Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-04-18
Mtth tlrp pntnat ptnttRRra
(By Judge Wilmott)

! ing that was erected by James White
! for a blacksmith shop in 1841. Mr..
! White did blacksmith work in this
I shop to the time of his last illness and
| death in 1854 Jacob Neufang after
i ward became owner of the shop. Mr..
Neufang for many years conducted a
| blacksmith and wagon shop in this
historical old building, and the Neu-
| fang wagons were Wcii known and
very popular throughout the county.
| He retired after many years Of active
work in 1870, and died in 1898. The
| property is now owned by his son,
] Charles Neufang, but is not used for
any particular purpose, and is left as
| a monument to the activities Of early
Potosi business life. To remove this
! old building would weaken the brick
wall of the second story Of the Hen
| derson, (now Durley) building, as
| four inches of the wall rests on the
stone building.
There is yet in existence two
story brick dwelling house that was
| erected by an unknown party in 1850.
1t was for many years owned and oc-
| cupied by Jacob Bruner as tailor
shop and dwelling. Bruner was a
small man in statue, standing less
than five feet in height. He was in
faith a German Presbyterian, well
versed in the doctrines of that relig-
| ION There was no church of that
denomination in this locality in the
early days. A minister occasionally
came here to preach. In the absence
of a resident minister Mr. Bruner
preached the doctrines Of the faith to
the few followers then living here. He
preached at the homes and at times
in school houses. A small sign read
| ing "Bible Repository" was for many
years seen over the front entrance of
his shop. He moved to Galena in me
early sixties, where l believe he died.
Mrs. Charlotte Kerkenbush (nee
Goodschal) and Mrs. Elizabeth Os-
termier (nee Buacher) then young
girls, were the only surviving mem
| bers of the early day worshinpers, but
since the death of Mrs. Kerkenbush
| a few weeks ago, at the age OF ninety
years, leaves Mrs. Ostermier the only
survivor.
The Bruner building is now owned
and occupied by the Glenmore sisters.
Next to this was a log building
used as an early day blacksmith shop.
| 1t has long since been removed.
now come to where stood a two
story frame building erected and oc-
| cupied by Myron Harper as general
store, the first in Snake Hollow. Har-
| lot. They owning two-thrids and the
! Jim Grow in 1888, and was ordered to
! leave the Territory by a committee OF
determined men. This he promptly
did, after a quick disposal of his
stock of goods at a great sacrltlce
| The building was afterward convert
ed into a hotel and boarding house
and became known as the Missouri
House. John Hunt and early arrival
to the mining fields, in after years
bought the house, and for a period OF
years conducted hotel and boarding
house with a meat market in connec-
ton.
In years following Mr.. Hunt remov-
ed to British Hollow and established
himself in a general store business
with his brother, William Hunt.
Some time in the sixties the old Mis-
souri, House was taken down and re-
moved to British Hollow.
In 1892 a large two-story frame
building was erected on the lot by
the people and used as an office and
well equipped hall, that almost paid
for itself with dances, shows, etc.
About the year 1900 the building not
receiving the proper care and scrub
ing it should have had by the au-
thorities then in power. it collapsed
from the weight Of heavy snow on the
roof. The local camp of Modern
Woodmen of America then secured a
80 year lease on the premises and the
handsome Woodman hall adorns the
lot They owing two thirds and the
town one-third, the latter is used as
town office.
North of the Missouri House there
was a one-story brick house that was
built by Andrew Acker, a pioneer
boot and shoe maker who occupied it
with his wife, two sons and daughter.
The wife in later years became men
tally unbalanced and ended her life
by jumping into we'll on the prem
Uses. Mr.. Acker after a second MARE
riage died in this house. A frame adj
dition had been added some .'eare af-
ter Mr. Acker's death Henry B.
COons became the owner and Occu
pant Of the premises. Mr.. and Mrs.
Coons and family occupied the house
for many years, or until the deaths of
the parents Following their deaths
the old building was removed and
handsome two-story frame dwelling
erected by a son, ]. Henry Coons,
that stands as an ornament to the
street.
Two lots above this was a frame
dwelling built by Jacob Preise, a
pioneer stone mason Of POtosi. In
later years it was purchased by Jo-
seph Gunther, who occupied it as a
shoe shop and dwelling. 1t was part
ly destroyed by fire a few years ago
and then remodeled into a two-story
dwelling and shoe shop. 1t is now
owned and occupied by Mrs. Gunther
and daughters.
Two lots above this there yet
stands a frame building, though now
much improved, that was built by
Christian Schmidt an early Potosi
cabinet maker Frank Elskamp a
pioneer blacksmith and wife for many