Document text
TITLE PIONEER DAYS
NAME MELVINA OASBERG
AGE FOURTEEN
SCHOOL HOLMEN HIGH SCHOOL
ADDRESS ROUEN, WISCONSIN
SIGNATURES
John M. Casberg
Nis. John M. Casberg
AV
Pioneer Days
In the spring of 1849 Mr. and Mrs. Barre Stoen of
Ringsaker a province near Christiania Norway immigrated to
America the "Promised Land."
After a perilous journey of 14 weeks they landed in
New York. By means of the Erie Canal and Great Lakes they
immediately prooeeded to Wisconsin lured by the amazing tales
told by those who had journeyed before them. They landed at
Milwaukee.
Mr. Stoen purchased a team of oxen and a wagon as
the family was to travel farther west. During the day they
made slow progress and at night would find a sheltered nook to
camp. After travelling in this manner for six weeks they arrived
at their destination, weary from fatigue that the rude methods
of transportation brought them.
Long Coulee, 13 miles north of La Crosse, vas chosen
as their place of settlement. They were many miles from habi-
tation as Mr. Stoen was the first settler in the vicinity of
Eolmen.
A secluded spot was selected on which to build a home.
While the cabin was being constructed they lived in the great
2-- Pioneer Days
outdoors making a bed of blankets. The cabin was rudely con-
structed of logs, having one small room with a fireplace.
Shortly after they made their home here many pioneers,
mostly Scandinavians, came to this part of Wisconsin and settled
Long Coulee.
One day a messenger on horseback rode over the prairie
shouting fearful news to the pioneers. A band of Indians was
coming directly there and they should seek places of safety.
The women and children found refuge in one of the log cabins
where they might be protected from the °ter colored race. The
several men lay armed in the tall grass 1y the creek that was near
their home. The tribe soon came and camped where the Holmen
school now stands. After watching the Indians for a while the
men decided to go and talk to them. The Chief appeared very
friendly, offered the peace pipe and presented various gifts.
The next morning the Indians left and fear for them was gone.
During the winter months little was done. Mr. Stoen
was very handy at all trades. He was a carpenter and shoemaker
by trade; so he found work to engage himself during minter's
reign.
3-- Pioneer Days
In the fall of the year the crops were gathered in.
Many fields were planted to oats as this was the main food.
The method of harvesting oats was very peculiar. They would
first out the oats with a cradle. This implement is similar
to a scythe but has blades arranged in such a way that the oats
fall into bundles when cut. The binding was done by hand. After
gathering in the sheaves they were arranged in a circle on the
barn floor. The oxen trampled on them 'till the grain stalks were
separated. The grain was brought to the mill at Bolmen to be
ground into flour. Another method of thrashing oats was to tie
the sheaves into bundles and beat them vigorously 'till the grain
fell off. Many tasty dishes were prepared from this substantial
food.
Cora was ground between two large stones and made into
meal. Good store of cornmeal was required as it was used exolu-
sirely in baking.
Game was caught in abundance as animals of various kinds
roamed the woods and prairies. Venison was used very much as it
was so easily sought in the vicinity. Fish also was used a great
deal.
4-- Pioneer Days
Julia, the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stoen,
was the first white child born around Holmen. The Indians came
to see her, often presented her with rare gifts and called her
anangel."
La Crosse was not very frequently visited as it took
a day to drive there and back. Soloman Levi was proprieter of
the only store in La Crosse at that date. Mr. Stoen purchased
a stove, clock and several other household articles on one trip.
He gave Mr. Levi a $20 bill. Mr. Levi went to every home in
La Crosse to get the bill changed but as he could not secure it
Mr. Stoen had to purchase enough articles to amount to the $20.
The clock was the first clock in Long Coulee. It is a Seth Thomas,
running by and guaranteed for 5 years. Today at the age
of 76 years it is in the possession of his grandson who resides
at Holman.
Mr. Stoen was very active in public affairs. He assist-
ed the government surveyors while working in La Crosse County.
He contributed liberal sums to the Luther College establishment
in Halfway. Being a carpenter he did much in building the old
Halfway ohurch, the first church Holmen ever knew.
By the time of Mr. Stoen's death, which ocourred in 1907,
La Crosse County was an upright, progressive community; much dif-
ferent than the time of his arrival when it was a mere prairie by
the bwrars of the beautiful "Mississippi."
777101.191.111111.1111•111.
Title: Pioneer Days.
Yelvina Casberg.
Age: 14 years.
School: Holmen Hign Scnool.
Address: Holmen, Wisconsin.
Pioneer Days.
In the s,ring of 134:; Yr. and Mrs. :Barre Steen of Ringsaker a
province near Cnristiania Norway immigrated to america tne "Promised
Lana.e
After a :,erilous journey of 14 weeks tney landed in New York. By
means of tne Erie Canal and reat Lakes tney immediatly proceeded to
Wisconsin lured b: tneamazing tales cold by tnose wno nad journeyed he
fore taem. They landed at Milwaukee.
1:r. Steen i:urcnased a team of oxen and a wagon as tne family was
tc travel iarther ::est. During tne day tney made slow progress and at
nignt lied a saelcered nook to camp. After .travelling in tnis
manner for six weeks they arrived at their destination, weary fruit fa-
tigue that tne rude methods of transpoLtation brougnt tnem.
Long Cculee, la: miles nortn of La Crosse, was cncsen as their place
of settlement. The: were many miles from habitation as Mr. Steen was
tne first settler in tne V*.cinity of Holmen.
A secluae s,ot was selected on wnich to ouild a acme. Wniie tne
cabin was CF2".,- c-nstre,cted they lived in tne great outdoors making a
bed of blanf:ets. Tne cabin was rudely constructed of logs having one
small room aitn a fireolace.
Snortl: after tne, made tneir noise here many pioneers, mostly
Scandinavians, came te tnis part of Wisconsin and settled Long Coulee.
One da: a messener on norseback rode over tne prairie shouting
iearfal news to tae pioneers A band of Indians was coming directly
tnere and the: sa.ald seek places of safety. Tne women and cnildren
found refuge in cne of tne log cabins anere tney mignt be protected from
tne copper eelored race. Tne several men lay armed in tne tail grass by
tne creek .at vas near tneir come. Tne tribe soon came and camped
where tne Holmen sonocl now stands. After watcning the Indians for a
wnile tne men decided to go and talk to triers Tne cnief appeardd very
friendly, offerea tne peace pipe and presented various gifts. Tne next
morning tne Indians ieft and fear for tnem was gone.
tne winter montns little was done. Yr. Steen was very handy
at all trades. He aas a carpenter and shoemaker by -6raue,; gO he found
/Jerk to engage nimself during winter's reign.
In .3fIE :ail cf the year tne crops were 6atnered. in. Many fields
.are planted to cats as tnis was one main food. The metnod of harvesting
oats aas ver_: i„ecaliar. TneL, would first cut tne oats witn a cradle.
rhs im•.iiment is similar to a scytne but nas blades arranged in sucn
Aay cnat .ne oa.s fall into bundles wnen cut. The binding was done by
nand. After i-atnering in tne sneaves tnelw€re as ranged in a circle on
tne ear lccr. The cxen trampled on tnem 'till tne grain stalks were
seaarated. Tne L;rainwas brougeA to tne mill at Holmen to be ground into
flcur. Anctner metnod cf tnrasning oats was to tie tne sneaves into
ban es and at tnem vigorously 'till one grain fell off. Many tasty
disaes were :7eared from tnis substantial food.
7crn ilas 7rsound heieen tw large stomes and made into meal Good
s:or reouired as was used exclusively in baking.
_re _
Game was caugnt in abundance as animals of various kinds roamed tne
woods and prairies. Venison was usea very mucn as it was so easily
sought in Lne vicinity. Fish also was used a great deal.
Julia, the oldest daugnter of Mr. and Yrs. Steen,.was tne first
wnite cnild born around Holmen. The Indians came to see her, often pre-
sented her witn rare gifts and called her ani "angel."
La Crosse was not very freq-uently visited as it took a day to drive
tnere and back. Solaman-Levi.mas proprieter 01 tile only store in Ia,
Crosse at tnat date. Mr. staen purcnased a stove, clock and several °trier
househoid articles on one trio. He gave Mr. Levi a 420 bili. Mr. Levi.
went to every home in La Crosse to get tne bill cnanged but as ne coula
not secure it Mr Steen nad to puicnase enougn articles to amount to the
420. Inc clock aas tne first clock in Long Coulee. It is a Seth Thomas,
running by weii7nts,and guaranteed for 5 years. To-aay at the age of 76
years it is in Lne possession of nis grandson who resides at Holmen.
Mr. Steen was very active in public affairs. He assisted tat gov-
erment surviyors waile working in La Crosse County. He contributed
liberal sums to tne Lutner College establisnment in Halfway. Being a
capoenter he did mucn in building tne old Halfway cnuron, the first
cnurcn Holmen ever knew.
By t -.e time of Mr. Steens death, NLiCd occured in 1907, La Crosse
County was an upriL,nt, px.ogressive community; mucn different taan t.ne
time of nis arrival when it was a mere prairie by the banks of tne
beautifullMississippi?