Mrs. Jane Gates Experience It was a gloomy, cloudy afternoon that the Republican and Press man called on Mrs. Jane Gates. This with the fact that Mrs. Gates has been confined to her room and almost to her bed for several years past might lead one not to expect a very cheerful visit. We were happily disappointed. Mrs. Gates still notes with keen interest the events of the day, and goes back with still keener pleasure to the old time gone.” Yes, we came here at a early day” she said, “It was in 1856 Major Wedge was then logging on the creek that is named after him. Mr. Gates and I went to work for him. I was to do the cooking in camp and my husband went to work outside. I was taken sick and had to quit work. When I got better we took charge of the tavern or stopping place at the mouth of Wedge’s Creek where we staid five years. It was pretty new here then, lots of deer all around. Major Wedge killed a great many and we had venison most of the time. Between our place and Neillsville the only houses I remember were Dr. French’s, Mr. Clark’s (where Geo. Bandelow now lives) and Bob Ross at Ross Eddy till we go to Cawley’s. We had the first team brought to Clark County. All sorts of people stopped at our place, settlers coming into the country or going back, and forth for supplies, lumbermen tote teamsters and now and then a bridal party. Judge Dewhurst and his bride ate dinner with us as they came in from Madison where they were married. She was Miss Maria Curtis, niece of the wife of Gov. Taylor. Chauncey Blakesles, then a prominent business man of Neillsville and his bride Miss Boardman stopped for dinner with us on their way to Sparta to be married. There were some great romances in those days too”. At this juncture Mrs. Gates daughter, Mrs. R. J. McBride came to call on her mother and together they recalled many an incident of early times. There was a school house in the vicinity of the Lowery farm where Mrs. McBride and her brother Jas. L Gates first attended school. Their father took them on horseback. Geo. Richardson was the first teacher and was followed by Miss Pope and Robert Sturdevant, afterwards a District Judge in Washington. Blakslee ran a store and hotel where the Neillsville Bank now stands. He built a large barn where the First National Bank is now located. When the barn was finished Mr. Blakeslee gave a big dance in the barn which was attended by nearly every person in Clark County. They all got supper at the hotel and were well fed. Between the hotel and the barn there were no buildings but was all a big vegetable and flower garden. When the Blakeslee’s moved out of the hotel Mr. and Mrs. Gates moved in and ran it a year before moving to the farm home where Mrs. Gates still lives. MacBride says she remembers well her first Christmas experience. “We didn’t hear anything about Christmas when we lived down at Wedge’s Creek” she said “ but I remember well when my brother, Jimmie told me that he had heard that if one would hang up his stocking on Christmas Eve there would be something it it in the morning. We resolved to try it, and each got a chunk of loaf sugar and a silver quarter: ********************

Self-Guided Cemetery Tour