THE 1900’S BRING CHANGES. ISADORA’S PASSING

Let’s turn back to the Cartter farm at Disco. Occupants there have been deeply involved in the sorrows of the Adams family. In the meantime Emma Cartter’s mother, Elizabeth Lanpher, died January 18, 1903 from an attack of pneumonia. She was buried with her three sons in the Riverside Cemetery at Black River Falls. Since 1896 Mrs. Lanpher had made her home with the Knoblochs at Eau Claire and Emma had kept up weekly correspondence with her.

During the period from 1899 to 1905 David intensified his interest in farming and in public affairs. In 1903 the farmers in the Disco area formed a dairy association for the purpose of contracting with a buttermaker for the operation of a local creamery. David was elected president, C. J. Hoag secretary, and James Harmer Sr. was treasurer.

About 275 patrons were served through routes set up for the collection of cream. This Ass’n. in 1909 was turned into a cooperative known as the Disco Creamery Ass’n. which bought out Mr. Dietrick and operated their own plant. For many years butter was shipped to Buffalo, N. Y. in 60 lb. tubs. This Ass’n. continued until 1947. For several years David was also director of the Irving Mutual Insurance Company, organized especially to serve the rural areas of the county.

A letter written by Emma to her mother on Jan. 12, 1899 gives some idea of farm expansion and life at the Cartters less than a year after her marriage.

“I wish you might help us eat our head cheese, pickled pigs feet, pork, beef, etc. I tell you we live high! – – – David is still doing his work alone and no small task to take care of 6 horses, 26 head of cattle and 46 hogs. He expects next year to increase his cattle to 50 head. Feb. 1st he intends to hire a man and later will have to keep two. – – – I commenced work on my bedspread last night and will work on it evenings. David reads aloud as long as his throat will permit and then I read, thus we pass very pleasant evenings.

I don’t know as I have ever told you just how the rooms are arranged here. The sitting room was the first part of the house built. It faces the road and Mrs. C’s bedroom opens off that, to the west. Back of the sitting room is the dining room and from this are doors leading to the cellar, pantry, and bedroom where we sleep since Irene has taken sick. From the dining room is a large kitchen and woodshed. Upstairs, above the sitting room are two nice bedrooms and two that are not finished off yet. – – – Emma”

It was during this period, in 1903 that a telephone line was built throught the Disco area, adding greatly to the freedom of communication. Farmers along the line supplied their own poles. Oh how excited were the Cartter children with that talking box on the wall. It was also in 1903 that Oliver and Arthur Swift sold their interests in South Dakota and moved to Santa Ana, California. Consequently Isadora and Charlie made their next trip to the far wet and grandmother brought home to the grandshildren some of the wonders from the Pacific Ocean. How fascinated they were listening to the roar of the acean as transmitted from those big shells. Grandmother had been quite well impressed with California, even to the point of encouraging David and Emma to come west. She had grown to dread the winter cold.

A letter, one of only a few sent to the author when he was only 5 years by his grandmother, is quoted here:

“Santa Ana, Calif.

Feb. 17, 1905

My dear little boy Bruce —

Hello, how are you this bright morning, and what are you doing? Grandma has just finished sweeping and dusting and thought of her little grandson and it was most time he had another letter. – – – Grandma was down to the ocean place called Long Beach. I got lots of pretty shells. Will bring you some when I come, and other pretty things – – – How is “Colty?” Has papa taught “Lady” how to wear a harness yet? – – – Suppose mama has made lots of sausage. You must think of grandma when you eat some time. We have sausage but it is not as good as mama’s. – – – With lots of love for my darling little boy. from your Grandma Cartter”

The expansion of his dairy herd compelled David to plan for a new basement barn to house both cattle and horses and to provide for more storage space for hay. This meant quarrying out stones for the walls and hauling a great quantity of building supplies.

But grief struck again when Emma, the author’s mother, passed away on September 25, 1905 the barn being only partly finished. The following excerpt is taken from an obituary in the local papers.

“A sad occurence and one causing the sorrowing of our whole community was the passing of Mrs. David K. Cartter who passed wawy at her home here Monday evening of septicemia, resulting from appendicitis and other complications. She was a young woman of robust nature and one of the least to be suspected of succumbing to disease. Mrs. Cartter will be greatly missed in the community as well as in her home, for she was not only a kind, loving and indulgent wife and mother but was also a sympathetic and responsive neighbor, who was ever ready to lend a helping hand to a friend in need. We extend the deepest sympathy of the whole community to the bereaved family. The funeral was held from the Episcopal church and burial was in the Riverside Cememtery at Black River Falls.”

How very fortunate a certain six-year-old boy was to have at that time an understanding grandmother, a compassionate father, a devoted older sister and a sensitive and kind Aunt Ida, all of whom did their best to fill the void left when his mother was taken from him. One of the most reasured memories is that of Grandmother Isadora sitting in her favorite rocking chair, and in her understanding way communicating to him the deeper meanings of life and death.

Emma Lanphers Cartter’s premature death was a shock to Isadora, coming as it did only four months after Charles Swift, her brother and recent traveling companion, had died June 4, 1905. It was a shock from which she never completely recovered. Emma’s coming to the farm had given Isadora the first feeling of freedom from household duties and the personal care of her beloved family. Irene was going to high school in Black River Falls which meant boarding in town during the week. Farm operations were running smoothly and Isadora’s health had been good.

Cousin Louise writes, “I never knew grandmother to be sick until her last illness, but I think her heart did bother her. She used to love out-of-doors and enjoyed most of all picking blueberries. Once she was climbing a hill with us and had to stop and go no further. Another time she, Ruth my sister, and I went blueberrying on the Caves farm. We had stopped on our way back to Sechlerville but we wanted to take her home. She wouldn’t let us, for she said she’d go slow and stop to see Mary Kimball, then the pain in her chest wouldn’t bother – – – These are just little things, but how I loves her and ‘looked up’ to her. She was a quiet, happy woman with a very bright mind. — She must have been influenced by grandfather in her interest in history and breadth of reading.”

Some time after Emma’s death Isadora had a severe heart attack but lived until March 25, 1907. The following obituary appeared in the Black River Falls Banner Journal:

“Mrs. J. B. Cartter died at the old home near Disco, Monday morning March 25th of heart disease, passing away quickly and quietly, though her death was then hourly looked for. She had been sick since the death of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. David K. Cartter. The funeral services were held at the Sechlerville Presbyterian Church. – – –

– – – Isadora P. Swift was born at North Falmouth, Mass. on Oct. 5, 1834, and came to Black River Falls with her parents Mr. and Mrs. John Swift in the spring of 1855 and was hence one of the very early settlers here. On July 7th she was married to J. B. Cartter, and they moved the following fall onto the farm where she died. She has resided there since. Her husband, James Bruce, died Oct. 29, 1897. She leaves one son David Kellogg and four grandchildren; also a brother Oliver C. Swift of Santa Ana, Calif. who too was an old settler in Jackson County.

Mrs. Cartter had a large circle of acquaintances and was loved by all who knew her intimately. She was an active woman, of a jovial nature and kind disposition. She will be missed not only by her son’s family and other relatives, but also by the whole community where she lived.”

In order that we may have a better insight into Isadora’s lighter nature a few excerpts follow taken from a letter written by her cousin Foster Nye of Mass., and sent to the author’s sister Irene after Isadora’s death.

“This is a sad time for you I know for you have lost one of the best grandmothers as she was here with us two summers, we know how dear she was to us, and when the time came for her to go back home in the autumn it seemed as though we couldn’t let her go, for she was so bright and cheerful, and always doing something for somebody to ‘help them along a little’ as she would say – – – The cousins were all in love with her, and she was the life of every gathering that they had, so jolly always ready for any sport as a young girl. – – – I wish you could have been here Irene with us, you would have enjoyed yourself I know.

– – – Uncle Charlie Swift was good as a circus once we got him started, and they would have the old fashioned dances and he was so fat, but he would step it off lively, and your grandmother would keep telling him she wouldn’t bring him east again if he couldn’t behave himself better than that. All the time she would be laughing till the tears rolled down her cheeks. – – – But poor Uncle Charley is gone now and Aunt Lizzie and Coz. Isadora – – but I am so glad we could have that last summer together and all the cousins would be united again after so many years.

Your cousin,

Foster Nye.”

The strain on David was so great following Emma’s death in 1905 and his mother’s death in 1907 that he felt compelled to get away from the farm for a time. Consequently the Mandamus Peterson family contracted to work the farm while we moved back to Black River Falls. Here David found temporary employment at Dunn’s feed mill. By the end of the first year he was ready to return to the farm, for he really missed the open country. The Petersons stayed on for a year or so longer. It was during this period that tobacco was added as a cash crop. Up to five acres per year were raised for several years, but the land proved too light for sustained yields. The dairy herd expanded as the barn was completed; swine production was increased and a sheep flock consisting of up to seventy-five ewes became a regular part of the livestock enterprise.

In the fall of 1908 David, while still living in Black River Falls, with Parker Adams, Dave Stolts, and Guy Sechler made a trip west. They stopped in Dakota for Hawley Adams to join them and proceeded to the State of Oregon. The primary objective was to investigate timber land which was being offered for sale by the U.S. Government. SOme of them, including David, Parker, and Hawley did purchase land.

A certificate for purchase of U.S. land signed by President Wm. H. Taft is in the hands of the author. 160 acres were purchased by David on Nov. 20, 1908, the price being $2.50 per acre. It was located near Grant’s Pass in Josephine County. David kept this land for some years, but eventually let it go back for taxes some time after 1915, the last year we have a tax receipt covering this propoerty. This trip was the only distant trip outside of Wisconsin made by David except for his possible attendance at the World’s Fairs in Chicago and St. Louis and his earlier trip with Della to the Dakotas.

It was during these years that the author, not yet ten years old, was drawn close to the Knobloch family at Eau Claire. His Aunt Ida had been very close to him after his mother’s death. They kept up a regular correspondence and at least twice a year he was invited to spend time at their home with Ruth and Robert knobloch, about his own age. For several years he shared family vacations with them at some lake in Wisconsin where fishing was good, for Uncle John was a good fisherman. This association with the Knobloch family has continued ever since.

On August 2, 1910 David brought his third wife to the Cartter farm. Edith May Davis had been a former teacher in the Disco School, having graduated from the Stevens Point Normal School. More recently she had taight in the states of North Dakota and Washington. She was the third daughter of Henry Clay and Elizabeth (Allan) Davis of Irving, Wis. The Davis family consisted of ten children, four girls and six boys. Henry’s father, James had settles in Jackson County approximately the same year as James Bruce had arrived.

THE DAVIS FAMILY

The Davis family is one of the old families in America with many branches making identification of family lines difficult. At this writing we do not know the original ancestor of Henry Davis who came to these shores. It is certain however that:

EBENEZER DAVIS b. 2-14-1765 at Barnstable, Mass. was Henry’s grandfather. Ebenezer married Mary Payne approximately 1790 – her birthdate being 10-23-1767. Ebenezer died 4-20-1818 at Wilson, N. Y. Mary died 8-5-1839.

JAMES DAVIS, son of Ebenzer and Mary (Payne) Davis was b. 1804. He married Nancy Marie Gibbs who was b. 1804, and they made their westward move by way of Mich., probably begun in the early 1840’s. They arrived in Jackson County about the same time as the Cartters, the 1850’s. James settled on a farm on the banks of the Black River some ten miles south of Black River Falls. It was at this point that James established the ferry across the river which made overland travel possible from Sparta, the nearest railroad point, through Disco and north past the Cartter farm. In fact James Davis had surveyed this road, later known as County Trunk X. He and James Bruce had been good friends.

James Davis died 1869

HENRY C. DAVIS – son of James and Nancy (Gibbs) Davis was b. 10-9-1842 at Grand Rapids, Mich. and came with his father to Wis. He married Elizabeth Ann Allan 1-1-1867 she having been b. 1-14-1848.

Henry took over the operation of the farm and the ferry and became a prominent citizen of Jackson County. He was a Civil War veteran and held the office of town clerk for Irving many years. He also served on the Jackson County Board of Supervisors with David Kellogg Cartter in 1905. Ten children were born to Henry and Elizabeth, several of them training to be teachers but assuming various roles during their lifetimes.

Mary, b. 6-4-1867 m. 7-4-1891 to Iver Johnson d. 4-20-1942

Maria, b. 3-8-1869 m. 10-11-1904 to Leonard Billerbeck, d. 2-8-1941

Mark Allan, b. 3-28-1871 d. 2-8-1941 (He stayed on the farm with his father – not married)

Edith May, b. 2-6-1873 m. 8-2-1910 David Kellogg Cartter d. 4-1-1945 (See Cartter Genealogy for descendants)

Eppa, b. 3-27-1875 m. 10-21-1914 to Nellie May Holdway d. 9-17-1917

Olive Eliz., b. 5-21-1877 m. 3-23-1911 to Jonathan E. Caldwell d. 1968

Clarence Paul, b. 1-27-1879 d. 7-19-1941

Ellis Arthur, b. 3-8-1881 m. 3-27-1936 to Francis Chester Chamberlain d. _____

Irving, b. 9-10-1885 m. 3-5-1914 to Ina Dell d. 11-26-1922

Carl, b. 12-23-1887 m. 1-10-1923 to Ellen Wickert He now lives in Los Angeles.

Edith May brought to the Disco area a keen interest in community and public affairs. Her interests were varied reaching into areas of education, history both local and national, church work including W.C.T.U., and varied hobbies such as astronomy. Her interest in young people brought many children from the neighborhood to the Cartter farm on various occasions. She recorded a good bit of area histry, some of which was published in the weekly paper, and has provided some background used in this writing. She served as local correspondent for several years. Her presence in the home made it possible for Irene to complete her music education at the Minneapolis Conservatory of Mucis and to take a course in library management at the Univ. of Wis.

Three children were born to Edith and David, but the first two, David Jr. b. in 1912 and Elizabeth in 1914 died as infants. James Marion was born Dec. 16, 1916 becoming the third living descendant of David and the sixth grandchild of James Bruce and Isadora.