HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



Gadson has been a breeder of pure-bred Holstein-Fresian cattle, and now has
a
herd of 20 fine animals; he has been a member of the Holstein-Fresian Association
of America since 1907. He served his township as a member of its board for
several years, and was clerk of school District No. 5, there for a long time.
He
is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Marshfield, and fraternally
is a
member of the Marshfield Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America. In religion
he was reared a Wesleyan Methodist, and he helped to build the Richfield
Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, the family being among the charter members of that
con-
gregation. Dec. 23, 1883, Mr. Gadson married Minnie Clark, who was born
near Beaver Dam, in Dodge County, Wis., March 8, 1863, daughter of John C.
and Ida (Stevenson) Clark. Mr. and Mrs. Gadson have five children: Gail
Franklin, Edwin Clark, Alice Louise, Beulah Marie and Minnie A. Edwin Clark
Gadson, born Aug. 16, 1896, married Floy Miner, of Richfield Township, and
has one child, Arlene M. Alice Louise Gadson born May 16, 1898, became Mrs.
George Harper, and has her home in Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Harper have one
child, Muriel E. Beulah Marie Gadson was born Aug. 4, 1901; she is now Mrs.
Louis Hengle, of Marshfield and is the mother of one child, Elaine A. Minnie
A.
Gadson, born July 12, 1904, is living at home; she has completed two years
in
the Marshfield High School, and one in the Wisconsin Rapids High School.
Gail
Franklin Gadson, born Nov. 18, 1894, is living in Marshfield; he married
Alice
Miner, of Richfield Township and has one child, Gordon Gail. On May 27, 1918,
Gail F. Gadson entered the military service of the United States. On May
28,
he was sent to Camp Grant, where he stayed two or three weeks and was then
transferred to Camp Custer, where he trained during the month of June. About
July 10, he was transferred to Camp Mills and on July 21, sailed for overseas.
With his organization he landed at Liverpool, England, and after only a brief
stay in that country, crossed to France and was immediately sent to the front
lines, where he found himself just one month after leaving New York. The
first
battle in which he took part was that at St. Mihiel, which lasted about three
days.
"We recruited then," he says, "and went on to the Argonne
Forest. This was
a much harder drive. I did not get very much rest for about two weeks, but
was
on outpost duty most every night, I being one of the men that carried an
automatic
rifle. During this time I didn't get much to eat that agreed with me; so
on the
march back from the front I fell out (Oct. 15,) with what the doctor called
ex-
haustion. I was then taken to Base Hospital No. 25 at Allerey, where I stayed
for 82 days." On Jan. 3, 1919, he was discharged from the hospital and
later
from the army, reaching home March 12, 1919, after being overseas nine and
a
half months. During his stay in France no letters from home had reached him,
which had made his experience, especially while in the hospital, much more
trying.
   Frank A. Malik, an enterprising merchant of Milladore, of which village
he
is also the postmaster, was born on a farm in Milladore Township, Wood County,
Oct. 4, 1892, son of Peter and Dorothy Malik. The parents were born in Bohemia,
where the father followed the mason's trade until they came to the United
States
about 1885, settling at Oconto, Wis. In 1887 they came to Wood County and
engaged in farming in Milladore Township. In 1899, they moved to the village
of Milladore, Mr. Malik resuming his original trade of mason, at which he
sub-
sequently worked until his death in 1907. They had three children, James,
Marie
and Frank. By a former marriage Peter Malik had two sons, Peter Jr., and
John,
and Mrs. Dorothy Malik also by a former marriage had one daughter who is
now
deceased. The daughter Marie is the wife of W. H. Ryan, a well-known banker
of Haugen, Barron County, Wis. Frank A. Malik was seven years old when
his parents moved from their farm to Milladore village, where he attended
the
common school. He began industrial life as clerk in the general store of
Jacob
Verhulst, but after awhile entered the employ of his own brother James, who
had
started a similar store in the village in 1909, and for him he subsequently
worked
until 1912. In that year he bought out his brother becoming sole proprietor
of
the business, until 1919, when he sold out and in the spring of 1920 bought
his
present business carrying a full line of groceries, dry goods, men's furnishings,



634