Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-02-22
THE EARLY
History Of WauwatOsa.
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the hall of the building, which stood
I little back of where is now the
Greenwood block She sent to eastern
| friends for donations. An aid society,
undenominational, had been formed,
which prepared many articles. The
fair proving a success, the pail was
procured. 1t was of black broadcloth,
surrouned by narrow fringe, with a
large tassel on each corner.
The work of art, en- the piano, is one
of the pictures sent from the East. 1t
was purchased at the fair and for nearly
half a century has hung in the home of
Mr.. J. A. Warren.
Later other fairs were held to aid in
furnishing the new Congregational
church.
In 1s43 a few mothers organized a
Maternal Association. Both mothers
and their children became members.
The mothers met monthly, and the
children quarterly. 1t continued for
twenty-five years. The Mothers
Magazine" and the Mothers Assis-
tant" were taken by several in the
society. Prominent mothers from the
three denominations then here were
active in this association. Permit me
to give some of the auctions, copied
from the minutes of this Maternal
A.r.,a;, 4;o,, ,,.l,;o1, r,-a,a dice 4esad I.x
these sainted mothers of blessed
memory: How soon shall we break
the childs will?" How can we teach
orr children independence OF thought
without destroying their docility?i
"And how far ought we to indulge
them in levity?" Smile as we will, and
mothers aimed to form characters
which would help their children, al
they had been helped to subdue a vii
derness. As one has said: They
spent time in making characters
which we spend in making clothes.
One year the governor of the terri,
tory appointed Thanksgiving Day IN
October. Oh! the people said: "We
cannot observe Thanksgiving in Oci
tober, for our pumpkins are not ripe.
and what would Thanksgiving be
without pumpkin pie On one oil
these early occasions, being des.iteak
of luxuries for the feast, the ladn g
agreed to see which could make I'D
largest Johnny cake, and thus
brate the day. But who carried otfSt
palm, tradition does not inform usto
The first postoflice was in the slit,
room of Mr.. Nathan Wesson.
Watson Hart, then little lad, te
the excitement when the firsAIt
bag arrived in Wauwatosa. He
how the contents of the b; lH
emptied upon the floor, the postmastel
and his genial wife fairly trembling
with anxiety, lest they make somd
error in conveying the letters or paperl
to the correct boXes-boXes which had
been constructed by his own slillful
hand.
The letter postage was twenty-av1
cents for unpaid letters, the singh
/ sheet. No envelopes were used, only
red wafer for sealing. 1t was often
difficult to get the money to pay for Il
letter from eastern friends, lying il
/ .ba pCS+ fTiaa for. 1a1ivar,,
There was no drug store in those
early days, SO supplyof medicine was
kept in each home. Castor oil and
picry answering every difficulty, unless
the patient required bleeding, when
DIR. Castelman of Milwaukee was sent
for. People were ever ready to heir
each other, watching with the sick and
giving such aid as lay in their power
Later, Aunt Green's Salve and DIR.
Days old woman's bitters were pre-.
scribed for nearly every patient.
DR.. Clark, who built the house now
occupied by Mr.. Coulthard, was the
first resident physician. On his death.
DR.. Levi IIalstead succeeded to his
practice.
DR.. Fiske IL. Day was for a long
time resident physician. His saddle
bags were the only dispensary for miles
around.
Wauwatosa had the reputation OF
being very healthy locality. 1t was
| frequently affirmed that no death oc-
CURED, unless from old age or acci.
dent.
A pound consisting of one-half an
acre of ground was purchased by the
town for cattle and dogs who strayed
away from their owners into other en-.
| closures. This was surrounded by a
tight very high board fence, and was
! located south of West Milwaukee
avenue, about where Wisconsin street
| joins this avenue. A beautiful bub-
bling brook from the Warren land
passed through it, and on into the deem