built their house. He was a carpenter and built all
the farm buildings.
They worked hard clearing the land for farming
and raising cattle, horses, pigs and chickens. Dur-
ing the winter my father worked in the woods,
while my mother took over the chores and cared
for us six children.
He also served on the town board and was town
treasurer. They lived on the farm all their lives and
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at home
with the family and friends.

Henry and Matilda Nieidel and children: Helen, Claire,
George, Mildred, Margaret, and Mary
1944
Their children are Mildred and Mary at
Broomfeild, Colorado; Claire at Denver, Colorado;
George and Helen at Hawkins and Margaret at In-
gram. There are 16 grandchildren and 29 great-
grandchildren, living in Wisconsin, Minnesota,
North Dakota and Canada.
Their parents came from Europe in the mid
1800's and homesteaded in Kansas and Colorado.
Our family had many happy times together on
the farm. One of my fondest memories is riding
home in the lumber wagon at night and watching
the stars in the sky. We learned to swim in the
creek that ran through the farm. In the winter we
enjoyed skiing, sledding and tobaggoning. It was
more fun when our parents went on the tobaggon
with us. By: George Neidel
HENRY GEORGE NEIDEL
Henry George Neidel - better known as
George Neidel - was born Nov. 12, 1919, in the
town of Richland, Rusk Co. to Henry and Matilda
Neidel. He spent his childhood and teen years on
the farm where he was born. One of his fondest
memories is lying on his back in the wagon at night
going home from the free show in Hawkins. He
recalls how beautiful the sky was.
In October, 1941, he joined    the Army.
December 7th, when World War II started, he
went to Australia and on to Guadalcanal, New
Caldonia, and New Guinea. In October of 1944, he
came back to the U.S. and got his first furlough.

George and Shirley Neidel
Oct. 14, 1944
Shirley Hruby Neidel was born Aug. 5, 1924, in
Berwyn, Ill. in 1926. I came to 80 acres of wild
land in the town of South Forks with my parents,
Robert and Emily Hruby. There I spent my
childhood and teen years. During the war, I
worked at a war plant in Chicago.
When I was a child, all summer relatives would
come from Chicago to visit - grandpas, grand-
mas, aunts, uncles, and cousins. There was always

much excitement and fun. The men would rock the
outdoor toilet when one or two women were in it.
We'd hear screams from inside. Someone would
try to put a pail of water above the door to spill on
them. Usually it didn't work. There was always
salt in the sugar bowl on April Fools Day. First
visitors came on the Soo Line, then Model T Fords,
and then more modern cars.
In October of 1944, George came home on
furlough and George Neidel and Shirley Hruby
were married on October 14, 1944. We lived on
Army bases in Sparta and Waukesha, Wis. till the
war was over and George was discharged. They
then bought the former John and Victoria (Swen-
tonoski) Rosiak farm, where they live now in 1983.
When we lived on Army bases we shared apart-
ments with three or four other couples. We shared
kitchens and bathrooms. There were always a lot
of people around. We wished for the day when
we'd own our farm and would be isolated for
awhile. I remember the first snow storm. We paced
from window to window waiting for the snow plow
to open the road so we could get out and see people.
We have three daughters, Lynn Joy Neidel -
Aug. 1, 1947, Kris Lee Neidel - Jan. 3, 1950,
Paty Ann Neidel -Jan. 19, 1952.
George says of all the places he's been, he wants
to spend his retirement years in Rusk County. By:
Shirley Neidel
THE AUSTIN NELSON FAMILY
In 1919, at the age of 13, Austin Nelson moved
from Vernon Co., with his parents and five
brothers and sisters, to Rusk Co. They moved to a
farm between the north end of Potato Lake and
Island Lake. The children attended North Lima
School. After finishing school he did farm work
and worked on the roads they were building in the
town of Big Bend.
At the age of 20 he married Mary Silvernail.
Her mother had died at her birth and was the first
person to be buried in the Island Lake Cemetery.
Mary was raised by her grandparents Calvin C.
and Angeline Silvernail, who operated a general
store at Island Lake for many years.
Austin and Mary farmed in the Town of Big
Bend much of their married life. They had three
sons George, Leslie and Richard. Mary died from
a heart attack in 1952. In 1954, Austin married
Nora Nelson of Chetek, who had twins - a son,
Jack Lee and a daughter Jill Lynn. The children
all went to North Lima School until it closed in
1956 and the pupils were transported to Island
Lake School.
In 1949 George married Dora Vetterkind,
Island Lake. They had four children Betty, Dennis,
James and Mary. In 1959 Austin sold his farm to
the State as did several others. The State wanted
to build a dam and flood the lowlands for a game
reserve. Potato Creek ran from the north end of
Potato Lake across these farms. Austin then
bought a farm in the Town of Doure, Barron Co.,
northwest of New Auburn. Soon after, George
bought a farm near by and in 1969 when Austin
wanted to retire, Leslie bought the home place.
George and Leslie still operate the same farm.
Leslie had married Kathryn Rudall of Chetek.
They have two children, Timothy and Wendy. Tim
graduated from New Auburn School as Wendy
will this spring 1983. Tim married Renea Nelson,
New Auburn, George's children all married and
live in the New Auburn - Bloomer area.
Betty married Steven Davis of rural Chetek.
They have no children. Dennis married Lori
Motzer. They have two sons, Scott and Travis.
James married Terri Bagwell of New Auburn.
They have two daughters, Erica and Tiffany.
Mary married Dan Hassemer. They have no
children.
Richard finished high school in Chetek, then
enlisted in the Army. He served one year in the
U.S., one year in Vietnam and one in Germany as
a diesel mechanic. He now lives in Bloomer and
works at Uniroyal in Eau Claire. He married Jen-
nifer Kucharski of Chetek. They have three
children Rodney, Theresa and Dale.
After retiring Austin enjoyed four trips to the
western states before having a stroke in 1978, from

which he never recovered and he was also found to
have lung cancer and passed away May 5, 1981.
All of the family still live around the New Auburn
- Bloomer area with the exception of the step-
children. Jill lives in Rockford and Jack in Kansas
City, Kan.
CARL NELSON
I came with my parents, John and Clara Nelson,
from Chicago in September, 1898 and settled in
Glen Flora. Father bought 40 acres of green
wooded land, with a small one-room frame house,
something to move into. Many settlers built log
cabins. Carving out a new home in the wilderness
was slow hard work, but a spirit of assistance and
cooperation existed among the pioneers.
There was not much market for timber but cord-
wood was in demand. A 4 by 4 by 8 foot cord of
split hardwood would bring $1.25 delivered at the
station. Father obtained considerable carpenter
work in the area but wages for a 10-hour day were
small and often quite a distance was traveled to get
to the work. Father acquired a team of horses quite
soon which helped in clearing land and also some
income from hauling for neighbors. Many pioneers
used oxen. Many small farms began to develop,
and as roads were extended more settlers came in.
My sister Eva was born in Glen Flora and we
had a good school to attend, while smaller country
schools were built in the area. Glen Flora was a
thriving village with a large sawmill and many log-
ging camps near by.
As many small farms began to develop, a
creamery was built, and the dairy industry was
growing, resulting in many big fine dairy farms in
the area.
Pioneer life was strenuous, but also had its
lighter side. Social functions and entertainment
was mostly local so friends and neighbors could
visit and enjoy it together. Highway fatalities were
nonexistent, perhaps a runaway team now and
then, seldom any serious consequences. A young
man with his own horse and buggy was as proud as
today's owner of a fancy sports car. Of course a lit-
tle gossip and some not so friendly banter livened
things up a bit at times.
Glen Flora boasted of one of the best baseball
teams along the Soo Line. Many a livery team
pounded the roads between competing towns. On
the serious side, doctors made house calls in those
days, even traveling on foot thru the woods at night
carrying a lantern to reach a patient in a lonely
cabin, if necessary.
In 1915 father sold the farm and bought 80
acres of wooded land and started pioneering all
over again. By that time conditions were different
so it did not take so long to develop another nice
farm where my sister and I now live, retired.
Glen Flora may not be what it used to be in size
and population, but still it is a good place to live
among the many friendly people, many of whom
are descendants of the early pioneers. There is a
fine school, 3 churches, store, filling station and
other industries, and many fine homes and last but
not least one of the best senior citizens' centers in
the area. By: Carl Nelson
CARL E. NELSON
I was born on January 27th, 1892, on a farm on
the North end of Island Lake in what was then
Chippewa County. I had sisters named Augusta
and Julia and one brother named Chris. My
parents were from the Loefloten Islands in Nor-
way. The family language was Norweigan.
When I started school, part of the kids were In-
dian. I went with Herman and Rick Nater, close
neighbors. They both chewed tobacco. Used to
hide their chews in a stump during school. One of
my first teachers was Magadelina Russell. My last
was Mabel Bates.
There were a number of Civil War Veterans
around, including Jim Hill who carried the famous
eagle.
A railroad ran about a mile North of our place,
from the Chippewa River to Potato Lake. A
branch ran North to Weyerhaeuser.