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Rozellville, Village of

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Author:
Mary Forer

Location:
T.26 - R. 4 E., corner of Sec. 9,10,15,16, Township of Day

Background:

Originally, the settlement was referred to as Campbell town but was officially named Rozellville on October 18, 1877 by the United States Post Office. A means of transportation was desperately needed in Rozellville. It wasn't until 1928 when the Fred H. Grahl Construction Company laid the cement on County Trunk C that Rozellville's need was met.

Leonard Schmide came to Rozellville in 1877. William Raschke and Andrew Daul came in 1878. Andrew Daul built a small sawmill there.

The earliest settlement in the Town of Day was Campbell town.  There were only a few families, one of them being the Michael Rozell family: Michael, his wife, and their nine sons and daughters.  They settled in an area about a mile north and a mile west of the present site of Rozellville.  Rozellville's namesake was Michael Rozell and the Rozell family.  Michael returned from Plainfield to Rozellville in 1888 to live in the home of his son Elmer.  He died on April 26, 1896, at the age of 93.

Post Office Established:
October 18, 1877

First Postmaster:
Michael D. W. Rozell

About The Post Office:

The post office at Rozellville was discontinued on February 28, 1929, with mail service from Stratford. It was located in the SE 1/4 of Section 9, Township 26 North, Range 4 East in the Township of Day.

See Background

Railroad:

Rozellville never did get the service of railroads except a spur which was built by the Connor Lumber Co.  It reached out to the Rice Lake Flowage and passed within two miles of Rozellville.

Churches:

The first masses offered in Rozellville were in 1881. Originally the Catholic church was a mission church of St. Mary's in Marathon City with Reverend J. Reisen holding services. Later it became a part of the Marshfield parish which was much closer in distance. The parsonage was built in 1892 and in 1893 R. A. Schauenberge became the first resident priest in Rozellville. Soon after his arrival, a larger church and parochial schoolhouse were built.

Schools:

See Town of Day

Business:

In 1878, John Brinkman opened a general store.

Andrew Striegel's blacksmith shop.

A tavern, operated by Fred Bernitt. Operation license applied for in 1880.

Arriving in 1887, Matt Oppman established a tavern on the corner of Highway M and Highway C.

Industry:

Nick Pinion started a sawmill one half mile east of Rozellville.

Until the farmers cleared the land, lumber was the only cash crop in the area. Later, cheese factories came into being. The first successful cheese factory was built and operated by Ferdinand Olm.

Stories:

Since the people of the area were predominantly German, they did not seem happy about the name Campbell town, a name with a Scotch ring. They considered Daulton but then decided on Rozellville.