite ill. She also wrote, “I’m including examples
of multiplying and dividing fractions and I want you to keep on
studying.”
During
that same spring Dave was preparing to take the civil service exam as a railway mail clerk. On March 26th he
took the test, but he failed in the speed test of reading addresses. His
disappointment was intensely keen, but destiny had something far removed from a
civil service career awaiting him.
That
spring of 1900 proved to be discouraging for both of them because they learned
that Eda would not be teaching in his home district again. Eda wrote that
her father’s shoulder had been dislocated in a fall from the scaffolding
and he also had a pierced lung and broken ribs. There was not much the
doctors could do for him.
Eda’s new school was near Granton and Dave was elated at this good
news. He wrote that he would now go to work in the mill at Nevins.
His Uncle Robert had the lath and sawmill there. Dave’s father,
Byron, had been running the engine and he told Dave he could have that
job. He knew how little the community had to offer an ambitious young man
so he turned his job over to his son. Dave was a good mechanic and he
made $1 per day for twelve hours of work. Besides doing the work at the
mill, Dave hauled his own bolts to the mill. After they were made into
lath, he bought the lath from his uncle for five dollars per thousand and
hauled them to Granton, where he sold them to a hardware man for ten dollars
per thousand. It took a whole day for the journey. One day he sold
a load of lath, hauled out some bolts and made a total of $3.70. He felt
he was really getting ahead.
Nevins, Wisconsin
Saw Mill
Dave
wrote to ask Eda how her father was getting on. She replied, “ He
has been getting worse all the time. Help can come only from God. We can
expect the worst at any time.” The last part of April 1900
Eda’s father passed away. She was twenty years old and the family
depended on her more than ever. The fact that she had to be responsible
for her mother and six other children left a mark on Eda that lasted for the
rest of her life. She never escaped the feeling of poverty no matter how
much money she had at her disposal.
Eda
wrote to Dave about her father on May 21, 1900. “When I got home on
Saturday it did seem so awful not to find papa there. It doesn’t
seem right that papa left us, and so young, but as it was willed so, we ought
to be more willing to accept it. But it seems so hard—everything
does—school is, and life itself is, sometimes.” Eda told Dave
how to get to the schoolhouse and she said they could take a walk over to see
it. She told of the trailing arbutus, which was in fragrant
blossom. He did come over and they had an evening together after which he
took her back to the Kinzeles, where she was staying.
After
he brought her back, she was invited to a neighbor’s for homemade ice
cream, but she decided not to go. That week she had trouble at school
with two of the older boys so she decided to visit their parents after
school. She set out shortly after four o’clock, but got up the road
a half-mile and took a right turn when she should have made a left. She
kept on until she reached a house only to find she had made the wrong turn at
the corner. She retraced her steps and finally found the home she had
intended to visit. The mother was very kind and even asked her to stay
for supper. She declined the invitation and left with the mother’s
admonition to shake up the boys when they misbehaved. This was a
ridiculous suggestion since either of them was much larger than Eda.
The Mounds
She
went home for the summer and began to enjoy her vacation. She and her
sisters made plans to visit The Mounds to do some climbing and to take some
pictures. They started at seven in the morning because the place was
about three miles north of Neillsville. It was a rocky outcropping and a
wonderful place to climb around on the boulders.
The Teacher’s Institute was held for two weeks in August
and Eda attended to upgrade her certificate. She asked for an increase in
salary at the Granton School, but she did not receive it. Dave had been
home during much of that month with an injured finger. Finally, it had
healed enough that he started putting up wild hay with his dad. They put
up about five tons of it by hand. He had gone to work on the new bridge
when the haying was done, but his finger started bothering him again.
Myron
In a
letter that fall Dave wrote, “The folks are all in the other room
singing. This one is a piece we used to sing together and every time I
hear it I think of you.” Dave had a ringing tenor voice and he was
a very good singer. The hymn he most loved to sing was “Rock of
Ages.”
On
October 10, Dave wrote to Eda. She had gone to Marshfield to stay with
her sister, Martha. “Eda, I expect to go up fifty miles northeast
of Chippewa Falls with Pa to look at some timber land. If we can find the
kind that suits us we intend to buy some. We’ll go the last part of
this month. Reverend Willen told us about the
land.”
On
October 17, Dave and his Dad set out for Chippewa Falls and the country
north. It was a ten-day trip and all of their exploring was done on
foot. Their enthusiasm for the land was boundless. They had been up
in Gates County along the Big Jump and Little Jump Rivers. On the
27th they were on their way home when Dave wrote again,
Dearest Eda,
We have looked over some of the finest land I ever saw. I
expect to own 160 acres of it. No road yet, but it has been surveyed and
it will be put in after a year or so. Fine timber and—oh, the
fishing!
Dave.
Eda
found a school near Marshfield and she was staying with Martha and
Albert. She gave Dave the directions for finding the home and Dave
replied:
Nov. 15, 1900
Dearest,
Well, I was really surprised when your folks told me you had
gone to Marshfield to teach. I have been away deer hunting with Myron and
Allie. We stayed in Dave Sparks old house. I had to do the
cooking. It does me good to hear from you. I wish I could see
you.
I remain
yours ever, Dave
Allie, Earl & Dave
That
was the first time that Dave had expressed enough of his feelings for Eda that
she could know what the outcome would be. Dave invited her to come for
Christmas vacation, but she wrote back to say, “The doctor has just
been here and from what he says, I’m afraid Louie will never grow
old.”
She
was wrong. Her brother, Louie, lived to be an old man.
On
January 30, 1901 Dave wrote to say that he had bought the timber rights on
forty acres of land in Clark County and he also had a half interest in a forty
in Wood County. He was cutting timber on this land and getting it to the
mill for the spring sawing. He said he was getting up at 4:30 in the
morning and getting home at night at 7:00 o’clock. He sold this
lumber, which was beautiful pine, to Mr. Gilman in Neillsville.
Eda
had spring vacation beginning the last of April. She was anxious to get
home again. Dave proposed during this vacation time and she
accepted. He wrote her a happy letter saying, “I take an interest
in my work. I like to work since I know that I am working for you as well
as myself. How happy you have made me.”
After
spring break, Eda returned to her school. It was about three miles out of
Marshfield. One Sunday evening she was alone because Martha and Albert
had gone to Neillsville. She said in her letter to David, “I told
Martha they’d all be home together tonight except Papa and me. I
often have dreams of him. Just think, it will soon be a year since he
left us and so much has happened since then. I get lonesome here.
Remember how we used to go driving when I was at Nevins?”
Dave
was now working in a saw and lath mill at Dewhurst during the spring run.
He said, “I do like my work quite well, but expect to have to change in a
week or so for some other job. That is always my luck—to have to
change, but I don’t mind when I can change to something
better.”
Eda
was up early on Monday morning to catch the handcar so that she could ride out
to her school. She rode out every morning, but she walked back the three
miles in the evening. She wrote, “Isn’t it just lovely
outside now! I recall when we used to go walking in the evening at
Nevins. There are such lovely flowers along the track here as I walk
home. I should like to stop and pick a bushel of them, but I usually get
to Martha’s late as it is. I have one month of school left.
Have wanted to get Martha a present before I go home just to show how much I
have appreciated everything, but she and Albert won’t hear of it.
Martha says I can’t imagine how much comfort I’ve been to
her. I think of those two big cherry trees out there and how beautiful it
must be again and all of you going to Sunday school on the big
wagon.”
Dave
replied at once, “Eda, I hope you will have a happy birthday. I
wanted to get you a present, but haven’t been out anywhere. You are
twenty-one years old aren’t you?” The mill where Dave was
working was miles from any store. Dave continued, “Uncle Jim is
going to be married soon. His lady is staying here now. I am
getting ready to go back to the mill.”
Eda
replied to tell Dave how nicely everything was going at her school. She
invited the folks from Nevins to the “Sangerfest” to be held in
Marshfield in June. She especially invited Dave to come and stay with
them. Albert Wagner was hauling stone for the basement of their new
home. Albert’s father had given them a Jersey cow and Martha had
just finished churning her first batch of butter and she was as happy as could
be.
June 18,
1901
Dearest Eda,
I was so glad to get your picture. It made me happy
just to look at it when I was way out to that mill in the swamp. Now, I
want you to spend the fourth of July here with us at Nevins. I’d
like to come for you on the third, but if you are going to celebrate together
at home, I’ll come for you on the fifth.
Dave
The
millwork was over for the season and Dave was building a house for Ernst
Watts. He promised to show Eda the house when she came to visit because
she had teased him about not being able to build one. The truth is that
he was a very good carpenter. He promised Eda that he would take her
advice and do more looking around for a market for his lumber before he sold
any more. Sometimes he got a low price for his lumber and sometimes he
didn’t even get paid, so even his Dad thought this was a good idea.
Eda became his financial adviser throughout life and it was because of her
advice that he did so well.
Eda
had liked the school near Marshfield and she had been asked to return, but she
wanted to be nearer to her home. When Dave asked her if she had a new
school, she was pleased to tell him in a letter on August 11, “Of course
I’ve got a school. It begins a week from next Monday. It is
six miles from town and about ten from Nevins. I shall be home every
weekend. Won’t that be lovely?” Dave let her know that
he would drive out to see her the very next weekend.
Now,
it was Dave’s turn to stay in Marshfield. With the summer building
and harvesting done at Nevins, he had sought work where ever it might be and he
had taken a job at a livery stable in Marshfield. He wrote Eda, saying,
“I like the work. It isn’t hard and the days go by quickly
enough. There are five teams in my care and the carriages and the hearse
to keep clean and polished.” He was tied down to this job for the
full week, including Sundays, and always on call. He didn’t like
this part of his job.
Edith &
Ward
Sept. 19,
1901
Dear Davie,
I’m glad you like your new job. Isn’t it awful
about McKinley? Just when they thought he was getting better, too.
I hope it won’t change the times any. After supper we sit around
and sew and visit. There is a rural mail route here now, but our mailbox
is a mile down the road. That is still better than when it was six miles
away.
Love,
Eda
By
September 26, David had decided the livery job was not for him. He
decided to go to Minneapolis to visit his sister, Edith. She and Marcus
had now been married for eleven years. At this time Ward was ten years
old, Blanche was seven, Irene was almost five and little Byron was going to be
three in November. What a wonderful and boisterous family it must have
been. David enjoyed playing with the children and visiting with
Edith. No doubt he wanted to talk over many things with her, since she
had been married for the longest time and she was his oldest sister. Dave
had thought about finding work in Minneapolis, but after a short time he was so
overcome with longing for home and Eda that he decided to return to
Nevins. He went over to the round house with Marcus Wilson, who was an
engineer on the Soo Line, and returned as far as Abottsford, riding in the
engine cab with Marcus. Among the letters he saved is a receipt for the
purchase of one pearl ring, single stone, in a gold setting. Signed Wm.
Stone, Jeweler. It was dated October 9, 1901.
When
he returned to Nevins, Dave called on Eda first of all and presented her with
the ring. Later, she wrote, “Everyone thinks my ring is a perfect
beauty. Well, I do too. It is prettier every time I look at
it.” Dave answered, “I feel happy all day long and my work is
easier than ever before. We just got the last of the DLP logs sawed
today. I am not sorry that it is done, but I wish there had been sawing
enough for a month. Now, I will hunt deer for a few days.
Haven’t been out hunting since last fall.”
Dave
spent that winter in the woods cutting and hauling railroad ties to Lynn.
He wrote to Eda, “I feel so much happiness since we are so much to each
other and because we are young and it’s our first real love.”
It was hard work, but Dave didn’t mind the labor as much as the cold
trip.
In
March Eda wrote again and indicated that she was still undecided about getting
married without waiting a year or two. “It is because we
don’t know just yet what we intend to do or where to settle down.
That depends on you and you must decide that for yourself. Of course,
I’ll help all that I can. I enjoy myself just sitting alone and
thinking about the future and what it holds.”
During
spring vacation in April of 1902, Eda persuaded Dave to make a trip with her to
Marshfield to visit Martha and Albert. She had made three house plans for
Albert’s inspection. Dave had let Eda know that they would not be
at Nevins for many more years. Things were already changing. Almost
all of the pine had been cut and the country was poor for farming.
Therefore, the house plans were not extravagant. The plan they decided on
was a model of practicality, with rafters longer at the back “so the
dining room will be larger.” There was a long hall from the front
door, which led to the kitchen. Beside this was a stairway to the second
floor, which had three nice bedrooms. Finally, they decided to be married
that summer.
Eda
wrote, “I can’t make Mama really believe we’re to be married
this summer. Emma said she supposed Mama dreaded to see her girls leave
home.” Eda suggested that it bothered her that Dave hadn’t
talked with her mother about their intentions, to which Dave replied, “It
probably would be better for me to see your Mama, first I had a hard enough
time to coax you, now I have got to coax your Mama,
too.”
Dear Davie,
A young man, a neighbor of ours, is to be buried
today. I’ve thought lately that should you be taken away suddenly,
how terrible I’d feel that I had never shown how much I love you.
Now, if we lived together a hundred years, if we were always as good and true
to each other as now, then a hundred years wouldn’t be enough to show it
all.
Eda
Hannah & Jesse
Hannah’s father, James Sparks, died on June 1,
1902. He was buried in the little Sherwood Cemetery, which is just east
of the Town Hall. James Freeman Sparks was born on July 23, 1818 at
Summit, New York. He married Sylvia Calkins on August 20, 1837. She
was born on September 5, 1813 at Liberty, New York. Grandma Sylvia died
on January 23, 1871 at Plainfield, Wisconsin. James lived with various
members of his family for the remaining thirty-one years of his life.
Most of his children were living in the Nevins area.
Jessie
was still at home with her mother, so Hannah had company and someone to help
with the daily chores.
By
June 12, David and Eda’s new house had been
lathed for plastering. This particular evening Dave had written a letter
to Eda and then gone for a walk across the road to his new home. The
garden was planted and growing well. He spoke of the fine looking melons
and hoped for a good crop because he liked them so well.
By June 18, Eda’s last term of school was over. She had
been asked to return and there was disappointment expressed that she would not
be back again. Each time Dave came to town, Eda packed a box for him to
take back to Nevins in preparation for housekeeping. June was a very busy
month. There was furniture to be picked out and linens to
embroider. There was a lot of discussion with the family about their
preferences for gifts and it was a very happy time. Grandmother Ketel was
preparing her home for the wedding. She had a new floor laid and oak
woodwork installed. Dave furnished the lumber. Meanwhile, Dave was
preparing to plaster his new house and was digging a well. It was only
three weeks until the wedding day. Dave wrote a last letter just before
the wedding. “Pa is out in the hayfield already and I’ve got
to go and help him. I’ve got to come to town this week,
haven’t I, to get the license?”
Hannah, Byron,
Edith, Allie, Eda, Dave, Ona, Myron, Mary, Earl
It was a lovely mid-summer wedding
held at the Ketel home in Neillsville on July 30, 1902. Myron Pickering
and Mary Borgers were married on the same day in a separate ceremony at the
Borgers’ home. There was no honeymoon trip for these young
folks. They went to their new homes satisfied to have a place of their
own. Dave and Eda’s home was across and up the road from the Ranch
and next door to the school house. It was not a farm, but they did have
the fine garden that David had tended all spring and there was a cow and a team
of horses in the little barn. Dave continued to buy and sell lumber and
other mill products. He did some carpenter work and roadwork, too.
He was elected as a member of the school board in his home district.
Mary Borgers
Pickering
Myron also built a home near that of his
parents. He was working most of the time with his Dad and Dave in the
mill. He also kept a few hives of bees as a hobby. He liked to roam
through the woods, hunting and looking for wild bee nests in hollow trees and
obtaining the honey. Edith’s husband, Marc Wilson, loved
guns. One time Myron took him out hunting. At this season the
partridges were feeding on the ground, so it was necessary to flush them and
shoot them on the wing. Myron gave Marc the shotgun and he took the
rifle. They flushed a partridge. Marc was a bit late on shooting,
so it got away. Myron knew that the bird would still be where it lit, so
he went over to flush it again. Myron was razzing Marc about letting that
one get away while they were walking side by side, Marc with the shotgun and
Myron with the 45/60 rifle. When they got near to where the bird had lit,
they got their guns ready. The bird flew up. The partridge has a
heavy body and small wings, so it starts off with quite a roar of wings.
It is also a swift flier once it is airborne and it was getting away
fast. When it was far enough away and the shotgun had not spoken, Myron
pulled on it with the rifle and down it came. Nothing was said until they
picked up the bird and Marc said, “And you hit it in the head,
too.” Myron replied, as though it had been intended all along,
“Well, if I’d shot it in the body with that large rifle
bullet, there wouldn’t be anything left of
it.” All of the young brothers roamed through the woods hunting
game. They provided much of the meat for the families.
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