Relative Something

Since our weather pattern yesterday offered just enough periods of rain to keep grass too wet to mow, Cyndie and I busied ourselves with indoor pursuits much of the day. While Cyndie unleashed her creative artistry on making spectacular custom cards for persons known and to be determined, I resumed an attempt to gather local news reports from the 1800s that mention the names of my ancestors.

I find myself easily distracted down rabbit holes of stories both trivial and dramatic on the pages of the old editions of The River Falls Journal, even though they don’t contain family names.

There are simple, yet creative mentions of babies born, comments of individual comings and goings, reports of illnesses and serious injuries, and brief mentions of crop successes and failures. Occasionally, there are official statements of “found” livestock on one’s property that will be kept for their own if not otherwise claimed.

There was a report of a horse that attempted to leap a picket fence but it was unsuccessful and did not survive. In another incident, a man allowed horses pulling his wagon to enter a lake for a drink of water. They began to sink up to their necks! In that case, somehow all were saved.

I decided to transcribe just the portions in which my ancestors were named and sort them by date to better organize the information I was uncovering. I regret that in this form it lacks some of the exciting drama of others in their community being mentioned simultaneously.

These should really be in an olde-timey font, but here is what I gathered yesterday afternoon:

River Falls Journal March 29, 1877

Esdaile

Mr. Betcher has the largest and best stock of hub and spoke timber on hand now that has ever been in this place. S. W. Hays is foreman here for Mr. Betcher at present, and evidently understands his business.

River Falls Journal November 15, 1877

Esdaile

The officers of Green Valley Lodge, I. O. G. T., installed last Wednesday evening are S. W. Hays, W. C. T.; Miss Alice Butterfield, W. V. T.; K. W. Lewis, S.; J. Sleeper, T.; Miss Effie Isham, I. G.; J. P. Johnson, O. G.

River Falls Journal May 5, 1881

Esdaile Echoes

S. W. Hays is at home again for a few days visit with his family

Joseph Sleeper has sold his house and lot in this village to C. Betcher, of Red Wing, for $450.

A little daughter of Mr. Sleeper received so severe a fall the other day as to render her senseless for some time, but she is now all right again.

River Falls Journal June 12, 1881

Esdaile Echoes

C. Betcher has recently been remodeling his horse barn.

E. Hoover has rented a part of S. W. Hays’ house and is now occupying the same.

Henry Bently has decided not to occupy the Sleeper house as was stated a short time ago.

Messers L.C. Rice, L. H. Rice, Joseph Sleeper, and L. Turner, are building a saw mill and bending machine at Brookville, St. Croix county.

River Falls Journal May 25, 1882

Brookville Brevities

S.W. Hays, of Esdaile, called on us last week. He talks of making St. Croix County his home.

Esdaile Echoes

Mrs. Church and mother, Mrs. Sleeper, of Minneapolis, are spending a few days in town.

For reference:

Joseph & Abigail Sleeper are 3rd-Great Grandparents

Charles & Sarah [Sleeper] Church are 2nd-Great Grandparents

Stephen W. Hays (wife Judith [Waite]) are 2nd-Great Grandparents

John W. & Minnie [Church] Hays are Great Grandparents

Charles Betcher (unrelated) was the lumber baron who Stephen W. Hays worked for

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