10 years ago

PRESCOTT JOURNAL Aug. 16, 2012 Coming in for note 10 years ago, Ellsworth native Tasha Schuh had been named Ms. Wheelchair USA. Paralyzed by a fall through a trapdoor during a scene rehears- al her junior year of high school, she first learned of the Ms. Wheelchair USA competition on Facebook.

“I was kind of busy and going through a disappointing time in my life,” Schuh recounted. Waiting a year to apply, Schuh had made it past nine other contestants to be named to the honor. “It’s all about accomplishments, women in wheelchairs, attitudes about having a disability,” she said of the pageant. “It was just wonderful; the other contestants there were amazing women. They had some of the most amazing stories.”

Also coming in from 10 years ago, the Prescott Foundation had hosted another successful golf outing, with participants taking to the greens despite rain overhead. The Prescott Foundation was accepting grant requests for projects to beautify Prescott, with potential improvements to parks, planting, cleanup euorts, and biking paths.

25 years ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL “Where the St. Croix Meets the Mississippi” July 24, 1997 Coming in for the week of July 24, 1997, Prescott emergency responders had carried out a daring bluu rescue. The front page story by R. E. Herman related that a young person “had fallen into the Devil’s Glen area, about three-quarters of a mile from the arrival point” at Kinnickinnic State Park. With heavy rains creating mud and slippery slopes, rescue crews made a 40-foot descent from the top to where the boy lay inured.

The only comment from an EMT on the incident was by Todd Farr, who said that, “everyone worked well together.” The young person was unidentified as the paper went to press.

Meanwhile, an ongoing canonization process for Venerable Father Solanus Casey planned a Pilgrimage retreat at the Capuchin Retreat Center in Washington, Michigan, followed by a pilgrimage to Father Casey’s tomb, Casey dying on July 31, 1957, a canonization cause later following.

40 years ago PRESCOTT JOURNAL July 15, 1982 Up for canonization some 40 years ago, the life of Prescott native Father Solanus Casey from the Order of Franciscans Minor (O.F.M) was being studied at Rome. The first step had been taken in January 1981 with initial documents presented to the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Born below Prescott in 1870 and later moving with his family to the Trimbelle area, Father Casey was named Bernard prior to vocation, serving with the Franciscans at Detroit.

Later beatified at Ford Field in Detroit in November 2017, more on Father Solanus Casey can be found at solanuscasey.org.

July 8, 1982

Coming in for news from 1982 the week of July 8, invitations to participate in Prescott Daze had been sent to 140 groups, including 13 bands. Contact people for the festivities were Pam Pechacek and Francis Huppert.

55 years ago PIERCE COUNTY JOURNAL July 20, 1967 Coming in for note from 55 years ago, Milo Garvey and family were starting a 10,000-Hen Egg Factory at the Grange Hall.

The good news in the Grange Hall neighborhood followed on bad news the week previous, with Irvin Schladweiler and fam- ily suuering a $40,000 to $50,000 fire that destroyed their barn just to the west of the Grange Hall area. Plum City and Ellsworth Fire had both responded but focused on saving the house and adjoining buildings as the barn was deemed “too far gone” upon arrival.

As to school news from 1967, the Ellsworth Community Schools budget was set at $1,945,8532, a local levy contribution of $771,850 included in the mix. The increased mill rate of 19.835 was to cover the increased costs of education and building maintenance.

70 years ago RIVER FALLS JOURNAL July 24, 1952 James R. Kelly, pioneer of St. Croix County born at Kinnickinnic on May 8, 1875 to Elizabeth and Lawrence Kelly, passes at Hudson on Monday July 21, 1952.

Married to Millie Wilton on March 1, 1901 in Pleasant Valley, Mr. Kelly was remembered as an energetic farmer, being survived by four children: W. Vernon of Elmhurst, Illinois; Lloyd G. of River Falls; Cecille, also known as Mrs. Burns Stinson of Minneapolis; and Edna, otherwise known as Mrs. Stanley Lokken of Baldwin.

Prior to Mr. Kelly’s passing, he had a chance to celebrate his Golden Anniversary with Millie.

Mr. Kelly’s Find A Grave Memorial ID is 113010997, with just two of four children listed online.

Also in obituaries from 70 years ago was 84-year-old John Motl, residing on North Pearl Street in River Falls until the death of a brother some years ago. Mr. Motl was a parishioner at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, being buried “in the church cemetery south of the city,” no immediate listing being found at Find A Grave.

Finally for obituaries, Ralph H. Selleck of 2491 Stillwater Road died July 16, 1952, at the age of 49 years and four months. A member of East Gate Lodge 314, he was buried in Roselawn Cemetery at St, Paul, also without a listing on Find A Grave.

July 17, 1952

Coming in for church listings from 1952, the River Falls Journal listed several congregations, mostly without their street addresses. Among them were the “Methodist Church” pastored by John Walter Harris, the “Lutheran House of Worship” with John E. Fritzmeyer as pastor, First Baptist Church with Karl V. Grubb as pastor, St. Bridget’s with Fathers H. G. Shancy and Philip Stack as pastors, the Apostolic (Pentecostal) Church with M. S. Wasco as pastor, Martell Methodist Church with Mrs. Paul Nuiton as pastor, First Covenant Church with Rev. Loken speaking and Paul Sundberg as pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod at 550 S. Fourth St., Harold F. Winter as pastor, the “Rush River Parish” with Reverend Obert Hoven, Trinity Episcopal at Elm and Fourth Street with Robert Kilbourn as Vicar, and Assembly of God Independent at East Elm and Main Street, the Reverend B. C. Rosenthal as pastor.

Closing out the week of July 17 with general community news, new doctor Paul S. Haskins was in town after spending two years of active duty with the U.S. Navy. He was in residence on Union Street. 140 years ago PIERCE COUNTY PLAINDEALER July 28, 1882 The friends of tree culture will find strong arguments in favor of their cause from the recent tornadoes. These overturned some trees, to be sure, but their chief destruction was auected in open regions. In the older settle – ments in Kansas it is common to find homes protected by groves, and no doubt these have saved dwellings from destruction. The lesson is a plain one, and if there were no other argument for preserving forests and for plant- ing trees where none now exist, protection against tornadoes would be suvcient. June 2, 1882

Some Old American Laws.

There is a long list of these quaint laws a few of which will suvce to exhibit the condi –

tion of the society in which they exist.

No minister shall keep a school. To pick an ear of corn from a neighbor’s garden shall be deemed theft.

No Quaker of dissenter from the established worship of the Dominion shall be allowed to give a vote for the election of mag- istrate or any other ovcer.

*No one shall run on the Sabbath day, or else walk in his garden or elsewhere, except reverently to and from meeting.

No woman shall kiss her children on the Sabbath day or on a fasting day.

The selectmen, on finding children igno rant, may take them away from their parents and put them in better hands at the expense of the parents.

Married persons shall live together or be imprisoned.

*In a related matter from England, John Bunyan was imprisoned for preaching without a license. He penned the allegory “Pilgrim’s Progress” while locked up in the Bedford jail.