Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-01-26
EARLY SETTLER
DIES IN WEST
MRS. ELI r. CHASE, WHO
CAME HERE IN 1916,
PASSES AWAY

Word was received by relatives in
this city January "a, 1922, that Mrs.
Eli R. Chase had died at $50 o'clock
on that day at her home in Martinez,
California. Inasmuch as Mrs. Chase
occupied conspicuous place in the
early days of Wausau, a brief his
tory of her life will, no doubt, be inter
esting to Pilot readers
Her maiden name was Priscilla
LeMessurier. Her parents were Mr..
and Mrs. John LeMessurier, who, dur
ing the intense period of logging and
numbering enjoyed wide acquaint-
anee throughout the Wisconsin river
valley, primarily for their genuine
hospitality and kindly interest taken
in the .'pinery boys" and others who
made their Wausau home at their
hostelry.
Long Trip
John LeMessurier was born on the
Isle of Guernsey, in the English Chan
mel, on February 2, 1899. Forty years
later he and his wife and two chill
dren. Melina (the late Mrs. S. Tru-i
deau) and Priscilla (the late Mrs Eli
R. Chase) came to this country ana
settled at Sank Prairie, Wis. They
came to New York in a sailing vessel
thence by WAGER to Cleveland. Ohio,
by land to st. Louis, thence by river
to Galena, ILL.,, and up to Sauk Prairie.
From there they came by stage tG
!. Stevens Point via Mineral Point and
. South Prairie, then by canoe to Wau-
sau and Pine River, arriving at the lat
ter place in 1912. SIR. I.eMessurier
built the first saw mill ON Pine river,
The family came to Wausau to make
their home in 1S46.
They purchased the location at the
corner of First and Washington
streets, now a part of the public Ii
brary grounds. On this was erected
a large hotel which they conducted
for many years and it was known as
''LeMessurier hotel" the Superior
house" etc. Mr.. LeMessurier also
purchased the south half of the block
east on Washington street, most o.
which is still owned by the estate.
Mrs. LeMessurier died Jan. 81, 1868
and her husband passed away April
20, 1885.
Born on Isle
Their daughter, Priscilla, was born
on the Isle of Guernsey, May IL, 1899,
and was therefore baby when her
+ PdA Suto SiOoSCQ Lie OCcdl, duu OHiy
seven when they reached Wausau She
grew to womanhood here and the con-
viction of those days that Priscilla ex
celled in grace and beauty, has been
handed down through the generations
to this day. She was united in mar
ziage with Eli r. Chase in June, 1858.
At that time Mr.. Chase was counted
as one of the ablest young lawyers
in the north
He came here from the east in 1855
and enjoyed a growing practice until
he departed with his family in 1869
for Sac City, Iowa He was our post
master for several years and super
intendent of schools in the SOS, the
first Master of Forest Lodge, No. 1870,
F. & A. NJ, which position he held
from 1850 until 1869 He early pur-
chased the south half of the block
facing Scott street, between Third and
Fourth streets on which he built a
small home, where the McCrossen
block now stands. This property he
sold to August Gauthier in the fall
of 1867 for S1.S00 After practicing
law in Sac City until the spring of
1873, he and his family went to Mar
tinez, Cal, to make their home Four
children were born to them, ali of
whom have passed away. Mr. Chase
died in Martinez in 1912.
Mrs. Chase was an aunt OF Mrs.
Fred W. Burt and Mrs. Albert EN-
I pey of this CITY