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Mrs. Elias Pederson
Blue Mounds, Wis.
(Pokerville)
His tory--
Mr. Pederson was born in 1g11-9 south of Arena on the banks of
the Wisconsin river in a little house his father had built from
driftwood from the salvage of the lumber industry of that period
when logs were floated down the river from the northern-pineries to
_saw milles.His father, aelse Pederson, came to Wisconsin in 1848
from Valders, Norway._ His mother was born at Telemarken, Norway.
They were hardy pioneers in. Wisconsin. lir. Pedersonla grandfather
also came from Norway. and lived in Wisconsin many years. Eris name
April g, 1936
Was Ivan
}inset Pederson.. He later _resided in North Dakota
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where he diet at the age of 99 years 6 months and days. To
the ,power of-- endurance that was found in most
Norsemen' it is, well to. relate- that; on the, day before
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Ivan PederSonts death .he had .walked 1-, to Fargo., a distance of -ten miles
and. back, making a total of twenty miles
long walk hasted his death' for he waik-e
laced. boot but were, in appearance, much like the rubber boot of
today. These boots were copper tipped across the toes, and of
course, hand made as there were no shoe factories -at that time but
many shoe makers by trade.
Mr. Pederson walked, the nine rands from his home to the place. the
tied. were delivered as it was usually too cold. to ride. During the
season he went every day. His father and mother loaded the ties 41.
onto the sleigh in the morning and this young boy walked by the
side of the oxen, ii high spirits and high boots, proud to be of such
important assistance to his hard. working people. -When he reached
his destination he 'Would roll, the heavy ties from the sleigh. and
-on Saturdays his,- father would- ad -company him. to pile the ties in. order.
Mr. Pe dersonl s father told many:: stories from Valders, Norway,
at tha:k.time the people there believed. in the mythical Huldre. He
said. they had will, dances, and_partiesTwhere people invariably fought
and. 'often:. their. brawls- were-. e ride d, tragically. The girls always took
arep's, Wound4 at. these tights were
certain' oecur. The- meriz.oarried. knives- for stabbing each other.
These knives were usually sualler: than; a table knife; larger and-
'stronger .than paring knives, knife of -this sort is to be seen at
Pederson --Smith
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unwrapping the entire blade. He made a quick move to stab what he
believed to be a man, when the form disappeared. He then knew it
was a Haldre and took warning not to attend the dance that night,
which later proved to be a tragi,o affair as *there wae a man killed
at that dance that very night.
Mrs. Pedersontf•father, drew Weehouse was born Sept. 29, 1029
at Telemarken, Norway.. "er mother,Bergetta (nee) Thompson was bofn
Dee.- 23, _3.839. in Norway and died at Pokerville, tie°. 25,, l918.,
Weehouse came to Wisconsin with her parents in. 184-5 who
settled near Daleyville.. When Andrew Weehouse and Bergetta Thompson
were married they bought a farm within two miles of .Pokerville where
their —son John Weehouse now resides.
Mrs. Pe Larson recalls when she, as a young gi
_carried butter
q and eggs to ,P6keiville,to exchange for groceries -at the stores there.
At- one time :there was a. thrtving .iiliage in :this lead mining district
o•#-
-11 Mrs Pederson' ather purehased: the- farm; where R he lived so-
gt,-• many years, and that now belongs to a; son, from John:Adams who'
lived in that vicinity'&nd who. :resided:, et. Black Earth (I wrote
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about hie!.7•11.0. Mainzies story of Black Earth
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t. fathek, -of Will eivi..--Alva who later- bedame Governors of colored
r-
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pecierson--smith 4
places of business: three stores, two hotels, two blacksMith shops,
a harness making shop, a wagon factory, a post office, drug store
and five saloons.- Although Pokerville-was a very lively place
nearly a century ago it is today -a farming community with no trace
of its former activity.
Many stories are told of the wild times that were had there but
with a1,1 the whiskey'drinking and gambling no one recalls any brawls
orfighting that ended tragically.
//lhe miners traded -lead "on for drinks and for groceries.:HThe
lead was of high percentage and.the-business people often dealthwith
lead'ore instead of our re
There was also a doctor who.liied at Pokerville.